Updates
62 objections submitted to Council
EPA requires applicant to re-address all aspects of groundwater assessment
EPA also requires further information on waste water management
We’re advised these will also likely require another public exhibition period
Abattoir & Power Station threat to Oura
What is at stake?
Contamination risk to the Murrumbidgee River, groundwater & lagoons
Unnecessary impacts to local roads and community
Significant loss of ‘rural landscape’ character
Local tourism jeopardised by industrialisation of Oura
Danger of polluting odours along the river valley
NOT the place for a meat factory and power station
What’s next?…“We have some very ambitious…goals” likely expansion
The Proposal
Eringoarrah Pty Ltd, operated by Okeview Pastoral Company, Scone, proposes a $10m abattoir and power station at Oura Station, 2052 Oura Rd, Oura, NSW.
This includes :
- 4 buildings, abattoir height of 2.5 hay sheds (12m), office/amenities, workshop/ storage room, electrical building on site area of 11 rugby league fields (8.2ha)
- Located 800m from Eringoarrah’s western boundary and 11km from their eastern
- For own private use, killing over 6,000 animals per year [approx. assuming 48 weeks/year] 2,880 cattle, 2,400 sheep and 960 pigs
- Supported by a power station the size of two rugby league fields (1.5ha) with 1,300kW solar array, 1,500KWh battery and 500KVA diesel generator
- Includes effluent treatment ponds, waste water screening, re-use irrigation, composting, new roads, loading bay, carpark, yards, fencing, lighting etc.
Key Impacts: Environment & Community
Abattoir and ancillary power station in riverine landscape and close to the Murrumbidgee River, Sandy Creek tributary, lagoons and natural fishery
In an area officially listed as flood sensitive, groundwater vulnerable, protected riparian land, key fish habitat & high potential groundwater dependant ecosystem
Oura is 4.8km nearby and the Murrumbidgee River is the recreational life blood of the community, tourism and everyone downstream
On a regional road with little industrial use, enjoyed as scenic drive and a regular cycle route, and will include transport of offal
Neighbours include hobby farms, approved lifestyle subdivisions and farm tourism
PFAS contamination nearby at Forest Hill highlights need for precaution to protect our drinking water
ALTERNATIVE SITES & FUTURE USE
RU1 zoning around Oura means it should be retained as rural.
- Proponents NIMBY’s (not in my backyard) as replicable site at main Erringorarah homestead with same facilities, similar distance and elevation from river, where it’d be in sight, sound and smell of no-one but themselves, but they don’t want it
- Say for animal welfare they won’t truck stock to a site in the purpose built Bomen Industrial precinct and still plan to truck cattle 600km from Scone to feed abattoir
- Once a $10m abattoir with power station is constructed on Oura Station, there is no turning back – it will be condemned forever to inappropriate industrial land use, as an abattoir and/or feedlot
- The abattoir, as designed, can process 60 head of cattle per day, given a 24-hour chill – that’s 300 per week or about 15,000 per year, 5 times more than proposed and could be significantly more if the chiller rail is extended
Major Concerns
1
Contamination risk to groundwater, lagoons and river, as well as Oura Beach and drinking bores
2
Cumulative contamination risk given location next to 3.5 hectare “drought” feedlot, as well as increased odour
3
Risk of polluting odours from “katabatic drift” along the river valley to Oura
4
Industrialisation of Oura and risk of more odour from rendering on site in future
5
Industrial & solar fire risk putting community and volunteer firefighters at higher risk
6
Nighttime light pollution and daytime solar glare
7
Loss of rural landscape character threatens our lifestyle, farming and tourism and conflicts with surrounding approved subdivision and tourism land uses
8
Only for proponent’s own use and profit, while Oura bears the environmental cost & amenity impacts, as well as future risks
9
Significant likelihood of future expansion once abattoir and power station operations established at this site, either by Eringoarrah or other industrial operators
10
Regional risk of river and groundwater contamination from the combined 13 existing, approved and proposed industrial developments on or near the Murrumbidgee R. between Gundagai and Wagga Wagga, which includes PFAS contamination.
Mythbusters
ORP is not against the concept, just the completely inappropriate location for the environment, community and neighbours.
The “extensive” reports claimed by the proponents does not change the environmental risk of the proposed location close to Sandy Creek tributary, lagoons and the Murrumbidgee River, they can only assert to what level that risk could be managed.
ORP scientific reports show there is high risk of environmental contamination from the proposed site, as spoken publicly by Professor John Blackwell
The proponents claim the environmental high ground and yet it is their neighbours who have planted more than 130,000 trees and shrubs over 30 years, providing biodiversity, shelter and carbon sequestration, as well as adding to the areas rural landscape
They also claim this is an animal welfare driven project and so are unwilling to truck cattle 20km to an abattoir site in Bomen and yet, at the same time, they plan to truck cattle 600km from Scone to feed their abattoir
The abattoir has 5 times more capacity than they state in its current format and could process up to 15,000 head of cattle per year
They say a tree lot running North South from the Oura Road will screen the abattoir and power plant from view, when in reality it will only screen about 200m of road directly in front of the proposed site. The site is significant and will be highly visible for over 1.5km along the road, aerially and to neighbours
Better Alternatives Exist
To maintain Oura’s natural rural environment for the community’s quality of life, recreation, tourism, general amenity and for future generations. This inappropriately located project…
- could be moved elsewhere, further from the river, neighbours and Oura
- could be located in the Bomen industrial precinct
- could instead use mobile processing
Any of these alternatives would provide better outcomes for the environment, neighbours and community, and still meet the scope of the proponent’s proposal
Act now to safeguard what’s
important about Oura
To join the fight or get further Information contact Oura Riverine Protection Inc.