AS RESIDENTS of Toodyay we are deeply concerned about the impact of a potentially huge mining project at Julimar State Forest and particularly Julimar Conservation Park.
It seems ironic and indeed quite wrong that the excavation of “green” minerals could have a destructive impact on the already endangered plant and animal species.
Struggling for survival against climate change are many species especially the chuditch and the beautiful black cockatoos and they are meant to be being protected there.
It also seems unfair that land belonging in effect to the people of Western Australia can be raided to make billions of dollars when, as the editor wrote in last month’s Herald editorial, “much of that wealth is likely to disappear overseas”.
Read more
Surely this community and the residents of this state should benefit and share in the valuable minerals that belong to our precious land rather than having them shipped out making the rich richer and not benefiting the average person in any way.
It would be a different matter if we were mining it ourselves in order to reduce our own state’s dependence on fossil fuels and could have some say in doing it in an environmentally sensitive and sustainable way.
If we can’t stop them mining, then I hope we will all rally and our council will support us in insisting that the excavated minerals will be transported by train or at least on an alternative route to Perth and certainly not through our quiet little tourist town.
Many residents like ourselves chose to come and live in this peaceful, creative community away from the traffic, noise and chaos of the city.
I’m sure there must be others who feel as we do that having 10 trucks an hour driving past every day as was suggested in an earlier article on this matter would be unbearable.
In fact, it would change the whole atmosphere of the town and reduce the value of properties along the main truck route as many people would sadly choose to leave and a lot fewer tourists would choose to visit.
With sincere concern.
Sally and Jim Scott.
Toodyay
