Since European settlement, the historic and picturesque Kurnell has been turned into an industrial wasteland, with a large part of this destruction attributed to sandmining, which has destroyed the iconic landscape that was once viewed by those aboard the Endeavour. Kurnell also holds historical claim as the landing site of Lieutenant James Cook, the first meeting between Indigenous Australians and white settlers, the site of discovery of Australia’s unique flora, among other important historical markers.
The destruction of the dunes first began when they were used as grazing land for sheep and cattle, with the removal of the stabilising vegetation the sand hills began to move at a rate of 8m per year (SSEC 2008). As Sydney’s industrial sector began to boom the area turned into a mining hot bed. Since the 1930’s in excess of 170 million tonnes of sand has been extracted from the Peninsula, with the rate of excavation peaking in the 1960’s (SSEC 2008). Sandmining has not only changed the aesthetics of the Kurnell area, but has also lead to issues such as ground instability, destruction of various ecosystems and destruction of many of the area’s historical and cultural places, many of which are significant to indigenous peoples.
These once enormous sand dunes characterized the Bay, covering over 405 hectares (SSEC 2008). “I can remember the dunes being so high you would think you could never reach the top. It was something that's unusual in the middle of a major city in the world, a towering sand dune. So it was fantastic place to grow up.” (Annette Hogan - 7.30 report).
Now just one remains with scars of fresh water pools indicating where these giants once stood. To add insult to injury, the pools have been used as a dumping ground for local industrial waste that has contaminated the area’s aquifer, which runs underneath the protected RAMSAR wetlands at Towra Point.
A number of companies/landholders have undertaken sand mining on the Peninsula, including Holt Group, Breen and Hookers. In 2001, 2004 and 2005 Rocla Pty. Ltd put forward proposals to mine a largely untouched portion of land on the Peninsula that would then be ‘rehabilitated’ to form the base for a light industrial park. The project aimed to mine a further 4-5 million tonnes of sand from the area, entrenching already existing problems and creating new ones in the process. Issues associated with such a proposal include, the destruction of the last remaining, and relatively untouched, sand dune, increases in key threatening processes to species such as the Golden Bell Frog (a highly endangered species in the area), inevitable further contamination of the aforementioned aquifer and the continued expansion of industry in the area.
However, one of the biggest problems with the proposal is the further destruction of aboriginal campsites and their middens, which have already been largely destroyed by sandmining and development in the area. Shell middens are able to give us a great deal of information about Aboriginal activities in the past, as the types of shells, bones and rocks in a midden indicate the type of marine environment that was used, and the time of year when Aboriginal people used it (DECC 2008). The range of species and the rocks present are useful in studying the movements of groups within areas and possible trading between mobs.
The introduction of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 has made it illegal to disturb, damage, deface or destroy any relic; a relic being defined as any deposit, object or material evidence relating to indigenous & non European habitation of New South Wales. While most of the destruction to Indigenous places and objects of significance occurred prior to this law, there has still be a general disregard for this Act, highlighted by the Rocla proposal. A large part of this destruction is attributed to the ignorance of these sites. Current management by government bodies is still along the same lines, limiting education about the locations of such sites is believed to overcome the difficulties that are faced in the managerial process. In Aboriginal law only a select few are permitted to maintain an area, referred to as their country, when these select people are unable to be found, or there are no survivors from a particular tribe, no one else is allowed access to the art in question.
It is known that the proposed site contains at least one midden, which the company has vowed to protect. Rocla has designated the midden to have its own lot (3), which will be protected with mining and development going on around it. But what significance will this site have to Indigenous peoples when it is surrounded by a ‘light industrial park’? Surely it will lose its integrity and true meaning to Indigenous peoples. This incredibly important historical and cultural landmark has once again come up against ignorance about its integral value for both indigenous people and their relations with white Australians.
Protecting these precious cultural sites are not only important to Australia’s Indigenous peoples but also aids in strengthening the relationship between White Australians and Indigenous peoples. For too long these significant places have been destroyed by industry and development in the areas around Kurnell.
Les Bursill grew up in the area surrounding Kurnell, during this time he has seen the destruction first hand. Describing the mining as ‘sucking up the land’ and destroying the camp sites in the area, displacing charcoal and animal remains. The degradation of the sites means it would be useless for traditional purposes now. The water is polluted; the native species have been taken out. It is just scrubland, it’s pretty but it’s just a place. It’s not productive land any more” (Les Bursill 2010 in interview with Else Kennedy).
For many years calls have been made to prohibit the renewal or granting of any new leases to mining in the area. With the election of the previous council in September 1999 moves were made, due to community pressure, for councillors to establish a committee to investigate the legalities of the current sand mining activities on the peninsula (SSEC 2008). In May 2001, Sutherland Shire Council gave notification to the Holt group (the largest sandminer on the Peninsula) that it intended to issue an order to halt some of their sandmining operations. The order was reportedly based on the fact that according to Council, the company has been removing sand from areas for which they did not have consent to do so (SSEC 2008). The fact that this had been going on for so long, unbeknownst to the council (or if it had been known the fact that such little concern was given to the issue) clearly indicates the disregard for the area.
Evidently these hills have been ignored for too long, the time has come for effective and strong moves to be made in protecting what is left and rehabilitating what has been destroyed. Sandmining on the peninsula is highly unsustainable and if the precautionary principle were being implemented there would already be effective action. With the threat of climate change and associated increases in storm surges and higher tides there are fears that the peninsula will be separated due to the already present instability. There is the possibility that the operation could be moved offshore if it met the environmental impact assessments and was shown to have no significant impacts upon the habitats within the area affected.
In September 2002 Dr Andrew Refshauge, State Planning minister at the time, announced a major study of the "entire Botany Bay catchment including the sensitive Kurnell Peninsula"(SSEC 2008), prompted by the reactions to the Rocla proposal. At the conclusion of the study a moratorium was placed on new developments until a future plan for the Peninsula had been made. However, there are currently no hard copies of this strategy plan, with it still only residing in draft form.
The national trust has been incredibly vocal on the issues at Kurnell since 1952, calling for changes to be made to the handling of the area. In August 2002, the Trust commented on the Rocla proposal for sand extraction on Lot 8 DP 586986 at Kurnell:
“The National Trust has campaigned vigorously for the conservation of the Kurnell Peninsula, its landforms, flora and for the better recognition of its national historic significance since our organisation’s earliest days in the 1950s….The Kurnell Peninsula is equivalent in importance for the Australian Nation to Plymouth Rock and its surroundings for the people of the United States. The Trust has consistently opposed the industrialization of the Peninsula including the original establishment of the oil refinery. We look forward to the day when the refinery will be relocated, the land rehabilitated and added to the adjoining Botany Bay National Park. The treatment of the Kurnell Peninsula should be exemplary in presenting this area’s unique sense of place in its natural setting for Australians and overseas visitors. It is currently a disgrace.”
Numerous calls have been made by Indigenous peoples, community groups, the national trust and by member for Miranda Mr Barry Collier, to put a stop to sand mining in the area because Kurnell has already given enough; “We believe this assault on the birthplace of Australia, on our heritage, on our culture and on our history cannot continue. Sandmining, we believe, must come to an end on the Kurnell peninsula” (Barry Collier. Legislative Assembly, 23 February 2005).
Kurnell’s sand dunes do not lie in the Miranda electorate but are in the state electorate of Cronulla represented by the same sitting member for the past 20 years. It is also in the Federal electorate of Cook, which has been held by the Liberal Party for 30 years consecutively and is presently held by the Hon. Bruce Baird. Mr Collier has extended offers of bipartisanship to Mr Baird however this has been rejected, limiting the outcomes that are able to come out of state and federal governments working together on the issues.
As nothing has yet to be locked down, in the meantime, Rocla resubmitted its 2004 proposal in 2005 for further sand extraction to the tune of 4.5 million tonnes.
There is no definite answer as to whether sandmining will again continue on the Peninsula. Community petitions have indicated a strong opposition to the project, which will hopefully be listened to and reflected in legislation.
To read more about Mr Barry Collier’s fight for Kurnell Peninsula and against Sand Extraction Proposals refer to the following address. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20050223022
Sources
DECC 2008- Environment Climate and Water, 25/02/2008 ‘Shell Middens’, last viewed 10/10/2010, <http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nswcultureheritage/ShellMiddens.htm>
Kirstin Murrary-7:30 Report, 26/01/2009, Residents fight to preserve historic land, , last viewed 8/10/2010, <http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2008/s2474453.htm>
Collier, Barry, Kurnell Peninsula Sand Extraction Proposal, Legislative Assembly, 23 February 2005, Last Updated, 05/12/2007, Last viewed 30/9/2010 <http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20050223022 >
SECC, Southerland Shire Environment Centre, ‘Issues of Concern- Kunrell Peninsula’, last updated 31/10/2008, Last viewed 10/10/2010,<http://www.ssec.org.au/our_environment/issues_campaigns/kurnell/issues_of_concern.htm>
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