Development Application part 2 OF 2 All of CD, Information in notes - MCU12/0216

Planning Assessment Report                                                                                                      Page 6
300 Kennedys Road, Lake Macdonald QLD 4563 – Extractive Industry




2.3          Description of Activities
2.3.1        Overview of Project
All extraction activities included as part of the proposed development will be undertaken in a manner consistent with the
existing mining lease approvals over the land.

The proposed development for extractive industry is no different to the historical mining activities over the land. The only
difference to the historical mining activities over the land in comparison to this development application for extractive
industry is that the extraction of the clay material will be used for its physical properties as fill (e.g. for rehabilitation
purposes for the Neales Quarry and White Pit Quarry to the south of the Site) as opposed to using the clay material for its
ceramic properties (which is defined as a “mineral” under the Mineral Resources Act 1989).

The approval sought is for a limited purpose (to enable rehabilitation of the mining leases to the south of the Site at Neales
Quarry and White Pit Quarry). It is anticipated that the volume of material required will be hauled within a period 2 years
from commencement of the operations. It is anticipated that between 900,000 t of material will be required to complete the
rehabilitation works at Neales Quarry and White Pit Quarry.

The impacts on the environment will be limited as all activities will be within portions of the Site which have been previously
disturbed. The proposed disturbance areas are contained within an existing mining lease (ML No. 3742), and will expand
upon the already disturbed mining footprint to enable landform reshaping. As a result, the proposed disturbance areas
avoid several ecological values recognised by State regulations including:

      areas of remnant vegetation pursuant to the Vegetation Management Act 1999;
      areas of high value regrowth vegetation pursuant to the Regrowth Vegetation Code;
      watercourses recognised by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (“DNRM”) under the Vegetation
      Management Act 1999 and Regrowth Vegetation Code;
      Koala Assessable Development Areas (“KADA”) pursuant to the Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions
      mapping;
      referrable wetlands pursuant to the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 (however, the proposed disturbance areas
      are located within the 100 m buffer to such areas); and
      conservation estate buffers recognised by the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009.

In addition, the proposed disturbance areas also avoid mapped areas recognised by the Noosa Shire Planning Scheme,
including:

      environmental enhancement areas;
      koala habitat areas;
      major waterbodies or watercourses / drainage lines; and
      flood and landslide hazard areas.

Although part of the proposed disturbance area is located within areas mapped “Environmental Protection Area” under the
Noosa Shire Planning Scheme, the Ecological Assessment Report for the Site identified that:

             “The vegetation within both the proposed disturbance areas is non-remnant and is not high value regrowth
             vegetation pursuant to the VM Act. As described in Section 4.1.2.2 the on-site inspection confirmed that the
             vegetation communities within the proposed development areas would fall under the ‘non remnant vegetation’
             category described in Vegetation of Noosa Shire (Edition 2).

             The ‘non remnant vegetation’ category would not achieve the definition of an ‘Environmental Protection Area’
             (below) because:

                   it is not ‘Endangered’ vegetation pursuant to the VM Act;
                   it is not listed as forming habitat for rare, threatened or protected fauna species, as identified in Vegetation of
                   Noosa Shire (NB: the site inspection confirmed that the two proposed disturbance areas do not support
                   habitat for rare, threatened or protected fauna species);
                   it is not rare or naturally restricted; and


December 2012 / file ref. 1271_DA1_310_001                                                                          GROUNDWORK p l u s