ENVIRONMENTALISTS have rallied against possible new mines for the western suburbs.
Wyndham and Bacchus Marsh members of the Western Region Environment Centre and Australian Youth Climate Coalition last week gathered outside Wyndham Civic Centre while Wyndham Council met with Clean Coal Victoria.
Rally organiser Harry vanMoorst said the group wanted the council and Clean Coal Victoria to know they were against coal mining in their communities.
As reported by the Weekly, Western Victoria Energy, a subsidiary of Melbourne-based miner Regal Resources, has an exploration permit which covers large parts of Wyndham. The permit is due to expire on September 4.
Western Australian company Mantle Mining has been exploring for brown coal around Parwan and Bacchus Marsh over the past year. Environmentalists believe the company will apply for a mining licence to create an open-cut mine in the area. Mr van Moorst said he feared similar drilling would begin in Wyndham.
“The council and the community need to make it very clear we are not prepared to allow [mining] to happen here. We are arguing [Western Victoria Energy] should not be allowed to renew their exploration licence in September.”
Wyndham chief executive Kerry Thompson said it was unlikely the area would be mined. “Clean Coal Victoria has indicated that coal resources in the western region of Melbourne, which are near Bacchus Marsh, were not of sufficient size to be commercially viable and that there is still in excess of 400 years of brown coal supply in Latrobe Valley. Coal exploration in Wyndham is therefore unlikely, but if a company still did decide to extract coal in Wyndham, extensive consultation with council and the community must occur before any action is taken.”
