{"id":765,"date":"2026-03-12T12:39:36","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T01:39:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/?page_id=765"},"modified":"2026-03-20T13:15:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T02:15:04","slug":"matter-3-dunmore-hard-rock-quarry-da470-11-2003-mod-13-shellharbour","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/?page_id=765","title":{"rendered":"Matter 3 &#8211; Dunmore Hard Rock Quarry (DA470-11-2003-Mod-13) Shellharbour"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Dunmore Hard Rock Quarry (DA470-11-2003-Mod-13) Shellharbour<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This concern relates to the risk of losing an entire vegetation community and a local endemic plant species.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Melaleuca <\/i><\/b><b>armillaris Tall Shrubland\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identified as a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critically<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Endangered Ecological Community (CEEC) under NSW BC Act.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only found in Dunmore\/Jamberoo area, in decline and at serious risk of extinction.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Approximately 164 ha of this ecological community has survived, with 132 ha mapped within the hard rock mineral resource area<sup class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote \" data-mfn=\"1\" data-mfn-post-scope=\"00000000000001f80000000000000000_765\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"  role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-1\">1<\/a><\/sup><span id=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-1\" role=\"tooltip\" class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote__note\" tabindex=\"0\" data-mfn=\"1\">Modification 13 of Dunmore Quarry Expansion Project- Assessment Report, page 11 (Department of Housing and Infrastructure) 2024<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Over 86 per cent of this community occurs in the Dunmore resource area<sup class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote \" data-mfn=\"2\" data-mfn-post-scope=\"00000000000001f80000000000000000_765\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"  role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-2\">2<\/a><\/sup><span id=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-2\" role=\"tooltip\" class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote__note\" tabindex=\"0\" data-mfn=\"2\">Tindall et al. 2004, Tozer et al. 2006<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee rational for CEEC designation for this community includes: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it\u2019s<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">highly restricted geographical range; continuing decline in area due to clearing, dieback due to drought, and the likelihood of continued and more severe drought in the future<sup class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote \" data-mfn=\"3\" data-mfn-post-scope=\"00000000000001f80000000000000000_765\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"  role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-3\">3<\/a><\/sup><span id=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-3\" role=\"tooltip\" class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote__note\" tabindex=\"0\" data-mfn=\"3\">Conservation Assessment of Melaleuca armillaris Tall Shrubland &#8211; NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee <\/span><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is identified as \u2018<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an entity listed at risk of serious and irreversible impacts (SAII)\u2019<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under NSW BC Act.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This CEEC is not represented in any conservation reserves on public lands<sup class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote \" data-mfn=\"4\" data-mfn-post-scope=\"00000000000001f80000000000000000_765\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"  role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-4\">4<\/a><\/sup><span id=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-4\" role=\"tooltip\" class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote__note\" tabindex=\"0\" data-mfn=\"4\">Tindall et al. 2004<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It grows in a unique association with endangered endemic plant species Zieria granulata (Illawarra zieria) at Dunmore.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Zieria granulata\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listed as Endangered under NSW BC and EPBC Acts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An endemic plant species only found across a limited range of 22 kilometers in Shellharbour\/Kiama areas<sup class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote \" data-mfn=\"5\" data-mfn-post-scope=\"00000000000001f80000000000000000_765\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"  role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-5\">5<\/a><\/sup><span id=\"mfn-content-00000000000001f80000000000000000_765-5\" role=\"tooltip\" class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote__note\" tabindex=\"0\" data-mfn=\"5\">Zieria Granulata Profile https:\/\/www.environment.nsw.gov.au\/threatenedspeciesapp\/profile.aspx?id=10856<\/span>.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The quarry resource area coincides with the largest known population of this species and is considered to be its main stronghold.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 32% of recorded plants are located within the extractive resource area<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Zieria Granulata Recovery Plan estimates the total population of this species to be approximately 8000 mature individuals.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Plan cites <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">clearing associated with quarrying as one of the main threats to its survival and the ongoing cumulative impacts of hard rock quarrying in the area.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has been assigned to the Site-Managed\u00a0management stream under the\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saving our Species (SoS)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0program and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">requires site-based management in order to secure it from extinction in NSW for 100 years<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who has been watching while this biologically important vegetation has been cleared at Dunmore for quarrying since 1921, including 13 modifications to the 2005 approval?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the recent 2024 consolidated approval Boral has been granted consent to clear a further<\/span><b> 8 ha of Melaleuca CEEC and 6.65 ha Zieria granulata habitat, including removal of 1,381 mature Zieria granulata plants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>GEPS concerns <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While offsets and translocation of plants provides some compensation, the outcome of this approval is a net loss of these endangered habitats and species, pushing this vegetation further towards extinction.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cumulative impacts of clearing of this endangered vegetation has not been assessed, is not understood and there is no meaningful plan in place to ensure its survival.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Th<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e Strategy for the Conservation and Management of Biodiversity in the Dunmore-Shellharbour Hills Area, 2011<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the primary governmental response to the known biodiversity threats in the Dunmore area. It has set a biodiversity target <\/span><b><i>to increase the recovery of threatened species, populations and ecological communities<\/i><\/b><b> by 2015<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It is a real concern that the opposite is happening and this Strategy is not effecting change. Between 2011 and 2024 the area of Critically Endangered Melaleuca armillaris Tall Shrubland has more than halved (from 390 ha<\/b><b> to 164 ha)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Requests:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>In order to address the <\/b><b><i>Strategy for the Conservation and Management of Biodiversity in the Dunmore-Shellharbour Hills Area<\/i><\/b><b> target referred to above<\/b><b><i>, <\/i><\/b><b>we would like you to support and raise with the minister the need to investigate:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Melaleuca <\/i><\/b><b>armillaris Tall Shrubland habitats in Jamberoo, and Dunmore to ascertain if it would be possible to protect and manage these remaining habitats within new conservation or nature reserves.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>the development of a Recovery Plan for <\/b><b><i>Melaleuca <\/i><\/b><b>armillaris Tall Shrubland CEEC.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>how Kiama Council Jerrara dam site could be utilized to assist in the recovery of Zieria granulata, including Landcare or Biodiversity Conservation Trust grants?<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>possible unauthorised clearing<\/b><b> of this CEEC (particularly in the area referred to as remnant 1 in Figure 3 Vegetation remnants and TECs of the study area (page 8 of the Strategy) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See attached photo.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-767\" src=\"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Picture-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"906\" height=\"606\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aerial Photo: Remnant 1 in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figure 3 Vegetation remnants and TECs of the study area<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (page 8 of the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strategy for the Conservation and Management of Biodiversity in the Dunmore-Shellharbour Hills Area<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dunmore Hard Rock Quarry (DA470-11-2003-Mod-13) Shellharbour This concern relates to the risk of losing an entire vegetation community and a local endemic plant species.\u00a0 Melaleuca armillaris Tall Shrubland\u00a0 Identified as a Critically Endangered Ecological Community (CEEC) under NSW BC Act. Only found in Dunmore\/Jamberoo area, in decline and at serious risk of extinction.\u00a0 Approximately 164 ha of this ecological community has survived, with 132 ha mapped within the hard rock mineral resource area. Over 86 per cent of this community<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-no-sidebar.php","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-765","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","comments-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=765"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":777,"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/765\/revisions\/777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/geps.kiamaregion.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}