Great Southern Lime: Public comment for Nullaki mine operational changes

An application to change operating conditions for Great Southern Lime has been opened to a public comment period again after objections to potential noise and environmental impacts were raised last year. The application from the agricultural lime business seeks to amend conditions of operations due to increased demand for lime from customers. It states the change would require smaller dump trucks to operate eight months of the year, beyond the current limitation of four months of annual onsite operation, to fill the 50,000-tonne storage zone. Proposed changes to the number of allowed movements from a maximum of 14 a day to an average of 14 movements every four months would “address the need for flexibility”, according to Great Southern Lime owner Graeme Robertson’s letter to the City of Albany. The letter further states that “being able to earn income for four months of the year from a restricted tonnage is not a sound basis for a successful business” and that to be a “reliable supplier it is critical that Great Southern Lime is capable of a timely response as the demand for lime increases over time”. The public comment period will be the second time the public will have the chance to comment on the requested operational changes for the agricultural lime mine. In June 2021, two protesters to the mine locked themselves to machinery to protest plans to widen an access road along Lake Saide Road to the Nullaki lime mine. Concerns were raised at the December, 2023 City of Albany council meeting over potential damage to habitat and breeding ability of Australasian bitterns, the risk caused by a greater concentration of truck movements and the impacts of increased noise due to the requested expanded operating period. An environmental impact report from Bowman & Partners Environmental, who conducted a survey in the area, has been submitted to the city as part of the new comment period and has addressed concerns about the impact of increased noise on nesting Australasian bittern’s and their mating calls within the Eungedup wetlands. The report concluded that operations at Great Southern Lime’s Nullaki mine’s potentially increased operations would have no impact on the local Australasian bittern population. Another report from Aurora Environmental said that while Australasian bittern audio tolerance levels were unknown, and with a comparison of similar waterbirds, the requested operational amendments would be unlikely to impact wildlife. The application is available on the City of Albany website (P2240364) and comments can be submitted to planning@albany.wa.gov.au or to PO Box 484 Albany, WA, 6331, until December 9.