CLARENCE
CATCHMENT ALLIANCE

PROTECT OUR WATER, SAVE OUR RIVERS, CARE FOR OUR CATCHMENT.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS GRANTED NO SOCIAL LICENCE FOR MINING IN OUR CATCHMENT !

Situated in the Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia, on Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr, and Yaegl Country.

The Clarence, Nymboida, and Mann Rivers are under threat from mineral mining. So too are the beautiful plateaus and banks that surround them, and the down river estuaries to the sea. These rivers are central to the region’s environmental, cultural, social, and economic well-being. The Dorrigo Plateau, a key source of drinking water for the Clarence and Coffs community, is also of huge concern.

Multinational mining companies are exploring for battery-grade minerals such as copper, cobalt, lead, zinc, and gold across the Clarence Catchment and exploration is currently occuring.

The most progressed sites are beside the above mentioned rivers in Cangai, Ewingar, the Dorrigo Plateau, and Mt Gilmore between the Gorge and Carnham , renamed Cobalt Ridge. The Clarence Catchment is scattered with more than 40 sites, targeted to serve the battery needs for emerging tech and the Electric Vehicle industry.

Click the locations to see how close they are to rivers, with steep terrain. These are high rainfall areas and flood zones meaning the risk of toxic runoff, leaks, leaching and tailings dam failure is heightened here.

The CCA acknowledges that these minerals are required; but the community is against mining in water catchments, in flood zones, where high rainfall increases the risk of tailings dam failure, acid mine drainage, and leaching. Where risk of heavy metal and toxin contamination is heightened, and in areas of high ecological, cultural, and economic significance. And we are definitely against mining in endangered species habitat.

Mining in the Clarence poses significant risks, not only to water, but to air quality, and land through deforestation, and destruction of habitats.

Australia has witnessed several alarming instances of tailings dams failures, each leaving a devastating imprint on the water resources of the affected regions. More on the problem can be found here.

Local industries, reliant on healthy environments and clean water, like agriculture, seafood, and tourism generate billions of dollars of revenue and provide mass employment for locals.

The region is also home to protected and endangered species such as the Australian bass, Eastern Freshwater Cod, Platypus, Koalas, and vulnerable birds like the Coastal Emu, Black-Necked Stork and Little Tern. Habitats and breeding would be severely disrupted if mines were approved.

Despite the well documented significance of the region, exploration licences (EL) continue to be approved . There are also a number of existing mining, and gold mining licences (ML & GL) held here. These lay dormant, but are owned none-the-less. A company planned to reopen one of these three years ago, but after meetings with the CCA they set their timelines back, and they have since withdrawn their plans to reinstate and extract gold.

NSW Government policy guidelines state; community consultation is essential in the mining application process, to ensure and gauge social licence. Most companies, except two, have failed to engage meaningfully with our community. CEO’s have ignored the CCA’s contact, showing a disregard for public concerns. Despite this, some companies have still sought and gained Government funding, are trading on the ASX, and continue to promote and implement ramped up efforts.

We demand all companies, and the NSW Government acknowledge the lack of social license granted by our community and put an end to renewal, and granting of exploration licenses, and revoke existing ones.

The pursuit of rare earth minerals in this delicate ecosystem not only jeopardises its natural balance but also endangers the very lifeline of the region – its water. The consequences of unchecked mineral mining activities in this area could be catastrophic, leading to irreversible damage to water quality, aquatic life, and the livelihoods and deep cultural ties of those dependent on these resources.

The Clarence Catchment Alliance (CCA) and this community lead NFP campaign calls for mining legislation changes to protect water catchments and areas of high environmental and cultural significance, even more importantly in flood zones.

Our secondary mission is to set a precedent for other communities, so our plea extends beyond the Northern Rivers, to safeguard all ecologically and culturally significant water catchments from harm.

Please help us protect our water, save our rivers, and care for our catchment.

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP

CCA media coverage and campaign history can be accessed here.

Carnham or CadiA?

Look at these ‘what if’ images of Mt Gilmore near Carnham and the Gorge, where Corazon Mining is exploring for battery minerals. Then compare them to the environmental devastation caused by the Cadia Gold Mine near Orange, NSW. Similar mining techniques would be used on Mt Gilmore (renamed Cobalt Ridge by the mining company) if approved. Cadia contamination from 2019 is found in the water, air and residents’ blood, and livestock; caused by dam leakage and dust.

CURRENT EXPLORATION LICENCES HELD here

38

Exploration Licences (ELs)

6

Exploratoration Licence Applications (ELAs)

18

Mining Leases and Gold Leases (MLs GLs)

4

Mining Purpose Leases

We demand the cancellation of current leases and a stop to new ones. Open-cut and mountain-top removal mining would destroy local plateaus, harm endangered species, and pollute nearby communities. Toxic by-products in tailings dams threaten rivers, sacred to the Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr, and Yaegl Nations, and vital to farming, seafood, and tourism. The risks outweigh any potential jobs.

Mining leases can be seen clearly on MinView

THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT! CCA JACARANDA FESTIVAL FLOAT & PROCESSION 2024

VOLUNTEER

What is the CCA?

The Clarence Catchment Alliance (CCA) is a grassroots, non-partisan, volunteer group dedicated to protecting the Clarence Valley’s plateaus, waterways, ecosystems, species and communities from the destructive impacts of mineral mining. The CCA operates as a sub-group of the Clarence Environment Centre.

Since 2018, the CCA have led the 'No Mines Clarence Catchment' campaign, educating, collaborating, and facilitating an avenue for community voices to be heard.

Opposing over 40 mineral exploration licences in this flood-prone region the long standing campaign has seen many successes but this is a long and difficult fight. Mining in the Clarence poses significant risks, including water and air contamination, deforestation, and destruction of endangered species’ habitats.

The CCA stands against mineral mining in this catchment because of its threats to the Clarence, Mann and Nymboida rivers, areas of high ecological significance, local culture, First Nations heritage sites, and prime agricultural land. Our water-based industries tourism, agriculture, fishing, and prawning are at risk, and no promise of mining jobs can outweigh the damage to these vital sectors. Furthermore, mining is a carbon-intensive industry that accelerates land degradation and undermines efforts to mitigate climate change.

The Clarence River, the backbone of the community’s social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being, must be recognised as a unique living entity of high conservation value, with deep cultural and social significance. Protecting this river and its catchment is essential for safeguarding our region’s future

FOR THESE MANY REASONS, THE CLARENCE CATCHMENT ALLIANCE AGAIN RESPECTFULLY URGES THE GOVERNMENT TO:

Ban future mineral mining, exploratory and active in the Clarence Catchment
Cease the renewal of and revoke existing exploration licences and mining leases in areas of the Clarence Catchment (i.e. the Clarence Valley and surrounding Local Government Areas) that feed our water source, in recognition of:
-the threatened species and ecological communities found in this region, such as the Eastern Freshwater Cod and Koala
-the region's food, fishing, farming and tourism industries that are reliant on clean water, and the existing thriving economy and employment these industries create
-First Nations, cultural and community ties to the Clarence River, its major tributaries and surrounding lands
-the heightened risk of contamination due to the region's high rainfall and frequent major flooding events.
Join our calls to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces to amend the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (Resources and Energy) 2021 to add the following as prohibited development:
-Mineral mining and mineral exploration in all parts of the Clarence Valley Local Government Area and the Clarence Catchment's headwaters in the Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Armidale Regional, Glen Innes Severn, Tenterfield, Kyogle and Richmond Valley Local Government Areas.
Amend the NSW Mining Act 1992 to ban mineral exploration and mineral mining occurring in major urban drinking water catchments, culturally and environmentally sensitive areas, in areas prone to flood and landslips, and across the Clarence Catchment.

MORE ABOUT US

We ask that our major river systemS be recognised as a unique living entities of high conservation, ENVIRONMENTAL, Cultural, social and economic value.

The Problem

Licences held in the Clarence Catchment 2023. Compiled by the CCA. More have since been granted. Updates soon.

The unique biodiversity of the area includes endangered, protected, and threatened species such as the Koala, Eastern Freshwater Cod, and Platypus.

The NSW government protects the Eastern Freshwater Cod and shuts down the upper Mann, Clarence, and Nymboida rivers for three months a year for spawning. The same department approves mineral mining exploration licences on the unstable, sloping land right beside them.

If mining exploration progresses to extraction these plateaus would be reduced to rubble and our water source could be poisoned by chemical and acidic runoff forever.

Mining and tailings dams pose a high risk to waterways, a problem heightened in the Clarence where steep terrain, high rainfall, and fragile geology, combine to contribute to frequent land slippages. The chances of tailings dam failure are heightened due to this.

Evidence from around the world shows the negative impact extractive industries have on waterways and catchments. Tailings dams remain forever, long after mines close and they fail, and leech into waterways. There is a greater risk of this in high rainfall, flood, and landslip zones like the Northern Rivers. This is why we are so opposed to mining here. MINES POISON WATER.

The local Timbarra gold mine did enormous damage to the Clarence River in the 90s, with cyanide contaminating waterways. It was a controversial local battle until it was finally closed. Toxic tailings dams remain, however.

Local professional fishermen remember the mutated seafood of the 70s, linked to the leaching of cyanide and other toxic substances from active gold mines at Drake in the Upper Clarence catchment.

Recent heavy rains and catastrophic floods show how quickly water moves from upriver, through our towns, and into the ocean. Steep terrain and unstable ground mean landslips are common. This highlights how risky mine tailing dams would be in this area. There is a high risk that they would overflow or fail to release contaminants into rivers.

Water is our community's common thread. We have 175+ years of heritage industries as well as more recent sectors that our local economy relies on and they are all water-reliant.

Local seafood, dairy, sugar cane, livestock, agri-food, crops, and tourism, and the industries that serve them, need clean water. No promise of mining jobs can outweigh the potential decimation of the millions of dollars and employment these sectors already provide.

MAKE A DONATION

how you can help protect our water, save our rivers and care for our catchment

Volunteer

Please assist us with our community initiatives, help us raise funds, volunteer to sell merchandise at markets, help plan and attend our functions, help restock our CCA outlets, become an outlet for merchandise if you have a business, distribute our free front yard signs, share images to our socials or share our posts, do some researching, mapping or cultural profiling, or help us with social media. If you have time, skills, or information to share please fill in our volunteers form. We need and appreciate your assistance.

talk

Start conversations and help educate others on the threat to our environment, culture, and local economy. We have provided educational links throughout the website to help inform everyone on what is at stake. Please use and share these links and facts to start broader conversations. Please familiarise yourself with the campaign history, the six years of progress, and wonderful work done by our community. CCA media coverage and campaign information can be found here. Or join us as an official ally. Find out more.

Write

Inform decision-makers on the importance of water and rivers to our community. Help us FLOOD their inboxes with reasons they should recognise the severe threat mineral mining has on the Clarence Catchment. Please familiarise yourself with the issues and share personal stories. Putting names and faces to the potential fallout is important. Please write respectfully and passionately to the NSW Ministers listed here. We have a sample letter too to help. Find out more. Mining in flood zones is a toxic idea!