Re: MTN - Marathon Resources
I'm pretty sure it falls under the Flinders Ranges council which offers two planning policies. Policy A is the very strict one and applies mostly for areas south of Hawker... It's a no mining kind of policy... Policy B, although still strict allows a possibility for mining if constraints are followed... the Paralana system, (Unless somebody can hopefully prove that it is not part of the Flinders ranges) is treated as an animal sanctuary so mining there is tight...
Essentially the directors of MTN will need to offer a condition where once they have finished mining works they would remove any evidence of human impact for example plant vegetation over tracks and tunnels... MTN's mining will require tunneling to get to resources as the surface of these scenic resources mustn't be impacted...
Below are the conditions of policy B
here is the source provided as ASF policy requires:
http://www.planning.sa.gov.au/edp/pdf/FLRA.PDF
This is page 44
Environmental Class B Policy Area
Objective 1: The conservation and protection of the natural environment and beauty of the
area.
Land in the area constitutes the foreground of the most prominent ranges in the region. It contains
many features of outstanding natural beauty and environmental importance.
The land should be kept free of development that is not a necessary part of pastoral activity. Any new
development should be in close proximity of existing buildings and structures.
Where there are popular tourist attractions, such as the gorges, existing sites for the parking of
caravans in informal groups, within vicinity of these sites, should be retained. No additional sites
should be established.
Stock routes should be carefully monitored and controlled to prevent over-grazing.
Objective 2: Roads which do not destroy or damage the natural environment, character and
beauty of the area.
Care should be taken to ensure that the improvement of roads in the Environmental Class B Area
does not unduly disturb landforms, vegetation, wildlife and other attributes which make the area
attractive to both tourists and scientists.
It may be necessary to adopt lower than normal design speeds for some roads, and curtail the degree
of access they provide, by having, for example, spur rather than loop roads. At creek crossings, care
should be taken to minimise damage to vegetation by roadworks. Concrete fords rather than bridges
should be used wherever possible.
New roads and improvement to existing roads should ensure access to areas of scenic importance is
available, but restricted to protect the environmental quality of the Area. In respect, access to these
areas not served by a road shown on Flinders Structure Plan, Map FlRa/1 (Overlay 1) needs to
remain difficult to discourage vehicular access.
Objective 3: The retention and protection of the landscape from mining operations, and
prospecting and exploring of new resources.
Mining activities in the Environmental Area Class B should be carried out with the minimum effect on
the scenic and natural qualities of the area.
PRINCIPLES OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL
Form of Development
The principles of development control expressed in this zone are additional to those which apply to the
whole of the council area.
1 Development should not damage the natural scenic features of the area.
2 Native vegetation should not be cleared.
3 New roads or tracks should only be formed or constructed where the natural environment of the
area is not endangered.
4 Development should be designed and sited so as to conserve buildings, structures or sites of
natural or man-made heritage, especially those listed as State Heritage Items, or Aboriginal
heritage significance, geological monuments or on the register of the National Estate.
5 Mining activities should only take place in the Ranges Zone where:
(a) the deposits are of such paramount significance that all other environment, heritage or
conservation considerations may be over-ridden;
(b) the exploitation of the deposits is in the National or State interest;
(c) investigations have shown that alternative deposits are not available on other land in
the locality outside the zone; and
(d) the operations are subject to stringent safeguards to protect the landscape and natural
environment.
6 No buildings or structures, including transmission line towers and antennae, should be erected in
the Ranges Zone other than:
(a) simple shelters and rainwater storage for walkers and persons on horseback; or
(b) buildings which form extensions of an existing pastoral homestead and/or tourist
accommodation facilities provided that they are:
(i) essential for pastoral activities,
(ii) small scale tourist accommodation, such as .Farm Stays. and .Bed and Breakfast.
establishments associated with existing pastoral activities, and are
(iii) located within or form compact and continuous extensions of existing groups of
homestead buildings and/or tourist related buildings,
(iv) in keeping with the existing use of the land,
(v) of the same or lesser scale as existing buildings,
(vi) are ancillary and adjacent to existing buildings,
(vii) constructed of materials which blend with the landscape and the design of existing
buildings,
(viii) sited and designed to be unobtrusive, and
(ix) sited so that excavations for access roads, utilities and building construction are
minimised, or
(x) sited so as to not result in the removal or damage to native vegetation.
7 Rubbish collection points should be provided with any development associated with tourist
attractions, and regularly serviced to remove any such rubbish.
8 The provision of firewood deposits should be incorporated in development associated with tourist
accommodation where appropriate, to ensure degradation of the natural vegetation does not
occur.
Is MT Gee and Mt Painter heritage listed? - yes
Is Mt Gee and Mt Painter an animal sanctuary of the rare and endangered yellow footed rock wallaby? - yes
Is Mount Gee and Mount Painter Mineable? - Yes