The Mangrove Mountain community came out in force last Friday at the historic community hall to discuss a proposed cattle feed station on a recently purchased property on the corner of Ironbark and Hershon Rds.
Once briefed on the size, scale and nature of the operation, the group was unanimous in its strong opposition to what they consider to be a development “unsustainable, unsuitable and totally out of character” for the picturesque rural landscape.
“The proposed commercially driven feedlot is completely unsuitable for this rural and residential area, where many established surrounding houses and approved building envelopes would be severely and detrimentally affected by noise, water, dust and odour pollution,” local resident, shop owner and meeting facilitator Alex Stewart said.
“While we appreciate the property owners’ right to lodge a development application, this particular proposal is completely unsuitable for this area and needs to be refused.
“Community members are very open to meeting with the property owner to see if we can discuss other viable options for this parcel of land.
“We wouldn’t put a rocket launching pad in a residential area, so why would we allow a cattle feedlot in one?
“We purchased our property for its conservation value, natural beauty and potential for it to be a private equestrian property where we could enjoy a peaceful lifestyle.
“Our life is currently on hold and if this thing goes ahead we would have to reconsider where we live and take a massive financial hit on our future family home.
“It was evident at the meeting that this proposal is causing residents to feel quite distressed. It’s worth noting that there are no other feed stations of this size and scale in Mangrove Mountain. We are extremely concerned that if approved, it could set a precedent that would mean the end of our way of life.”
Jessica Gottieb plans to build a dream equestrian property nearby.
“Our approved building envelope is now threatened by the perpetual noise, air, water and odour pollution which this commercial feedlot would generate for 1,000 cattle,” she said.
John Dickinson, who lives with his wife Linda on the adjoining lot and grazes a small herd of cattle, said the couple could be forced off their land if the development was approved.
“It is a well known fact that the stench of these operations is terrible,” he said.
“That alone is of great concern to all the locals we speak to.
“There’s also the biosecurity risk of such a high density feed station, with disease and stress being factors that concern us all greatly.
“If this goes ahead, it will undoubtedly destroy our farmstay as no one will want to have a weekend away next to an unsightly and stinky feedlot.”
The group is calling on fellow Coasties to protest the development, with submissions to close on June 6, and also discussed contacting local traditional custodians regarding known Aboriginal sites in the area that may be impacted.
The proposed development would house up to 400 cattle in two sheds measuring about 84m by 24m (with the possibility of housing 999 cattle).
A Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) lodged with the application says the development, on a mostly cleared and elevated vacant parcel of rural land, would have a design capacity for 400 head of cattle at a maximum pen density of about 6.5sqm per head.
It says detailed drainage design and effective erosion and sedimentation controls would ensure all surface water runoff generated was effectively diverted, captured and released.
“Wastes (manure) will be scraped and stockpiled (no longer than two days) within a nominated area of the feedlot pens,” the SEE says.
“Trucks will attend the site and directly load all wastes (manure) on to trucks for removal and transportation off site.”
The SEE says the development proposal meets all recommended noise, dust and odour impacts to surrounding potentially sensitive receptors.
A petition objecting to the proposal, which currently has more than 1,160 signatures, is available at https://www.change.org/p/stop-an-intensive-cattle-feedlot-proposal-mangrove-mountain-nsw.
The petition can also be hand-signed at the Mangrove Mountain chemist or saddlery.
More information is available on the Mangrove Mountain feedlot objectors Facebook page.
Terry Collins
This feedlot proposal is lacking sound economic and logistical logic to either the proponent or the Central Coast Plateau communities. Further it has the potential to destroy the local environmental amenity and the impact on Popran Creek would be disastrous unless a huge amount was spent on containment and treatment of the manure, urinary output and inevitable carcasses.