Herald 20221004

New Acland responds to OCAA criticism
The Herald team.....
FREE
Neil Lomas
Editor
Miles Noller
News
Complete design & build service
Obligation free quote
Detailed no surprise quote
Arrange building consents
25 Year Structural Guarantee
CALL (07) 4633 1119
Ann Lomas
Manager
Sean White
News
PROUDLY MADE IN
AUSTRALIA
In response to Paul King’s (Oakey Coal Action
Alliance) recent letter to the editor, Mr King is
misguided in his criticism of New Acland Mine.
We are grateful for the encouragement of our
many supporters, including local farmers, neighbours,
business leaders, nearby families and community
groups who want Stage 3 approved.
Over the past decade, New Acland Mine has
proved time and time again that mining and agriculture
can co-exist.
Acland Pastoral Company, established in 2006,
is a farming, grazing and land management enterprise
based at New Acland. The company oversees
10,000ha of land, 2,000 head of cattle, and manages
2,400ha of crops, which are primarily sold
locally.
New Acland’s environmental credentials have
been formally recognised with the Queensland
Government certifying 349ha of progressively
rehabilitated open-cut mined land at New Acland.
To put the size of the area in context, the certification
covers an area of around 300 Suncorp
Stadiums. To date, more than 740ha of land has
been rehabilitated.
Leading independent livestock consultants and
a Queensland university also conducted a fiveyear,
scientifically-controlled cattle grazing trial at
New Acland. The results found rehabilitated mining
land is as productive, if not even more productive,
than non-mined land.
It’s essential to understand New Acland Mine
does not rely on groundwater bores for any of its
mining operations. It purchases its water requirements
from the Wetalla Wastewater Reclamation
Facility under an existing long term supply contract
with the Toowoomba Regional Council.
No resources project in Queensland history has
been more scrutinised than New Acland Stage 3.
The Resources Minister critically assessed the
project and found it stacks up environmentally,
socially and financially.
When approved, Stage 3 will generate significant
employment opportunities and benefits for
the Darling Downs region. Local workers, contractors
and businesses will benefit to the tune of
$1b over the life of the project.
This is not just about a mine, it’s about securing
jobs, keeping local businesses strong and putting
money back in the pockets of hard-working regional
Queenslanders.
- Dave O’Dwyer, New Acland Mine General
Manager
TOTALSPAN TOOWOOMBA
Totalspan Toowoomba is local family business, owned and
operated by Jordan and Belinda Bill.
SITE
SPECIFIC
ENGINEERING
WEB TOTALSPAN.COM.AU
VISIT 393 TAYLOR STREET, TOOWOOMBA, QLD
FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Published weekly
Delivered to 11,000+ homes - urban and rural, 750+ email subscribers
and available at newsagencies and other outlets in Highfields, Crows Nest,
Goombungee, Oakey and across the North Toowoomba region.
Gavin Ryan
Graphic Design
Independent – Locally owned
Tony Zancola
Graphic Design
LETTERS
Consultation but no action
I’d like to support Judy Hobson and the editor’s
comments regarding excessive clearing in Highfields
and surrounding environments.
We seem to have a process of periodic council
public consultation on planning schemes but
planning outcomes that are unsatisfactory to say
the least. I can’t believe anyone at such meetings
would have advocated removal of old growth trees
and clear felling for developments, for example.
Yet here we are.
Obviously, there are population pressures in
South-East Queensland, including our region, and
not every part of the environment can be saved.
However, planning should be just that. Wildlife
and plant corridors so that native species can survive
and live alongside us rather than be banished
and even face threats of extinction is a good place
to start.
A few years ago, scrub turkeys decided to move
in at my home and now a male is building a nest.
I’m not exactly pleased, but by using tree guards
for the new plants we want to keep is a compromise
we can live with. (see photo.)
Some areas will need to be sacrificed for higher
density living. If that is the case, then this should
be done with minimum footprint and effect on the
surrounding environment.
It might be better to have limited height high rise
accommodation in selected areas than clear-felling
of land to provide 300-400m lots with acres of
rooftop-to-rooftop dwellings.
The latter is more destructive, ugly and wasteful
than inner-urban apartment living. It is hard
to understand when such developments appear in
isolated locations largely devoid of infrastructure
such as Cabarlah.
Those who are fortunate enough to live on
blocks large enough to accommodate trees and
homes for wildlife and native flora should be able
Lyn Collier
Admin-Accounts
Crossword Number 1047 Sudoku Number 1047
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8
ACROSS
2. Parcelled out
7. Bone
8. Cry of disgust
9. Heavenly beings
10. Units of current
12. Supplies
14. Light beam
16. Slashes
19. Pass away
22. Mislaid
23. Treatise
24. Raincoat
25. Confound
26. Gangs
DOWN
1. Wall painting
2. Breaks suddenly
3. ... and Gretel
4. Vein of ore
5. Time of day
6. Not open
11. African country
13. Printing fluids
15. Kitbag
17. Overheads
18. Difficult feat
19. Water barriers
20. Engrave into metal
21. Sign of grief
B O A S R E A D S
U W A V E P H
G A L L S A L V O
S O R E O R
F I N N T E M P T
R A I S E I B I S
I P W I G T
A M P L E H A S H
R E R U T H I
S E R F S Y A R D
2 3 6 5 8 4 7 1 9
8 7 5 3 9 1 6 2 4
4 9 1 2 7 6 3 8 5
6 4 9 7 5 8 2 3 1
5 2 7 6 1 3 9 4 8
1 8 3 9 4 2 5 7 6
7 6 8 1 3 5 4 9 2
9 1 2 4 6 7 8 5 3
3 5 4 8 2 9 1 6 7
Solutions to
Crossword and Sudoku No. 1046
ADVERTISING
DEADLINES:
Bookings: Wednesday prior to publication
Material: Thursday prior to publication
Print-ready artwork: Friday prior to publication
Classifieds: Friday prior to publication
Office: Highfields Plaza Shopping Centre
Highfields Qld 4352
Phone: 4615 4416 - 0409 890 081
Post: Box 242, Highfields Qld 4352
Email: herald@highcountrynews.net.au
Web: www.highcountryherald.com.au
• Published by Diamond Valley Enterprises Pty Ltd • Printed by Newscorp Australia, Yandina. • All original material is copyright • Significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.
• Responsibility for election matter in this publication is accepted by Neil Edward Lomas, Shop 11, Plaza Circle Shopping Centre, Highfields, Qld 4352
2 - HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - OCTOBER 4, 2022 To advertise phone 4615 4416 or email herald@highcountrynews.net.au
9
10 11 12 13
14 15
19 20 21 22
23
24 25
26
16 17 18
Scrub turkey nest - We can live with it
to do so without threat of clear felling suddenly
occurring next door and corridors for native populations
cut off.
Highfields is losing its attractiveness in the face
of recent development pressures.
If these are the answers resulting from public
consultation, then the wrong questions are being
asked. Or perhaps it has just been a box ticking
exercise. - Geoff Adams, Highfields
Rehabilitation example
of excellence
Re Paul King’s letter High Country Herald,
September 27. From my perspective, the rehabilitation
work carried out on the mined area north
of Acland is a prime example of excellence in
this operation. - John Healy, Glenvale
Angel assist
To the angel I was chatting with at the Pearl Service
Station on Monday of last week - thank you.
Your generous gesture was very much appreciated
and I hope that I can return the favour one
day. - Elaine Keiseker, Highfields
8 5 4 6
2 5
2 5 1
5 9 4 7
6 7 3 8
6 5 9
1 3
2 4 8 3
Sudoku Difficulty Level - Hard
SUDOKU RULES
Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every
3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. There is no
math involved. You solve each puzzle with reasoning
and logic. Each puzzle only has one solution.