THE REGION’S lead conservation organisation is not happy with the Land Court’s recent ruling regarding the proposed Dittmer Goldmine.
Whitsunday Conservation Council said the judge had not even considered the Whitsundays’ drinking water when she made her recommendation that the goldmine, near Proserpine and the Peter Faust dam, should go ahead.
Whitsunday residents were so concerned about the possible effects on the region’s water supply, a petition was lodged with the Queensland Parliament, which closed on June 1, 2025, and garnered more than 900 signatures.
The application by Ballymore Resources Pty Ltd to reopen the mine went before the Land Court, in May and June 2025, and has now made its recommendation to the Minister.
Whitsunday Conservation Council spokesperson Faye Chapman said the organisation would be writing to the Minister.
“We will be responding to the minister – it’s not signed off yet,” Ms Chapman said.
“It’s a recommendation from the Land Court that it should be approved but now we will provide all the information to the minister that we couldn’t provide to the Land Court because we didn’t have the time or finances to do so.
“The objective has always been to ensure the environment, including the Whitsunday/Great Barrier Reef water catchment area, is given the greatest possible protections.
“We don’t think they [Ballymore Resources] have done sufficient studies.
“We will be writing to the minister with our response centred on why there has been no Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and our concerns about drinking water for the Whitsundays.
“They haven’t mentioned that – only Dittmer drinking water and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
“So there are a few things we want to follow up on.”
However, in the meantime, deep drilling is proposed to commence at the site, which is within both the Proserpine and Great Barrier Reef Water Catchment areas.
Ms Chapman said deep drilling at the site could pose a threat to the water supply for Whitsunday.
“This is a threat to everyone’s water supply, not just people living in and around Dittmer,” Ms Chapman said.
“It’s our water supply they are playing with and they haven’t done any up-to-date studies – they are relying on old information.
“Whitsunday Conservation Council considers that it is imperative for independent hydrogeological studies and comprehensive EIS, SIA, and public health assessments be conducted before further drilling proceeds, to protect our community and endangered species, including the Proserpine Rock Wallaby, which is regularly seen in Dittmer and the surrounding forest.”
About 30 Whitsunday Conservation Council members and supporters attended Proserpine Magistrates Court, on Tuesday, May 6, when the Land Court barristers visited the region.
Unfortunately, due to ‘technical difficulties’ with recording equipment in the court room, nothing was heard on that day and the barristers and judge only carried out a site inspection at the proposed mine.
