A Deeply Flawed and Dangerous Oversight:

Wednesday 26th March 2025

The Failure of the Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) and EPA Conditions

The Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) and EPA conditions regarding the proposed development use of Porters Bridge Road represent a disturbing failure of due diligence, a complete disregard for public safety, and an alarming lack of accountability. Rather than ensuring robust infrastructure planning, these assessments appear to be little more than rubber-stamped formalities that fail to address glaring safety risks, road deficiencies, and the inevitable degradation of vital transport corridors.

1. Ignoring Critical Safety Failures

The TIA openly acknowledges that Porters Bridge Road does not meet the LGAT Standard Drawings (TSD-R02-v3) for a road carrying similar vehicle volumes and heavy vehicles. Yet, inexplicably, no significant mitigation measures are required to rectify this glaring non-compliance.

Increased risk of side-swipe crashes due to insufficient road width is merely noted but not addressed.
The Meander River bridge is functionally unsafe, supporting only one-way traffic with no signage or priority indicators, meaning head-on collisions will become inevitable as truck movements surge.
Sharp curves with dangerously limited Sight Stopping Distance (SSD) will be even more treacherous with the massive influx of heavy vehicles, yet no corrective measures are mandated.

ABx trucks leaving Bald Hill Mine

How can such a inadequate and high-risk road corridor be expected to handle an additional 102 vehicle movements per day—the majority being heavy trucks?

This is not traffic planning; it is reckless negligence.

2. The Inexcusable Neglect of Bridge Safety

The bridge on Porters Bridge Road, has not been assessed for its structural integrity under the increased load of heavy vehicles.

Has any real structural analysis been done?
What happens if a bridge fails under increased weight pressure?
Why is there no requirement for the developer to contribute to bridge reinforcement?

If this bridge becomes structurally unsound, who pays the price? It will be ratepayers and local road users who will suffer the consequences.

3. Accelerated Road Degradation

The TIA itself acknowledges that:

Existing potholes will worsen due to increased traffic loads.
The road surface will deteriorate at a faster rate, posing even greater risks to everyday motorists.
Existing road markings are already faded, increasing the likelihood of vehicles drifting into oncoming traffic.

Yet, there is no firm requirement for immediate road upgrades before the development begins. Instead, this project will further degrade the road while the responsibility for repairs falls squarely on the local Council and their ratepayers.

This neglect of regional infrastructure and an insult to every road user forced to endure the consequences of this oversight.

4. A Meaningless Nod to Traffic Management

The so-called "traffic management measures" proposed are laughable in their inadequacy:

The only recommendation regarding truck entry and exit is a suggestion that Truck & Dog Trailer Combinations only turn right into the site and left when exiting.
There is no enforcement plan in place to ensure compliance, meaning heavy vehicles may still attempt unsafe right turns onto Porters Bridge Road.
The "trucks crossing" sign has fallen over, and rather than ensuring it is replaced immediately, the issue is merely noted in passing.

This is not risking mitigation; it is a feeble, box-ticking exercise that provides no real safety assurance.

5. No Consideration for Community & Public Safety

The EPA conditions and TIA completely disregard the impact of this development on:

School buses, local farmers, and everyday residents who rely on these roads.
Emergency response times, which will be significantly affected by increased congestion and heavy vehicle dominance.
Noise, dust, and environmental degradation, which will intensify due to higher truck movements.

There is no meaningful consultation with the impacted communities. No plan for mitigating risk to local drivers, pedestrians, or cyclists. No strategy for ensuring emergency access when congestion increases or a fire burns.

6. An Unsustainable Burden on Local Council and Ratepayers

Who pays for the inevitable road damage, structural failures, and safety upgrades? Certainly not ABx.

There is no requirement for the developer to contribute financially to road maintenance despite being the primary cause of its degradation.
There is no funding strategy to future-proof this road corridor, meaning the costs will fall to the already stretched council budget.

The weakness and ineffectiveness of the Traffic Impact Assessment and EPA conditions are undeniable. Instead of ensuring road safety, protecting public infrastructure, and holding developers accountable, these assessments rubber-stamp a high-risk, poorly planned project that will:

Increase crash risks.
Deteriorate vital infrastructure with no financial accountability.
Jeopardise public safety.
Ignore community and other road users concerns.

Reedy Marsh Resident's Voices

For those of us who have chosen to live in the peaceful, healthy environment of Reedy Marsh, the proposed bauxite mine threatens everything we value. Our family has invested in 6.5 hectares of land on the Meander River, dedicating 75% of it to wildlife conservation. We chose this area for its tranquillity, natural beauty, and supportive community. If Meander Valley Council approves the proposed bauxite mine, all of this will be at risk—our investment, our health, and our way of living, our life dreams.

Our Water

Those of us in Reedy Marsh rely entirely on rainwater for drinking and growing our vegetables, the risks are alarming. If this mine goes ahead, our water tanks will be filled with rainwater contaminated by bauxite dust. Our vegetables will be polluted, making them dangerous to eat—for both us and the wildlife that shares our gardens. The health implications are shocking and unacceptable. Bauxite mining doesn’t just harm wildlife—it endangers human health as well. Dust from bauxite mines is known to contain radioactive elements like radium and thorium, which are harmful to both the environment and people. Long-term exposure to these elements can cause cancer and other serious health issues. If high-aluminum concentration of heavy metals in sediments are deposited in the water, it will further dissolve and deposit into fish and benthic creatures.

Our Wildlife

The endangered Wedge-tailed Eagles, with fewer than 1,000 individuals left in the wild, are among the species that stand to lose the most. These magnificent birds are extremely sensitive to disturbances from machinery, habitat destruction, and pollution. The environmental consultants themselves acknowledged in their report that a more thorough survey of the area is needed to understand the full impact on these eagles. Yet, despite the lack of proper study, the project continues to move forward. Other endangered species, such as the Tasmanian Devil and the Spotted Quoll, roam freely across the countryside, and their habitat is also at risk. While we have protected a large portion of our property for these animals, their survival depends on the surrounding environment remaining intact. We cannot allow this bauxite mine to destroy the homes of these creatures. The wildlife in Reedy Marsh is part of what makes this place special—not only to us but to future generations. The irreversible damage to their habitat from machinery, land clearing, and toxic dust would be a tragedy for Tasmania’s biodiversity.

Our River

The Meander River, which borders our property, is another victim of this proposed mine. Toxic chemicals from bauxite mining will leach into the river, damaging the ecosystem and potentially wiping out fish populations. The harmful effects of bauxite dust on marine life are well-documented in places like Malaysia, where entire ecosystems have been devastated. If this mine goes ahead, we risk creating a "dead zone" in our own backyard, where fish, birds, and other wildlife can no longer survive.

Our Call for Action

This mine is not just a development—it’s a direct threat to everything we cherish in Reedy Marsh. Our peaceful lifestyle, our wildlife, our health, and our community are all at stake. We moved here to escape exactly these kinds of industrial risks, and it is inconceivable that Meander Valley Council would approve such a project given the dangers it poses. We strongly urge the Council to reject this proposal and, at the very least, to commission an independent and thorough wildlife survey before any decisions are made. Additionally, if the mine is approved, we recommend extending Deloraine’s town water supply to Reedy Marsh to mitigate the potential health risks posed by contaminated rainwater. This is our home. It’s worth protecting

MINE WATCH - MEANDER VALLEY

A Deeply Flawed and Dangerous Oversight:

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