Lower Hunter Bush Fire Danger Period begins today

BY JARROD MELMETH

Although there is rain forecast for the rest of the day, the Bush Fire Danger Period officially begins for the Lower Hunter on Friday. 

This area includes the Cessnock, Dungog, Maitland and Port Stephens local government areas, where landholders will be required to obtain a permit before conducting burns on their properties.

Permits are free and are provided by the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Inspector David Millsteed says residents and land managers should now start preparing for the threat of  bush and grass fires.

"This means doing simple things like cleaning your gutters, removing combustibles from your yard, ensuring hoses can reach all corners of your property and completing or updating your bush fire survival plan, so you and your family know what you will do in the event of a bush fire.

“I encourage households to update their bush fire survival plan and make sure the whole family 

knows what to do when faced with a fire. It could save your lives. Ask yourself, when you will go, 

what you will take and where will you go," Insp Millsteed said.

Information about hazard reduction burning, required notifications and obtaining permits is available on the NSW RFS website.

Lower Hunter Water Security Plan on public exhibition

BY JARROD MELMETH

The NSW Government and Hunter water have released the draft Lower Hunter Water Security Plan and are inviting residents to have their say.

The plan has been three years in the making with a number of investigations and assessments undertaken as well as community consultation to ensure the communities concerns were heard and addressed.

A price increase for customers is anticipated due to the high cost of the planned infrastructure, however Hunter Water says bills will not change before July 1, 2024. Beyond that, there will likely be an increase to annual residential customer bills by between $75 and $120 per year. 

Hunter Water Managing Director, Darren Cleary says the recent drought helped highlight areas of concern which are addressed in the plan. 

“The recent drought rewrote the rules for many communities around New South Wales. New insights gained during the drought have confirmed that our region is more vulnerable to drought than we previously thought. The Hunter’s storages can go from typical operating levels to critical in less than three years. If drought were to continue beyond this, our region could run out of water.

"The plan looks at how we can ensure we can meet minimum water demands for the community through prolonged and severe drought and balancing the need to invest upfront with the need to not over invest given those events are rare, but certainly can occur," Mr Cleary said.

The plan does not include any new dams, rather making better use of existing dams and supporting a pipeline connection between Lostock and Glennies Creek Dams in the Upper Hunter which will allow the dams to transfer water stocks between the regions.

NSW Minister for Water Melinda Pavey says she is proud of the comprehensive work involving a whole of government approach to ensure we have sustainable and resilient water supply.

The draft plan is currently on exhibition for six weeks and information and feedback can found here. A webinar will be held on August 24 for those needing more information. Registrations are open at the link provided.

Pictured: Chichester Dam
Image: VisitNSW

Freight Fright: Western communities concerned about proposed rail corridor

BY JARROD MELMETH

Communities along the proposed Lower Hunter freight rail corridor are expressing their concerns about the lack of consultation.

The plans for the 30-kilometre rail line proposed between Fassifern and Hexham were released last week to the enthusiasm from the broader Hunter community but residents who live along the planned route fear the impacts on their properties.

The plans feature four alternative routes where small communities at Killingsworth, Holmesville, West Wallsend and Barnsley are on all four of the proposed routes.

Cessnock MP Clayton Barr whose electorate is largely impacted by the proposed routes says the consultation process needs to be more targeted.

"These quiet villages have really felt the brunt of the expansion and the slow creep to the west of Lake Macquarie and Newcastle and now we are talking about a freight rail line.

"There is just so much out there to preserve and be careful of. There is so much about peoples lifestyles, sometimes intergenerational lifestyles and we have to respect that. We can't just mow through and just say progress is good.

"This has been many years, even decades in the making. Why are we only being given this really short window to understand the project and provide feedback.

"Ill be seeking an extension through Transport for NSW for submissions," Mr Barr said.

Consultation closes August 17 and can be provided here. 

Pictured: The preferred Lower Hunter freight corridor route.

Lower Hunter Dam Plans To Be Made Public

BY JARROD MELMETH

Hunter Water will be forced to table plans it has to build a dam in the Lower Hunter in the state Parliament.

Independent Upper House MLC Justin Field successfully moved a standing order which will require the company to release the documents within 21 days of the order.

Mr Field says its all about ensuring the government and Hunter Water are doing things by the books and that the process is transparent.

"I know there has been a lot of concern over the last decade or so about water planning in the Lower Hunter and we of course remember what happened with Tillegra Dam.

"The Community has spoken really clearly in the past. They don't want to see money going into new dams. They want to see it going into water efficiency and recycling.

"The latest community survey strengthened that argument and its clear there is a real concern that Hunter Water and the government are still pushing ahead with their plans for new dam proposals.

"Its clear we need all the information in the public domain will ensure that the community understands what Hunter Water is doing and Hunter Water understands that they must respond to the communities expectations," Mr Field said.

In particular Mr Field is focused on potential plans for dams at Limeburners Creek and Upper Chichester.

The current dam at Chichester. Photo Hunter Water.