Home Chatter Page Feedlot Issues
Download an objection letter template here
This feedlot is for 2500 SCU which can equate up to approximately 3000 head of cattle.
South Burnett Council email : info@southburnett.qld.gov.au
People must remember that the Local Council have the final say on ALL developments within their own Shire. Whether your objection is for cosmetic reasons (interrupted views or privacy issues with developments) or that residents do not wish to have a particular type of development near them. All objections must be taken into consideration and all reasonable concerns addressed. Your objection letter must contain accurate and itemised concerns. The Council will have referral agencies to supply them with the correct information against your objection and really like to use them against you.
Of course, if your objections are ignored, then you have the Right of Appeal. Don't waste that right - use it.
The Bunya Mountains district has received yet another application for a feedlot to be established just klms away from 'Nooroomba" - which is a 10,000scu feedlot.
The new proposed feedlot is a 2500scu and the applicant is ‘Bethonga Whole Foods Pty Ltd’ - Mr G Robinson. Their primary business is located in Wamuran and they wish to establish a feedlot in the South Burnett.
This drought stricken area cannot support yet another high
water usage industry. The residents have had ongoing problems with the existing
feedlots ranging from extreme odour, flies to deterioration of local roads. They
have also had major problems with the illegal usage of B-Doubles to these
industries along the tourist roads to the Bunya Mountains. The local residents
have also had many near misses with heavy vehicles along the hilly, winding,
single lane bitumen local access roads. The proposed feedlot will require on
average 12 semi trailers per week, that is another 24 trucks (in and out) along
these roads. There will be a fatality along these roads without doubt.
Water in feedlots is used for stock drinking purposes, dust suppression, feed
processing, cattle washdown, effluent management, general cleaning and for staff
and office amenities. Of these uses, stock water consumption is by far the most
significant proportion of total water usage with an average of approximately
50-60 litres of water used per head per day. This equates to approximately 24
megalitres (ML) of water per thousand standard stock units per annum for stock
water consumption while an additional 20ML is required for other purposes. That
would make a total of 80 megalitres this feedlot. A megalitre = 1 million litres
therefore 80 million litres per year! The applicant has a proposed
100 megalitre dam (100 million litre) along Barkers Creek. This creek is a
major waterway throughout the South Burnett Shire and feeds into Bjelke Peterson
Dam. This dam currently is at 6% due to the lack of run-off
from Barkers Creek! It also proposes to had 3 bores producing another 30
megalitres (30 million litres) from underground supplies. This is water
that has already run out for other feedlots and irrigators within the area
previously. The Bunya Mountains underground water supply has been
exhausted and cannot sustain any more heavy water industries.
The excess consumption of water that is required to maintain feedlots is twice
that of natural grass-fed cattle. The continual draining of the underground
water supply, combined with the already dire situation of the environment and
heavy usage already from the new (now for sale) 10,000scu feedlot in the
vicinity, cannot be sustained. The bores from the nearby feedlot have already
run dry and they have had to cart water into the feedlot. Barkers Creek and the
Bunya Mountains area in general cannot maintain the heavy usage required for
this type of industry. The farmers that irrigate crops within the district have
already had major water problems due to the extra strain placed on water
reserves.
This area already has Tarong, Tarong North, Maidenwell Diatomite mine, and many
existing feedlots and piggeries already established within the old 'Nanango
Shire' all situated within Klms of the Bunya Mountains, the area is under severe
threat. Couple this with the fear of people loosing their land at any time to
the mining industries within the Shire, and the residents have had enough.
It has been proven with existing feedlots developments within this area that
problems arising from such industries do occur. The Department of Primary
Industries has received many complaints about the already existing feedlots with
regards to odour and fly control in particular. There have also been complaints
to the Department of Transport regarding the illegal use of B-Double cattle
trucks.
It has been proven that such developments have an affect on property value
within the surrounding area. A 250 head feedlot located in the Brooklands area
resulted in the valuation of 10 residential blocks being reduced by up to
$15,500 per 5 acre block. This being through the Ex-Nanango Shire Council
ignoring the designated separation distances from residential dwellings.
With the ‘Bunyip Springs’ farm stay accommodation already being affected by
the nearby 10,000scu feedlot, the introduction of yet another intensive farming
development will again have an impact on the tourism industry. ‘Bunyip
Springs’ has been established for many years now and does not need more
feedlot industries established within the vicinity.
The positioning of such a development along Barkers Creek would also be an
environmental issue. Waste and effluent from the feedlot will wash into the
waterway which supplies water throughout the entire Shire. The Bunya Mountains
area is the beginning of the water catchment area for the South Burnett. Even
though Barkers Creek floods have not allegedly reached that height, the wash
from rain will cause the concentrated waste area to enter the waterway.
With the Brooklands and Maidenwell volunteer rural fire brigades having large
areas to already maintain, the added stockpiles of feed being situated within a
high risk fire area is another concern.
The already dangerous roads within the area are unable to cope with even more
heavy vehicles travelling along them Local residents and tourists’ safety is
being put at high risk already with the ever growing number of heavy vehicles
already utilizing these roads. The wildlife population is also being affected by
being killed on the roads. Brooklands Pimpimbudgee Road has children riding
pushbikes along the bitumen section regularly as well as a school bus twice a
day, local traffic, postman and tourists daily.
The Nanango Shire Council and JJ Richards wheelie bin waste collection service
was not continued along the Brooklands Pimpimbudgee road as is was deemed to be
unsafe. The maintenance required on these single lane bitumen roads by the
Council is already far from adequate. With heavy vehicles, up to 19 meters in
length, the cost to Council for maintenance will only have to be increased
dramatically.
With tourism being a key issue within the South Burnett, the Maidenwell Hotel
patrons and Maidenwell observatory visitors already have to endure the problems associated with
cattle trucks in and out, grain trucks in and out and waste removal on an ever increasing rate. With the ambition of
the South Burnett Regional Council to have the Maidenwell – Bunya Mountains
road fully sealed, this will only increase tourism to the area via this route.
The Maidenwell Hotel has regular patrons of Motorcycle Groups and with these
heavy vehicles and narrow roads - it is not a good combination.
When the Nanango Shire Council had meetings at the Maidenwell hall, children
from the Tanduringie State School raised the issue every year of safety on the
Tanduringie Bridge and rural roads. Children and bus driver have been terrified
with many near misses with heavy vehicles along these roads and the narrow
bridge. The number of heavy vehicles is increasing almost daily.