Corporate Takeovers, Political Blind-spots, and the Battle for the Macleay and events!

From major corporate shifts to ongoing regulatory battles, the Save Our Macleay River (SOMR) team has been working tirelessly to protect our waterways. Here is a breakdown of the critical updates affecting the Macleay River catchment this month.

Here is the “State of the Macleay River happenings” update from April 2026:

1. Hillgrove Mine & Larvotto Resources: A Concerning Disconnect
2. Turners Flat Gravel Extraction: The Saga Continues…
3. Upper Catchment (New England) Happenings
4. Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Proposal
5. Upcoming Events…
   • Riverside Rhythms Festival
   • NRAR (Natural Resource Access Regulator) Information Session
   • Wetland restoration as adaptation to climate change’  Forum

Hillgrove Mine & Larvotto Resources: A Concerning Disconnect.

During recent meetings with our State Member for Oxley and Federal Member for Cowper, SOMR discovered a startling reality: Neither MP was aware of this highly impactful mining project.

Considering Larvotto Resources has hired a former Government Minister as a “Strategic Advisor” for Govt. & political liaison, it makes one wonder how our local representatives were kept completely in the dark! – SOMR has formally briefed both MPs, who expressed genuine concern regarding the potential downstream impacts on our river system.

Further, Larvotto has postponed all Community Reference Group meetings since February and continues to deflect answers to the six critical questions SOMR submitted months ago regarding the Modification 5 expansions and broader matters. This falls incredibly short of the required “Community Engagement.”  SOMR has raised this lack of transparency directly with the Department of Planning’s Assessment Directors, Project Officer and others.

• Review the unresolved issues: [HERE]

Turners Flat Gravel Extraction: The Saga Continues…

Despite SOMR providing substantial evidence of operational breaches—and the history of previous “Warning Letters”—the Natural Resource Access Regulator (NRAR) recently inspected the sites and surprisingly claimed they found “no breaches” under the Water Management Act 2000.

Unconvinced by this sudden shift, SOMR used Freedom of Information (GIPAA) channels to track down the exact approval conditions NRAR is currently operating under.  We aren’t letting this drop. – We also wrote to State and Federal Ministers to highlight these physical and bureaucratic failures, requesting their urgent intervention. – No response to date.

Steep mal-aligned batters (2022); deep excavation and stockpiling (2026).  Un-Approved??

Upper Catchment (New England) Happenings.

This area above the escarpment is about 60% of the Macleay catchment and, of course, what happens up-there flows (or doesn’t flow) downstream.  Water Sharing Plans are about equitable sharing of water, but do not consider water quality, or if it’s fit for use!

• Armidale Regional Council’s Water Strategy: Proposed ‘Scoping’ documents have been lodged with the Dept of Planning to determine the environmental assessment requirements (SEARs) – The Department has requested a Planning Focus Meeting to get further information, before issuing the assessment requirements. The proposal includes Oaky Dam rebuilding, and all piping in Stage 1 and raising the Malpas dam wall as Stage 2 and all associated works.

To view the proposal, go to link on the Portal

• Delayed Water Sharing Plans (WSPs): The rollout of the new draft WSPs has been delayed by 2 years. The delay stems from massive uncertainties surrounding: 1) ARC’s water strategy proposals (including the Oaky and Malpas dam proposals), 2) intensive horticulture expansion, 3) the Oven Mountain proposal, and 4) growing mining demands.

SOMR intends writing to relevant Ministers to demand that future draft WSPs explicitly exclude the Oaky Hydro and Dam works on several grounds.

• Intensive Horticulture Pressures: Plans are moving forward for a massive 34-hectare Stage 1 development, with an additional 34 hectares slated to follow. These operations are highly water-consumptive and risk significant pollution. Legislative reform by Cate Faehrmann can’t come soon enough.

Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Proposal.

A major shift in ownership has occurred: Sembcorp Industries, a Singapore-based corporation, has completed its takeover of Alinta Energy—including the proposed Oven Mountain project.

It remains to be seen whether the new owners will think it viable and choose to pursue it. Regardless of their corporate strategy, the final decision on the proposal still rests firmly in the hands of the Minister for Planning. For more information on Sembcorp industries, visit  www.sembcorp.com.

On-Site Proposals, 2023.

Upcoming Events

On a brighter note…

Join Us!

SOMR is excited to announce we will be participating in the upcoming Riverside Rhythms Festival on September 5th at Kempsey’s Riverside Park!  SOMR will be hosting an informational stall and taking part in the festival’s regatta.  Come down, say hello, and support the river. –  To get involved or join the regatta; head to the Riverside Rhythms Festival website for event details and application forms.

An NRAR (Natural Resource Access Regulator) Information Session Tuesday 15^th September 6pm Macksville Ex Services Club. – Covering Basic landholder rights; Works approvals and licensed water take; Working on waterfront land and Non‑urban water metering.  It looks like a very informative session. And if you’d like to attend please RSVP if possible, to Betina at Nambucca Environment Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nenenvironment/ 

Nature Conservation Council’s Election Platform has been developed to ask questions of prospective candidates and MPs on many aspects of environmental concerns. Details of a forum via Zoom to discuss it are
🗓️ Wednesday 16th September
🕕 6-7pm
🔗 Zoom link: click here to join the event

A Forum hosted by Save Our Macleay River and Landcare either 1-2 October, or 7-9 October  in Kempsey. We are currently pinning down a suitable date for speakers. – We’ll keep you posted!

Senator Cate Faehrmann will be attending, and Dr Michelle Maloney (AELA) has also been approached to build on our last year’s the River Rights Forum.  

We hope to achieve closer alliances amongst like-minded groups in our local catchment as well as across NSW catchments; who share similar issues, such as the governance structure that is currently so effective at blocking positive change while permitting loopholes to fester.