The Friends of Minnamurra River (FOMR Inc) organisation has alerted the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to sand and mining debris pollution at Rocklow Creek in the Ruth Devenney Reserve.

“Hundreds of tonnes of sand, together with mining debris, is covering the creek banks, the wetlands of the nature reserve and parts of the reserve walking track in a 120 metre wide fan only metres downstream of where Rocklow Creek flows out under the Princes Highway from Boral Limited’s sand mining area west of the highway [below Dunmore House],” says FOMR’s chair, Will Chyra.

It appears entirely possible that thousands of tonnes of upstream sand has been washed down Rocklow Creek during recent high rainfall events and may well have been deposited as silt in the Minnamurra River, only several hundred metres downstream.”

Some of the debris FOMR suspects comes from the Dunmore operation

Photos show orange plastic buoys and parts of buoys (that FOMR say are very similar to those used to support pipelines on dredge ponds in sand mining operations), thick sheets of rubber and other debris littering the area.

Mr Chyra says he expects the EPA to immediately investigate the source of the pollution, take every measure necessary to prevent it recurring and impose any appropriate sanctions.

“The area must also be cleaned up promptly because the sand and debris is covering wildlife habitat and food sources at the focal point of the nature reserve and, if left, will be washed further downstream in the next inevitable flood event.”