Stop Central Otago Gold Mine

Santana Minerals (Australia) is planning to develop a series of open cast goldmines in the outstanding Dunstan Mountains, above Tarras, in the Bendigo Ophir area. This gold mine, if it goes ahead, will dramatically alter our natural landscape, has the potential for severe adverse effects to the environment, water supply, and will be a negative impact for our visitor experiences and will greatly impact the wine and agricultural industries of the area.

Mining is a very dirty industry!

We need your help! While Santana Minerals have made it on to the list of the Fast Track Approvals Act, they haven’t yet got consent. We need to fully understand the impacts of this hasty project, which if not planned properly has the potential for failure. If we can get more people making more noise opposing this development, then that’ll make it harder for them to get approval. It may even force this project back to a proper evaluation under the RMA which will include community and independent expert inputs.

The Fast Track Panel has an extremely short period to make a decision. There is a very real risk that they will seek no other advice than that "bought and paid for" by the people who are applying - hence we need independent expert voices now!

Any small donation you can give us will be truly appreciated and very helpful to the cause.