Katherine's search for a new waste dump has zeroed in on an old sand quarry east of the Victoria Highway about 16km from town.
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Katherine Town Council will be asked on Tuesday to agree to investigate the site further as a possible landfill for the town.
Of the many sites already looked at, including a likely controversial property at Edith Farms, the quarry on the Manbulloo lease is thought worthy of more study.
Council has increased rates in recent years as it expects to pay about $40m for the closure of the existing waste site, and the opening of a new dump.
Council will be told Tuesday the current waste management facility, also along the Victoria Highway, was nearing the end of its life.
Initial discussions were held with Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics at a meeting in 2017, council documents reveal.
Six potential sites for the development of a new landfill were identified and a number of general observations were made about the issues of siting a landfill in the Katherine region:
- . There is very little vacant crown land;
- . Most of the remaining vacant crown land is subject to inundation in a 1 in 100-year flood event;
- . Almost all the land to the West, North, East and South East is Freehold;
- . Landform conditions optimal for the development of landfills are highly sought after for other land uses and form much of the freehold land around Katherine;
- . As well as being on freehold land, properties on Gorge Road were not considered as suitable for landfill due to their close proximity to the Katherine Gorge and their being upgradient and upstream of the Katherine town water supply; and
- . Properties within 23km of Katherine along Stuart Highway to the South East were also not considered, as an adequate buffer distance is required to protect aircraft from birds.
"As it would be desirable to locate the new landfill near a major road, for access during the wet season, this leaves the area either side of the Victoria Highway to the south-west of town."
Later a seventh site was identified which is adjacent to the proposed business hub on Victoria Highway.
A follow up meeting with DIPL produced another four potential sites, the most promising of which was Limestone Quarry more than 50km from Katherine, also on the Manbulloo pastoral lease.
The limestone quarry has since been rejected as a possible location.
The Edith Farms site came to council's attention after its owner approached them wanting to sell it, but it was found largely unsuitable and was "likely to meet with considerable resistance from local landowners who all use bore water".
Council has been asked to consider the new possible location and then ask the community for any responses to the plan.
The community consultation would assess the impact of the proposal on the surrounding community (e.g. employment opportunities, altered traffic volumes, noise, dust and odour, access and distance to travel)), identification of community waste management needs and requirements.
The area is located on Lot 1604, approximately 16km from the town, on either side of the Victoria Highway near Chainman Creek, to the south of Binjari.
Chainman Creek is a noted birdwatching destination.
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Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
