Lime sand mining verses tourism debate explodes as the future of Lancelin is put in the spotlight

Trouble is brewing in the tourist town of Lancelin, where long-running debate about agricultural lime sand mining has reached fever pitch and residents’ protests have sparked concern from farmers who rely on the critical input.

For more than 40 years sand mining and tourism activities have co-existed in the pristine white Lancelin sand dunes — WA’s biggest source of lime sand.

One of WA’s best-known lime suppliers, Aglime, pegged more than 600ha in Lancelin more than 40 years ago, when interest and demand for lime grew.

It holds three mining leases at Lancelin, one of which includes the town’s off-road vehicle area.

The company still has considerable lower-quality lime sand supplies at its first mining lease (M70/250) but recently moved into its more northern, second lease (M70/692), where it estimates it will mine for at least 25 years — up on its prior 15-year estimate.

Aglime says its third mining lease — in the off-road vehicle area of the dunes, and called M70/249 — will not be required until at least 2048, if at all.

Local turmoil

While debate over the dunes’ future has swirled for years, protests and anger have exploded in recent moths as Aglime moved its mining operations closer to town.

More than 160 people turned out to a community meeting in January, with about 1000 on a live stream.

Lancelin District Community Association and the Lancelin Chamber of Commerce co-ordinated the event, which led to the creation of a movement called the Save Lancelin Dunes Action Group.

Experience Lancelin Caravan Park owner Chris Sialtsis was appointed chair, while Tina Broughton and Jemma Lang are secretary and treasurer.

Ms Broughton said the group — leading the Save Lancelin Dunes From Mining campaign — was not anti-farming or anti-mining.

But she said it wanted the State Government to urgently relocate Aglime from the Lancelin area.

“We are not against truckies or farmers, or people loading the trucks,” she said.

“We know farmers need lime. But they can’t have Lancelin.”

A post on the group’s Facebook page called for Aglime to “cease all land mining activities in the Lancelin sand dunes urgently”.

“We are not opposed to sand mining at other locations,” it read.

“We are not against farmers, in fact we call on them to support us because we all understand how important it is to protect the limited income sources that keep our communities alive and thriving.

“We want to work with farmers and the government to ensure that closure of sand mines in the Lancelin dunes does not impact on their livelihoods and communities.”

Other posts on the page encourage farmers not to buy Aglime sand, while another includes a drone video taken over the mining operation — without permission.

Ms Broughton said the group wanted the Shire of Gingin council to pass a resolution to not only take management of the off-road area but to “support the view that mining in the Lancelin dunes had to stop”.

“That is our endgame — all sand mining in the dunes stops and does not happen again,” she said.

“In terms of how that is managed and how we negotiate that (Aglime’s) exit from the dunes... we don’t have specifics.”

She said the group had held several local protests and set a goal of sending 100 letters to ministers.

No need for panic

Aglime general manager Steve Carr said mining and tourism had co-existed for more than 40 years and discussion about the future of the off-road area was premature, with no plans to mine it in the near future — or at all.

During the past 30 years, up to 40 per cent of lime used in WA agriculture had come from Lancelin, he said.

Dr Carr, pictured below, confirmed Aglime had almost finished mining the first lease, at the southern end of the town, and recently began operations on the second lease closer to town.

However, he said the company had no plans to move into its third mining lease — the off-road area called M70/249 — or the northern part of the second lease M70/692, which also encroaches on the eastern end of the the off-road area.

“There is no risk to tourism and mining co-existing right now,” he said.

“We aim to leave considerable amounts of lime to facilitate rehab of the (first) minesite.

“Lime sand is critical to maintain soil pH in the optimal zone, and farmers need to apply about 1.5 million tonnes per annum.”

The company has extracted about 6Mt of lime sand during the past 40 years, with the three mining leases covering 660ha.

Farmers spread lime sand on their paddocks to neutralise acidic soils and boost cropping yields, with the Lancelin dunes containing high-grade lime sand suitable both physically (very fine) and chemically for use as agricultural lime.

WAFarmers president John Hassell said lime from Lancelin had the best neutralising value, with farmers buying from Aglime as far away as the Great Southern.

He said WAFarmers was not invited to the meeting in January.

“It is essential we have access to agricultural lime for a reasonable price, especially as it is a renewable resource,” Mr Hassell, pictured right, said.

“I would hope mining and tourism can work together. Industry shouldn’t be stopped because people want to go berserk on a bike.”

Mining started in 1985 when regulators took a cautious approach to the new industry and approved the mining of 2000 tonnes of sand over two years, before in 1987 allowing 20,000t across five years.

The approval was updated in 1992 to allow the extraction of up to 40,000t over five years. It is understood there are no limits on the volume of sand that can be extracted under the current approval, which was granted in 2020 for 21 years.

Who manages the dunes?

In recent years, the Shire of Gingin has called on the State Government to hand over management of the off-road part of the dunes so it can develop the area for tourism.

The Shire has been pushing to have the area, which is crown land, properly vested within it, which the Shire says would allow it to implement local laws. Its requests have been knocked back.

Shire president Wayne Fewster said the council was supportive of the importance of lime sand and its valuable role in agriculture — as well as the role the Shire played aiding in the transport of lime.

“To clarify, we are not critical of Aglime, they have done the right thing and they employ people in town.... and they are within their rights to mine,” Mr Fewster said.

“There needs to be work done to find alternative sources not in an off-road area used by tourists.”

The Shire says a management order across the off-road vehicle area would enable it to bolster tourism, investment and safety.

It also believes the State should foot the bill to relocate Aglime and ensure new mining areas either have existing transport routes or are funded to create them.

“Thousands of people visit on weekends. There are no ablutions, no gates, and no way to monitor what anyone is doing,” he said.

“So we asked (WA Lands Minister John Carey) for a management order over the off-road area.

“He said no because the mining lease is there. But he said he would work with the community to facilitate an alternative.”

Under the Control of Vehicles Act 1978, local governments are required to manage off-road vehicle areas in their districts.

More than $100,000 was provided to the Shire of Gingin to do this — across the Shire — in 2021-22.

t’s a directive Mr Fewster labelled “problematic” from a tourism point of view, with limitations as to what the money could be used for.

“The Lancelin Sand Dunes are one of the biggest attractions north of Perth,” he said.

“Townspeople and those in tourism say it is critical it remains.”

Safety first

While a tourism mecca, dozens of accidents — including deaths — occur at the Lancelin Sand dunes each year, with most attributed to quad bike or motorbike accidents.

Countryman reached out to St John WA and WA Police for statistics. Neither could help.

It is understood the most recent incident was on Sunday, January 29, when a 19-year-old was airlifted to hospital after the quad bike he was riding rolled several times.

Last week, a 42-year-old man died after a quad bike crash in the dunes 16km south of Ledge Point.

Mr Fewster urged various WA ministers to visit the area on a weekend, rather than “burying their heads” in the sand.

“At the moment anyone can drive in there as long as the vehicle is licensed,” he said.

“You can drive at any speed you like, at any direction you like... in a 4WD or a motorbike, and then you have sand boards and tourism operators in buses.

“It is a recipe for disaster.”

Mr Fewster said the Shire felt forgotten by politicians, saying it was not at the top of priority lists.

“No one cares about this, there is not one question asked by the ministers regarding the fatalities and injuries in the dunes,” he said.

“It almost happens weekly.”

Government response

A WA Government spokesman said it was important to note while Aglime’s third lease did include the off-road vehicle area, it did “not grant it the automatic right to mine”.

“Any mining activities encroaching into the Lancelin off-road vehicle area would be subject to approval of a mining proposal,” the spokesman said.

“The State is cognisant of balancing tourism, agriculture and mining.

The spokesman rebuked the Shire’s claims that a specific management order was required to manage the area or to undertake most improvements under the Control of Vehicles Act 1978.

“The Shire of Gingin is of course aware of this as the Shire sought and was provided nearly $100,000 in the 2021-2022 financial year for upgrades and maintenance to off-road vehicle areas within its local government district, including Lancelin,” he said.

“Additionally, Shire of Gingin CEO Aaron Cook was appointed deputy of the Off Road Vehicle Advisory Committee on June 17, 2020 and his term expired on June 30, 2022, ensuring the Shire had representation on the committee.

“The State .... has facilitated discussions with relevant stakeholders to identify any steps that may assist the Shire in the future operation of the off-road vehicle area, in accordance with the Act.”

WA Opposition leader Shane Love the WA Nationals Moore MLA, said he believed WA Labor had buried its head in the sand.

“The use of lime sand has been shown to be important,” he said.

“What has also been apparent, as someone who represents both the bush and the beach, is that coastal people are attached to their environment.”

Mr Love said a draft lime sand strategy had been compiled by the in 2016, but none of the findings were implemented after the 2017 election.

“We now have a situation where a community feels it is not being listened to, and there is a business supplying lime sand — a vital thing to do — now coming under pressure,” he said.

“I am not endorsing people interfering with business, but the Government missed an opportunity to best manage the conflict of interest between the two groups.”

Mr Love said he believed lime sand could continue to be extracted for some time but the pinchpoint would come when the time came “time to look at the next stage... which would be into the off-road vehicle area or next to it”.

“At that point, there will be need to consider the needs of agriculture and the community... Lancelin needs to have its economic future protected,” he said.

The Save Lancelin Dunes Action Group was expected to meet with WA Mines Minister Bill Johnston this week.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Johnston said the State was committed to “exploring options to ensure co-existence for the long term”. “Lime sand mining has occurred at Lancelin for decades, providing an essential resource to the agricultural sector,” he said.

“Aglime is operating under an approved mining proposal subject to an appropriate environmental assessment, including the assessment of potential impacts to water resources and other land users.

“The approved mining proposal commits to no mining occurring within the Wellhead protection zones or within the designated Lancelin off-road vehicle area.

“The State Government recognises the importance of the dunes as a lime sand resource as well its significant recreational value.”

Tell us what you think. Write a letter to countryman@wanews.com.au