Thank you for your feedback
Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the first stage of consultation for the proposed Waratah Waste Transfer Station project. Community feedback has been invaluable in helping Council better understand local priorities, concerns and aspirations, and will continue to play an important role as the project progresses.
What we heard
Why change is needed
This project is about planning for Waratah’s long-term waste management needs, not simply relocating the existing transfer station.
The current facility is no longer considered a suitable long-term solution for several reasons:
- Council does not have long-term certainty over continued use of the existing site due to unresolved land tenure arrangements.
- The site has significant physical constraints that limit opportunities to expand or modernise the facility.
- The current layout does not meet contemporary expectations for waste separation, recycling, resource recovery or environmental management.
- Unrestricted public access contributes to illegal dumping, contamination, vandalism and increased operational costs.
- The existing layout presents accessibility, operational and safety challenges for both users and staff.
- The site sits at the gateway to the Waratah mine walking track, creating competing land uses between waste management and tourism.
- Its proximity to the creek and limited ability to fully contain waste presents ongoing environmental risks.
How your feedback has influenced the project
Community feedback has been carefully reviewed alongside technical investigations. As a result, Council is no longer progressing the previously investigated location and is now exploring an alternative site that better responds to the issues raised during consultation.
Before any decision is made, potential locations will be assessed against a range of criteria, including:
- site suitability and feasibility
- planning and environmental requirements
- operational needs
- landowner support
- ability to deliver a safe, accessible and sustainable long-term facility
What happens next?
Council will continue investigating alternative locations and undertaking the technical work needed to determine the most suitable option. Once a preferred site has been identified and assessed, the community will be invited to participate in the next stage of consultation. This will provide another opportunity to review the proposal, ask questions and provide feedback before any decisions are made.
Council is committed to working with the community throughout the process to ensure the long-term solution meets the needs of Waratah while protecting the environment and supporting the future of the township.
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