A controversial plan to raise the wall of Warragamba Dam has been scrapped, a decision greeted with delight by Indigenous locals and environmental groups.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The NSW government said environmental and heritage impacts, as well as the enormous cost of more than $1 billion, had led to the decision to can the proposal.
The plan to raise the wall by 14 metres was championed by former Penrith MP, Stuart Ayres, for flood mitigation in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley.
But critics argued it would flood parts of the World Heritage Area, inundate hundreds of Indigenous sites and artefacts and destroy habitat.
The Labor government announced on Wednesday that instead it would build levies and improve evacuation routes in the Hawkesbury-Nepean.
Gundungurra woman and Warragamba resident, Kazan Brown, who has long fought against the plan, told the Gazette she was very pleased when she heard the news.
"I can't express how happy and relieved we are that the project isn't going ahead. The area is very special and it should be protected not only for the Indigenous heritage but for the biodiversity."
Ms Brown's family originally came from the Burragorang and lived there until forced out by the construction of the dam.
"We will continue to work towards having it permanently protected," she said.
Blue Mountains MP, Trish Doyle, called it a "big win for our Blue Mountains community, for ancient Indigenous cultural heritage and for our precious world heritage environment".
"It's heartening to see what can be achieved when you combine informed and passionate community advocacy, and respect for Indigenous heritage, with responsible Government leadership."
Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill also welcomed the decision, saying "cultural heritage and wilderness" will no longer be lost.
"The original proposal did not protect flood prone communities. It was all just smoke and mirrors by the former state government," he said.
