Calcine sands clean up for Bendigo community

Thursday 30 August, 2012

Parks Victoria will call for tenders for remedial works at the Liddell’s calcine sands site in Bendigo Regional Park. Advertising will take place next week.  Works are on track to begin in late Spring following the appointment of a successful contractor.

District Chief Ranger David Major said that the process to determine and approve a long term solution for the site had been a complex one.

“This is a multi-million dollar project that has required substantial resourcing and planning. It’s important that we get it right."

“The EPA has accepted the Audit Report and the Clean Up Plan for the site,” said Mr Major.

Mr Major said he understood residents concerns at the time taken to complete the process.

“Final planning and scheduling is complete and a tender will be advertised and a contractor selected as soon as possible.”

A meeting with local residents will be held prior to work starting on the site to ensure that the community are informed of the detail of the works and potential impacts, and to answer any questions people may have.

“The site remediation involves consolidating the calcine sands into a single mound, placing a 900mm cap of clean imported fill over the top and then revegetating the area,” said Mr Major. 

“The site will remain fenced after the works are complete.”

The single 1.5 hectare mound will effectively remove the sands further from the residences. The dam will be drained and Derwent Gully partially realigned to direct water flow away from the mound. 

Parks Victoria, through the services of a local nursery, has 4,700 native plants and four kilograms of native grass and plant seeds in readiness for revegetation at the site once earthworks are complete.