The Roper & Limmen Bight under threat

A concerning mine proposal continues to put at risk some of the Territory’s most precious places - the Roper River, the Limmen Bight Marine Park and Maria Island.

We’ve seen it before – overseas companies planning to exploit the Territory. Local communities are concerned this 100% overseas owned company, with no connection to the Top End, will disappear as fast as they appeared, leaving behind the mess.

These top fishing spots, the marine life, the seagrass and mangroves and the natural and cultural values that make these places special, are at risk from these iron ore mining proposals.

It’s time for the Northern Territory Government to come clean on how it will deliver a plan that safeguards the health of our most precious places, as promised at the last election.

Key questions about these proposals remain

The company wants to tow 3 barges at a time down the Roper river, each loaded with crushed Iron Ore, weighing in at 8000 tonnes each. Can the government guarantee dredging will not be required? How will they control such a huge string of barges in the winding bends of the shallow Roper river?
To transship the ore the company wants to build a massive shiploading facility 40km offshore just north of Maria Island. Can the government guarantee this can be done without widespread impacts to the surrounding seagrass beds, dugong, turtles and the many fishers who operate in the area?
The company proposes hauling the Iron ore for 156km to Port Roper for shipment using 53 meter long, 100 tonne road trains. Has the government assessed what impact this will have on the Limmen national park and the tourism and recreational fishing industries already established in the area?
How will water flows of the Roper River be affected by the proposed extraction of 2 billion litres of water directly from the Roper River annually AND a 400m long dam on the Hodgson River which feeds into the Roper River?

Read the email that we'll send

Dear Territory Leaders (CC my MLA),

The Roper River and Limmen Bight Marine Park are precious places for Territorians. These areas have outstanding natural and cultural values, offer sensational recreational fishing opportunities, and have enormous tourism potential.

However, the Roper iron ore mine proposals put all this at risk.

Tonnes and tonnes of iron ore on massive trucks, barges and ships will soon be on the move through these well-loved places. This threatens to destroy water quality, poses oil spill and pollution risk, and adds industrial pressures to these precious places. Two billion litres of water will be taken from the Roper River annually AND a 400m long dam will be built on the Hodgson River catchment, which also flows into the Roper.

Local communities are concerned this 100% overseas owned company with no connection to the Top End will disappear as fast as they appeared, leaving behind a mess.

Our Top End coasts and fishing lifestyle is under increasing pressure. Impacts from big mining, pollution, mangrove destruction, climate change, amongst others, are on the rise. It is critical that the Gunner Government’s promised Plan to safeguard the health of our coasts, due at the year’s end, delivers what the Territory needs - a Plan that takes action without further delay to secure the unique cultural, conservation and fishing values of the Top End’s coasts.

There are proven solutions on offer, which must be at the heart of a plan like this, and can be tailored to the needs of the Territory - including seacountry Indigenous Protected Areas and recreational fishing friendly marine parks.

With proposals like this hanging over communities and their environments right now, it is even more important that the Territory Government delivers an effective plan for a healthy future for its coasts, and the communities and jobs that rely on it.

Yours sincerely,
[your name and suburb will be inserted here]

Sign to protect the Roper & Limmen Bight!

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