WA Bans Coalmining in Margaret River Tourist Zone

Western Australia (WA) banned on Wednesday coalmining in the wine and tourism region of Margaret River. The prohibition was made by WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore who declared a no coalmining zone which covers 230 square kilometers.

Margaret River is a popular holiday and surfing region and is 3 1/2 hours drive south of Perth. Mr Moore said the ban was upon the advice from WA's Environmental Protection Authority.

Together with the ban, the minister terminated four coal exploration applications and warned the holders of nine existing minerals titles that their future attempt to mine coal would be rejected.

"The government has not decided that the advice should also be applied to the whole of the coal mineralisation extending through the identified 230 sq km zone and applications for coal exploration or mining should not be supported," The Australian quoted Mr Moore.

Ahead of the ban, WA rejected in February the proposal by Vasse Coal to mine the resource in Margaret River. The WA decision follows the declaration by the federal government in June of a no oil and gas zone off the Margaret River coast and the creation of an exclusion zone on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Australian Greens agreed with the WA decision but pushed that the policy be legislated.

"This decision is only a ministerial position, not legislation. If the government is serious in wanting to provide certainty to Margaret River from coalmining then they must introduce special legislation, or alternatively support the bill in introduced to parliament last May to amend the Mining Act 1978," The Herald Sun quoted Giz Watson of the Greens.

She sought legislation because of the possibility that the next WA government could change policy after the next state election in March 2013. Ms Watson's bill proposed to expand the power of the resources minister to exempt any land from mining and require application for the grant of a mining tenement to be subject to local planning approval.

Other environmental groups also lauded Mr Moore's ban.

"The announcement today recognises that the Capes region has a range of environmental values, including groundwater resources, that would have been catastrophically impacted by coal mining if it were allowed to proceed," The Herald Sun quoted Conservation Council of WA Director Piers Verstegen.

"Thousands of Western Australians will breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that their favourite holiday destination and wine and food region will be spared from a polluting coal industry that is not welcome in WA," he added.