Subject to the outcomes of Council’s environmental monitoring of the site, which will be presented to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for approval, the future use of the Wangara Road site will be considered through a master planning process.

Two Environmental Action Notices (EANs) have been issued by the EPA because extensive investigations undertaken by Council identified the presence of elevated levels of contaminants (land fill gas and groundwater leachate) due to the sites former use as a quarry and municipal landfill. These contaminants are very common in former landfills as they are generated by decomposition of waste however present significant development constraints as to what can or can’t be built or planted at the site.

Find out more about landfill gas via the EPA factsheet.

Leachate is contaminated ground water that has passed through waste material in a closed landfill and picked up contaminants on the way.

We’re working with the EPA and environmental specialists to actively monitor and manage contamination created through its historical use as a landfill. The next phase will involve developing a detailed rehabilitation plan to guide how the site will be remediated, which will involve developing a high-level concept plan to understand potential future use of the site.

The contamination relates to the former use of the site as a landfill. Through careful management and continued environmental monitoring we will develop a plan to remediate the site. This will ensure the site is safe for any future use.

As part of the investigations, Council’s independent environmental assessor undertook analysis of current monitoring (including outside of the site boundaries) to understand whether there is the risk of contamination outside the site boundaries. The assessment is ongoing however, at present testing indicates that there is low risk of contamination beyond the site boundaries. Council will continue to monitor conditions both inside and outside of the site to ensure there is no risk to public safety.

Following the EPAs approval of the rehabilitation plan, Council is expecting to engage with the community regarding future outcomes at the site in 2023/24. We will continue to update key stakeholders including residents regarding site restrictions, monitoring timelines, the rehabilitation plan, and any associated implications.