An Australian Mining company want to develop a gold mine in the Shepherds Creek valley Bendigo. The mining company, Santana, have named this the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project.
The proposed mine is situated between the Cairnmuir Mountains to the east and the Carrick Range to the west, and is near to the township of Cromwell and the villages of Tarras and Bendigo in Central Otago.
This area which includes Shepherds and Jean Creek, is situated above our South Island’s longest river, the Mata Au/Clutha River which flows a further 300km down stream to our great Pacific Ocean.
Within this proposed mine area there is a legal, unformed road, the Fools Gold Road. This road runs through the proposed mine and current prospecting and development activities.
The Fools Gold Road is a public road and belongs to us. The road is worth visiting before this area becomes a toxic minefield denude of the natural environment there today and well worth a stroll to help comprehend the enormity of devastation both at the site and the wider area.
Here you will find a map and co-ordinates with instructions to walk the Fools Gold Road, information about the area, related news about the mine and information for actions you can take to help prevent this unnecessary, avoidable devastation to our whenua and our future.
This website will be updated regularly – Especially as there’s always more news and the valley is already changing so much with mining activity. So keep coming back to stay updated.
WHERE TO START
If you are just learning about the area, the mine and what mining in this area may mean – if you plan on visiting the area or are unable to visit the area, watch this short film released by Central Otago Environmental Society as an introduction to the environment and proposed project: A World of Difference Under Threat: A walk through the unique landscape…
Watch this – a short informational film: Into the Dunstan Mountains – with Sam Neil.
This short documentary features Central Otago resident and actor Sam Neill as he heads into the Dunstan Mountains near Bendigo, Central Otago. Sam shares some of the details of an open pit gold mine which Australian company Santana Minerals are trying to push through fast-track.
Watch this – a short film describing the Central Otago Gold Mine to be fast-tracked by NZ Government. The New Zealand Government is about to fast-track a huge new open pit mine in Central Otago, close to the Clutha Mata-Au River, at the top of Lake Dunstan.
Watch this – visualisation: Santana Minerals’ toxic tailings dam in Central Otago. This video shows you where it will be. The view of the site was taken from high up in the Dunstan Mountains, from the Bendigo Reserve.
“If, like Sam, you are opposed to a fast-track, industrial scale mine at Bendigo, please join him and thousands of others by adding your voice (and name) in opposition.” You can do this at the list being maintained by local group Sustainable Tarras.
Say No to The Mine – Sign here.
& Listen to this message from Helen Clark on the Bendigo fast-track mine “We are its guardians”.
