RE: Todays NR = copy Council backs Big Hill gold mine plans
Posted 2 hours 40 minutes ago
A western Victorian council has backed plans to develop a controversial open-cut gold mine at Stawell.
The Northern Grampians Shire voted to support the Big Hill mine at its council meeting last night.
The project is awaiting State Government approval and a report on the environmental effects of the mine.
Mayor Wayne Rice says the closure of the Stawell Gold Mine is leaving a gap in the town that needs to be filled.
"When the mine closes and property prices fall, rates fall, we can't provide the services to the community without that rates base and we can't get that without having a population base, so we've got to build our population," he said.