Soils contaminated by lead have been detected in the rail yard at Tarago as part of the Tarago Rail Loop Extension project.
The lead in the rail corridor is related to a historical mining load-out facility that was used to load and unload lead ore concentrate from the Woodlawn Mine in Tarago. The lead was then transported by rail to Newcastle and Port Kembla. The load-out facility operated from the mid-1980s before being demolished between 1997 and 2005.
Areas Impacted:
Tarago Rail Corridor
Former Station Masters Cottage
Date Environmental Protection Authority informed:
November 2019
Engagement Approach
We will keep the community informed as our work progresses through community updates and our website. Please register to receive email updates for website updates and community sessions. The community sessions will be held face to face in the local area and using online technology. Communication will occur directly with owners and tenants of private properties impacted.
Current Stage
Remediation planning and obtaining permits and approvals
Next milestone
Engage specialist contractor and remediation
Project Updates
Project updates will be provided in the section below titled “Latest Updates”.
Register to receive email alerts for web updates and for invites to community information sessions via the Contact Us link below.
Latest updates
April 2024 Update – public exhibition of the Tarago Rail Corridor Remediation Options Assessment
Transport for NSW (Transport) held an online community information session on 10 April 2024 to update the community on the preferred remediation option for the Tarago Rail Corridor.
The presentation covered:
- Tarago Rail Corridor Remediation Options Assessment (ROA) (PDF, 30.99 MB) information with an overview of the process and invitation to provide feedback
- Transport’s preferred ROA option and next steps for implementation
- Stockpile Remediation Action Plan (RAP) update
- Tarago air and water monitoring update noting that:
- Air and surface water quality monitoring will be changed from a time-based program to an activity-based program
- Monitoring will only be conducted during remediation, or any other earthworks
- The last monitoring report under the current time-based program is scheduled to be completed by then end of June 2024
- The Auditor has confirmed this approach is satisfactory. The Air Quality and Surface Water Monitoring – Interim Audit Advice (IAA) report (PDF, 5.36 MB)is available to view on the project website
- Overview of works to occur in 2024 – 2025
- Panel session with subject matter experts.
The presentation slides (PDF, 1.69 MB) and project FAQs (PDF, 405.03 KB) are available to view online.
Public Exhibition of the Tarago Rail Corridor Remediation Options Assessment
A Remediation Options Assessment (ROA) has been prepared for Tarago Rail Corridor (including the former Station Master’s Cottage). It describes the options considered by Transport to remediate the Site and how each option was assessed.
At the event, Transport presented the preferred remediation option for the Tarago Rail Corridor and are seeking feedback from the community.
Transport’s preferred remediation option is to remove the contaminated waste from the Site and take it to the containment cell at Lake George Legacy Mine in Captains Flat. This option will cost approximately $2.3 million dollars in total to deliver.
If this preferred option cannot proceed, Transport’s second preferred option is off-site disposal at a suitably licensed waste facility, possibly in Sydney or Queensland. This option would be delivered at an additional cost of around $3.9 million dollars (approximately $6.2 million dollars in total).
Social outcomes for the Tarago and the Captains Flat community have been placed at the forefront of the analysis for the remediation options.
The preferred option has also been identified as providing the best outcome for the state of NSW and would enable the site to be remediated towards the end of 2025.
The Tarago Rail Corridor ROA (PDF, 30.99 MB) is open for feedback from 10 April 2024 to 7 May 2024.
If you would like to submit your feedback, please click on the link below or email landassessment@transport.nsw.gov.au
