Eyre Peninsula Desalination Plant (Billy Lights Point)

Consultation has now closed.

We want to hear from Traditional Owners and Aboriginal parties with an interest in SA Water’s proposed desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, near Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

What's being decided?

SA Water (Applicant) is proposing to undertake ground disturbing works associated with the construction of its proposed desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, south of Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula (Project).

Your views will help the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (Minister) decide whether he should grant the authorisations to the Applicant, which would allow it to potentially impact Aboriginal sites, objects and ancestral remains (together, heritage) as part of the Project.

Background

The Minister, who is responsible for the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) (Act), has received an application for authorisations under the Act from the Applicant in relation to the construction of its proposed desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, south of Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

The Project would involve the construction of a desalination plant and associated infrastructure that would secure long-term water supply for Eyre Peninsula residents and business. Key elements of the Project within the application area include ground disturbing works and other supporting works for the construction of:

  • a desalination plant
  • marine intake pump station
  • subsurface tunnels for pipes
  • electricity transmission lines and water pipelines
  • associated infrastructure and upgrades to existing infrastructure.

Under the Act, authorisations under sections 21 and 23 are required to excavate land for the purposes of uncovering Aboriginal heritage and to damage, disturb and/or interfere with heritage.

Get involved

In line with section 13 of the Act, the Minister is seeking to consult with Traditional Owners, the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee (Committee) and any other Aboriginal persons or organisations that in the opinion of the Minister have a particular interest in the matter.

If you are a Traditional Owner or an interested Aboriginal party, please read the Consultation Information Pack and Consultation Notice and consider responding to at least the following questions:

  1. Should the authorisations sought by the Applicant be granted? Why or why not?
  2. If the authorisations are granted, what conditions (if any) should be imposed on them?
  3. Will the Project provide you with any direct or indirect benefits (e.g., cultural, financial or personal)?
  4. Are there any other matters the Minister should consider when deciding this application? 

Traditional Owners and interested Aboriginal parties who wish to learn more, to lodge a submission and/or be notified once a decision is made, can:

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation
Attorney-General’s Department
GPO Box 464, ADELAIDE SA 5001

See the Consultation Information Pack and Consultation Notice for details on how to lodge a verbal or written submission.

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation (AAR) is available to assist people to record submissions if they have any difficulty in doing so.

About AAR's consultation materials

Any revisions to AAR's consultation materials will be made available on AAR's website.

Traditional Owners and interested Aboriginal parties are encouraged to check AAR's website regularly for any changes to the consultation materials. AAR will email or post updated consultation materials to those who contact us and provide their email or postal address. Hardcopies of the materials may also be collected from our office.

What are the next steps?

  • AAR will forward your submissions in full to the Applicant for comment. You may request that AAR keeps any cultural information in your submission confidential. AAR will facilitate these requests, where possible, in line with procedural fairness principles.
  • Once the public consultation has closed, AAR will forward your submissions and the Applicant’s comments to the Committee, for its views.
  • AAR will collate and present all submissions, the Applicant’s responses, the Committee’s advice, and AAR’s recommendations to the Minister to decide the application.

Consultation has now closed.

We want to hear from Traditional Owners and Aboriginal parties with an interest in SA Water’s proposed desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, near Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

What's being decided?

SA Water (Applicant) is proposing to undertake ground disturbing works associated with the construction of its proposed desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, south of Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula (Project).

Your views will help the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (Minister) decide whether he should grant the authorisations to the Applicant, which would allow it to potentially impact Aboriginal sites, objects and ancestral remains (together, heritage) as part of the Project.

Background

The Minister, who is responsible for the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) (Act), has received an application for authorisations under the Act from the Applicant in relation to the construction of its proposed desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, south of Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

The Project would involve the construction of a desalination plant and associated infrastructure that would secure long-term water supply for Eyre Peninsula residents and business. Key elements of the Project within the application area include ground disturbing works and other supporting works for the construction of:

  • a desalination plant
  • marine intake pump station
  • subsurface tunnels for pipes
  • electricity transmission lines and water pipelines
  • associated infrastructure and upgrades to existing infrastructure.

Under the Act, authorisations under sections 21 and 23 are required to excavate land for the purposes of uncovering Aboriginal heritage and to damage, disturb and/or interfere with heritage.

Get involved

In line with section 13 of the Act, the Minister is seeking to consult with Traditional Owners, the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee (Committee) and any other Aboriginal persons or organisations that in the opinion of the Minister have a particular interest in the matter.

If you are a Traditional Owner or an interested Aboriginal party, please read the Consultation Information Pack and Consultation Notice and consider responding to at least the following questions:

  1. Should the authorisations sought by the Applicant be granted? Why or why not?
  2. If the authorisations are granted, what conditions (if any) should be imposed on them?
  3. Will the Project provide you with any direct or indirect benefits (e.g., cultural, financial or personal)?
  4. Are there any other matters the Minister should consider when deciding this application? 

Traditional Owners and interested Aboriginal parties who wish to learn more, to lodge a submission and/or be notified once a decision is made, can:

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation
Attorney-General’s Department
GPO Box 464, ADELAIDE SA 5001

See the Consultation Information Pack and Consultation Notice for details on how to lodge a verbal or written submission.

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation (AAR) is available to assist people to record submissions if they have any difficulty in doing so.

About AAR's consultation materials

Any revisions to AAR's consultation materials will be made available on AAR's website.

Traditional Owners and interested Aboriginal parties are encouraged to check AAR's website regularly for any changes to the consultation materials. AAR will email or post updated consultation materials to those who contact us and provide their email or postal address. Hardcopies of the materials may also be collected from our office.

What are the next steps?

  • AAR will forward your submissions in full to the Applicant for comment. You may request that AAR keeps any cultural information in your submission confidential. AAR will facilitate these requests, where possible, in line with procedural fairness principles.
  • Once the public consultation has closed, AAR will forward your submissions and the Applicant’s comments to the Committee, for its views.
  • AAR will collate and present all submissions, the Applicant’s responses, the Committee’s advice, and AAR’s recommendations to the Minister to decide the application.