Consultation Process

Now Closed

This online engagement was hosted on YourSAy from 6 January to 12 February 2021. Below is a record of the engagement.

We want to know your thoughts about conducting in-situ gasification and other activities in the Leigh Creek Coalfields.

What’s being decided?

Leigh Creek Energy Limited is seeking approval under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) to conduct an in-situ gasification (ISG) project and other activities within the Leigh Creek Coalfields.

The application area for the project is located in the Flinders Ranges, approximately 7.5 km north-northeast of the township of Copley and around 11.5 km north of the Leigh Creek township.

Leigh Creek Energy Limited proposes to undertake the following activities within the application area:

• gasification of underground coal deposits using ISG techniques
• drilling of wells for exploration, production, monitoring and hydrogeological purposes
• construction of borrow pits, roads, camps, buildings, rail and other infrastructure
• geophysical surveys
• installation of in-ground, underground and above-ground services
• construction of processing and manufacturing facilities
• the use of plant and equipment
• other activities as allowed under section 10 of the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Act 2000 (SA).

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation (AAR), on behalf of the Premier of South Australia, is seeking views from Traditional Owners and other Aboriginal parties with an interest in the application area, on whether authorisation should be granted.

Undertaking the project poses the risk of potentially damaging, disturbing or interfering with Aboriginal heritage, so your views are important for the Premier to make a decision. 

Get involved

If you are a Traditional Owner or an Aboriginal party with an interest in the application area, read the Consultation Information Package and consider the following questions:

• Should the authorisation be granted to Leigh Creek Energy Limited? Why or why not?
• If the authorisation is granted, what conditions, if any, should be imposed on it?
• Are there any other matters that the Premier should be aware of when considering the application?

Have your say by:

• Calling us on (08) 8226 8900
• Emailing your feedback to DPC-AAR.CIR@sa.gov.au
• Posting your feedback to:

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation 

GPO Box 2343, ADELAIDE SA 5001

Due to COVID-19, AAR won't hold public meetings for this consultation.

AAR will aim to contact Aboriginal parties with a known interest in the application area before the consultation period closes. If you are not contacted, and wish to learn more and/or lodge a submission, you can do so by using one of the above options.

Your feedback will be treated confidentially. Unless specified otherwise, submissions will be provided to Leigh Creek Energy Limited and presented to the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee (Committee) and the Premier for consideration.

How can your input influence the decision?

Your input will inform the Committee's advice to the Premier on whether authorisation should be granted.

What are the next steps?

Once the consultation period closes, feedback will be presented to the Committee for its review and recommendations.

AAR will collate your and the Committee's feedback and provide these to the Premier in a report to assist him make his decision.

Contact details

If you would like to learn more about the proposal and/or wish to lodge a submission:

• call AAR on (08) 8226 8900 during business hours (9 am to 5 pm)
• write to/ email:

Mr Alex van Wessem 
Principal Project Officer (Heritage)
Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
GPO Box 2343

ADELAIDE SA 5001
Email: DPC-AAR.CIR@sa.gov.au 

• visit the Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation website

Closing date: 11:55 pm, Friday 12 February 2021

Background

Now Closed

This online engagement was hosted on YourSAy from 6 January to 12 February 2021. Below is a record of the engagement.

The Premier of South Australia, responsible for the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) (Act), has received an application, under section 23 of the Act, from Leigh Creek Energy Limited to support its in-situ gasification project and other activities within the Leigh Creek Coalfields, SA.

The application area covers all the areas within the following licences:

• Petroleum Retention Licence 247
• Petroleum Production Licence 269 
• Associated Activities Licence 292.

You can find out more about petroleum licences on the Department for Energy and Mining website.

Section 23 of the Act makes it an offence to damage, disturb or interfere with Aboriginal sites, objects or ancestral remains without authorisation.

The central archives, which include the Register of Aboriginal Sites and Objects, are maintained by Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation (AAR) on behalf of the Premier.

The central archives contain no records for Aboriginal sites within the application area. However, the Leigh Creek Coalfields contain an Aboriginal heritage site that holds specific cultural significance to Adnyamathanha people for its associations with the Yurlu (Yulu) Kingfisher storyline.

If you are a Traditional Owner or an Aboriginal party with an interest in the application area, read the Consultation Information Package and get involved.