Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc
Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc
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Woronora Valley Residents Association inc.

Woronora Valley Residents Association inc. Woronora Valley Residents Association inc. Woronora Valley Residents Association inc.

--- A community united shall never be defeated ---

Truth TellinG

When:

Saturday 25th October 2025





Where:

Kamay Botany Bay.







A gathering for all Australians.





15/10/2025

Veterinary Professional Training - Taronga Conservation Soci

The course is aimed at veterinarians and veterinary nurses and focused at improving the knowledge and skills of veterinary staff related to wildlife triage, first aid, treatment and care. Follow the link below:

Find out more

Update on Prices Circuit Reserve

 GREAT NEWS!!!!!!


Following further Community Input regarding Prices Circuit Reserve, we are pleased to announce the Prices Circuit Reserve will remain as a passive recreation area as passed at the council meeting on the 13/10/25.

WVRA Inc. wishes to acknowledge and thank our Members , Committee and Community  for their input  over the last 4-5 years  to achieve the outcome sort by our Community.


Well done all those who spoke up at meetings, completed survey’s  and wrote letters.

WELL DONE COMMUNITY! 

Honouring Uncle Max Dulamunmun Harrison

Download PDF

The Leader - Peabody mine article

Welcome to Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc!

 WVRA Inc. wishes to thank and acknowledge Sutherland Shire Council for their support in opposing the new application from the Foreign Mining Company Peabody to mine again under Woronora Dam .We thank the council for their  efforts in preserving our environment and drinking water. In gratitude and appreciation 

MARELLE Burnum Burnum ( Secretary ) 


ROBYN  Galvin ( President )
WVRA Inc.

Food Organics Garden Organics 

MEDIA RELEASE - Have your say on our plan for FOGO!

Sutherland Shire Council is inviting residents to provide their feedback on the proposed delivery model for a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) Waste Service being introduced to Sutherland Shire from late 2026.


FOGO is a new waste collection service designed to reduce landfill and transform food and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost.


Acting Mayor, Councillor Laura Cowell, said the new service will involve a simple change to how residents use their bins but will be a big step towards supporting a circular economy.

“This is about more than bins – it’s about reducing food waste and improving resource recovery to build a more sustainable future for Sutherland Shire,” Acting Mayor Cowell said.


“FOGO will be the most significant changes to household waste collection in a generation, allowing residents to place their food scraps and garden waste into the green lid bin, diverting it from landfill to create compost for use in fields, parks and farms.


“We believe we’ve identified the best way to roll out FOGO across the Sutherland Shire, but we want to hear from residents to make sure our suggested approach will work for local households.


“We want to hear from everyone – whether you compost at home, live in an apartment, or just want to do your bit for the environment.


Under the proposal, red lid bins will continue to be used for general waste will remain a weekly collection, green lid garden bins will become the green lid FOGO bin and increases to a weekly collection, and the yellow lid bin for mixed recyclables will stay the same with a fortnightly collection.

The service rollout will begin with single dwellings and expand to multi-unit dwellings in later phases.


Consultation is now open and will run until Sunday 22 September, offering residents a chance to share feedback on Council’s proposed delivery model in several ways:

  • Online by taking the survey below
  • In person at one of Council’s information stalls (details online)
  • Email FOGOConsult@ssc.nsw.gov.au
  • In writing to Recycling & Waste, Sutherland Shire Council, Locked Bag 17, Sutherland 1499.


Council will use feedback from the consultation to finalise the proposed delivery model for endorsement by Council.


For more information, visit https://jointheconversation.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/our-plan-fogo

Suggested Future Uses for Woronora Hall – Submission for SSC

Letter Opposing Mine Extension

 Thank you for your support and interest in the Woronora Hall following our recent presentation to the Council.


As requested, please find below a list of additional future uses for the hall that our association believes would enhance its value to the local community and support its long-term viability:


Proposed Future Uses for Woronora Hall

1. Community Wellness Programme

  • Yoga, tai chi, meditation, and fitness classes for all age groups
  • Mental health workshops and wellbeing seminars


2. Youth & Senior Engagement

  • After-school programs, tutoring, and arts/crafts for youth
  • Morning teas, tech help sessions, and social clubs for seniors


3. Cultural & Arts Events

  • Local art exhibitions, live music, and theatre performances
  • Multicultural days to celebrate the diversity of the community


4. Educational Workshops & Training

  • First aid, CPR, and life-saving courses (especially relevant given the hall’s riverside location)
  • Environmental awareness talks, bushfire readiness training, and sustainability initiatives


5. Local Business & Market Support

  • Indoor markets for local makers and produce sellers
  • Business networking events or pop-up coworking days


6. Emergency Support Hub

  • Temporary community coordination point during local emergencies or floods
  • Storage and staging area for emergency equipment and supplies


7. Social Events & Private Hire

  • Birthday parties, weddings, and other private functions
  • Trivia nights, movie nights, and community dinners


8. First Nations Education & Cultural Connection

  • Indigenous talks and workshops highlighting the deep history and cultural significance of the area
  • Collaboration with local Elders and First Nations groups to acknowledge and share stories connected to the land, including the Middens and riverbank
  • Recognition of nearby sites such as Burnum Burnum Sanctuary (named in honour of my late husband), and the planned naming of a parcel of land for Elder Uncle Max Harrison, to acknowledge enduring Indigenous presence and wisdom
  • Acknowledgement of Norm Dixon Reserve, named in honour of my father, as another example of meaningful community contribution and connection to place
  • Space for ongoing cultural learning, storytelling, and reconciliation activities


9. Royal National Park & Local Heritage Resource Centre

  • When open, the hall could serve as a satellite information centre for the Royal National Park
  • Display of pamphlets, local bushwalking maps, Indigenous and settler history, and ecological information
  • Promotion of safe and respectful engagement with local trails, waterways, and historic sites

          Native Plant Education & Environmental Connection

  • Bush flower identification walks to explore native flora in its natural environment, with discussion of healing properties and traditional uses
  • Workshops on plant identification, bush tucker education, and seasonal native flower displays
  • Indigenous-led sessions sharing stories and Dreaming associated with local plants
  • Tree and native flower planting events to promote biodiversity, attract pollinators, and support climate resilience
  • Community Planting Days to encourage hands-on involvement in revegetation and habitat restoration
  • Partnership with the nearby Council nursery to encourage community access to native plants and ecofriendly gardening and courses.


We’re happy to elaborate further or provide supporting documents if needed. Thank you again for your support of Woronora Hall and its future in the community.


Warm regards,

Marelle Burnum Burnum [secretary]

Robyn Galvin [president ]

Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc.

St George and Sutherland Shire Leader - letter

Letter Opposing Mine Extension

I am writing on behalf of the Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc. to voice our firm and urgent opposition to Peabody Energy's proposed Modification 4 at the Metropolitan Colliery. 

This proposal seeks to extend longwall coal mining directly beneath the Woronora Dam, which supplies drinking water to hundreds of thousands of residents in the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney.

This is not just an environmental concern - it is a matter of public health, infrastructure security, and basic common sense.


Peabody's track record speaks for itself. In 2022, the company's operations caused a dam failure that led to a discharge of coal-laden water into Camp Gully Creek, which flows into the Hacking River and Royal National Park. 

They were fined [$196,560 fine and costs of $304,806 awarded against them] after pleading guilty to pollution and licence breaches. The idea of approving more mining under such critical water catchment areas - by a foreign-owned company - is reckless and unacceptable.


The Woronora Dam is not only a lifeline for our community - it is also heritage-listed and located within a Special Area where public access is restricted to protect water quality. Allowing longwall mining in this zone endangers both the natural environment and our water supply.


There has been no genuine community consultation, and this project continues to move forward despite growing public opposition.


We urge the NSW Government and Planning Minister Paul Scully to reject Modification 4 in full.


Marelle Burnum Burnum, Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc

Woronora River Life Saving Hall

 ATTENTION  MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY.


Please note for your information and discussion, the following summary of the report on Woronora Community Hall (CCL051 -25 ,page 47) from council business papers to be discussed at  the next council meeting Monday 15th September 2025 .

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Protect Woronora Dam and Heritage site - SAY NO!

 To the Editor,

I am writing on behalf of the Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc. to voice our firm and urgent opposition to Peabody Energy’s proposed Modification 4 at the Metropolitan Colliery. This proposal seeks to extend longwall coal mining directly beneath the Woronora Dam, which supplies drinking water to hundreds of thousands of residents in the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney.

This is not just an environmental concern — it is a matter of public health, infrastructure security, and basic common sense.

Peabody’s track record speaks for itself. In 2022, the company’s operations caused a dam failure that led to a discharge of coal-laden water into Camp Gully Creek, which flows into the Hacking River and Royal National Park. They were fined over $500,000 after pleading guilty to pollution and licence breaches. The idea of approving more mining under such critical water catchment areas — by a foreign-owned company — is reckless and unacceptable.

The Woronora Dam is not only a lifeline for our community — it is also heritage-listed and located within a Special Area where public access is restricted to protect water quality. Allowing longwall mining in this zone endangers both the natural environment and our water supply.

There has been no genuine community consultation, and this project continues to move forward despite growing public opposition. This is not just a local issue — it affects all of Sydney.

We urge the NSW Government and Planning Minister Paul Scully to reject Modification 4 in full. Water is life. It must not be compromised for short-term profit.

Yours sincerely,
Marelle Burnum Burnum
Secretary
Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc.

Uncle Max's naming request

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Protect Ningaloo Reef

Sign the petition
30th August 2025

Help Object to the expansion of the peabody mine!

Enough is enough, water is life.

Public submissions may have just closed, but you can still email NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully. 


Use your voice and demand that this proposal to expand mining under the catchment be knocked back to protect the Woronora Reservoir and the Royal National Park from further damage.


Help oppose another extension of the peabody minE!

Message from Sutherland Shire Environmental Centre

 American mining giant, Peabody Energy, have plans to extend their mining operations deeper into the Woronora Catchment. We have plans to stop them, and we need your help.

Public submissions are due on the 26th August (this Tuesday!), and we need as many people as possible to put in submissions opposing the plans.

We have created a handy submission guide with key talking points for your to include.
You can find this visual guide on our Facebook page.
Submissions don't have to be lengthy or elaborate, so long as they are in your own words expressing your opposition to the proposal. The more submissions the better!
Once you are ready to upload your submission, you can do so via the NSW Planning Portal.
You will be asked to make an account, which should only take a few minutes. From there, the submission process is simple.
For as much impact as possible, we ask you to also send your submission as a letter to the Planning Minister Paul Scully, as well as your State or Federal MPs. Paul Scully's email address: wollongong@parliament.nsw.gov.auOn Saturday we hosted a presentation/writing workshop to showcase the many complex layers of damage caused by mining in water catchments, and to encourage participants to put in submissions of their own. Thank you so much to everyone who came along, your support is so greatly appreciated. Good luck everyone!

Warmly and with hope,
Cooper, SSEC Volunteer 


Membership, environmental advocacy Sutherland Shire Environment Centre is a non-profit, non-government organisation run by volunteers who care about our local area and do our best to advocate for the environment. Your support builds the power of our collective voice. 

Life Saving Hall Speech

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Sydney developer gets 'slap on the wrist'

 "A property developer of a $3 million mansion has been fined after illegally clearing hundreds of trees in Sydney's south.

A community group says they are "horrified" with the punishment, while a Greens MP dubbed it a "slap on the wrist". " - ABC News.

Find out more

Woronora Life Saving Hall Options

Life Saving Hall Update

A current concern and a motion is being put forward by councillor Deputy Mayor Laura Cowell on the 18th August and our input is welcomed. 


See files below.

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Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc.

Woronora Life Saving Club, Prince Edward Park, Woronora, New South Wales, 2232, Australia

info@wvra.com.au

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