GPM is the current landowner and manager of the Ash Storage Dams and stockpiles in the Kerosene Vale Ash Repository area at Lidsdale, a suburb in the western Blue Mountains Region to the west of Lithgow. It comprises an area of approximately 540 ha that was formerly part of the now-closed Wallerawang Power Station. The site includes the original ash dam, built in the 1950s and retired in the 1970s, and a new ash storage facility constructed on top in 2006.
GPM took ownership of the site in September 2020, and in August 2022, it was declared significantly contaminated land under the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997. Since then, GPM has been actively working to meet regulatory requirements under the Voluntary Management Proposal, conducting investigations, and determining the best strategies to fully remediate the site and safely close the ash dam repositories.
Key site features include, but are not limited to:
GPM is currently in the later stages of the detailed site investigation stage of the Voluntary Management Plan (VPM) and is progressing in line with the VMP requirements in consultation with the EPA-accredited Contaminated Site Auditor and the NSW EPA. Relevant documents can be accessed in the Documents section.
GPM operates the Lidsdale site in compliance with Environment Protection Licence 21185 and development approval MP07_0005-Mod 2. Water from the Lidsdale ash dam and dry ash repository is managed through a treatment plant operated by GPM. The licence, development approval, and environmental monitoring data are available through the Documents and Environmental Data Portal sections.
Sawyers Swamp Creek Ash Dam is a High A declared dam managed by our team at Lidsdale. GPM works closely with the community and relevant organisations to implement safety plans and maintain the dam. Development of a closure plan for the dam is ongoing, with removal of the declaration of the dam included as a future goal to ensure long-term safety and environmental management. The dam is managed in accordance with the requirements of the Dams Safety Act 2015 and the Dams Safety Regulation 2019.
For further information, please don’t hesitate to contact our team — we’re here to help and keep the community informed.
Welcome to our interactive environmental data portal, where you can access real-time data collected at various locations on our sites.
Our Community Consultation Group meet every three months to share updates, discuss findings, and hear directly from the community.
We value community feedback and are committed to listening to ideas and concerns. Summaries of our discussions and outcomes are available in our newsletter or in the minutes.
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