The Alum Mountain, Bulahdelah & 'option' E

'Upgrading' the Pacific Highway - Downgrading Bulahdelah!

Documentation of findings of Rhizanthella slateri on the Alum Mountain, Bulahdelah

My Discovery

A child who learns naturally tells the story of his discovery of a colony of the Alum Mountain's Rhizanthella slateri

Petition against the use of 'Option E' for the Pacific Highway Upgrade, Bulahdelah.

Five route options were made available by the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) and their cohorts Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB) (formerly PPK Environment and Infrastructure) for the Pacific Highway 'Upgrade', Bulahdelah.

Of these five options the RTA and PB chose to recommend a highway relocation which is, in every way, absolutely illogical to the Minister for Transport, Hon. Carl Scully, as being the route he should officially declare as his 'preferred option' - the highway relocation known as 'Option E'.

The six lane wide 'Option' E roadway would be located in a five to twenty-one metre deep cutting (excavation) through the slopes of the Alum Mountain, Bulahdelah.

The Alum Mountain

The Alum Mountain, Bulahdelah is the world's only above ground outcrop of alum stone (alunite).

From 1878 to 1952 the mountain was periodically mined for its alum stone content, leaving a mining history of local, state and national significance, much of which is in the path of highway relocation route ‘option’ E.

From 180 metres above sea level the Alum Mountain is heritage listed for its geological features.  Yet, prior to 'option' E's being recommended to  the Minister for Roads, the then PPK had produced documentation ('Geotechnical Issues for Community Information')  which stated (under 'Boulders on Alum Mountain'):

"Further examination of Option E will require careful mapping and an assessment of risk of the instability for the cliffs at the peak of Alum Mountain.  Risk reduction measures may include cliff stabilisation works, re-alignment of the route and construction of protective mounds."

On page 9 of the document ‘Soil Landscapes of the Dungog 1:100 000 Sheet’ by L.E. Henderson, 2000 (Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney) it is stated, “Mass movement occurs on steep slopes, particularly the Alum Mountain Volcanics, which are also prone to rockfall.”  And as ‘re-alignment’ of ‘option’ E would still leave it at the base of an almost 1,000 ft. high mountain which has been documented as being prone to mass movement and to rockfall, no amount of ‘re-alignment’ would make ‘option’ E a safe option in this regard.

The Alum Mountain's orchids

In 1931 one of the world's only two known species of underground orchids, the Eastern Underground Orchid, Rhizanthella slateri, was first discovered on the Alum Mountain, Bulahdelah in the area of the now proposed highway route - 'option' E. As this plant lives out its complete life cycle beneath the soil surface which is, in turn, under leaf litter it was originally given the name Cryptanthemis slateri (Cryptanthemis meaning 'hidden flower' and slateri after its discoverer, Ernest Slater).  Since the initial discovery of this species on the Alum Mountain several plants have been found in other areas - with two finds having been made at Nowra.  However, the number of documented finds of Rhizanthella slateri  (six to date) in the area where 'option' E would be located is equivalent to the total number of finds of this species in other areas.

In the nineteen twenties Rev. Herman Montague Rucker Rupp documented fifty nine species of Australian native orchids growing on the Alum Mountain, Bulahdelah.  Most of these were in the area of the now proposed Bulahdelah highway relocation route ‘option’ E.  (Rupp documented only thirty species of Australian Native Orchids in other areas of Bulahdelah.) The initial discovery of the (now) Rhizanthella slateri species – in the area of the now proposed Bulahdelah highway relocation route ‘option’ E – increased  Rupp’s documentation of Australian Native Orchid species growing on the Alum Mountain, Bulahdelah to sixty.  Since only May of this year (2002) the Archives Officer of the Bulahdelah and Districts Historical Society (Inc.) has documented and photographed forty six Australian Native Orchid species on the Alum Mountain and – with the exception of three Rock Lilies – all of these are in the area of the now proposed Bulahdelah highway relocation route ‘option’ E.

Tourism and Respite

Bulahdelah has long been known as 'the gateway to the Myall Lakes'.  However, the Myall Lakes National Park is located approximately ten kilometres away from the township.  The Alum Mountain is Bulahdelah's only tourism asset and - with a large percentage of Bulahdelah's residential area being located on its foot and being within easy walking distance from the local shopping centre - has long been regarded as being an intrinsic part of local culture.

While the scenery at the top of the mountain itself and the magnificent vistas provided from its lookouts are popular with both visitors and residents alike, many also enjoy the Alum Mountain's lower slopes where they gain respite through strolling along walking trails edged with ferns and wildflowers to the tune of birdsong and relax in the beauty and tranquility of the natural bushland setting of the Alum Mountain Park at its base.

The Alum Mountain is the sole bushland area which is readily accessible to pedestrians in Bulahdelah.

'Option' E would eradicate the walking trails of the Alum Mountain's lower slopes; it would create constant noise and air pollution for not only the many families who live in nearby homes - those who like to obtain respite from highway stresses in a tranquil location as far as possible from highway noise would lose the only area of this kind Bulahdelah has to offer.

Please feel free to copy and paste any of the above as your submission.  Further information on the Pacific Highway 'Upgrade' and 'option' E is available at the links on your left.

Thank you for participating.  Your assistance is greatly appreciated.