Image Resources accommodation camp goes before Shire of Dandaragan Council

The fate of a proposed 84-bed accommodation camp for mining workers east of Cervantes will be decided at a Shire of Dandaragan Council meeting on Wednesday night.

The accommodation site at Nambung would house workers from Image Resources’ mineral sands Atlas Project, which is yet to be granted environmental approval by the EPA.

Image Resources received a mining lease for Atlas in April, with the project expected to last three to four years.

More than 20 transportable dwellings are planned for the accommodation site on Nambung Station, each housing four workers, at a total cost of $3.5 million.

The property, zoned rural, is already home to a caravan park and hosts the Nambung Country Music Muster each year.

The accommodation camp would sit about 2km from the Atlas mine site, a 30-minute drive east from Cervantes.

A development report prepared by the Shire noted the Western Australian Planning Commission encouraged workforce accommodation to be developed in established towns.

The report said a 1.3ha lot on Seville Street at Cervantes could be used as an alternative site for the development.

But Image Resources told the Shire Cervantes and Jurien Bay were limited in their ability to accommodate its mining workforce and the town’s tourist providers would be affected if workers booked up existing hotels and campgrounds.

The Shire received six submissions during a public consultation period, with most concerns surrounding light pollution and its proximity to the Pinnacles Desert — a popular spot for astrophotography.

“I am an astrophotographer who regularly visits the area to enjoy the dark skies and capture the beauty that is the Milky Way,” one submission said.

“Astrophotographers have been promoting the area through their images for many years and the location is sought-after internationally.

“Please consult with Astro Tourism WA to ensure that the correct dark sky lighting is used in this and all future projects.”

Shire planning officers recommended council approval of the 84-bed site with a number of conditions including that the developers prevent light pollution and permanently remove the dwellings after the life of the mine has ended.

“It is further recommended that the work camp is only used for mine site staff and no other third parties outside of the construction phase for the work camp,” the Shire report said.

The council is also being advised to offer The Lobster Hut Hospitality Group a five-year lease to run a new cafe within the Jurien Bay foreshore pavilion development.

The 230sqm space would be rented at a cost of $56,160 a year.