More developments for the Sound in the pipeline

Since the late 1960s, Cockburn Sound’s unique environment has come under a wide range of pressures as the result of increasing industrialisation. Just some of the environmental stressors the Sound endures include concentrated brine outflow from the desalination plant, ongoing dredging for cement production, contaminated land and groundwater input, nutrient discharges flow restriction caused by the Causeway and coastal modification.

These are all directly or indirectly caused by industrial development in the Sound and Save Cockburn Sound and many others in the community has serious concerns around how much more of a load the Government’s planned Westport container port will have on the Sound.

It’s not just Westport that poses a threat to the future of the Sound. There are several other developments planned for the Sound over the next few years that could also potentially impact on it. These include:

Port Rockingham Marina

This proposed marina at the intersection of Wanliss Street and Rockingham Beach Road will cover nine hectares of the nearshore marine environment, accommodate 497 boats pens have and have 3,800m of commercial and retail leasing space.  The marina intends to construct a 770m long breakwater.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) assessed this proposed marina in 2009 and in 2016 and the developers have until 11^th October 2026 to commence construction. To find out more, click here

This project to develop a facility for the import and storage of 55,000 tons of dry and 32,000 tons of liquid urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) fertiliser products was opened in March 2023.

The offshore component of this development included the construction of a pipeline within Cockburn Sound, which crosses the coastline and continues underground to an onshore facility located within the Kwinana Industrial Area.  

When assessing this development the EPA noted the following optional impacts of this development:

• Accidental spills of liquid UAN to the environment during the transfer of product from vessels to the onshore storage tanks.
• Spill or leak of liquid UAN from the onshore facility from a fault in the underground pipeline, storage tanks or during the transfer of product for export.
• Leaks from the evaporation pond.
• Uncontained stormwater filtering into shallow aquifer.
• Diesel and other hydrocarbon spills from the trucks or diesel storage tank.

The EPA report on this development can be found HERE.

In 2023 the Prime Minister released the National Defence Strategic Review which found the completion of a Henderson-based large vessel dry-dock is a critical enabler for the construction and sustainment of our naval vessels. The Government agreed with this finding and committed to looking at Industry consolidation options for the Henderson shipyard as a matter of urgency.

The report also identified the need to upgrade existing facilities and construct new facilities at HMAS Stirling naval base on Garden Island in order to accommodate nuclear-powered submarines. To date there are no details or funding allocated for this development.

In March 2023, the Australian government announced upgrades to HMAS Stirling naval base on Garden island including wharf upgrades, operational maintenance, logistics and training facilities, as well as opportunities for supporting infrastructure outside HMAS Stirling. This $8 billion development is expected to be completed over the next 10 years. The impact this development will have on the environment of Cockburn Sound has not been publicly disclosed.

Lithium Valley is a concept driven by companies dedicated to facilitating and enabling the development of secondary and tertiary processing of lithium and critical raw materials (such as cobalt, vanadium, graphite and rare earths) in Kwinana.

The Lithium Valley concept is was referenced in the Kwinana Industries Council annual report for 2022/23. This report stated There are two lithium hydroxide refineries under commissioning or construction, nickel sulphate is now in production, multiple high purity alumina projects soon to emerge, as well as graphite and graphene projects. And while there were more cathode and anode projects announced during the year, there are more projects in the wings.

One of the lithium refineries mentioned is the Covalent Lithium Hydroxide Refinery which the EPA has acknowledged will discharge 100 olympic sized swimming pools of wastewater into Cape Peron each year.

The cumulative impact on the Cockburn Sound environment of these developments could result in “death by a thousand cuts” with each individual development contributing to significant long-term damage. 

Cockburn Sound is a recovering ecosystem, after decades of industrialisation, we are only now starting to see the environment of the Sound improve and we need to ensure any developments do not jeopardise this recovery.