Environmental Impacts

Article | Updated 7 years ago

 Perhaps the most enduring legacy that the goldfields have left, and continue to leave, are the impacts mining and pastoralism practises have on the environment.

The demand for wood for use in mining and water condensing put major strain on WA's woodlands and forests. The woodlines, an extensive rail system, operated for many years, transporting timber to where it was needed most.

Pastoralism was a common land use, and an impact with which  the goldfields area continues to struggle. Large herds of cloven footed animals, such as sheep, cause wide-spread soil damage, which in turn affects many aspects of the fragile ecosystem.

So, what is being done to protect the unique native habitats and to ensure the future of the many people who live there? Does mining have a future in the goldfields? Is there a future beyond the pit?