SAY NO to mining Denniston Plateau
Save Denniston Plateau, it's too precious to dig
Proposals, by our luddite (to be polite) Government Coalition, to fast-track opencast mining on the Denniston Plateau must be stopped.
Climate activists compared to medieval crusaders by minister
Shane Jones says climate change debates are turning into a holy war, but protesters say it is the government that is stuck in the dark ages.
Tim Brown
The Denniston Plateau is a 'lost world’ landscape of vast sandstone pavements, fragile wetlands, and rare ecosystems | Forest & Bird NZ
But it has been mined before?
For many decades Denniston was New Zealand's largest producing coal mine, yielding a premium quality coal from underground mines. The coal was loaded into railway wagons and lowered by cable down an extremely steep incline railway: a remarkable feat of engineering. | doc.govt.nz Denniston History
Previous mining was underground and although remnants of it remain—themselves an important historic site—the impact to the plateau was minimal in comparison to what is being proposed.
Look along the road, see the difference?
This is the nearby Stockton Opencast Mine, the type of mining proposed for Denniston:
A proposed large-scale opencast coal mining expansion would dig up an area equivalent to 1,700 rugby fields, completely destroying the ecosystems which are present | Forest & Bird
What about the money?
Remediation costs, and we will pay the price:
"New Treasury figures show last year the Government spent more than $3 million treating damage caused by coal mining at a single site on the West Coast – more than it collected in royalties for all coal mining nationwide the same year."
All of Govt’s 2024 coal earnings spent treating damages at a single mine | Newsroom
And there's an environmental legacy:
"Even if the remediation effects were successful, Joy said the ecosystem still had a persistent threat: the “carefully placed engineered landforms” in which Bathurst stored hazardous waste.
These tailings are packed away, “top, bottom and sides”, said Joy. But if water gets in there at any stage, Joy warned it would be disastrous for the local ecosystem, and with no end in sight.
“It’s not even like uranium or nuclear waste that has a half-life,” said Joy. “These tailings are dangerous forever.”
Freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy | Newsroom
And this is the Strongman Mine, also nearby:
It has been closed and rehabilitated:
Rehabilitation of the site is well underway, including infrastructure removal, final landform creation and revegetation of the Strongman Opencast footprint (~45 hectares). Some innovative methods of rehabilitation have been trialled.
Successful trials such as helicopter-seeding and moss hydro-seeding on highwalls are now routinely used along with traditional revegetation practices. 18 hectares disturbed land has been replanted with 88 000 seedlings, and another 200 000 seedlings are scheduled for planting over the three years. | Rehabilitation at Strongman Mine, West Coast, New Zealand. The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Sounds great, except that was written in 2006, below is 2025:
Sign the Forest & Bird petition
It calls for the Conservation Minister to do his job and "act now to protect Denniston by making it a scientific reserve":
Sign the Forest & Bird Petition Now!
Forest & Bird is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading independent conservation organisation. | Forest and Bird
Forest & Bird is Aotearoa/New Zealand’s leading independent conservation organisation. We focus on bringing positive change to New Zealand’s Land, Fresh water, Oceans and Climate. We can’t do it without you and your support!
The Petition Text
Kia ora Conservation Minister, The Honourable Tama Potaka,
The Denniston Plateau is a 'lost world’ landscape of vast sandstone pavements, fragile wetlands, and rare ecosystems.
This remarkable West Coast plateau is home to roroa great spotted kiwi, endangered Powelliphanta land snails, unique lizards, and rare invertebrates.
I urge you to reclassify the internationally significant Denniston Plateau (currently conservation stewardship land) as a scientific reserve, because:
- Denniston hosts unique ecological associations which, if destroyed, cannot be recreated.
- Denniston is rated by Department of Conservation scientists as one of the top 50 most ecologically valuable sites in Aotearoa. This public conservation land should be permanently protected for nature – not destroyed by a massive coal mining expansion.
- Denniston’s harsh climate keeps introduced predator numbers low, making this a vital mainland refuge for vulnerable plants and animals.
- The International Energy Agency has said there should be no new or expanded coal mines for a safe climate. Committing to this coal mining until 2050 would release an estimated fifty million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. This is equivalent to a year of our current annual emissions, undermining climate efforts and fuelling environmental harm.
- New Zealanders are already paying enormous cleanup costs from past mining. We must not repeat those mistakes.
A proposed large-scale opencast coal mining expansion would dig up an area equivalent to 1,700 rugby fields, completely destroying the ecosystems which are present.
This project is a financially reckless gamble betting on a dying industry. There is a high risk of it becoming a worthless stranded asset while leaving New Zealand taxpayers to pay the multi-million dollar bill for the inevitable environmental cleanup.
Please act now to protect Denniston by making it a scientific reserve.
Want to know more?
Save Denniston - Q&A
Detailed answers to common questions about the proposal to expand coal mining on the Denniston Plateau.
Denniston & Me
I have been fortunate to visit the plateau a couple of times; I would like future generations to have that privilege:
A2O Cycle Road Trip 15–Westport Denniston Cycle
Back on the bike for an incredibly unique ride
Robin Capper
2019
Westport and Denniston Plateau | Time Out 2021-22 West Coast
Revisiting Denniston, a treasure still under threat
Robin Capper
2022
