Mudgee Shire Rural Lands Study Mudgee Shire Council July 2003 Mudgee Shire Council Mudgee Shire Rural Lands Study Prepared for Mudgee Shire Council by Rural and Environmental Planning Consultants PO Box 1858 Bowral, 2576 www.ruralplanning.com.au In Association with Andrews.Neil Heather Nesbitt Planning Jawin Associates Pty Ltd July 2003 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction.......................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction...........................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose and Outcomes............................................................................3 1.3 Methodology..........................................................................................3 1.4 Study Team...........................................................................................4 Chapter 2: Existing Characteristics......................................................................5 2.1 Introduction...........................................................................................5 2.2 Physical and Environmental Characteristics................................................5 Natural Environment.......................................................................................5 2.2.1. Water Catchments..........................................................................5 2.2.2. Geology and Soils...........................................................................7 2.2.3. Topography...................................................................................7 2.2.4. Native Vegetation...........................................................................9 2.2.5. Biodiversity.................................................................................12 2.2.6. Bushfire Risk...............................................................................12 2.2.7. Salinity.......................................................................................13 2.2.8. Flooding......................................................................................13 2.2.9. Landscape...................................................................................13 2.2.10. Mineral and Extractive Resources...................................................15 Built Environment.........................................................................................17 2.2.11. Villages and Rural Centres.............................................................17 2.2.12. Domestic Waste Disposal..............................................................18 2.2.13. Rural Land Uses...........................................................................19 2.2.14. Rural Holding Sizes.......................................................................27 2.2.15. Land Use by Holding Size..............................................................28 2.2.16. Small Rural Holdings.....................................................................29 2.3 Social Profile........................................................................................34 2.3.1. Demographic Profile.....................................................................34 2.3.2. Other Characteristics of the Rural Community..................................39 2.3.3. Assessment of Existing Community Infrastructure............................41 2.3.4. Social Issues Identified Through Consultation and Other Studies........52 2.4 Economic Factors..................................................................................58 2.4.1. Introduction................................................................................58 2.4.2. Agriculture..................................................................................59 2.4.3. Tourism......................................................................................65 2.4.4. Developing Potential for Agriculture-Related Activities.......................68 Chapter 3: Planning and Policy Framework.........................................................71 3.1 Introduction.........................................................................................71 3.2 State Environmental Planning Policies.....................................................71 3.3 Acts of Parliament................................................................................72 3.4 State Government Policies.....................................................................72 3.5 Mudgee Shire Council Strategic Objectives...............................................74 3.6 Mudgee Local Environmental Plan...........................................................76 3.7 Mudgee Development Control Plans........................................................79 Chapter 4: Existing Development Pattern...........................................................80 4.1 Goolma...............................................................................................84 4.2 Birriwa – Stubbo...................................................................................86 4.3 Bungabah – Cope.................................................................................88 4.4 Gulgong..............................................................................................90 4.5 Cooks Gap – Cooyal..............................................................................92 4.6 Ulan – Wollar.......................................................................................94 i 4.7 Home Rule – Frog Rock.........................................................................96 4.8 Eurunderee – Wilbertree........................................................................98 4.9 Mudgee.............................................................................................100 4.10 Botobolar – Lue...............................................................................102 4.11 Mount Frome – Cudgegong...............................................................104 4.12 Piambong –Grattai...........................................................................106 4.13 Windeyer – Pyramul.........................................................................108 4.14 Hargraves.......................................................................................110 Chapter 5: Ecologically Sustainable Development..............................................111 5.1 Introduction.......................................................................................111 5.2 Ecologically Sustainable Development...................................................111 5.3 Biodiversity........................................................................................114 5.3.1. Definition..................................................................................114 5.3.2. Reasons for Preserving Biodiversity..............................................114 5.3.3. Pressures on Biodiversity............................................................115 5.3.4. National Biodiversity Strategy......................................................116 5.3.5. NSW Biodiversity Strategy...........................................................117 5.3.6. Incentives for Biodiversity Conservation........................................118 Chapter 6: Community Consultation.................................................................121 6.1 Introduction.......................................................................................121 Chapter 7: Development and Planning Issues....................................................123 7.1 Introduction.......................................................................................123 7.2 Environmental Opportunities and Constraints.........................................124 7.2.1. Water Catchments......................................................................125 7.2.2. Native Vegetation and Biodiversity...............................................126 7.2.3. Topography...............................................................................128 7.2.4. Soils.........................................................................................128 7.2.5. Landscape Character..................................................................129 7.2.6. Bushfire Hazard.........................................................................130 7.2.7. Flood Prone Land.......................................................................131 7.2.8. Salinity.....................................................................................131 7.2.9. Contaminated Land....................................................................132 7.2.10. Weeds......................................................................................132 7.3 Social and Economic Factors................................................................133 7.3.1. Land Use...................................................................................133 7.3.2. Rural Land Use Conflicts..............................................................133 7.3.3. Economic Development...............................................................134 7.3.4. Agricultural Water Supply............................................................135 7.3.5. Mudgee and Gulgong Growth Management....................................135 7.3.6. Rural residential use development................................................135 7.3.7. Villages.....................................................................................139 7.3.8. Sustainable