Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................. 5 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.1 Metropolitan Rural Areas .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 1.2 Policies Relating to Agriculture in the MRA .......................................................................................................................... 15 1.3 A Plan for Growing Sydney .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 1.4 Greater Sydney Commission and District Plans .................................................................................................................. 17 1.5 This Report .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 2 Introduction to Economic, Social and Environmental Values of the MRA ................................................. 19 3 Determinants of Economic, Environmental and Social Value of the MRA ................................................. 21 4 Agriculture Values of the MRA ......................................................................................................................... 25 4.1 Historical Context of Agriculture in the Sydney Basin ...................................................................................................... 25 4.2 Land and Soil Capability Assessment Scheme for the Identification of Significant Agricultural Land ......... 27 4.3 Clusters as an Indicator of Significant Agricultural Zones .............................................................................................. 28 4.4 Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Lands................................................................................................................................. 30 4.5 Market Considerations ................................................................................................................................................................... 33 4.5.1 Globalisation and Trade ....................................................................................................................................................... 33 4.5.2 Australia Agricultural Production and the Impact of Globalisation .................................................................. 34 4.5.3 Overview of Agricultural Production in the MRA ...................................................................................................... 34 4.5.4 Economics of Farming in the MRA ................................................................................................................................ 38 4.5.5 Fruit (ex grapes) and Vegetables (ex Mushrooms) .................................................................................................. 40 4.5.6 Agricultural Processing in the MRA ................................................................................................................................ 43 4.6 Additional Agricultural Values .................................................................................................................................................... 45 4.7 Pressures on Rural Lands in the MRA ...................................................................................................................................... 46 5 Biodiversity Values of the MRA ........................................................................................................................ 48 5.1 Biodiversity Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................... 48 5.2 High Environmental Value Land................................................................................................................................................. 48 5.3 Council LEP Terrestrial Biodiversity ........................................................................................................................................... 49 5.4 Biodiversity Investment Opportunities .................................................................................................................................... 49 6 Water Quality Issues in the MRA ...................................................................................................................... 52 6.1 Sydney Drinking Water Catchment .......................................................................................................................................... 52 6.2 Impact of Land Uses on Sydney Drinking Water Catchment ........................................................................................ 52 6.3 Waterways ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 53 6.4 Impact of Landuses in the MRA on Water Quality ............................................................................................................. 54 6.5 Dams in the Peri-urban Area and Water Licensing ............................................................................................................ 55 7 Air Quality Issues in the MRA ............................................................................................................................ 57 8 Mining and Extractive Industry Values in the MRA ....................................................................................... 59 8.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 59 8.2 Coal Resource .................................................................................................................................................................................... 59 8.3 Coal Seam Gas ................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 8.4 Extractive Industry ............................................................................................................................................................................ 62 Page 1 MRA Study 9 Scenic Landscape Values of the MRA ............................................................................................................... 63 10 Tourism and Recreation Values of the MRA ................................................................................................. 65 10.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 65 10.2 Tourism and Recreation in Western Sydney ...................................................................................................................... 65 11 Waste Management Issues in the MRA ......................................................................................................... 67 12 Rural Lifestyle Values ....................................................................................................................................... 69 13 Rural Towns / Villages ...................................................................................................................................... 70 14 European and Aboriginal Heritage ................................................................................................................. 71 15 Other Values of the MRA ................................................................................................................................. 73 15.1 Flood Prone Land ........................................................................................................................................................................... 73 15.2 Bushfire Hazard .............................................................................................................................................................................. 73 15.3 Acid Sulfate Soils ............................................................................................................................................................................ 73 15.4 ANEF Contours ................................................................................................................................................................................ 74 15.5 Other Special Uses (e.g. Military Lands) ............................................................................................................................... 76 16 MRA Values of the South District ................................................................................................................... 77 16.1 South District and MRA Lands 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