Murrumbidgee Council launches investigation into fuel spill
Photographs of an alleged fuel spill and fish kill arrived at the office of The Riverine Grazier, and it is now believed Murrumbidgee Council has launched an investigation.
Image: supplied.
By Krista Schade
It is believed Murrumbidgee Council has launched an investigation into the alleged fuel spill at Gundaline Station, which was revealed in an exclusive report in The Riverine Grazier.
Anne Lyons, Murrumbidgee Council’s Media and Communications Officer responded to enquiries for updates, following the NSW Environmental Protection Authority stating local Councils are the regulatory agencies for such incidents, under the Act.
“We are unable to comment on the matter while it is under investigation,” Ms Lyons said, prompting assumption an investigation is underway.
A parcel of information was received by The Riverine Grazier last month, alleging 11,800 litres of diesel fuel had been spilled at the irrigation farm, and drained into main irrigation channels, without being reported to authorities.
Andrew Whitlock from Gundaline’s farm management company Customised Farm Management denied any records of fuel losses at the property, during the period of December 2022 and January 2023, when the incident is alleged to have occurred.
Background
The report was delivered by mail early in June, and alleges a cover up of a fish kill event at Gundaline Station in late 2022.
The report states it had been made available to the NSW CEO of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Tony Chappel, Acting Deputy Secretary of SafeWork NSW Trent Curtin, District Fisheries Officer Shaun Burke and the regional office of EPA in Griffith.
Citing whistle-blower protections, the report states 11,800 litres of diesel was spilled into a “primary irrigation channel.”
“After allowing the dangerous materials to stay in the water for the next 6-8 weeks, causing death and harm to animals and the farm ecosystems, it was then pumped back into the main Reservoir Dam.
“This main storage dam circulates water onto fields and other water supply channels around the rest of this 15,000-hectare property.”
The author of the report claims a senior staffer of Customised Farm Management (CFM) failed to notify authorities.
The report alleges a “poorly maintained” diesel tank was the cause of the spill, and claims the incident happened during negotiations for the sale of the vast irrigation holding from Dutch company Optifarm Pty Ltd to new owners Ausuntech Pty Ltd.
