News – Ongoing Issues

PUBLIC submissions close on August 9, for the Upper Hunter Shire Council’s proposal to rezone three blocks in Phillip Street, Scone from residential to industrial. Read the Council proposal: Rezoning Phillip Street. The controversial proposal has has sparked outrage among residents of Phillip Street who are concerned their land values will be impacted by between […]

MODIFICATIONS to the underground Dartbrook coal mine, located approximately four kilometres west of Aberdeen, were approved by the Independent Planning Commission in August 2019, allowing Australian Pacific Coal to recommence operations. The mine had been placed into care and maintenance mode by Anglo American in 2006 and the new owners Australian Pacific Coal applied to […]

INVESTIGATIONS are continuing for the Muswellbrook West mine with the project not expected to be operational until the early to mid-2020s. In the mine plan Idemitsu Australia Resources presented to the gateway panel the mine is projected to have a production rate of 15 million tonnes per annum of thermal coal during a 30 year […]

SCONE is fortunate to have a new aged care facility being built on Gundy Road, with the first 16 bed dementia specific wing completed in July this year and $22 million invested into the facility to date. There are several wings to the building which will be opened as the number of residents increase. Each […]

CURRENTLY the Upper Hunter Shire Council does not add fluoride to local water supplies. While the Council passed a motion to add fluoride to the town water supplies of Scone, Aberdeen, Merriwa, Cassilis and Murrurundi in July 2014, it will not occur until new infrastructure is built. In 2014, the Council called for community submissions […]

A BYPASS is planned for Scone as part of a solution for the railway level crossing issues. In December 2015, the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) published a review of environmental factors (REF) for the bypass, which is open for public review until February 19, 2016. The RMS is holding drop in sessions at the […]

THE proposed solution for the railway level crossing issues in Scone is a bypass and an in town rail bridge. The Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) published the initial designs for the in-town rail bridge in December 2015, which will be open for public consultation until February 19, 2016. Construction of the bypass is planned […]

THE township of Scone is cut in half by a railway line and currently there is no way to circumvent the rail crossings at Liverpool Street and Kelly Street, leaving residents and emergency services waiting for trains to pass. There are plans with the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) to build a bypass around the […]

THERE have been ongoing community concerns related to the Scone meatworks including pollution, the use of international workers and safety standards.   POLLUTION Local residents often report a foul odour from the meatworks, like the smell of fermenting dog food and depending on the weather conditions it can be smelt throughout the township. There have […]