My 15-year battle with a MINE to rehabilitate my land! I am financially ruined. My property is a mess!

The purpose of this crowdfunding campaign is to assist me in my legal battle against a mining company.

A brief overview of the history on my recollection is below:

I own a property at Thalgarrah, NSW just outside of Armidale, with an existing mine on it.

When the mine closed, the mining company was obligated to rehabilitate the land under the mining lease agreement where the mine was, on my property.

I started stocking the property with horses and cattle in 2006 and soon discovered that existing holes had not been covered up, resulting in my animals breaking their legs.

I saw water seeping out of the dams near the mine that was potentially contaminating my land, my animals and the neighbouring forest next to my property.

By late 2006 rehabilitation work had started. In 2007, the mining company employed a third party to help carry out the remaining rehabilitation works, but then I was told that the rehabilitation would stop for a period of 2 years.

In 2009 I engaged lawyers to help me get the mining company to clean up my land.

Rehabilitation did not recommence until 2015.

In the 8 years between the time they stopped rehabilitating, and the time they stared again, the dams kept leaking.

On the 9/08/2016, the Livestock Production Assurance Program terminated my pastoral classification, so I could no longer sell the cattle on my property.

In 2015, the third party who was to rehabilitate my land began trucking in mulch to spread over my property. After the mulch was dumped, I found bits of plastic, metal and other household waste mixed in with the mulch.

Notices were issued to get the mining company to clean up the land, but still the land has not been cleaned up.

My previous lawyers were not able to get my land totally rehabilitated, but I need to pay their fees so they release my files, so that my new lawyers can review their files. My previous lawyer’s fees are: $7,575.70.

Your donations will assist me in paying for the following costs;
• Paying my previous lawyer fees;
• Payment my new lawyers to investigate and negotiate an outcome for me;
• Or, commencing court proceedings to try to obtain a court order for me;
• Any third party expenses such as expert reports we might require for my court litigation;
• Court filing fees;
• Court hearing fees;
• Barrister Fees; and
• Costs orders

o If I win 60%-70% of my costs will be repaid by the other party, and therefore I need you to email me with your contact details suc as name, email address, telephone number, so that I can reimburse you your donation if I do win and get a costs order in my favour. Please note, this may only be a pro rata amount of what you donated as I may not obtain 100% of my fees reimbursed. Further, if I am unsuccessful at enforcing the costs order, I may not ever be reimbursed the money I spent on the litigation therefore, I would not be able to reimburse you for your donation.

o If I lose, your donation will help me cover the costs of the other party.

Below is an outline of how I will go about fighting this battle.
Stage 1- I require $7,575.70 to pay my previous solicitors.
Stage 2 – Investigation, legal advice and preparation of court documents by my new lawyers.
Stage 3 – Engaging Barrister and court appearances.
Stage 4 – Mediation
Stage 5 – Hearing if not settled prior.

This ongoing battle has put a significant strain on my finances and my life. I have been unable to relax and retire since I purchased the property.

Over 60,000 mine sites have been abandoned across Australia without being rehabilitated.

Help me show an example of this mining company.


Any Donations are greatly appreciated