Letter of Protest to Open Cutting Big Hill Dear Minister, I am a concerned Stawell resident.

I am concerned about the proposed Big Hill Open Cut mining project, proposed by foreign owned Crocodile Gold, at Stawell Gold Mines (SGM). This proposal concerns me for a number of reasons. I am severely concerned by the proposals proximity to schools. Stawell Secondary College and St. Patricks Primary School are all within a few hundred metres of the proposed open pit. The dust levels may be within the acceptable limits, but what of all those who suffer asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Our children will be in danger. Dust levels. Although these are promised to be kept within the prescribed levels, there is only so much dust over a period of time that a person can breathe before it begins to have health effects, both long term and short term. It is not the dust that we can see that worries me, but rather the dust that cannot be seen. These types of dust stay in your lungs and have long-term health effects. Tailings. The tailings from the mine are an issue that is not one that we will fully understand for perhaps even 70 years. I understand that this is past the lifetime of most who are considering the mining proposal and indeed beyond the elected years of ministers and people in power. But I worry for my unborn children and my childrens children. If the tailings are pumped into the underground workings that currently exist, then eventually the chemicals from the tailings will make their way into the water table and into the water we drink, use to water our animals and water our gardens. This will have long-term health effects that we cannot anticipate. The proposed mining site already has a proposed extension. Once the ball is rolling who can predict whether SGM will decide to take on a further extension. SGM has told the community that the open pit will have a life of 4-5 years. If they find more gold then extending is the obvious conclusion. Where will it end?