Response attributable to City of Ballarat Director Bridget Wetherall
The City of Ballarat takes its role in protecting the environment extremely seriously and reaffirms its commitment to preserving and enhancing the natural environment.
Currently the City of Ballarat is undertaking trenching and drainage construction works at the Chisholm Street Reserve (former Black Hill Landfill site).
Environment Protection Authority Victoria Officers (EPA) inspected Chisholm Street Reserve (former Black Hill Landfill site) on March 7, 2025, and determined that all on-site requirements during the construction period were being followed and no corrective actions were needed. This included assessment of the Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
Although best practice controls were in place, following a rainfall event mid-March, a City of Ballarat investigation concluded that the majority of sediment was captured on-site, however an overflow of sediment did occur.
The sediment was largely clean fill and topsoil that had been tested and cleared of contamination before being introduced to the site.
Regardless of the initial EPA inspection and best practice controls being in place, the City of Ballarat accepts that the ongoing management of the site remained our responsibility.
The City of Ballarat notified EPA Victoria about the event and put actions in place to prevent a similar event occurring.
EPA Victoria conducted a follow up investigation and determined to issue an infringement notice to the value of $9,880 due to the deposit of sediment into the Yarrowee River.
The trenching and drainage construction works at the former Black Hill Landfill site involves installing a landfill gas trench to naturally treat and passively vent any potential landfill gas in waste to the atmosphere and upgrade the site drainage preventing the stormwater infiltration into the waste.
Several elements of the works have been completed as planned and re-establishment of grassed areas has commenced at the gas trench and eastern drain location.
Further works are required on the western drain. As a result of the incident, works have paused while we review construction plans and methodology.
The project is expected to be completed this year, including revegetation of the site, subject to weather conditions.
