Stone pit rocks Binningup residents

Angry signs are popping up all over Binningup as residents continue to protest the proposed limestone pit headed for their seaside haven.

The proposal would see 26ha of land transformed into a pit to gather resources for the proposed Bunbury Outer Ring Road.

Binningup residents have united in a battle opposed to the five-year Binningup limestone extraction proposal submitted by the GM Giacci Family Trust and MGM Bulk quarry manager Craig Carbone, who is also a Harvey shire councillor.

An online group protesting the pit has already reached more than 250 members.

Lyn and David Pryce are just two of the many Binningup residents who strongly object to the idea. They have lived in Binningup for 15 years and said the construction chaos from previous industrial activity in the town still haunted them to this day.

“Binningup is a beach town, not a mining town,” Mrs Pryce said.

“We moved here from Kalgoorlie to escape all that and now we seem to be facing it again.”

The couple said they were extremely concerned about the noise the limestone extraction would create.

“I am a shift worker and the noise from the pit would be horrendous,” Mr Pryce said.

“The last set of industrial works were in close proximity to us and caused so many vibrations that our house cracked.”

Cr Carbone has told the South Western Times that all the necessary precautions would be taken.

Residents are also concerned about letters from the council they said “excluded hundreds of residents.”

Harvey shire president Paul Gillett said 166 letters were sent to houses within a 1km radius of the pit.

He said the limestone pit application was received on December 12, however, resident submissions were not sent out until late March. The submission deadline was extended due to the Easter break.

Cr Gillett said “public submission received were always taken into account in the consideration of any proposal”.