The source location of the recent earth tremors; 52km north-west of Tamworth, near Manilla, and 17km under the surface; comes as no surprise at all, as it is so very close to mining works out that way.
Tamworth itself lies in the mouth of an ancient, dormant volcano and the hills surrounding the town are the edge of the volcano; as is clearly visible in an aerial view of the town.
Such tremors are to be expected in Tamworth as this is what results from mining in such perilous zones, however dormant.
Digging holes into a dormant volcano with the potential, however slim, of exacerbating rock stresses and causing pressure changes in the earth’s crust which create these seismic tremors, is something only an idiot would do and only a greater idiot would support.
No matter what the financial gain, mining anywhere within this Northwest region is a fool’s game which will have only one end result; a contaminated wasteland at a minimum, after the mining magnates have had their wilful way with our treasured, fertile, farming lands; and the possibility of setting off a chain reaction of tremors which may ultimately result in volcanic rupture and the destruction in part or in full, of the town and its surrounding regions.
It is quite simply a matter of when, not if, this destruction and/or desolation will occur, if mining here, in the Northwest region, is supported and allowed to continue in any form; no matter how vehement the denials of such by supposedly learned authorities.
Unfortunately it is the region’s residents and not the mining magnates, or the authorities who support them, who will ultimately suffer at the hands of such stupidity.
I cannot believe the bovinity of the Governing bodies, both in this country, this region and specifically within this town, that they would agree to and actively support such mining activities, the ultimate cost of which will far outweigh any benefits.
One wonders, does Tamworth Regional Council have a town evacuation plan in the event of a natural disaster crisis?
Ily Ystra
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