Environmental and social justice.
Our mission is:
To maintain a community environment information, resource and advocacy centre.
To educate and inform the community about biodiversity and the need to protect it.
To provide and promote the dissemination of information and views regarding environmental matters.
To promote and assist cooperation, sharing of resources and coordination of activities amongst environment and community groups.
To protect and conserve ecological processes, genetic diversity and the natural environment.
Local Energy Hubs
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Local Energy Hubs 〰️
The push for a national network of Local Energy Hubs to give local people access to independent expertise and advice about the big shift to renewable energy, from the big stuff to the small stuff, hit the ground in the Hunter in July 2024.
‘'We deserve access to the information': push to create local energy hubs in the Hunter’, Newcastle Herald, July 24
COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
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COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE 〰️
The Hunter Community Environment Centre has an affinity with the People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port spanning decades since it’s beginnings in the early 2000’s, when local environmentalists set out to make the link between Newcastle’s coal exports and climate change understood, and draw attention to Australia’s role in the global climate crisis.
From the origins of what was know as the “flotilla” and upon the revival of Rising Tide in 2020, the People’s Blockade has grown and evolved into a full-blown “protest-ival” attracting big name musical acts, a huge program of workshops and thousands of participants for a day of fun and peaceful direct action for climate justice.
STOP STONE RIDGE QUARRY
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WALLAROO STATE FOREST AT RISK
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STOP STONE RIDGE QUARRY 〰️ WALLAROO STATE FOREST AT RISK 〰️
135 public and community submissions objecting to the project were lodged as of August 1 and will be referred to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC).
The Independent Planning Commission meeting on Stone Ridge Quarry will take place on November 14. Registration for speakers is now closed but submissions can be lodged for the IPC’s consideration until November 21.
COAL POWER POLLUTION
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FISH KILL COURT CASE UPDATES
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COAL POWER POLLUTION 〰️ FISH KILL COURT CASE UPDATES 〰️
Delta Electricity’s criminal trial over the mass fish kill of September 2022 in Wyee Bay where Vales Point power station discharges via it’s outlet canal, has been set down for December 2nd - 13th,with a pre-trial hearing scheduled for November 8th.
Sign up via the form below to receive updates on the court case and to join Lake Macquarie and Central coast community members to watch the trial live in public gallery of the NSW Land & Environment Court.
OFFSHORE WIND
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OFFSHORE WIND 〰️
Hunter Central Coast Offshore Wind Zone
The Hunter Community Environment Centre supports the responsible development of an offshore wind industry.
In 2024, HCEC will release a report giving our appraisal of the environmental risks and benefits of developing offshore wind in the Hunter which will set out the impacts and opportunities presented to biodiversity and communities.
The report will make recommendations based on international experience and what’s known presently of the potential impacts, to avoid and mitigate them.
Coal mine expansions threaten our land, water and future
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Coal mine expansions threaten our land, water and future 〰️
Export coal mine expansion proposals threaten to worsen water pollution, continue to degrade air quality and destroy threatend species habitat in the Upper Hunter, and fuel the global climate crisis when the world is rapidly running out of time to avoid the worst impacts of a warming climate.
Learn more about the coal mines and expansion proposals in the Hunter and NSW via Lock the Gate Alliance’s NSW Coal Watch.
We invite you to get in touch to learn more and create opportunities together across 2024-2025 to take action and take part in community projects to expand the Hunter communities’ awareness of coal mining expansions in the Hunter and build resilience and preparedness in the face of the climate crisis.
Click the image to watch drone footage of Yancoal/Glencore’s Hunter Valley Operations Mine in Singleton (pictured). Image and footage courtesy of Lock the Gate Alliance.
“I see the HCEC as playing an important role in our community by providing environmental movements across the region with the necessary research and resources for projects to be effective.”
— Tom Patterson, Volunteer
Volunteer with us
Want to join us? We’d love to meet you and see what skills and qualities you can bring to the diverse, multi-faceted movement for environmental & social justice here in the Hunter
