Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association was formed in 1983 with the vision of providing sporting facilities, amenities and improvements to the Recreation Ground and the Village.
Members converted the disused fire shed to a clubhouse and rebuilt the Memorial Gates, had the sandstone pillars restored and established the gardens. The Memorial Gates were re-dedicated in 1988 at our Bicentennial Country Fair. Finance was acquired through BMPA representation on Singleton Council Sports Committee to build tennis courts through a State Government Sport and Recreation Grant. Members have performed voluntary work at Milbrodale School, Bulga Community Centre and Bulga Recreation Ground including preparing the site for the tennis courts.
Over the years, Country Fairs, Off-Road Racing Catering, PID acces, tennis court lighting, the barbeque shelter, village signage, bridge repairs and tree planting in the Recreation Ground.
Bulga Bridge Centenary in 2012
Bulga History Book preparation and launch in 2014
Anzac Day ceremonies
All made possible through BMPA.
We are now engaged in ongoing planning with Council to rejuvenate the Stock Reserve.
In 1993 BMPA negotiated a compromise with Rio Tinto to relocate Putty Road instead of closing it between Wallaby Scrub Road and Jerrys Plains Road.
In 2010 MTW mine applied for an extension to mine within 2.6kms of the Bulga village. At a Community Meeting 80 residents voted unanimously to oppose the extension. BMPA fought and won their case against this extension in the Land & Environment Court in 2013. MTW’s Appeal in 2014 was overturned with BMPA legal representation. For their determination in fighting these cases BMPA won the “Bush Spirit Award” in the Tidy Town Competition.
The BMPA continues to strive to save and improve Bulga for all residents.
OUR FIGHT for BULGA
Warkworth Mining Limited issued an Environmental Assessment in 2010 advising that they had made application to the Government to extend the Warkworth Mine to within 2.6 kilometres of Bulga. All members of the Bulga community were invited to a meeting at the Community Hall to discuss the issue. Approximately eighty people attended and voted unanimously to reject the proposal and fight the expansion. The community was aware of the other villages nearby that had been devastated because of open cut mine expansions and had no desire to allow Bulga to suffer the same fate.
A sub-committee of the BMPA was formed at that meeting and commenced the battle to save Bulga. In February 2012, the Government’s Planning Assessment Commission, despite many objections to the expansion, gave approval for the mine to expand. This approval was appealed by the BMPA in the Land & Environment Court of NSW in March 2010 resulting in the Chief Judge handing down the Court’s decision on the 15 April 2013 in favour of the BMPA. This successful action required the Company to return to the 2003 boundaries.
The decision by the Land & Environment Court attracted a great deal of media attention and was widely reported throughout Australia and as far afield as America, England, Canada and Finland. The success of the people of Bulga against the State Government and one of the largest mining companies in the world had a major impact on the mining industry.
Warkworth Mining Limited and the NSW State Government have appealed the Land & Environment Court decision in the NSW Supreme Court of NSW, Court of Appeal. The appeal hearing was conducted in the Supreme Court over four days in August/September 2013. The outcome of the Court’s deliberations is expected later in 2013.
In recognition of the determined efforts of the Bulga residents in fighting the expansion of the Warkworth Mine, the Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association was awarded the Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Award 2013 ‘Bush Spirit Award’.