EX-MINER Pete Kennedy lives "a 303 rifle shot" from what he describes as 'Mt un-Pleasant", which he can see over the back fence of his suburban Muswellbrook home.
Living in the shadow of 'Mt un-Pleasant' has its drawbacks, he says. The mine dumps are getting higher and higher, blocking an increasing amount of afternoon sun.
"I have invested quite a few thousand dollars in a solar system to cut back on expenses and do my bit for the environment and as the dumps get higher I lose the afternoon western sun earlier," he said.
"And when the wind blows from a certain direction my place gets covered in dust, and every fortnight or so I hose the place off. I have to pay someone to get up on my roof and wash down the solar panels because they lose their solar capacity when they're covered in dust ... plus the health impacts.
Read the full article published in the Newcastle Herald 2nd April 2022