The proposal
Deep water port facility for the export of grain, located north-east of Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsula (70 kilometres north-east of Port Lincoln).
It comprises:
- wharf structures (causeway and jetty) and ship loading systems
- grain storage facilities (silos and bunkers) and handling systems
- road transport access route using Lipson Cove Road.
Background
The original proposal for an iron ore and grain export port by Centrex Metals was addressed in a Public Environmental Report (PER) released in 2012. The Port Spencer (‘Sheep Hill’) Deep Water Port Facility – Stage 1 proposal was approved by the Governor on 20 December 2012. The proposal did not proceed to construction.
In 2019 the proposed site was purchased by Peninsula Ports (a subsidiary of Free Eyre), which sought to vary the development authorisation to enable the establishment of a grain export port. An Amendment to the PER was prepared by Peninsula Ports, which addressed the potential impacts of a modified port design, and was released for public consultation on 16 January 2020.
The modified proposal was approved by the Minister for Planning and Local Government on 6 August 2020, with a varied development authorisation gazetted on 13 August 2020.