SAVE KURNELL

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Save Kurnell – Protect Our Heritage, Protect Our Future

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Save Kurnell  is a community group which aims to educate and inform the community about heavy industry projects in Kurnell and how it may impact our community, environment and cultural heritage. It should be strongly enforced our community is NOT anti-renewables. 

 

Our community is highlighting that they strongly oppose adding any any additional risk to the Kurnel peninsula along side Australia's largest fuel storage facility (750 million litres) with a single inbound and outbound road next to Kamay National Park, Towra Point Nature Reserve and 'The meeting place of Two Cultures' or 'Captain Cooks Landing Place'.

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The Kurnell peninsula is currently being inundated by many  local and State Significant Developments which seemingly do not take into consideration our community or our environment.

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From the group's beginnings it has evolved from initially objecting to a waterfront development of a three story warehouse / depot / office  to a variety of other projects which threaten our community, environment and our cultural heritage.

 

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DA25/0004 - Waterfront development of a three story warehouse / depot / office

This development application was a shock to the local community as this land which was formerly owned by AMPOL was sold in June 2024 without being publicly advertised. This land had previously been a vacant block of land, which had underground pipes which carried water from the former oil refinery into Botany Bay.

 

The land was initially zoned as 'Special use oil refinery' to 'E5 - Heavy Industrial' and sold by AMPOL to a private developer - without any change in land zoning by Sutherland Shire Council. This development application is still pending, however, local residents would prefer that this land is purchased by Council rezoned as 'Community land' and given to the community as compensation for the 7th April 2022 diesel spill. In the event that this cannot be achieved by Council or other beneficiary, the residents would be happy to see the land zoned as 'C4 – Environmental Living'.

 

The spill in April 2022 saw 9000 litres of diesel spilled into our village and into our waterways and catchments. AMPOL was fined only $700,000 by the EPA and the community is yet to see the benefits of this fine. The community is still experiencing the long term environmental impacts of the spill.

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You can find more information on this development application by visiting Sutherland Shire Councils website  by clicking here, locating the DA Tracker and typing in the development application DA25/0004.).

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AMPOL Kurnell Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS):

Our next plight was a strong opposition to the construction of an 800MW Kurnell Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) near fuel storage tanks in Kurnell (a capacity of 750 million litres). This development poses significant fire risks, with the potential for catastrophic incidents, and threatens the safety of the community, local flora and fauna, and the environment. Additionally, the site has been zoned for heavy industrial use since the 1950s, and further development is dangerous, especially given its legacy of contamination.

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This project is currently waiting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

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You can read more about the BESS on the NSW Major Planning Portal here.

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AMPOL Kurnell Energy and Industry Precinct (KEIP)

On July 1 2025 a new State Significant development The Kurnell Energy & Industry Precinct (KEIP) was launched by Ampol.

This would see redundant land currently occupied by AMPOL to be turned into industrial HUB - you can read more about the precinct here.

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MOD7 - AMPOL Infrastructure consolidation and remediation

Launched to the public on 10th July 2025 the public was given only 14 days to make submissions. This modification includes approximately 15 highly technical documents some which exceed 400 pages and was not adequately explained to the community in the Community newsletters provided monthly by AMPOL. This modification will essentially leave contamination on the site which will be 'capped' and there will also be storm water modifications which will see more water run off into Towra Point Nature Reserve - an internationally recognised RAMSAR protected site. There was an extension of time granted by NSW Minister for Planning Paul Scully. You can read more about it here on our website and you can visit the NSW Planning portal site here.

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Whats so important about Kurnell?

A Land of Deep Significance: 'The Birthplace of a Nation' & 'Meeting Place of Two Cultures'

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Kurnell is the meeting place of 'Two cultures' or 'Captain Cooks laning place' where Captain Cook, Joseph Banks, and Daniel Solander first made contact with the Gweagal people of the Dharawal Nation in 1770, marking the meeting of two cultures. This land is not only sacred to the Gweagal people but also holds profound importance in the story of both Indigenous and European Australia.

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The Impact of Industrial Development

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Kurnell has long been zoned for heavy industry, dating back to the 1950s. The region’s legacy of pollution and contamination from former & current industrial sites makes it an unsafe location for further industrial development. The proposed industrial development sites are still heavily contaminated with chemicals.

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Contaminants of potential concern (CoPC) identified in quantities greater than the human health assessment criteria on the former refinery site include:
•Asbestos containing material (ACM)
•Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL)
•Benzene
•Metals, including chromium, lead, and nickel
•PFAS, including per-fluoro-octane-sulphonic acid (PFOS), per-fluoro-hexane-sulphonic acid (PFHxS), and per-fluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA)
•Various fractions of total recoverable hydrocarbons (TRH), including: -C6-C10 less benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) (F1) ->C10-C16 less naphthalene (F2) ->C16-C34 (F3) ->C34-C40 (F4)

-Spent phosphoric acid catalyst with limestone.

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In addition to this there are fish consumption warnings for Botany Bay and surrounding waterways and catchments. You can read more about the fish consumption warnings on the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) flyer here.

You may also view the fish consumption sign at the Kurnell boat ramp at Bonna Point here.

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A Vision for Kurnell’s Future

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We envision Kurnell as a heritage and nature haven, with public spaces where the community can gather, learn, and enjoy the area’s natural and cultural beauty. We are dedicated to transforming this space into a safe, sustainable recreational area rather than allowing it to be consumed by more industrial development.

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Why is it important to stop heavy industry in Kurnell and  what does it have to do with Sydney?

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• Respect Aboriginal heritage: Protect the sacred land of the Gweagal people and honor their history.

• Prevent environmental harm: Stop further industrial contamination and the risk of fires from proposed heavy industry in an already vulnerable area.

• Protect human and animal safety: Ensure the community is not endangered by the lack of evacuation plans and the risk to local flora and fauna.

• Create a future for all: Ensure Kurnell becomes a space for tourism, education, and community enjoyment.

 

 

Join Us in Protecting Kurnell

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Click below to sign the petition and help safeguard Kurnell’s future.