REMEDIATION

stage 2: 25-50 Years

stage 4: 75-100 Years

1. 0 - 25 YEARS

REMOVAL OF CONCRETE ON SITE. REUSE OF CONCRETE INTO FOUNDATIONS FOR TOWERS. FIRST 5 TOWERS ASSEMBLED AND PLACED ON SIT WITHIN PROXIMITY TO THE ROLLING SHED. REPURPOSING OF EXISTING BUILDINGS ON SITE. ROLLING SHED IS USED FOR TOWER DWELLING ASSEMBLY, AND STORAGE. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR FURTHER SITE ADMINISTRATION. AUXILIARY BUILDINGS FOR MACHINERY AND MISCELLANEOUS STORAGE FOR SITE REMEDIATION. CARE AND ANALYSIS OF EXISTING FLORA AND FAWNA ON SITE. PHYTOREMEDIATING MEADOWS PLANTED IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF TOWERS. POPLAR PLANTING ON OUTER AREAS OF SITE. COUNTINUED ANALYSIS OF NATIVE WILDLIFE AND PLANT LIFE THAT ENCOURAGES IT. VERTICAL GARDENS INTIATED WITH HYDROPONIC POD INSTALLATION FOR EDIBLE PLANTS.

2. 25 - 50 YEARS

ASSMEBLY AND INSTALLATION OF TOWERS 6 - 9. CONTINUED CARE FOR EXISTING PLANT AND WILDLIFE. FURTHER PLANTING OF NATIVE PLANT LIFE, NOW BEGINNING TO EMERGE FROM TOWERS. PLANTING OF SPECIFIC MEADOW PHYTOREMEDIATING PLANTS BASED OFF STAGE 1 MEADOW RESULTS. PLANTING OF GREEN BUTTONWOOD MANGROVE TOWARDS CENTRE OF SITE AND NORTHERN BOUNDARY. BEGIN ARTIFICIAL WATER CATCHMENT CONSTRUCTION IN VARIED LOCATIONS ON SITE. BEGIN BOARDWALK CONSTRUCTION BETWEEN TOWERS.

3. 50 - 75 YEARS

ASSEMBLY AND INSTALLATION OF TOWERS 10, 11 AND 12. CONTINUED CARE FOR PLANT AND WILDLIFE. FINALISE ARTIFICIAL CATCHMENTS. PLANT BLACK MANGROVES AROUND CATCHMENT AREA. BEGIN ROLLBACK OF PLANTING PLANS. FINALISE CONSTRUCTION ON BOARDWALKS AROUND SITE. MINIMISE MACHINERY USE ON SITE.

4. 75 - 100 YEARS

DECONSTRUCTION OF TOWERS AND DWELLINGS, LEAVING ONLY TOWER CORE AND STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR BOARDWALKS. REMOVAL OF ANY POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS ELEMENTS ON SITE. ANY FURTHER MAINTANENCE TO ENSURE LONGEVITY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MUST BE PRIORITISED. DISCONTINUE USE OF SITE AS AN ORGANISED MASS DWELLING.

5. POST 100 YEARS

SITE REMEDIATION CONTINUES TO SPREAD TO NEIGHBOURING AREAS, AS THE WILDLIFE REACCLIMATES THE COASTLINE. SEA LEVELS RISE, AND THE MANGROVES PROVIDE SOIL STABILISATION TO PROTECT THE EXISTING NEWCASTLE RESIDENTIAL AREA. AS THE PROCESS CONTINUES THE WATER TABLE AND SURROUNDING CATCHEMENT SLOWLY LOSES TOXICITY, AND BOOSTS THE ECOSYSTEM. THE ‘RAFT CITY’ MOVES TO IT’S NEXT LOCATION ALONG THE PRE-EXISTING COAL TRAIN LINES, AND BEGINS ITS REMEDIATION PROCESS AGAIN. THE AWABAKAL LAND IS RETURNED TO ITS TRADITIONAL OWNERS.

eXpansion plan

SPANNING OVER 450KM THE HUNTER VALLEY COAL CHAIN IS MADE UP OF COAL PRODUCERS (MINES), RAIL HAULAGE PROVIDERS, THE AUSTRALIAN RAIL TRACK CORPORATION (ARTC). COLLECTIVELY THE HUNTER VALLEY COAL CHAIN FACILITATES MORE THEN 20,000 TRAIN TRIPS AND THE LOADING OF 1,600 VESSELS ANNUALLY IN ORDER YTO EXPORT MORE THAN 80 DIFFERENT TYPES OF THERMAL COAL TO DESTINATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

UNDER THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE COAL INDUSTRY WITHIN AUSTRALIA WILL MOVE TOWARDS GREEN ENERGY SOURCES, ‘THE RAFT’ AIMS TO UTILISE THE EXISTING COAL RAILWAY IN ORDER TO EXPAND ITS REMEDIATION SITES. IN NEW SOUTH WALES ALONE THERE ARE 35 MAJOR COAL SITES WHICH WILL REQUIRE SERIOUS REMEDIATION METHODS TO RESTORE LAND TOXICITY AND ALLOW LAND RECLAMATION.

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