A new documentary premiering this weekend in Deloraine captures the growing unease among Meander Valley residents over a proposed bauxite mine that many fear could alter the region’s landscape, water, and way of life.
Voices of the Meander Valley, directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Eugenie Dumont, will debut on Saturday, 10 May in Deloraine. The film gives voice to a broad coalition of local residents opposed to the ABx Group’s plan to establish a bauxite mining operation at Reedy Marsh, just outside the township.
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“This is not a distant threat. It’s here, now, and it demands action,” Dumont says in the film. “Through this film, we show why standing together matters — before what makes this place special is lost forever.”
Known for her previous work Heritage Fight, which documented the successful resistance to Woodside’s proposed LNG plant on Aboriginal land in Broome, Dumont brings a similar urgency and focus to this new project. Her latest documentary is supported by Mine Watch Meander Valley, a local advocacy group campaigning against the ABx project.
The film arrives at a critical juncture. The Meander Valley Council is set to release its agenda and planning report on the ABx proposal on 8 May, with a final vote scheduled for 13 May. Opponents of the mine argue that the risks associated with the project are not just environmental but also social and economic.
“Approving the ABx mine would not only endanger the environment — it would put the Valley’s brand, community trust, and way of life at risk,” the film contends. “It would open the door to large-scale industrial mining across farmland and forests, damaging the region’s reputation for clean air, natural beauty, and thriving agriculture.”
The documentary features a mix of striking landscape footage and personal testimony from residents, aiming to portray what is at stake for a region known for its agricultural output and pristine environment. The film also warns of the potential for future rare earth element (REE) mining, which it claims poses “even greater risks to human health, water quality, and the broader environment.”
Mine Watch Meander Valley, the group behind the broader awareness campaign, describes itself as a grassroots organisation dedicated to safeguarding the area’s ecological and economic sustainability. Its members are urging locals to attend the film premiere and to engage with the council process ahead of the decisive vote.
“Once this door is opened, it will be almost impossible to close,” the group warns.
The premiere of Voices of the Meander Valley will be held at 6pm on Saturday at a venue in Deloraine. Tickets are available at the door for $15, with free entry for children under 12.
Key dates for residents include the release of the council’s planning report on 8 May, the film’s premiere on 10 May, and the final council decision on 13 May.
For more information, the public is encouraged to contact Leigh Wasserfall on 0402 404 660.
