Typically for complex major infrastructure projects progressing through an environmental planning and assessment process, the design and construction approach presented in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is at planning stage and indicative only.

The design presented in the EIS is subject to refinement once the contractors delivering the project have been appointed and have carried out further investigations, engineering analyses and construction planning activities such as refining methodologies. The current design will then be further developed to define project elements in greater detail and ensure integration of adjoining infrastructure.

The detailed design phase will be progressively incorporated into the planning and delivery of construction work.

The M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace project was approved by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces in December 2022 and by the Federal Minister for Environment and Water in February 2023. The project will be constructed and operated in accordance with the Ministers Conditions of Approval (CoA).

If a change to the project is proposed, which is not consistent with the planning approval, an application will be made to the Minister to modify the CoA. A modification would be sought in accordance with the requirements of Division 5.2 of the Planning and Assessment Act 1979. A planning modification to the CoA would require further community consultation.

A copy of the CoA can be found on the Department of Planning and Environment’s (DPE) website and our interactive portal.

The project will be constructed under two Design and Construct (D&C) contracts, with John Holland/ Gamuda Australia Joint Venture delivering the southern contract, which is a 10-kilometre section that extends from Black Hill to Tomago, and Seymour Whyte Constructions delivering the northern contract, which is a five-kilometre section that bypasses Heatherbrae.

If a change to the project is proposed, which is not consistent with the planning approval, an application will be made to the Minister to modify the CoA. A modification would be sought in accordance with the requirements of Division 5.2 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. A planning modification to the CoA would require further community consultation.

There will be future opportunities to provide input to the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace project. We will work with councils, communities and stakeholders to ensure the best possible use of this space once we have finished our work and will be seeking your valuable input to help design this legacy project.

There will be a Design and Landscape Plan (DLP) carried out as part of main work activities. As per E24 in the CoA, the DLP must be prepared by a suitably qualified and experienced team, in consultation with relevant councils, the community and affected landowners and businesses.

The design and construction of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace was awarded to John Holland/ Gamuda Australia Joint Venture and Seymour Whyte Constructions in December 2022.

Following the contract award, the detailed design phase will take around 12 to 18 months to complete.

Our Videos and images page on our interactive portal contains helpful visual information.

We will keep you up to date with project milestones via updates and notifications in your letterbox and email. Please subscribe to our email updates at our interactive portal or by getting in touch with the team.

The submissions report is published online at nswroads.work/m1rt and is available on the Department of Planning and Environment’s (DPE) major project portal. You can access the report by clicking on the following link here.

The purpose of the submissions report is for Transport to provide responses to the 58 submissions that Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) received during the exhibition of the EIS between July and August 2021.

The key issues raised included:

• Project design and development, including support for the identified alignment and traffic benefits it will bring

• Impacts to wildlife, habitats and fauna movements, including koalas

• Noise impacts including the need for noise mitigation during construction

• Impacts and access to properties located in and around the project corridor

• Integration with other infrastructure projects, including the proposed Lower Hunter Freight Corridor and emerging Black Hill precinct

• Support for the refined project design, including improved traffic conditions and road safety

Community feedback received during the EIS exhibition has been used to improved further refine the project design and update environmental management measures. Further design refinements outlined in the submissions report include but are not limited to:

• Improving connectivity from the John Renshaw Drive/Weakleys Drive intersection

• Developing an improved utility relocation plan that benefits the project and service providers

• Minimising flood impacts by refining ancillary facilities

• Improving cyclist connectivity

• Implementing improved earthworks management practices

• Construction staging

Further information regarding the design refinements can be accessed on our consultation page.

The potential noise and vibration impacts during construction and operation of the project have been assessed in accordance with relevant NSW noise and vibration guidelines. A detailed noise assessment was carried out to evaluate and predict the potential impact of construction and operation. Noise monitoring and traffic counts were carried out to measure traffic noise from the existing road network. A computer-based noise model was also used to simulate the existing noise environment, predict future traffic noise levels and assess the need for noise mitigation measures. Further information regarding our noise reports can be accessed here.

Transport for NSW understands noise can be a source of disruption to local communities during the construction and operation of major road projects. Our dedicated ‘managing noise’ page provides more detail on how we will manage noise as part of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace. This includes information on:

Construction noise - Temporary noise from construction activities while we build the project; and
Operational noise - Noise from road traffic once the project is complete.

Some properties will be eligible for at-property noise treatments. These properties are identified in the EIS’s noise and vibration assessment and further refined in the submissions report. Eligible property owners will be contacted by the project team to discuss possible mitigation measures before construction starts.

Specific information regarding the types of treatments we would apply to properties is outlined in our managing noise fact sheet.

All treatments are subject to ongoing assessment, including detailed design. An Operational Noise Review (ONR) will be completed following detailed design which may affect properties eligible for treatment.

No. Trees do not generally provide an effective noise barrier unless there is a substantial width of vegetation. While trees can help provide a visual barrier against the source of noise, and this effect alone can be a powerful mitigation tool, it cannot be relied upon to reduce measured noise levels.

We have a dedicated managing noise page on our interactive portal which has a range of useful resources that you can access and download. The type of resources available include fact sheets and videos as well as detailed information on how we will manage noise impacts both during construction and when the project is completed.

Construction to build the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace is carried out under an Environment Protection Licence (EPL), issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) which include measures to control water pollution. During construction, the project team will be monitoring water around along the project corridor (including the Hunter River) to ensure our methods are allowing us to meet the terms of our EPL and inform us if we need to make changes.

The health and safety of our workers, the public and the environment is our priority and we are committed to building the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace in a way that effectively manages the potential for waterway pollution.

Our work will be carried out in line with the environmental management measures specified in our Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP), overseen by the Department of Planning and Environment, the EPA and an independent Environmental Representative.

A CEMP will be created, reviewed and approved by the Department of Planning and Environment and the independent Environmental Representative, prior to the commencement of construction activities on-site.

Construction activities for this project typically involves excavation and earthmoving, which can temporarily expose soil to natural weather events including wind and rain.

Our contractors will use a comprehensive suite of erosion and sediment management and mitigation measures at all work sites to manage the potential for exposed soil to be carried offsite.

Erosion and sediment measures are implemented in accordance with the principles and requirements outlined in Managing Urban Stormwater – Soils and Construction, Volume 1 and Managing Urban Stormwater: Volume 2D Main Road Construction.

Erosion and sediment controls aim to prevent or reduce soil erosion, trap and retain sediment and isolate and treat water before it enters the stormwater system and surrounding waterways.

A variety of measures will be used to manage soil erosion and runoff during construction. These may include things like:

We know building a project of this scale and significance does not occur without impact. Managing risks and reducing the impacts to the environment and community is important to us. We will continue to work with you and our key stakeholders to implement environmental management measures to reduce impacts wherever we can. We will continue to update you ahead of our work and will advise you of any impacts before the work is carried out.

The project design has been developed to avoid and minimise impacts on biodiversity wherever possible. The design avoids important areas of biodiversity and is closely aligned to existing development resulting in minimal fragmentation of highly valued wetlands and bushland.

We realise that we will be removing some native vegetation and there will be a loss of fauna habitat impacting on some fauna species, however we will implement a range of measures to mitigate these impacts as much as possible.

Measures and strategies proposed to avoid and minimise impacts to biodiversity associated with the project include the provision of fauna connectivity structures, fencing to prevent injury to fauna and revegetation in accordance with relevant guidelines.

Targeted koala surveys were carried out in 2015, 2016 and 2019. There were no observations of koalas during these surveys, and no evidence of koala activity in potential habitat areas within the construction footprint. The project has been designed to avoid bushland areas, resulting in minimal impacts on the movement and existing core habitat of koalas. The project is not expected to significantly impact on the local koala populations.

Our work must be carried out in line with the environmental management measures specified in the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP). The CEMP is a plan that includes all work activities and environment protection measures to minimise environmental risks and is overseen by the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and an independent Environmental Representative.

The CEMP has been reviewed and approved by DPE and the independent Environmental Representative, prior to the commencement of construction activities on-site. A waste management procedure for the project has been prepared as part of a CEMP prior to construction. The plan also includes waste management measures and procedures for managing unexpected finds and handling and storing all project spoil, including potentially contaminated substances.

The health and safety of our workers, the public and the environment is our priority and we are committed to building the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace in a way that effectively manages the potential waterway pollution from erosion and runoff.

Construction activities associated with building support sites and upgrading surface roads typically involve excavation and earthmoving, which can temporarily expose soil to wind and rain. Our contractors will use a comprehensive suite of erosion and sediment management and mitigation measures at all work sites to manage the potential for exposed soil to be carried offsite.

Erosion and sediment measures will be implemented in accordance with the principles and requirements outlined in Managing Urban Stormwater – Soils and Construction, Volume 1 and Managing Urban Stormwater: Volume 2D Main Road Construction.

We know how important it is to manage the potential impact of construction on air quality and we will have measures in place to minimise dust and will monitor air quality every day. As with any building work, creating dust is unavoidable, however we will have an experienced construction team who will plan and carry out work to avoid (where practicable) or minimise the generation of dust and vehicle emissions. They will use effective dust suppression methods including stabilising loose material, watering the site and covering material when it is transported in trucks. We will be monitoring dust around our work sites to ensure our methods are allowing us to meet the limits of our Environment Protection Licence and inform us if we need to make changes. We will maintain all vehicles and plant in accordance with manufacturer specifications to reduce excessive emissions.

Construction to build the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace will be carried out under an Environment Protection Licence (EPL), issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) which will include limits relating to air quality and dust. When we are building, we will be monitoring dust around the sites to ensure our methods are allowing us to meet the terms of our EPL and inform us if we need to make changes.

Our work must also be carried out in line with the environmental management measures specified in our Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP), overseen by the Department of Planning and Environment, the EPA and an independent Environmental Representative.

Some of the standard construction air quality mitigation and management measures to be implemented during construction include:

• Reasonable and feasible dust suppression and/or management measures, including the use of water carts, dust sweepers, sprinklers, dust screens, site exit controls (e.g. wheel washing systems and rumble grids), stabilisation of exposed areas or stockpiles, and surface treatments

• Selection of construction equipment and/or materials handling techniques that minimise the potential for dust generation

• Selection of construction equipment and/or materials handling techniques that minimise the potential for dust generation

• Adjustment or management of dust generating activities during unfavourable weather conditions, where possible

• Minimisation of exposed areas during construction

• Internal project communication protocols to ensure dust-generating activities in the same area are coordinated and mitigated to manage cumulative dust impacts of the project

• Site inspections to monitor compliance with implemented measures

To further mitigate potential cumulative project impacts, additional measures may include coordinated scheduling of construction activities and deliveries.

Land contamination means chemical substances or waste are present in soil that present a potential or actual risk to health and/or the environment.

Discovering contaminants in soil does not automatically mean a site is dangerous to health. Soils can naturally contain minerals at levels which may be above what is normally expected. Some contamination also occurs naturally such as acid sulfate soils. Not all contamination affects land in such a way it cannot be used productively for industrial, commercial, agricultural, residential or other purposes and where required, soil can often be removed or treated and reused.

While contaminated soil is a potential source of harm, we can eliminate or reduce the risk associated by preventing or minimising human exposure during the construction of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace project.

Soil contamination is typically caused by past industrial activity, use of agricultural chemicals, or disposal of waste, but can also occur naturally. The Hunter Region’s industrial heritage has left potentially contaminated sites across the area and the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace extension project has the potential to encounter contaminated soil, rock and groundwater.

We have assessed the potential for land to be contaminated as part of the Environmental Impact Statement before starting construction so any contaminated soil can be adequately planned for. Our Contractors will be using well-established techniques to appropriately manage any contaminated land in accordance with relevant contaminated land legislation and industry standard best management practices to minimise risks and avoid potential impacts.

A NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accredited site auditor will be engaged for the entire duration and extent of the project to ensure that the assessment, remediation, reporting and validation of our work is completed in accordance with Commonwealth and NSW legislation, policy and guidelines.

The health and safety of our workers, the public and the environment is our priority and we are committed to building the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace in a way which effectively manages the risks associated with land contamination.

Contractors will use well-established industry standard techniques and measures to reduce the potential for exposing workers, the community and the environment to contaminated soil or material. These measures will be outlined in the Contractor’s Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) which will be available on the project’s interactive portal once completed. These measures will aim to avoid disturbing contaminated soil, however, in cases when it needs to be moved or is unexpectedly encountered, these best practices will minimise the risks and impacts of the disturbance and ensure the material is handled, treated or disposed of safely and in accordance with relevant Commonwealth and NSW legislation, policy and guidelines.

All work will be carried out in line with the Ministers Conditions of Approval, Environmental Protection Licence and CEMP approved by the Department of Planning and Environment.

A screening process along the 15-kilometre project area was completed by experienced geotechnical engineers and environmental scientists that included 288 investigation locations (both on land and in water) during the geotechnical investigations between 2017 and 2021.

The screening process included assessing borehole logs, test pits and well materials. These assessments informed a broadscale understanding of the site conditions. In addition to this screening process, we carried out a detailed environmental sampling program where groundwater quality across the site and its surrounds was sampled from 2017 to 2021. This was completed by installing and monitoring project specific piezometers (devices used to measure liquid pressure) as well as installing 27 wells along the project corridor.

The contamination assessment completed as part of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) categorised most sites within and next to the project area as representing a low risk of exposing contaminated soil during construction.

The assessment did identify some locations within or near the project’s footprint with a moderate to high risk of exposing contaminated soil during construction. These potential Areas of Environmental Interest (AEIs) include a waste burial site at Tarro, the former mineral sands processing facility at Tomago (RZM), areas along the Hunter River, as well as unsealed areas (i.e. ground that isn’t under concrete, asphalt or other sealed surface).

The risk ranking of moderate to high was based on the potential for contamination to be present and the likelihood of excavation occurring - not on the level of risk to human health or the environment. While a potential hazard has been identified in these AEIs, these areas do not automatically pose a current risk to health as the soils are covered with an adequate barrier (i.e. grass).

The project team will further investigate the AEIs in accordance with the Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) process before disturbing land in these areas. This will enable the project team to appropriately plan for and manage any contaminated material. More information about these locations and the types of potentially contaminated material are provided in Chapter 16 (Soils and contamination) of the Environmental Impact Statement.

We referred to several sources and carried out site inspections during the EIS to determine the potential for land within and next to the project to be contaminated. The sources and investigations included:

• Historic and current aerial photographs

• NSW Environment Protection Authority Contaminated Sites Register and Record of Notices

• Yellow Pages business directory search

• Review of previous sediment, soil, groundwater and contamination site investigations carried out within the project area

• Visual inspections of surface areas by an environmental scientist

• Ongoing consultation with community members.

The objective of these investigations was to find potential AEIs to help the project team identify potential limitations on construction and possible management options.

We are undertaking a staged process to determine if land is contaminated before we start work which disturbs the ground surface. The first stage, completed as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), identified areas with a potential moderate to high risk of exposing contaminated soil during construction. As outlined earlier, these potentially contaminated areas are referred to as potential areas of environmental interest (AEIs).

Areas which have unsealed ground (i.e. ground that isn’t under concrete, asphalt or other sealed surface) will undergo a second stage Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) by a certified Contaminated Land Consultant before the ground is disturbed. The investigations will provide further information about the extent and level of contamination in the area and recommend if further investigations are required.

The DSI will include assessments of samples taken from within the project construction footprint and will provide an indication of the likely sub surface conditions. The DSIs are intended to enable the project team to appropriately plan for and manage contaminated material.

DSI reports will be completed by the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace contractors to gather information to a level appropriate for the early works program.

The DSI reports will be made available on the project’s interactive portal. The third stage will include further Detailed Site Investigations of these areas again before main works start.

Any work that exposes underlying soils which could then result in direct contact with project personnel or indirectly with the public or environment via discharges (for example via dust or sediment flows) is considered by the project team to be work that could ‘disturb’ the ground.

Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) reports will be completed by the contractor for a number of areas to gather information to a level appropriate for the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace early work program.

The M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace main works contractors will carry out DSIs for all of these work areas again to assess the risk associated with their scope of works.

They will also be responsible for identifying where remediation of contamination is required to complete project works, preparing a remedial action plan where remediation is required, and completing any remediation validation and Site Audit Statement(s) so any remediated land handed back upon completion of the project is suitable for its intended land use.

Any contaminated land encountered during the construction of the project will be managed and treated using well-established techniques, in accordance with relevant contaminated land legislation and industry standard best management practices.

The health and safety of our workers, the public and the environment is our priority and we are committed to building the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace in a way that effectively manages the risks associated with land contamination.

The first step in appropriately managing contaminated soil is to know that it is there and plan for its safe handling, by assessing the potential for contamination and undertaking detailed site investigations, if required. If contaminated soil is found, it is then classified based on the level of contamination and the physical and chemical properties of the soil.

It is then necessary to manage how the material is handled to make sure no contaminated materials are carried off-site, and workers and the community are adequately protected. All identified contamination risk areas will be managed during construction using a comprehensive suite of environmental management measures outlined in the contractor’s Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) and in accordance with guidelines made or approved under section 105 of the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997.

If required, appropriate remediation action plans and/or environmental management plans may then be developed and implemented to remove, or suitably reduce, the contamination exposure risks during construction. Contaminated soil in small volumes may be managed under a different process. If contaminated material is removed from the site, it will be transported in sealed and covered trucks and disposed of at an appropriately licensed waste facility in accordance with the NSW EPA Waste Classification Guidelines.

Remediation can involve removing, reducing or containing contamination or eliminating or reducing any hazard arising from the contamination. There are many different approaches to remediating contaminated soil and the appropriate treatments vary depending on the type of chemicals present in the soil, as well as the extent of the contamination.

A remediation action plan (RAP) outlines the measures to be taken to treat or remove contaminated material to ensure a site is suitable for its intended use. The RAP also details how any risks will be managed. This may include industry best practice dust prevention, control and suppression measures to manage and minimise the impacts of dust emission, minimising the extent of spoil stockpiles and revegetating or sealing areas of disturbed soil as soon as practicable.

During early works, contractors will remove contaminated soil, make good any areas that have been disturbed and identify them for the main works contractor.

The main works contractors will obtain a Site Audit Statement from NSW Environment Protection Authority accredited Site Auditor before starting any soil remediation work. This will certify the RAP is appropriate and the site can be made suitable for use. The Site Audit Statement and its accompanying Site Audit Report will be submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment and relevant Councils after the contaminated material is remediated.

The levels and mobility of chemical compounds in contaminated soil can render it hazardous waste, preventing it from going to landfill. This triggers a requirement for the soil waste to be disposed of at a licensed facility that can lawfully receive or treat it to lower the levels of contamination or immobilise the contaminants.

While most of the soils encountered on the project will be clean, some material is anticipated to be contaminated as a result of previous industrial activity. Where required, this waste will be disposed of at facilities licensed to accept the waste or to a treatment facility that can reduce the concentrations of contaminants prior to disposal.

Many kinds of unexpected materials can be encountered during excavation works including buried waste, discoloured and odorous soils and asbestos. These unexpected finds are likely to be associated with poor waste disposal and/or construction activities undertaken historically at the site.

Because the potential for encountering unexpected contamination exists in every project involving excavation, the project team will prepare an unexpected finds procedure to follow in these scenarios.

In the event that previously unidentified contaminated material is discovered, all relevant work would stop near the discovery and the unidentified contaminated material would be managed in accordance with the unexpected finds procedure.

Material which displays some or all of the following characteristics will be considered by the project team as possibly contaminated and will trigger the unexpected finds procedure:

• unusual odour from soils that are not detected in other similar areas

• discolouration or staining of soil or rock

• seepage of unusual liquids from soil or rock

• unusual odours, sheen or colour on groundwater and/or surface water

• unusual metal objects

• unexpected underground storage tanks, buried drums or machinery

• presence of waste or rubbish above or below ground

• potential asbestos containing material.

The Contractor’s Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) will also consider the potential for odorous soil to be encountered during any subsurface excavation work and specify appropriate procedures to minimise odour generation and/or exposure including containing and removing the material.

Our work must be carried out in line with the environmental management measures specified in the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) overseen by the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and an independent Environmental Representative.

The CEMP will be reviewed and approved by DPE and the independent Environmental Representative, prior to the commencement of construction activities on-site. A waste management procedure for the project will be prepared as part of a CEMP prior to construction. The plan also includes waste management measures and procedures for managing unexpected finds and handling and storing all project spoil, including potentially contaminated substances.

A flood is an event where water inundates land that is normally dry. Floods are a natural process that can be caused by a number of factors and affected by human activities. Floods occur at irregular intervals and no two floods are the same.

Floods are influenced by many factors including rainfall, the capacity of dams, creeks and rivers to carry runoff, tidal influence, other weather conditions and localised land use.

Flooding on the Lower Hunter River floodplain is a result of both mainstream flooding from the Hunter River and local catchment runoff. The Williams River joins the Hunter River just upstream of Raymond Terrace and the combined waters of these two rivers then flow in a south-westerly direction, across the Hunter River floodplain which varies in width.

The project is immune to flooding in a 1 in 20-year event, and traffic can continue to use the new motorway during that event. Some existing roads that connect to the motorway would be affected in a 1 in 20-year event. The proposed 2.6km viaduct over the Hunter River floodplain is immune to flooding in a 1 in 100-year event.

The project would also provide a new flood emergency and evacuation access route for the communities between Black Hill and Raymond Terrace, providing increased resilience for future flood events, similar to those that occurred across the Hunter region in 2022.

Yes, the project design has been developed using a multi-disciplinary process that identified and assessed possible routes against a range of engineering, environmental, social, land-use and economic criteria.

This process determined that the project alignment outlined in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) represented the best balance after a detailed analysis of all known constraints and opportunities, including those related to flooding.

As a result of ongoing design refinements, the alignment has been moved closer to the New England Highway and other existing infrastructure corridors, crossing the Hunter River 1.4 kilometres north of the original crossing.

In addition to moving the project closer to the new England highway, we have:

• Reduced upstream flooding impacts through design of a 2.6 kilometre viaduct instead of an embankment across the Hunter River floodplain

• Reduced impacts to drainage capacity, flood storage and flow of water upstream in the swamp area near Hexham which would have resulted from the earlier designed embankment on the floodplain

• Reduced the height of maintenance access tracks on the floodplain.

Yes. Infrastructure built on a floodplain typically does have an impact on flood heights and inundation times. However, the project has been designed to limit any increase to minor amounts, generally less than 20mm for flood height, and less than 2% increase in inundation times.

A complex flood model has been used to inform all aspects of floodplain management for the project. The model assists us to better understand and predict flood behaviour within a defined catchment.

The flood model used for the project has validated and checked against previous flood events that have occurred in the area to ensure it is accurate. This involves comparing and adjusting the flood model where flood levels are known based on monitoring devices installed within the project study area.

Rainfall events are expressed as Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP), which is the probability of that event occurring in any one year. For example, a 20% AEP event has a 20% chance of occurring in any year and is often expressed as a 1 in 5-year event. A 10% AEP event is often expressed as a 1 in 10-year event.

Once the flood model is validated against known rainfall events, other events are modelled including up to the 1% AEP event (1 in 100 year).

As outlined earlier, the project is immune to flooding in a 1 in 20-year event, and traffic can continue to use the new motorway during that event.

Yes, as part of our ongoing planning for the project we have carried out a detailed analysis of existing flooding impacts within the project area. This includes adjusting the flood model against previous flood events, such as the Pasha Bulker storm in 2007 and the 2015 flood event. We’ve also carried out detailed analysis on predicted flood impacts and changes to groundwater levels as a result of the project being constructed.

The AEP of the Hunter rainfall events in mid-2022 has not yet been determined, however the extent of flooding is consistent with what has been modelled for various flood events in the project area.

The flood model extends five kilometres upstream on the Hunter River and four kilometres upstream on the Williams River from its junction with the Hunter River at Raymond Terrace and includes the floodplains of these rivers. The model extends downstream to the Hunter River’s outlet into the Tasman Sea. The model also covers the adjacent floodplain areas including swamp areas and coastal wetlands within Hexham Swamp Nature Reserve, the Fullerton Cove overflow onto the Tilligerry Creek floodplain and the Tilligerry Creek outlet to Port Stephens.

We are committed to minimising and/or eliminating adverse impacts in residential developments located near the project area. Following exhibition of the EIS, refinements to ancillary facilities and site access have been made along the project corridor. Refinements include reducing the size of ancillary facilities to minimise flood and biodiversity impacts.

We will continue to work closely with all property owners located in and around the project area as the detailed design is developed.

We have consulted extensively with the community regarding the flood assessment process. We conducted flood focus group meetings before the environmental impact assessment process for the project commenced, and gave the community the opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns and provide information about the nature of flooding near the project. Throughout the EIS development, the community was encouraged to make a submission in relation to the project, including on the chapter titled hydrology and flooding.

Part of our ongoing work will include conducting surveys of floor levels of homes and other structures along the alignment, including in and around the Hunter River. These surveys will allow us to confirm the properties at risk in different flood events and what the potential change may be as a result of the project.

We will continue to work with individual property owners and encourage members of the community to share their insights of flood impacts on the ground wherever possible.

The ability to fully mitigate flooding impacts on all existing and new road projects will always be challenging and must be balanced with impacts to the road networks and cost.

In many instances it will not be good value for money to fully flood proof new roads and networks. Transport for NSW works with key partners such as local government to identify the most appropriate overall network investment to provide economic benefits to the wider community and reinstate and reconnect community journeys faster during or after any disasters.

Where significant flood levels impact road networks, the priority is the safety of all users of the transport network and surrounding communities. The focus of Transport for NSW is to provide real-time advice via targeted communications channels, to ensure motorists are kept informed of delays and other impacts on the network until the flood impacts have subsided.

For information on this topic, we recommend reading Chapter 21 Climate change and risk of the EIS, which assesses the potential impacts on climate change from the project and includes adaptation measures that have been incorporated into the design of the project.

As per environmental management measures noted in the submissions report, the following actions will be carried out during further design development to ensure climate change is adequately addressed:

a) Flood modelling will continue to use sea level rise projections and future climate change to rainfall projections, considering impacts to properties at Tarro

b) The extent of scour protection will be refined during design development

Transport will ensure the project complies with the Minister’s Conditions of Approval (CoA). As part of these conditions, we will consult with and provide full disclosure of likely impacts resulting from any non-compliance with the Quantitative Design Limits (QDLs) and obtain the written agreement of the affected/s landowner to the non-compliance.

To learn more about flooding Conditions of Approval, access our documents and notifications page.

The contamination assessment completed as part of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) categorised most sites within and next to the project area as representing a low risk of exposing contaminated soil during construction.

However, the assessment did identify the former mineral sands processing facility at Tomago (RZM) as an Area of Environmental Interest (AEI).

Field assessments, laboratory analysis and specialist ecological modelling showed evidence of contamination in soils, sediment, groundwater and surface water on the site. This contamination showed very low risk to ecosystems, however there is an increased risk to human health from exposure to elevated radionuclides (a natural type of chemical element) measured in the soil on the site.

The disturbed contaminated material will be placed in a mound within the project site. This mound, and the remainder of the contaminated site that is not disturbed, will then be capped with a layer of clean soil. A small amount of contaminated material will be disposed of off-site at a licenced waste facility.

Transport for NSW (Transport) has prepared a Remediation Action Plan that has been approved by a NSW Environment Protection Authority accredited Site Auditor. Following site remediation, Transport will obtain a Site Audit Statement to certify the remediation work. The Site Audit Statement and its accompanying Site Audit Report will be submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment and relevant Councils after the contaminated material is remediated.

Industry experts in remediation and environmental management, Enviropacific, has been engaged to undertake this work.

Contractors will use well-established industry standard techniques and measures to minimise the potential for exposing workers, the community and the environment to contaminated soil or material.

Site personnel will wear protective clothing and water carts will be used to control dust.

All work will be carried out in line with the Ministers Conditions of Approval, Environmental Protection Licence and Construction Environmental Management Plan approved by the Department of Planning and Environment.

A NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) accredited site auditor will also be engaged for the entire duration and extent of the project to ensure that the assessment, remediation, reporting and validation of our work is completed in accordance with Commonwealth and NSW legislation, policy and guidelines.

Specialist decontamination and remediation contractors, Enviropacific, will begin the work in September 2023. Fencing and installation of erosion and sediment controls will be carried out first, followed by the excavation of the contaminated soil. The work is expected to be completed by April 2024.