Fifth-generation Dooen farmer Percy Puls will be 80 at the end of this year, but instead of planning to celebrate his milestone, he and his family are struggling to understand how they don't own the farm they've owned for over 150 years due to legislation around surface ownership of farming land.
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WIM Resource Pty Ltd Avonbank Mineral Sands Mine proposes to mine a total of 3546 hectares for zircon, titanium-rich mineral concentrate, and minor amounts of rare earth products in the area over 36 years in the Dooen Jung area, including part of the Puls' property.
"I can't understand how someone can come onto our land and dig up our prime farming land, and we have no say in the matter," said Mr Puls.
"Our family has owned this land since 1873.
When Mr Puls Snr took over the farm from his father, he was immediately faced with a drought , which often happens in farming, he said, so he worked three jobs outside of farm work to ensure the farm survived.
"I grew up here, and so did my parents and their parents. I'm a fifth-generation farmer on this land," he said, "My son Gavin is sixth generation, and my grandson Cooper is seventh generation."
Gavin's son, 11-year-old Cooper, is already learning from the best and doesn't see the need to go to university to learn about farming." I can learn it all from Dad," he said.
"I've walked this land my whole life, and I know every sod of soil on it," a visibly emotional Mr Puls Snr said.
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"You can't walk off your land for 36 years and then pick up where you left off and go on as if nothing happened," he said. "That's what they [the Mine] expect."
"I won't live to see it returned to us," he said,
Gavin has managed the farm for 20 years and operates it with his brother David; their father was quick to praise their efforts in producing what he described as the best quality grain and yield in the past ten years than they have ever produced.
"They're smarter than me," he said. A statement the sons disagreed with.
" Dad worked hard and gave us a good start."
"We know more now, and technology has helped a lot, " they said.
About 404.68 hectares of the Puls' farm will come under the proposed mining licence, the equivalent of 1000 acres.
"Dad has worked hard and still does, but Mum, like many farmer's wives, worked hard too, probably harder than us," he said.
"This has knocked Dad around a lot," Gavin said with a catch in his voice, "and Mum too. We try to keep them informed without upsetting them, but we're worried about them."
"It affects all of us; we've always made decisions together around the kitchen table, and it's the same now," he said. "This is worse than a drought."
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The mental and emotional strain is taking its toll on everyone, including the farmers and their families; they now realise where this year's crops are could soon be a big hole in the ground.
Four farmers will have to leave their homes, and more will lose all or some of their farming land and income over the 36-year life of the mine as well as losing a portion of their prime farming land; Mr Puls said the mine will be about 800 meters from the family home.
Horsham Rural City Council has signed an MOU with WIM Resource Pty Ltd.
Planning Panels Victoria heard from Horsham Rural City Council, WIM Resource Pty Ltd, farmers, and stakeholders during August at a forum in Horsham. The findings and whether the licence to mine will be approved are expected in the coming weeks.
WIM Resource Pty Ltd has agreed to speak with the Wimmera Mail-Times later.
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