Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project | Landscape and Visual Effects | 41 Despite the substantial and permanent changes proposed to accommodate open pit mining within this local area, physical effects will remain relatively well contained and closely associated with existing mining activity including the Processing Plant and potential relocation of the operational Favona Portal within the footprint of the mine. Existing rock outcrops and the steeper weathered southern slopes near the top of Gladstone Hill will be permanently removed, however the broader adjoining sequence of rounded landforms including Union Hill, Black Hill and the remaining aspect of Winner Hill will remain apparent and maintain a key characteristic evident to the east of Waihi evident throughout the surrounding landscape. While the nature of open pit mining will completely modify the existing form of Gladstone Hill, this will remain well contained within the localised context of existing mining activity and the existing surrounding rounded hill forms. Following the mining operation, the existing landform will reflect a lower subservient landform element with very limited external views. Once tailings are accommodated, the final landform surrounding the pit will be returned to pasture and native shrubs which may further soften and assimilate the extent to which landform modification will remain apparent in the long term. This may also be reinforced with opportunities for skink habitat and enhancement of the existing stream / wetland area along the eastern slopes. 7.3.2 Vegetation Whilst much of the existing land cover associated with Gladstone Hill will be removed, this is predominantly pasture and part of a larger adjoining block of plantation pine. Small pockets of exotic and native trees will also be removed near the summit of Gladstone Hill as will an area of approximately 5 ha. of existing pine plantation established along the southern boundary and along part of the eastern face of Gladstone Hill. Clearance of plantation pine trees is consistent with a cycle of establishment and harvest. Disturbance to the existing land cover is also largely reversable, with vegetation removed during the mining and subsequent tailings operations to be re-established with pasture and native shrubs following completion to limit the potential for any longer-term adverse effects. Once established, rehabilitated tailings will remain embedded within a wider sequence of adjoining rounded landforms and vegetated backdrop which extends to the east of Waihi. In summary, given the localised and modified landscape features including isolated pockets of native and exotic trees in the context of existing mining and adjoining rural activity, there will be limited effects on existing vegetation. 7.3.3 Landscape Character In landscape character terms, the GOP will remain in the context of established mining activity. In this context, the proposed mining activity will occur incrementally over several years rather than all at once and includes a process of mining followed by the gradual deposition of tailings and subsequent rehabilitation. At completion, modification of the existing landform will remain relatively localised within the adjoining sequence of rounded hills and associated with a rehabilitated landcover which will limit potential longer-term landscape character effects. The creation of a new open pit mine, by its very nature, requires disruption to an existing working rural land cover and underlying landforms which may inevitably generate adverse landscape character effects. In the case of the GOP, proposed mining activity will gradually extend an existing mining footprint associated with an established Processing Plant and underground portal. The retention of the southern slopes of Winner Hill and a periphery of plantation pine trees around the western edge of the proposed open pit mine will ensure potential effects on surrounding rural areas will remain relatively well contained and any wider landscape character effects will remain localised within a more modified mining context.
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