At the Ordinary meeting of Council held on 19 August 2025 Parkes Shire Council resolved to support a Planning Proposal to permit 'heavy industry' as an additional permitted use on Lot 2 DP 1064474, 3577 Henry Parkes Way, Bogan Gate, the former Bogan Gate Explosives Reserve and Army Camp (BGAC).
Given the long history of explosives storage and manufacturing from the site, the businesses that currently operate from the BGAC are permitted under "existing use rights" pursuant to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, which permits their ongoing operations. The land however, despite its history, is zoned as rural land. In such circumstances it is not uncommon for the planning instruments to be amended to better reflect the current use of the land. That is the purpose of the planning proposal.
The land is currently being utilised by three (3) activities considered to be heavy industries, being Johnex Pty Ltd (explosives manufacturing and storage); Howards and Sons (fireworks storage) and SMS for Ammonium Nitrate Emulsion (ANE). These businesses are significant employers (in excess of 30) in the Bogan Gate district and provide significant services to mining, quarrying and civil engineering sectors in NSW.
The inclusion of 'heavy industry', as an additional permitted use on Lot 2 DP1064474 will better reflect the existing heavy industries operations from the site and provide greater certainty of the permissibility of proposed new development beyond that proven under existing use rights. The planning proposal will also provide greater transparency to the community with regards to the current and future land uses on the site.
Approval to add "heavy industry" to the rural zone in that lot, does not approve any proposed expansion of the facility whatsoever. Any future change or expansion of existing development on the site will be subject to a development application.
The Planning proposal provides…
"Lot 2 DP 1064474, 3577 Henry Parkes Way, Bogan Gate was first used as an explosive storage and testing facility by the Australian Military during WWII and subsequently acquired by the Commonwealth of Australia for defence purposes on 9 June 1960.
A Masterplan and Masterplan User Requirement Report was prepared by the Australian Military Forces in August 1962. The Masterplan User Requirement Report stated the explosives reserve was designed to store and process between 12,000 and 22,000 tons of explosives, with a range of activities described as 'inspection, repair, modification, maintenance and destruction of ammunition stocks as directed by AHQ.'
The explosives reserve continued to be owned by the Commonwealth until 8 April 2004 when Lots 2 and 4 DP 1064474 were transferred to Timber Creek Holdings Pty Ltd. At this time the improvements on the subject land included the old Bogan Gate Army Camp (comprising of communal army barracks, free-standing dwellings, depot and storage sheds, mess hall and other administration / community style facilities) as well as multiple explosives storage sheds with earthen mounds, roads and drainage infrastructure. From 2004 onwards, explosives storage and manufacturing was conducted from the existing buildings."
