More than 100 community members gathered at the Moss Vale site for the first day of the hearing, which is considering Nakar Property's appeal. The court heard from seven members of the public.
Dane Shanahan, a Gundungurra knowledge-holder, told the court no Gundungurra people had been consulted for the Aboriginal Heritage Assessment, despite the project's impact on a culturally significant waterway. 'Each piece is being presented as small. Each piece is being assessed on its own and no one is looking at the whole,' Mr Shanahan said.
Local residents Gabby Kent and Will McCarthy echoed his concerns. 'The planning processes may be separate, but the cumulative impacts to my family and my community are not,' Ms Kent said.
Jacqueline Duc raised health concerns linked to carcinogens from gas power plants and noted the project is located within the Sydney water catchment, with tributaries flowing into Warragamba Dam, which supplies most of the city's drinking water.
The developer has secured approval for a separate 14MW gas plant on the site and is also seeking state approval for a 673MW facility. For the current application, an amended plan was submitted proposing to paint exhaust stacks green to address visual amenity and to add some on-site solar power generation. The applicant's lawyer, James Smith, did not question the community speakers. The court will hear from the applicant's attorney and the council's representative, Michael Staunton, in the coming days.