Bluestone Hardrock Quarry Project

Having carefully considered both the supporting information and the concerns raised, I support the proposed quarry development. Please see attached letter of support.

I have major objections to this project, the increase in trucks on the roads is both dangerous and will cause constant damage to an already poor condition road
It will also depreciate values of properties in the area
It will also put at risk wildlife and families due to airborne silica dust travelling across the area

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed development and the potential impacts it may have on my family and the surrounding community.

My primary concern is the increase in dust and airborne particles during construction and ongoing operations. Our household includes children who have asthma and are highly sensitive to allergens. One of the main reasons we chose to move to the country was to provide a cleaner environment that would better support their health. I am concerned that increased dust levels could significantly affect their wellbeing.

My biggest concern, however, is the increase in traffic and the safety of children catching school buses. We access Ellerslie Road, which joins an 80 km/h road. Visibility is restricted by a hill, making it difficult at times to safely see approaching vehicles. Trucks travelling at this speed are unlikely to be able to stop quickly if a vehicle is turning or pulling out. I believe this creates a significant safety risk, and any increase in traffic will only make the situation more dangerous.

The additional traffic generated by the development will also lead to increased wear and tear on local roads, resulting in higher maintenance requirements and potential deterioration of road conditions.

I am also concerned about increased congestion on the surrounding road network, particularly during peak school and work hours. Turning right onto Wine Country Drive is already difficult and often involves long wait times. Additional traffic will likely worsen delays, making it more challenging and less safe for local residents to travel to work, school, and other essential destinations.

I respectfully ask that these concerns be carefully considered as part of the assessment process. In particular, I request that thorough traffic and road safety assessments be undertaken, along with measures to minimise dust and protect the health and safety of nearby residents.

Thank you for considering my submission.

If this submission is for a council development application or planning proposal, I can also make it more persuasive by referring to issues such as public safety, environmental impacts, traffic management, and amenity, which are commonly considered in planning decisions.

I dont directly oppose the project however my submission is to recommend some serious road upgrade conditions need to be met on elderslie road if allowed to proceed. There are too many kids moving about the branxton end of elderslie road and it already questionable as to whether the road system is adequate at that end. It is barely wide enough to support to dump trucks side by side let alone pedestrians/cyclists and school buses. I also think the bridge at elderslie would be a recipe for disaster without more controls or widening of the bridge.
As far as the project proceeding if these messures are met along with all necessaty environmental precautions at the plant it self i would be generally satisfied that we had a business of this nature operating in the area.

My name is Chris Moore
I have lived in Elderslie since birth 1980
My mothers family have been here since the 1850’s
They have participated in various agricultural activities in that time

I myself assist my parents in farming the properties between Elderslie bridge and Springvale road.
My daily activities include moving livestock and large agricultural equipment along and across Stanhope & Elderslie roads
I believe the proposed quarry would increase traffic on these roads and make my activities more difficult and dangerous.
I live at 29 Stanhope Road a house which is located no more than 20 meters away from the road
Believe the increased truck traffic would massively increase the noise levels in my house and vibrations from the traffic could potentially cause damage to the house.
The increased truck traffic would make it more dangerous for motorists with the one lane bridge and the steep incline on the other side of the bridge. Stanhope road was recently upgraded to a hight to avoid localised flooding I would like to know if it was engineered for the extra truck traffic being a heavier load?

I’m also concerned about the kids who catch buses to and from school as they are walking or waiting on narrow roadsides for there bus morning and evening.
This could be addressed by restricting the truck movements to school hours.
Also there is an issue with the corner below 122 Stanhope road where loaded trucks coming down hill frequently cross the double white lines on the roadway.
I also have concerns about increased dust from surface operations blasting and extraction of rock causing Silica dust to land on rooftops and end up in people’s water supplies.
I believe the quarry could affect our local aquifers which we depend on for stock water and irrigation.

Also have concerns about runoff or waste water retention on the quarry site . If the site can retain contaminated water without discharging it into Stanhope creek and then onto the Hunter river.

If the quarry was to go ahead it would significantly affect all of the people living on or near Elderslie rd in many negative ways. It would be extremely dangerous for the kids that ride or walk to school or even the kids getting on and off the school bus. The constant noise would also decrease the value of our homes and our quiet peaceful spot would no longer be. The one lane Bridge near Elderslie should be enough just on its own to squash the idea of the quarry. It wasn’t designed to handle the constant abuse of truck and dogs, also the constant queuing at the bridge would be a nightmare for locals.

If the quarry did get approved I would like to see the developer pay for 7ft sound suppressing fences for all of the homes that back onto Elderslie rd. I would also like to see them pay for the footpath to be extended from Radford park down to the under bridge walkway so residents and kids can safely walk to town.

I object to the proposed Bluestone Quarry project.
My primary concern is the impact the development will have on road safety and local infrastructure. Elderslie Road is already under significant pressure, and I do not believe it is suitable to accommodate additional heavy truck traffic generated by the quarry.
The existing road infrastructure is not safe for an increase in heavy vehicles. The road has limited space for pedestrians and cyclists, with no designated footpaths or cycleways connecting Elderslie Road to Branxton. This forces people who walk or ride to share the road with traffic, creating an unacceptable safety risk. Increasing the number of heavy trucks will only make these conditions more dangerous.
The proposal should not proceed unless major upgrades to the transport infrastructure are completed first, including safe pedestrian and cycling facilities and improvements that ensure Elderslie Road can safely accommodate any increase in heavy vehicle movements.
The safety of local residents, families, school children, cyclists and pedestrians should be given greater priority than expanding industrial traffic on a road that is already inadequate. Until these issues are properly addressed, I strongly object to the approval of the Bluestone Quarry project.

I am writing to express my support for the proposed Bluestone Hard Rock Quarry and the important role this development can play in supporting the future growth of the building, construction, and infrastructure industries.

The continued growth of our towns, cities, and regional communities requires a reliable and long-term supply of high-quality construction materials. Hard rock products are essential for the construction and maintenance of roads, housing developments, commercial buildings, public infrastructure, drainage systems, and many other projects that our communities depend upon.

As population growth and development continue, the demand for construction materials will also increase. Establishing secure, long-term sources of locally available hard rock resources is therefore important to ensuring that the building and construction industries can continue to meet future demand.

For these reasons, I support the proposed Bluestone Hard Rock Quarry, subject to appropriate environmental safeguards, responsible management, and compliance with relevant planning and regulatory requirements.

It has been strongly noted in our community of Branxton that this proprosed quary is going to harm our residents. The health impacts alone of the silica dust are a huge concerns. But mostly my concerns lie around the safety of our roads. Elderslie road will have 220 trucks hauling up and down each day, I have young children who catch the school bus , with trucking hauling up and down this road it’s a frightening thought to be risking the safety of our children getting on and off the bus here , many children independently use the bus due to parents having to work & kids make their own way home but this adds an extra danger factor risking young lives, numerous children cross this road and will be put at risk of being run over by a truck, no parent or child deserve to be put in this situation. It will only be a matter of time before something happens if this goes ahead
Not to mention people walk up and down that road from elderslie road to get into town , the road is narrow & the path doesn’t go the entire way down so people need to walk on the road, it’s a huge safety risk , these trucks will make it incredibly unsafe and it will only be a matter of time before someone is killed here which is so tragic but also avoidable , therefore we object to the this project going ahead .

Please see attached my submission of support for Bluestone Hardrock

I feel this project will make an important contribution to the local economy and help increase supply and therefore reduce costs in industries that are facing constant price rises

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to personally support the proposed Bluestone Hardrock Quarry Project at Elderslie (SSD-76210271).

One of the strongest reasons I support this proposal is the employment it can generate for people in the Hunter region. A quarry of this scale has the potential to provide direct jobs in quarry operations, plant operation, maintenance, administration, environmental management and site services. It would also create ongoing work for local transport operators, earthmoving contractors, mechanics, tyre suppliers, fuel suppliers, equipment businesses and other trades.

The Hunter has a long history of people working in construction, mining, transport and civil infrastructure. Projects such as this help retain skilled workers in the region and provide opportunities for apprentices, trainees and younger people looking to establish a career close to home. The flow-on benefits for local businesses and families should not be underestimated.

The quarry would also assist the region by providing a more reliable supply of quality hard rock, aggregates and road base for housing, roadworks, industrial projects and public infrastructure. If materials have to be brought in from further away, it increases freight costs, travel time and pressure on local roads. Having another local source of quarry products would make construction projects more efficient and help support continued development throughout the Hunter, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Central Coast areas.

I recognise that environmental protection, traffic, dust, noise, water management and rehabilitation must be taken seriously. These matters should be managed through appropriate conditions, monitoring and compliance requirements. Provided the quarry is operated responsibly and meets all approval conditions, I believe it can deliver meaningful benefits while managing its impacts.

In my view, the Bluestone Hardrock Quarry Project would provide secure local employment, support regional businesses and help supply the materials needed for future infrastructure and development.

I respectfully support approval of the project.

Refer to attached objection

Date: 7/7/2026
To: Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
Re: Submission in Support of Bluestone Hard Rock Quarry – SSD-76210271
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am pleased to provide this letter in support of the proposed Bluestone Hard Rock Quarry at Elderslie.
Should the project proceed, it will provide ongoing employment throughout its estimated 30-year operational life. The project represents a long-term source of employment and business within the Hunter Region.
Notwithstanding the business activity generated, we recognise the broader importance of securing a reliable local supply of quality hard rock materials to support the Hunter's growing demand for housing, transport infrastructure and major public and private projects. Locally sourced materials reduce transport distances, improve supply chain resilience and support employment across numerous sectors of the regional economy.
I support the approval of the Bluestone Hard Rock Quarry, subject to the appropriate conditions imposed through the planning approval process.
Thank you for considering our submission.
Yours faithfully,
Luke Anderson Licensee PRD Nationwide Hunter Valley

I object to the project, my submission containing objections is in a .pdf file attached

My submission is attached as a pdf file

The interpretation of the modelling of the impact on traffic between Elderslie bridge to Rusty lane is incorrectly assessed in Appendix L page 24.
For daily users of this route, it is anecdotally clear that we will be stuck behind a laden truck ascending a steep hill on most trips into Branxton from the bridge to Rusty lane. Most light vehicles will take a long cut through Rusty Lane and McMullins Road at this point to avoid the truck. It doesn’t make sense that the modelling doesn’t support this as it should be clear to an experienced traffic engineer.
The table used to support the analysis (Table 4.5 of the NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) RTA’s Guide to Traffic Generating Developments) doesn’t capture the road use case. The Section of road between Elderslie road and Rusty lane has “100% no overtaking” opportunities and would be operating at 22% heavy vehicles if approved. The RTA table only goes as far as “60% no overtaking” and 15% heavy vehicles so is grossly inappropriate to be used in this analysis.
In addition to the table being inappropriate it would appear that it has been misinterpreted. The proponents data has 243 vehicles per hour currently along this stretch of road at 1% heavy vehicle with an additional 50 heavy vehicles added on top of this from the project. That would be 293 vehicles at 22% heavy vehicles. While (as stated above) this doesn’t have a data point on the table it would still be most closely represented by mountainous and 15% heavy which is a massive downgrade from the current A/B level of service road to a level D but the report states that all roads would be “operating at a level C or better”. I believe the proponent hasn’t increased the % of heavy vehicles in their analysis to account for the projects heavy vehicles not just on this stretch but all.

Furthermore, if the data is interpreted to 22% the service level would likely drop to the lowest service level in table 4.5 of level E. A drop in service level from A to E is unacceptable and I request that the application be refused or amended until the proponent provides an accurate assessment of these impacts.

Levels of service from Guide to Traffic Generating Developments RTA v2.2 2002 (RMS)
Level of Service D. This level is close to the limit of stable flow but is approaching unstable flow. All drivers are severely restricted in their freedom to select their desired speed and to manoeuvre within the traffic stream. The general level of comfort and convenience is poor, and small increases in traffic flow will generally cause operational problems
Level of Service E. This occurs when traffic volumes are at or close to capacity and there is virtually no freedom to select desired speeds or to manoeuvre within the traffic stream. Flow is unstable and minor disturbances within the traffic stream will cause a traffic-jam.