Gerroa Quarry - Gerroa Sand Production Increase (MOD2)

I am concerned about the increased traffic of heavy trucks on Gerroa Road, Crooked River Bridge, Fern Street and Belinda Street.
I understand the proposal is to increase the amount of sand transported by 50% which could result in more truck movements and /or larger capacity trucks.
My concerns are these trucks travel through areas at Gerroa were holidayers, campers, fishers and beach goers gather and use this area in large numbers especially in holiday periods. Pedestrians crossing the road including young children, parents and eldery people. The potential for serious accidents is obvious.
The trucks then move on through several roundabouts in Gerringong again with multiple movements of people walking to/from shops, walking dogs, children crossing the roads going to/from preschool and school. Elderly people around residential and aged care services, walking, using mobility devices, drop offs and pickups. I am concerned for the potential for serious accidents.
Is it possible to upgrade or develop an alternative route to transport the product out through Berry and onto the Princess Highway? This would be a better option for all concerned. Kind regards,

Re: Gerroa Quarry - Gerroa Sand Production Increase (MOD2)
Kiama Municipality
The Applicant, Maas Group Holdings (MGH) of Regional Quarries & Concrete Pty Limited are seeking a modification to Project Approval MP05_0099 (Mod 1) for the Gerroa Sand Quarry (the ‘Quarry’ or the ‘Project Site’), at 7 Mile beach, formerly owned by Cleary Bros. with approval to remove 80,000 tonnes of sand per annum from the Gerroa Sand Quarry.
They have lodged a proposal to increase the amount of sand extracted per annum from 80,000pta to 120,000 tonnes.
This proposal will increase the maximum rate of road transportation by 50% through the small towns of Gerroa and Gerringong.
I wish to object to the above application to increase the sand mining at Gerroa Sand Quarry.
Please find an attachment outlining my objections.
Yours Sincerely
Anne Whatman

I believe that this proposal lacks fundamental information about impacts, including those affecting the health and safety of neighbours and the adjacent communities.

There has also been a complete lack of engagement with those closest to the site and those along the routes. It is my understanding that until I became aware of the application a few days ago and wrote to our local community group, even the Shoalhaven Council were unaware of the entire submission and its implications. The application is also fundamentally flawed, the claims lack validation and are incoherent.

In the short time I was provided, I have detailed my concerns in the attached document and have shared this with The Berry Forum, my local MP, a concerned upper house MP and the responsible minister.

Gerroa Quarry - Gerroa Sand Production Increase (MOD2)

I would like to make a submission relating to the proposed Gerroa Sand Mine expansion.
I have a number of concerns relating to the proposal to expand the sand mine. My husband and I live opposite the sand mine property and have direct experience of the noise from the sand mine, and major traffic issues due to continuous big trucks going in and out of the mine. We are also very aware of the extremely sensitive ecological issues of this very special natural area of biodiversity.
First I’d like to highlight some of the environmental issues that are likely to be impacted by the sand mine.
This sand mine is adjacent to the Seven Mile Beach National Park which is home to one of the few remaining populations of the endangered Greater Glider in NSW. This population feeds at different time of year on each side of Crooked River Road, depending on which trees are in flower. For example, even though most of the population resides principally on the eastern side of Crooked River Road in the national Park, there are tie of year when there is insufficient food in flower for them within the national park and the gliders must come across the road to feed on the Swamp Mahogony trees. Several years ago the Shoalhaven Council removed around 150 trees and widened the road along the Shoalhaven LGA section of Crooked River Road and Gerroa Road which has meant that the Greater Gliders need to traverse Crooked River Road via the remaining large trees in Kiama LGA into the Cleary Brothers land that contains the sand mine, in order to reach the Swamp Mahogany forest and the western part of the Seven Mile Beach national Park. Hence, the land on which the sand mine is located is a crucial route for the endangered greater gliders to reach the feeding habitat that they require to survive. It is critical that the remaining large trees can be retained so that the endangered Greater Gliders have a chance of survival. Yet we can see that the new owners of the sand mine seem to be thinning the trees and shrubs between their boundary and the sand mining operations. I am greatly concerned that the new owners of the sand mine do not realise (or perhaps are unconcerned about) the need for the large trees and habitat to be retained in order to retain the viability of the endangered Greater Gliders.
Using the NSW Government ‘Trees Near Me’ app, it is possible to see that the Sand Mine is located in a place of considerable varied biodiversity. The mine is located in an area with the following Plant Community Types:
• South Coast Sands Bangalay Forest
• Esturine Swamp Oak Twig-rush Forest
• Shoalhaven Lowland Flats West Swamp Forest
• South Coast Floodplain Grassy Swamp Forest
• Illawarra Lowland red gum Grassy Forest
• Coastal Sands Swamp Mahogany Rush Forest
• South Coast Lowland Wollybutt Grassy Forest
• South Coast Sands Bangalay Littoral Forest
This is an extraordinary list of different Plant Community Types that currently exist on or immediately adjacent to this sand mine. To extend the sand mine and increase its operations could threaten the viability of some of these small yet diverse plant communities, yet there does not seem to be any study undertaken or consideration of the impacts of extending the operations of the sand mine on these sensitive plant communities.
Noise from the Sand mine
Since the new owners took over the sand mine operations we have noticed a great deal more noise from the sand mine. The proposal states that the sand mine operator has measured the noise from another of their sand mines and determined that the mining operations at their other location are not a big enough issue for them to need to check the noise of the Gerroa Sand Mine. I neg to differ. The sand mine is now very noisy on a more regular basis. I feel that the new sand mine owners should at least have the decency to consider the people to live close by the mine, can hear it and are disturbed by it.
Additional truck traffic and road damage
There is already a noticeable increase in truck traffic coming to and from the sand mine since the new owners took over operations. The trucks are dangerous and cause a great deal of damage to the roads that are not adequately built for the wear and tear of large traffic.
Large B-double trucks are a regular feature coming to and from of the sand mine. Some trucks turn east out of the mine onto Beach Road (within the Shoalhaven LGA) and then turn north on Crooked River Road and Fern St to go though the villages of Gerroa and Gerringong then along Belinda St past the school zone and the Mayflower aged care facility to reach the Princes Highway. This is a journey of 10 kilometres along narrow streets. Through the villages of Gerroa and Gerringong there are many parked cars and plenty of pedestrian traffic. In warm weather Crooked River Road through Gerroa is abuzz with beach traffic, with pedestrians crossing the road between the beach and the kiosk/café and camping ground. In Gerringong the trucks need to turn across the middle of the roundabout to get themselves from Fern St into Belinda St and vica-versa.
Other large trucks and B-double trucks turn right out of the sand mine and proceed along Beach Road to Berry (ie: remaining in Shoalhaven Council for the 8 km drive to the Princes Hwy.) Beach Road is a narrow country road with many potholes and rough sections that are constantly being damaged and made worse by these heavy trucks. Beach Road is also a recognised cycle route, with cyclists regularly using this road to go to the beach or simply to exercise. It’s a road with wildlife regularly on the road, with overhanging trees used by wildlife. It’s also a road with several crests and blind spots, so that truck drivers should remain vigilant and ready to brake in case another vehicle comes out of a blind side street, or wildlife wanders onto the road. I am particularly concerned that an increase in large trucks using Beach Road is going to increase the number of wildlife killed on the road (sadly it’s an almost daily occurrence already). An increase in large trucks is also going to increase the damage already being made to the road surface. Surely the sand mine must be held accountable for repairing the many potholes that occur from the large number of heavy vehicles from the mine. I am also very concerned for the safety of the people who use beach road to walk or cycle to the beach or into Berry.

I do hope that you seriously examine the likely impacts of the proposed increase the mining operations at the Gerroa Sand mine, and consider limiting the amount of sand mining that can occur.
• I firmly believe it is unnecessary to increase the amount of sand mining at this location.
• I believe that the impacts on the local wildlife and natural environment have not been adequately considered or addressed
• I believe that the increase in large trucks will have a detrimental impact on the state of our local roads, increasing the cost to the two LGAs through which the sand mining trucks travel before they reach the major highway.
• I believe the increase in large trucks will be detrimental to the safety of other road users, especially the vulnerable users such as cyclists and pedestrians.
• I believe the increase in sand mining noise will have a detrimental impact on the peace and wellbeing of the neighbouring residents.

Yours sincerely,
Barbara Khalifa,
Neighbour to the sand mine
Berry

Please refer attached letter

As a resident of Gerringong who lives in Fern Street I am concerned about the increase in large trucks coming through Fern Street and Belinda Street. I believe this is a safety issue due to the high level of pedestrian traffic along Fern Street and Belinda Street including young children (many on bikes and scooters), elderly people, dogs walkers and tourists. These large trucks have to pass through a 40klm pedestrian island, then the busiest round about in town, down pass an Aged Care Facility/Retirement Village and a school zone before having to negotiate a low level railway bridge. I think there is potential for a serious incident.
These large trucks also travel through a high pedestrian area along Gerroa Road with the holiday park on both sides of the road and people accessing Seven Mile Beach. This is a very busy area especially in holiday time. Trucks also have to go over a narrow bridge at Crooked River which carries a lot of local and tourist traffic - it can become quite congested at holiday time.
I also have concerns about the increase noise levels and damage to local roads and infrastructure which as a rate payer we cover the cost.

I object to the Gerroa Quarry - Gerroa Sand Production Increase (MOD2) application because I believe that it will have an undesirable impact on road safety, road dilapidation, the amenity of local residents and have long-term environmental consequences.

The documentation that I have seen regarding the proposed modification states that a 50% increase to the maximum rate of road transportation of sand from the site is desired. They state the desired increase to be from 80,000 tpa to 120,000 tpa. However, based upon the information known by the project's Community Consultative Committee, there has never been 80,000 tpa transported from the site, but instead only an average of 56,000 tpa. So in reality it is more like a 100% increase being sought, which will have a far greater impact on the adjacent residents who have never experienced such intensity of trucking.

Even if the same frequency of trucks is achieved as suggested in the application, those trucks will have to be double the length. Their transit will be noisier and more disturbing for everyone who lives along their route, and they will pose a greater risk to other road users, which is of great significance in the busier times of year when large numbers of motorists and pedestrians frequent the Beach Road, Crooked River Road, Fern Street and Belinda Street route.

It is unclear whether any arrangements have been made to rectify road dilapidation should the modification be improved, but this will certainly increase with increased load size and frequency of trucking movements, and the quarry must take its share of responsibility in damage rectification.

My other concern is that the quarry has requested it keep the original end date for its operations, even if it exhausts the sand supply earlier. This should not be granted but instead the end date should be closely tied with the exhaustion of sand deposits in the currently approved mining area. There are multiple influences on the surrounding ecology that have been managed carefully to date, with the effect that adjacent areas have not been approved for sand mining. These adjacent places are highly environmentally sensitive with several endangered species dependent upon the maintained integrity of these lands. Any further changes to groundwater or habitat outside of the currently approved boundaries will contribute towards continued downturn of the seaward Seven Mile Beach National Park's ecosystem and should not be allowed.

The probable reason that the original end date is sought for retention, is the likelihood that there are already plans to expand the quarry footprint once the increased rate of trucking from the site has exhausted the sand before that date. Further expansion should not be tolerated. There is a multiplicity of environmental arguments against further expansion that have been lodged throughout the quarry's recent history and they should not be ignored.

Thank you for your consideration of these comments.

Yours sincerely,

I oppose the expansion of the CB sand mining.
Cleary Brother’s new owner is not bringing anything good to our community. On the contrary: noise; damage; and danger are what Geroa and Gerringong are getting.
A fifty percent increase in sand extraction means fifty percent more huge trucks going up and down our streets.
I do not support the expansion

Im writing this with my concerns for the upcoming issues with the trucks coming through Belinda street to the sand quarry in gerroa. Im a resident of belinda st, and its a beautiful quiet street and the fact that the trucks will be running through here possibly every13 minutes is actually a huge concern!
We have an amazing small community and to run that amount of trucks through our village would be nothing short of a disaster.
Small children, along with elderly all use this road to get about there daily living.
The way this would impact the infrastructure of these roads is diabolical. We understand things can be done safely and with residents well being in mind.
Thank you for your time.

Dear Mr Dumpleton,
Please accept a small part of GEPS Submission at this stage as due to very tight time constraints including the usual person Howard H Jones who plays a major role in GEPS submissions is currently overseas and returns home on 10/11/25. Within a short period of time Howard will complete our submission and send it out to our small membership for approval and once given we will submit it. I suggest will take around 1 week to complete our submission to this portal.

See below what GEPS has submitted so far to start the process
Best Regards Warren Holder President of GEPS

Submission so far
Using 22t load carrying trucks which CB have been used for a significant time to achieve up to 80,000t per annum seems to be a reasonable compromise on truck weight vs number of truck. It has served the previous owners and in fact the community well. This is GEPS preference as roads it seems have coped with this load over a reasonable period of time. Bear in mind the road base is different in some locations of only fine grain sand in the very south to a rich high quality basalt soil with a significant clay content north of the bridge over the Crooked River. Add to that we must expect way more extreme weather events like flooded roads due to climate change we feel the need state we believe 32t and 42t truck are way too big and heavy on our current roads.
That being the case GEPS wished to do some modelling to compare the effect on the traffic with the local area.

Modelling 1
Note using 22t trucks to achieve 120,000 tonnes per annum. In this case I agree with CB modelling that it would take 19 loaded trips out or the quarry (also 19 return trips)
For 22t trucks only, 19 trips out, 6 days/week, 48 weeks/ year to achieve 120,000tpa
The Maths: 22t trucks x 19 loads x 6 days x 48 weeks = 120,384tpa

Next to truck movements through Gerringong every minute
Here we use movement of loaded trucks said by CB 19 out and 19 empty truck to quarry @ 19 x 2 = 38. On a 11 hour day (7am- 6pm) 11hrs x 60 = 660 minutes
The Maths: 660 minutes/ 38 movements = every 17.37 minutes. As it’s not likely CB might wish to use a 6 days/ week over 48 weeks of the year. For the purpose of another scenario let’s look a 9 day fortnight = 4.5 times a week.
The Maths: 4.5/ 6 equals 0.75 therefore 17.37 minutes x 0.75
= truck movements through Gerringong are on average every 13.02 minutes
It must be noted that in the past and even currently some days truck movements are higher and lower than others so we believe 13 minutes is a reasonable calculation.
——————————————————————————————————————
Modelling 2
Using CB suggested larger trucks ie 32t and 42t CB average it to be 35t.
As in modelling 1 : To reach 120,000t there needs to be 12 loads out plus 12 returns = 24 trips on average per day
The maths: for 35t truck x 12 loads out x 6 days x 48 weeks equal 120,960t

Next to truck movements through Gerringong every minute
12 loaded trucks out and 12 empty truck to quarry @ 12 x 2 = 24 On a 11 hour day (7am- 6pm) 11hrs x 60 = 660 minutes
The Maths: 660 minutes/ 24 movements = every 27.5 minutes. If CB wished to use 6days/ week. As in Modelling 1 on a 9 day fortnight therefore 4.5 times a week.
The Maths: 4.5/ 6 equals 0.75 therefore 27.5 minutes x 0.75
= truck movements through Gerringong are on average every 20.63 minutes

On considering all factors (environment, traffic,safety, amenity,employment,demand,etc) a court has restricted extraction to 80,000 tonnes of sand.
What has changed to make this situation so different?
It seems to me that a number of factors have changed to suggest a decrease in the extraction rate would be more appropriate. Increased environmental damage to forest, habitat and atmosphere. Increased traffic through more densely populated area and school zone increasing road damage decreasing safety and amenity.

Gerroa
6/11/25

Dear Mr Dumpleton
Re: Objection to Proposed Increase in Annual Transport Limit at the Gerroa Quarry from 80,000 tpa to 120,000 tpa (MP05_0099-Mod2)

I am writing to express my strong objection to the proposal to increase the annual sand mining and transport at the Gerroa Quarry from 80,000 tonnes per annum to 120,000 tonnes per annum as part of modification MP05_0099-Mod2 through the townships of Gerroa and Gerringong.
My objections are made on the basis of several inter-related concerns regarding road infrastructure damage, noise and traffic impacts, safety issues for our local community, and the cumulative adverse effect on the amenity and liveability of Gerroa and Gerringong. I will detail these below.
1. Road damage and infrastructure deterioration
With the proposed increase in annual transport by 40,000 tonnes which is representing a 50 percentage increase, the number of heavy truck movements along roads serving the sand quarry will inevitably increase. It is clear that such an increase could come via either a greater number of standard trucks weighing 25t with a caring capacity of 22t or significantly larger truck of 32t and 42t carrying capacity. It’s very important to know as truck weight increases does the damage to roads exponentially.
Specifically:
● Roads such as Belinda Street from Fern Street to the highway at Gerringong Station, Crooked River Road and Fern Street are already under pressure.
● More heavy-vehicle axle loads accelerate pavement fatigue, increase maintenance costs borne by rate-payers, worsen potholes and degraded surface conditions.
● If trucks are heavier than a maximum of 22t up to 32-42t as identified greatly the impact on roads. In short the existing infrastructure is likely to become significantly more damaged, which will lead to significant increased cost, disruption and hazard for everyday road users.

2. Noise pollution and traffic impacts
The increased transport tonnage inevitably means more truck movements and/or heavier trucks. This has direct implications for noise and traffic congestion:
● I acknowledges that both an increased number of trucks or larger trucks will cause “increased wear and tear, increased noise either from increased number of trucks or louder noises from bigger trucks.”
The roads noted pass through built-up areas in Gerroa and Gerringong. The introduction of more frequent heavy-vehicle traffic in these areas will reduce the quality of life for residents who currently enjoy a quieter residential environment. Most of which came to this very location to avoid traffic congestion and noise.
● Increased noise. A significant number of people in this area are retired and being woken by trucks noise at 7am could easily disturb sleep, reduce amenity, and contribute to stress and health issues within these two communities.

3. Safety and liveability concerns for the town of Gerringong
Gerringong is a relatively small town located about ten minutes south of Kiama. Gerroa is actually a small village some 4km south of Gerringong both within the Municipality of Kiama. The town’s road network and community infrastructure are not designed to absorb substantial increases in heavy vehicle traffic without consequences:
● Heavy trucks mixed with passenger vehicles in residential areas, pedestrian zones and near schools which don’t have ANY pedestrian crossings along the route raises safety risks for example: increased collision risk, poor visibility in a significant number of areas, hilly roads in a notoriously very windy area all add up to residents concerns.
● Road damage from heavy trucks must surely lead to unexpected hazards such as potholes and uneven surfaces which increase the likelihood of accidents for both vehicles and cyclists of all types.
● Increased traffic in residential streets may discourage walking, cycling and community use of public space, reducing the liveability of Gerringong and Gerroa for residents and visitors alike.

4. Broader amenity and cumulative impact
Beyond the immediate concerns of roads, noise and safety, the cumulative effect of the transport trucks increase threatens the amenity of the region which many of us value: The coastal and semi-rural character of the Gerringong-Gerroa area is one of the major attractions for residents, visitors and local businesses. The increase in heavy transport flows undermines this character and may impact tourism, property values and local community well-being.
Previous commentary on sand-mining expansion at Gerroa highlights significant
environmental and community concerns in the region.
The Planning Portal notes this is a “State Significant Development – Modification” which suggests a higher threshold of impact and community interest.

5. Request for conditions or refusal
Given the substantial size of the proposed increase and the scale of its potential impacts, I respectfully request that the NSW Department or Planning consider the following:
● Refusal of the increase in sand production and thus truck movements to what was considered long ago to be fair and reasonable by the 2007 LEC case which was 9 days long with a significant time before all things were considered returning amongst other things a maximum of 80,000tpa.
● Use of smaller trucks i.e limiting truck size/axle load to reduce wear and noise.
A road-maintenance contribution arrangement, financially supporting upgrades and
ongoing maintenance of impacted roads.

In conclusion, I submit that the proposed increase from 80,000 tpa to 120,000 tpa represents a step-change in transport impact for the Gerringong-Gerroa region and that the risks to road infrastructure, residential amenity, noise/traffic/safety and community well-being are significant and thus should not occur.
Thank you for your attention to my concerns. I trust that the assessment body will give full weight to community voices in the assessment of this modification and act in the best interests of local residents.
Please note I respectfully request that since my submission is still at this stage incomplete that I will be allowed to add more information over the coming week.
Yours Sincerely
Warren Holder

As a resident of Fern St, which will be used as part of the main route taken by the sand transport trucks, I am concerned with some aspects of this project. These are the impact this project will have on the road itself with wear and tear, the safety of our young boy and local residents in general, the increased noise level and finally the impact to traffic overall to our small town.
Please consider our concerns when reviewing the Cleary Bros application.

To the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
I am objecting to Modification MP05_0099 (Mod 1) for the Gerroa Sand Quarry. Before providing further detail, the key reasons for my objection are listed below.

Key Issues
• Road safety risks increase with additional and heavier trucks
• Traffic congestion will become worse for local residents and visitors
• Greater road damage without guaranteed funding from the operator
• Increased noise will affect coastal liveability and tourism appeal
• Environmental impacts including dust, pollution and harm to local habitats
• No real community benefit from this modification

The proposal seeks to increase transported sand from 80,000 tonnes to 120,000 tonnes each year. This will push more heavy vehicles through residential and pedestrian areas that are already under pressure. Children, older residents and tourists regularly move through these streets, which creates a serious safety concern with higher heavy vehicle activity.
Traffic delays are already experienced at important intersections and turning points. More trucks will reduce the efficiency of daily travel and could restrict the movement of emergency services when every second matters.
The community may also be left with the financial burden of road repairs. Extra weight and more vehicle movements will accelerate road damage. Without clear responsibility placed on Cleary Bros to cover those costs, local ratepayers are put at risk of having to fund expensive maintenance work.
Noise is another concern. The increased industrial activity will disturb the peaceful environment that people who live here and those who visit come to enjoy. This affects quality of life and threatens the local economy which relies heavily on tourism.
There are also environmental impacts to consider. Extra truck activity means more emissions, more fuel burn and more dust escaping during transportation. All of this harms air quality and can disrupt wildlife in the surrounding coastal landscape.
This modification delivers clear commercial benefits to the operator, yet places the negative impacts directly on the community and the environment. It does not represent responsible planning or sustainable development.
I strongly urge the Department to refuse Modification MP05_0099 (Mod 1) in order to protect community safety, environmental values and the character of this region.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Jack Rose

To the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,
I am writing to object to the proposed modification to Project Approval MP05_0099 (Mod 1) for the Gerroa Sand Quarry, which seeks to increase the maximum rate of road transportation by 50% from 80,000 tonnes per annum to 120,000 tonnes per annum.
While the proposal may support increased commercial output, the broader impact on the surrounding community and environment has not been adequately justified. The modification would significantly increase heavy vehicle movement through already pressured local road networks and residential areas.
Below are my key concerns:
1. Road Safety Risks
• A 50% increase in transported material would translate to either more truck movements or heavier vehicles (32–42 tonne trucks), or both.
• These trucks travel close to schools, pedestrian areas, tourist sites, and residential streets - particularly along Belinda Street, Fern Street, and Crooked River Road.
• Increased heavy vehicle traffic raises the risk of collisions and endangers pedestrians, cyclists, and local families.
2. Damage to Local Roads and Public Cost
• Larger and more frequent trucks cause accelerated road wear.
• The proposal does not address who will fund the necessary repairs - potentially placing an unfair financial burden on Kiama Municipal Council and local ratepayers.
• The current road infrastructure is not designed for this scale of heavy vehicle operation.
3. Traffic Congestion in Built-Up Areas
• 70% of truck movements will head north through Gerringong, joining the Princes Highway via key residential and commercial roads.
• Increased congestion will significantly impact everyday road users, emergency services, and tourism-based businesses.
• Intersections and roundabouts along these routes already experience bottlenecks.
4. Noise Pollution
• More and/or larger trucks will result in elevated noise, especially during early mornings and late afternoons.
• This will adversely affect local residents’ wellbeing and reduce liveability in what is primarily a quiet coastal community.
5. Insufficient Consideration of Broader Community Impact
• Gerroa and Gerringong are growing towns with increasing family populations and tourism reliance.
• The modification appears to prioritise private commercial gain over the protection of community amenity and the character of the area.
I ask that the Department:
- Require a comprehensive independent traffic and road safety assessment
- Examine noise and residential impact data beyond the quarry boundary
- Ensure that the costs and burden of road maintenance are not shifted to local communities
- Consider alternative transport methods or capped movement schedules
- Reject the modification unless clear evidence demonstrates no net increase in harm or cost to the local community
The proposed 50% increase in transportation is not in the best interests of the community, nor is it aligned with safe and sustainable transport planning. I strongly urge the Department to refuse this modification.
Thank you for considering my submission.
Sincerely,
Nicci Holder

To the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,
I wish to submit my objection to the proposed Modification MP05_0099 (Mod 1) for the Gerroa Sand Quarry, which would increase annual transported sand from 80,000 tonnes to 120,000 tonnes. This modification would result in a major increase in heavy vehicle movements through our local area and I believe it poses unacceptable community impacts.
My primary concerns are focused on road safety and pedestrian risk. More or larger trucks travelling along Belinda Street, Fern Street and Crooked River Road will significantly increase danger near homes, businesses and areas where both children and tourists move frequently. These roads are not designed for such high-volume industrial truck traffic.
Congestion issues will also worsen. Key intersections and roundabouts already experience bottlenecks, and additional heavy haulage will slow traffic flow during school pick-up and drop-off times, weekend tourism periods and commuter peaks. This will negatively affect local residents, emergency services and visitors.
There is also a substantial concern around road damage. Heavier loads and increased truck volume will accelerate wear and tear on Council-managed roads. The proposal does not make clear who will be financially responsible for necessary upgrades and maintenance — the community must not be left to cover these costs.
Increased truck noise and disruption will reduce the current coastal lifestyle that Gerroa and Gerringong communities value. Added industrial activity conflicts with the needs of a growing residential and tourism-based area and may impact our local economy and town character.
Before any approval is considered, there must be an independent assessment of traffic and road safety impacts, clear accountability for repair and maintenance costs related to quarry haulage, and thorough consultation with affected residents and businesses. Without these essential protections, the modification should not proceed.
This modification places commercial benefit above the safety, wellbeing and liveability of the surrounding community, and therefore I strongly request that Modification MP05_0099 (Mod 1) be refused.
Thank you for your consideration of this objection.
Andrew McCulloch

To the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,
I am formally objecting to Modification MP05_0099 (Mod 1) for the Gerroa Sand Quarry, which proposes a significant increase in transported sand from 80,000 tonnes to 120,000 tonnes per year. The consequences of this change for the surrounding community are severe, and the proposal fails to demonstrate that these impacts can be safely or responsibly managed.
This modification would substantially increase the number and size of quarry trucks travelling through Gerringong and Gerroa. These heavy vehicles would continue to use residential, and tourist focused roads that were never designed for this level of industrial haulage. The increased risk to road users is unacceptable, especially considering the high pedestrian activity around homes, businesses and public transport access points. The safety of residents, school students and visitors must come before increased quarry output.
The documentation does not clearly assess the full traffic implications. Key intersections already experience delays, and adding more slow-moving trucks will further restrict access for emergency services and essential daily travel. This proposal knowingly increases the likelihood of accidents and congestion in an area experiencing population growth and strong tourism demand.
There is also a major concern that the community will carry the financial burden of this modification. More frequent and heavier trucks will dramatically escalate road deterioration. The proposal does not guarantee that Cleary Bros will cover these increased maintenance costs, meaning local ratepayers may be forced to fund repairs required because of quarry expansion.
Furthermore, the additional industrial noise will significantly reduce residential amenity and threaten the coastal village character that is vital to both community wellbeing and the local tourism economy. The proponent has not demonstrated that these noise impacts can be kept within acceptable limits.
Summary of Key Concerns
• Increased truck movements place the safety of road users and pedestrians at higher risk
• Traffic delays and congestion will worsen at already strained intersections and pinch points
• Local ratepayers may unfairly shoulder the cost of road repairs and increased maintenance
• Industrial noise will negatively affect residential amenity and community wellbeing
• The modification threatens the coastal character and tourism driven economy of the area
This modification offers no meaningful benefit to the residents of Gerroa and Gerringong. It prioritises commercial gain while shifting environmental, health and financial risks onto the public. Until comprehensive and independently reviewed evidence can prove no increased harm to community safety, amenity and infrastructure, this proposal must not be approved.
Thank you for considering this submission.
Jessica Holder