Hillview Hard Rock Quarry Project

Subject: Objection to the Proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry

I am writing to express my strong objection to the proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry. As a newly licensed driver and a young member of this community, I feel both concerned and disheartened that such a dangerous and disruptive project is being considered.

Getting my driver’s licence should be a time of excitement and freedom, but instead, it has filled me with anxiety. The state of the Bucketts Way — already severely degraded — makes every trip feel unsafe. The idea of adding more heavy quarry trucks to this road is honestly frightening. My grandparents have even stopped visiting us because they're too scared to drive on it. That should say something.

Every day, school buses transport children along the Bucketts Way. The road is already dangerous enough, with deep potholes and poor maintenance. Even newly reconstructed sections of road are failing and have required deep heavy patching in the last month. Introducing frequent heavy vehicle traffic in the order of an additional 272 truck movements per day will make it far worse. I’m terrified that it will take a serious accident or a fatality for someone to take these concerns seriously. This is not an exaggeration — lives, especially young lives, are at risk.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) lodged with the proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry application contains flawed data in relation to the volume of traffic on Bucketts Way. The traffic sample relied upon was taken on a Monday, at a time when Covid was taking hold, and that the area has changed significantly since the sample was taken five years ago. The EIS is a very flawed document utilising old data that is not current.

It’s not just safety that worries me. I know people in our community who suffer from allergies to dust and diesel fumes, and a quarry will seriously affect their health. My family moved here specifically to escape the pollution of the city and enjoy the peace, beauty, and clean air of a rural environment. A quarry completely undermines the very reason people choose to live in places like this.

Neighbouring properties will be impacted by noise pollution Monday - Saturday from 6am to 10pm and will not be compensated. Haulage from 7am until 6pm is excessive. As is blasting from 9am until 4pm. My family moved to this beautiful agricultural and bushland environment to live in peace with the environment, not to be impacted from quarries both south (Deep Creek Quarry) and north (proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry) of our property. The cumulative impacts of two quarries so close in location have not been adequately addressed in the EIS. This is a serious issue and must be considered in the assessment process.

There are also serious environmental consequences. This quarry would destroy habitats of endangered species and disrupt natural ecosystems. Watercourses affected by the quarry flow directly into Karuah National Park, a protected area that should not be exposed to industrial contamination. The proposed quarry is close to the Karuah Nature Reserve and also is within a mapped fauna corridor on Midcoast Council’s mapping system which is essential for the movement of threatened and endangered wildlife. The koala that was recorded during the ecological survey was located in the mapped fauna corridor. The koala is an iconic Australian marsupial that is endangered. The footprint of the proposed quarry should be reduced significantly so that no trees are removed to further endanger the koala. The area of the proposed quarry needs to be minimised so that it does not encroach on the mapped fauna corridor. We regularly see koalas on our property and we want this to continue in the future and not change because of this proposed quarry.

Like most homes in the area, we rely on rainwater collected from our roof for all of our water needs. There are no town water services. Dust, diesel, and other pollutants from the quarry will directly affect our drinking water. Contamination of all surrounding homes on their tank water by silica dust settling on our rooves is not acceptable. How can anyone live here if the air is polluted and the water is unsafe? What are the long term implications on the local residents health? Please have the developer address this in the EIS.

This proposal is not just irresponsible — it is dangerous, short-sighted, and unnecessary. It puts community health, children’s safety, native wildlife, and the environment at risk, all for the short-term financial gain of a private company.

Please, for the sake of current and future residents, do not allow the Proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry to go ahead.

Sincerely
Resident, Driver and Student

Strong Objection to the Proposed Quarry

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry development. As a local resident and parent, I am deeply concerned about the potential impact this project would have on the safety, health, and wellbeing of our young family and community.

First and foremost, the state of the Bucketts Way is already critically dangerous. It is covered with potholes and is deteriorating fast. Even newly reconstructed sections of road are failing and have required deep heavy patching in the last month. Increasing heavy vehicle traffic on this already fragile road will put countless lives at further risk. The EIS states the "Project would
also be subject of heavy vehicle road use contributions that can be applied to managing effects on The Bucketts Way
in particular" and "The most apparent of these are road haulage contributions to MidCoast Council and Port Stephens Council with respect to the use of The Bucketts Way by quarry trucks." There is no guarantee that these developer contributions will directly benefit impacted area of The Bucketts Way as there is no legislation that dictates that MidCoast Council and Port Stephens Council are required to spend the developer contributions on managing effects on The Bucketts Way in particular. This information is misleading to the community and needs to be addressed. These statements deceive the community into thinking that the damage that 272 truck movements / day will be compensated for by the quarry - this is not the case. These trucks will damage the road faster than Council can fix the road. Both MidCoast Council and Port Stephens Council are struggling to maintain their road networks with the budgets they have and do not need additional vehicle movements to further degrade already disintegrating infrastructure. The developer needs to come clean and present factual information. Please have the EIS amended accordingly.

The EIS states "Federal funding has also been provided for the upgrading of The Bucketts Way, to the value of $25 million. The
funding will cover upgrades of The Bucketts Way to prioritise sections of the route that have been identified in The
Bucketts Way Route Access Strategy Upgrade Program, with upgrades to include reconstruction, widening and
resealing." This funding has now been expended. There are no further upgrades proposed on The Bucketts Way between Maytoms Lane and the Pacific Highway in the foreseeable future apart the one that is currently taking place. Again, this misinformation needs to be ammended in a revised EIS.

Every morning and afternoon, my children travel this route by school bus, as do many other students and public service vehicles. I also drive this road daily for work and local errands. It is not uncommon to see cars veering into oncoming lanes just to avoid major potholes. Adding any quarry trucks, let alone an additional 272 truck movements / day to this mix is a recipe for tragedy.

The biggest wait and buildup of traffic occurs when turning right onto the Pacific Highway off Bucketts Way, (particularly) during peak hours during the morning. During school and public holidays, traffic can be backed up two kilometres at the intersection waiting to turn right. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) lodged with the Hillview Quarry application contains flawed data in relation to the volume of traffic on Bucketts Way. The traffic sample relied upon was taken on a Monday, at a time when Covid was taking hold, and that the area has changed significantly since the sample was taken five years ago. The EIS is a very flawed document utilising old data that is not current. The project has used flawed data to make flawed statements supporting the project. It does not make sense that this would be approved in its current form.

There are risks associated with turning right from Bucketts Way. Regularly my family have witnessed traffic accidents at this intersection. I do not want anyone in my family or community to become a fatality statistic due to the developer's greed in not upgrading this extremely dangerous intersection to an overpass. The development should be responsible in funding in its entirety an overpass lane on to the Pacific Highway. Gloucester District NOTA reported on 8 January 2025 that motorists travelling south from Gloucester will, for the foreseeable future at least, continue experiencing the often-long delays, and significant risks associated with turning right from Bucketts Way onto the Pacific Highway, with no plans for an overpass.

Secondly, like many residents in the area, my family relies on rainwater collection for our drinking water. The dust and airborne pollutants from quarry operations pose a direct risk of contamination to our water supply — a basic necessity that rural families like mine cannot take for granted. This would not only threaten our health but infringe on our right to clean, safe drinking water. Contamination of all surrounding homes on their tank water by silica dust settling on our rooves is not acceptable. Future litigation could result against the developer due to health complications caused by silica dust. I do not want my family, community or myself to be impacted by the crystalline silica dust exposure that comes from blasting at the quarry and also affects road users that travel behind the trucks on The Bucketts Way.

Thirdly, the hours of operation are ridiculous in a rural environment. We will be impacted by noise pollution Monday - Saturday from 6am to 10pm. Haulage from 7am until 6pm is excessive. As is blasting from 9am until 4pm. We moved to this beautiful agricultural and bushland environment to bring up our family in peace, not to be inundated from quarries both south (Deep Creek Quarry) and north from our property. The cumulative impacts of two quarries so close in location have not been adequately addressed in the EIS.

Beyond personal impacts, the environmental consequences are deeply concerning. The proposed quarry would:
Disrupt and possibly destroy habitats of vulnerable or endangered wildlife. The endangered koala has been found on the quarry site, this in itself should prevent such a development. We regularly see koalas on our property and do not want this population decimated by the destruction of trees fair the quarry and access road. The proposed quarry is close to a parcel of the Karuah Nature Reserve and also is within a mapped fauna corridor on Midcoast Council’s mapping system which is essential for the movement of threatened and endangered wildlife. The koala that was recorded during the survey was located in the mapped fauna corridor. The koala is an iconic Australian mammal that is endangered. The footprint of the proposed quarry should be reduced significantly so that no trees are removed to further endanger the koala. The area of the proposed quarry needs to be minimised so that it does not encroach on the mapped fauna corridor.

Tetratheca juncea was not surveyed in September as well as October. Our property that is close by has Tetratheca juncea present and it is usually found flowering in September more so than October. I request that a study be done in September for this vulnerable species.

The vulnerable Glossy Black-Cockatoo was not surveyed between January and September as recommended. Again, we see this species almost daily on our nearby property. I request that a study be done in the recommended period for this vulnerable species.

The proposed quarry would also:
Increase the risk of harmful pollutants entering local waterways

Contribute to long-term air and soil degradation

Devalue the natural landscape and peaceful character of our rural community resulting in property devaluation. We are zoned RU2 Rural Landscape Zoning as is the property where the quarry is proposed. The proposed Hard Rock Quarry seeks to extract 1.5 million tonnes of extractive materials per year, and a total resource amount of 45 million tonnes. I can not understand how such a massive development can be permissible and achieve the objectives of the zone.

The Objectives of the RU2 Rural Landscape zone are:
• To encourage sustainable primary industry production by maintaining and enhancing the natural resource base.
• To maintain the rural landscape character of the land.
• To provide for a range of compatible land uses, including extensive agriculture.
• To provide for rural tourism in association with the primary industry capability of the land which is based on the rural attributes of the land.
• To secure a future for agriculture in the area by minimising the fragmentation of rural land and loss of potential agricultural productivity.

The EIS needs to be amended to show how each of the above objectives are met, because a quarry of this size does definitely not maintain the rural landscape character of the land.

While I acknowledge the need for materials that quarries provide, this location is wholly inappropriate. The risks far outweigh any potential benefit. There are safer, more suitable locations with less environmental and human cost.

I urge you to reject the Hillview Hard Rock Quarry proposal in the interest of public safety, environmental responsibility, and community wellbeing. If this project goes ahead, the consequences — including injury or loss of life on the Bucketts Way — will rest squarely on the shoulders of Hard Rock Quarry Pty Ltd and the decision-makers who approved it.

Please listen to the voices of the community you serve. Our safety, health, and future are not negotiable.

Yours Sincerely
Local Resident

I would like to submit an objection to the proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry at Maytoms Lane, Booral. I live on the Bucketts Way and travel regularly down to the Pacific Highway to head south. The road surface is in poor condition including potholes and disintegrating edges. As a motorbike rider who lives north of the proposed quarry, I am concerned about the impact of additional truck movements on the road surface, particularly over the significant distance from Maytoms Lane down to the Pacific Highway. The road surface just south of Maytoms Lane was renewed relatively recently and already the road surface is showing signs of wear and potholes emerging and this is without the additional truck movements.
As a motorbike rider, I am very conscious of the ability to be seen by other vehicles and I have concerns that the turning out of Maytoms Lane to head south on the Bucketts Way does not have good line of sight to vehicles approaching from the Pacific Highway and heading to Booral.
My other significant concern is the junction with the Pacific Highway when trying to turn right. The left turn lane onto the Bucketts Way when heading north on the Pacific Highway was changed about 4 years ago and this change was detrimental. The stop sign actually had to be moved because it blocked the line of sight and due to the widening of the lane and moving it out from the verge, when vehicles are turning left it is very difficult to see what is coming up the Pacific Highway when you are turning right. This is quite dangerous and also causes delays in people making the turn. If possible, I try to avoid that junction but that is not always possible and I am very concerned for safety of, not just motorbike riders, but all vehicles having to use that right turn when there are a lot of extra large and slow moving trucks trying to turn right and also blocking the view when turning left to come up the Bucketts Way.
I would like to ask that you consider the safety of the local residents, not just in the immediate vicinty of the proposed quarry but all the way along the Bucketts Way. This addititonal traffic is damaging to the local area and to everyone who lives here and I urge you to reject the proposed quarry.

To Whom It May Concern,

Re: Strong Objection to the Proposed Quarry

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry development. As a local resident, school teacher, and parent, I am deeply concerned about the potential impact this project would have on the safety, health, and wellbeing of our community.

First and foremost, the state of the Bucketts Way is already critically dangerous. It is one of the worst-maintained rural roads in the country, riddled with potholes — some nearly a metre wide — and deteriorating fast. Increasing heavy vehicle traffic on this already fragile road will put countless lives at further risk.

Every morning and afternoon, my children travel this route by school bus, as do many other students and public service vehicles. I also drive this road daily for work and local errands. It is not uncommon to see cars veering into oncoming lanes just to avoid major potholes. Adding any quarry trucks, let alone 272 truck movements to this mix is a recipe for tragedy.

Secondly, like many residents in the area, my family relies on rainwater collection for our drinking water. The dust and airborne pollutants from quarry operations pose a direct risk of contamination to our water supply — a basic necessity that rural families like mine cannot take for granted. This would not only threaten our health but infringe on our right to clean, safe drinking water.

Thirdly, the hours of operation are ridiculous in a rural environment. We will be impacted by noise pollution Monday - Saturday from 6am to 10pm. Haulage from 7am until 6pm is excessive. As is blasting from 9am until 4pm. We moved to this beautiful agricultural and bushland environment to bring up our family in peace, not to be inundated from quarries both south and north from our property.

Beyond personal impacts, the environmental consequences are deeply concerning. The proposed quarry would:

Disrupt and possibly destroy habitats of vulnerable or endangered wildlife. The threatened koala has been found on the quarry site, this in itself should prevent such a development. We regularly see koalas on our property and do not want this population decimated by the destruction of trees fair the quarry and access road. This property is adjacent to a parcel of the Karratha nature reserve and also is mapped as an essential wildlife corridor on Midcoast Council’s mapping.

Increase the risk of harmful pollutants entering local waterways

Contribute to long-term air and soil degradation

Devalue the natural landscape and peaceful character of our rural community

While I acknowledge the need for materials that quarries provide, this location is wholly inappropriate. The risks far outweigh any potential benefit. There are safer, more suitable locations with less environmental and human cost.

I urge you to reject the Hillview Hard Rock Quarry proposal in the interest of public safety, environmental responsibility, and community wellbeing. If this project goes ahead, the consequences — including injury or loss of life on the Bucketts Way — will rest squarely on the shoulders of Hard Rock Quarry Pty Ltd and the decision-makers who approved it.

Please listen to the voices of the community you serve. Our safety, health, and future are not negotiable.

Sincerely,
Resident, Educator, and Parent

FROM PETER A SMITH
48 Rens Street
Dungog

RESPONSE TO THE HILLVIEW QUARRY EIS
1 Traffic Impact,
2 Blasting and Dust
3 Social and Economic Cost
4 Rehabilitation,


1 TRAFFIC
ISSUE: It appears that the EIS considers data from only one ’typical' weekday.
RESPONSE: there should not be any decisions made based on only one day’s worth of data. Given that haulage will be carries out 6 days a week 7am to 6pm, the data snapshot is just that - a snapshot. Utterly meaningless in isolation and well out of date. I have used the Bucketts/M1 intersection many, many times over decades. In any given weekday at any time the traffic and congestion varies widely on the MI and Bucketts Way and almost always involves a much longer queue time than indicated in the EIS.

ISSUE: The EIS is not sufficient forward looking in its estimates of the capacity of Bucketts Way and the MI turn off in particular.
RESPONSE: It does not seem to factor in
a) the Deep Creek Quarry increases in heavy traffic, Balickera Quarry increases in heavy traffic (344 movements p/diem,) and other quarry developments
b) projected growth in housing in towns 'upstream' including beyond Gloucester,
c) increasing cross valley traffic flows from growth in Dungog shire that also come via Clarencetown to use Bucketts Way northern turn to M!,
d) increasing regular and heavy traffic servicing the Pumped Hydro project
e) the turning lane strategy into and out of Maytoms Lane seem to be entirely inadequate and dangerous given the already hazardous history of Bucketts Way.


2 BLASTING AND DUST
ISSUE: This occurs 5 days a week 9am to 4pm. The EIS claims that dust and noise will be at a less than nuisance level. And that blasting timing will depend on meteorological conditions.
RESPONSE: pulverised rock dust mixed with chemical residues in hot dry conditions can stay suspended for very long periods. Thus local changes in wind direction will be impossible to predict with accuracy. Also the residues can settle on vegetation in low wind conditions and then be picked up and relocated by changing winds. The stated Management Strategy says: "• An Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) is to be prepared to ensure effective management and measurement of particulate emissions. Dust monitoring near impacted sensitive receptors’.
It is too late when safe levels are exceeded as measured by a monitor. What will be the Quarry response to the community or EPA if particulate less are exceeded?



3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
ISSUE: QUOTE FOM EIS” If the effects of the additional use relating to the quarry can be managed, it is possible that, on balance, the overall social effects of the development would be positive. From the State’s perspective, in aggregate terms, beneficial outcomes are unlikely to be material in terms of their scale. However, they do represent additional direct industrial activity and stimulus for the commercial activity required to support it. This is also the case for additional employment, with its beneficial socioeconomic onflows.”
RESPONSE: the EIS is also warning that the benefits are only' so-so’ if it all goes through. So why add all this risk and damage for only up to 30 jobs that could be also gained in other quarry sites already in action if more rhyolite/basalt is needed?

4 REHABILITATION
ISSUE: QUOTE FOM EIS "The primary rehabilitation goal is to create a safe, stable and non-polluting post extraction landform that facilitates the achievement of the identified post mining land uses and is commensurate with site constraints. Preliminary final land use domains have been defined as land management units characterised by similar post mining land use objectives.'
RESPONSE: This utterly generic, non-specific, non-committal paragraph, and the ones following it are entirely meaningless. Sadly, the history of mine site rehabilitation is a bleak and depressing one. Statements like this in an EIS show that there has been ZERO real though, planning and costing given to anything beyond the 30 years window. 'Take the profit and run' is the only message a reader can take from this EIS.
Until a proper costed and visualised plan (with eg with % profits to an independent separate audited rehab trust). The DPI is tasked with policing the Mining Rehabilitation laws as they stand and despite 95% of mines forwarding in progress reports to the DPI declaring at 35% of disturbed land is being rehabilitated there is no audit on what is ‘disturbed land’ and whether the rehab is suitable and whether the mine is able to pay for suitable rehab etc.
Thus, the credibility of the Rehabilitation plan is meaningless.

Please see submission attached

Please find my submission attached for review.

Please find attached my submission for consideration.

Please find attached my initial submission. Due to the catastrophic impact this development will have on every aspect of my life, I reserve the right to supplement my submission within the next few weeks as I review the documentation again.

I would like to lodge a strong objection to the proposed Hillview Hard Rock Quarry project at Maytoms Lane, Booral. I have three main concerns:
1. The existing condition of the Bucketts Way is already very poor and resurfacing of roads does not survive the increased amount of traffic on the Bucketts Way in the past 5 to 10 years and the large amount of rain that we experience in the area. To add an additional total of 276 truck and dog movements per day on an already compromised road surface is going to make the road surface extremely dangerous and also be an additional cost to locals and tourists to replace wheels and tyres. There have been dozens of incidents in the last year of people puncturing tyres, damaging wheel rims and damaging suspension due to hitting a pothole. There are no escape routes when you come across a large pothole and a vehicle is coming the other way, even at speeds well below the speed limit.
2. Turning right at the junction of the Bucketts Way and the Pacific Highway is already hazardous since the change to the left turn lane from the Pacific Highway to the Bucketts Way. The supposed upgrade moved the left turning lane so that it now blocks your view to the right while a vehicle is in that left turning lane so it is not safe to cross. With the addition of large trucks turning left, this is going to become even more hazardous and will cause backlogs and lead to the potential for accidents at the junction. It is going to be difficult for fully laden trucks turning right onto the Pacific Highway have to get across two lanes of high speed traffic travelling at 100km+ an hour and this is likely to lead to tailbacks on the Bucketts Way, especially during peak hour when people are trying to get to work. It is also incredibly busy during holiday periods and weekends and this will cause further delays and increase risks to locals and holidaymakers.
3. The traffic management plan (Appendix L) states that with the existing proposed Deep Creek quarry and the addition of the Hillview quarry that the junction will be at operational capacity. Any further increase in traffic will potentially take the junction beyond capacity in a very short timeframe and there are no current plans for upgrades at that junction to allow for safe and timely turning from the junction. Also the road systems are not currently capable of supporting heavy truck movements between the proposed quarry site and the Pacific Highway and also north of the proposed quarry site. The impact on all of the local communities along the Bucketts Way will be huge. It is unacceptable to locate a quarry on such poorly set up road systems, which are not fit to handle this type of traffic.
I urge you to not proceed with the approval of this quarry given the dangers, costs, time impacts, social impacts and stress for both locals and visitors.

I would like to lodge a strong objection to the proposed quarry at Maytoms Lane in Booral. I live on the Bucketts Way and the road is already of concern without the addition of 276 new truck journeys each day. The road surface is already terrible with large and dangerous potholes. I have personally experienced two burst tyres and a damaged wheel rim from the already dodgy surface and I think that there are going to be a large increase in issues for all of use who live in communities and on farms along the Bucketts Way. It is already quite dangerous driving on such a poor surface.

Another major concern is the junction with the Pacific Highway when you have to turn right. This is already a challenging junction with cars and trucks travelling at speed from the south plus having to keep an eye out that no-one is turning left into the Bucketts Way from the north. The turning lane to turn left onto the Bucketts Way is positioned in such a way that when a vehicle is turning off of it, your line of sight to the cars travelling on the Pacific Highway is blocked. This is going to become a huge risk when there are multiple trucks turning left up the Bucketts Way heading to the Hillview Hardrock quarry and also the Deep Creek quarry when it opens. It is hard enough to see past a ute or four wheel drive never minda truck. It will result in backlogs to turn right out of the Bucketts Way on what is becoming a road that has gotten increasingly busier over the years. During holiday periods there are huge tailbacks on the Bucketts Way trying to get out onto the highway and I anticipate that this is what will happen regularly with huge trucks trying to turn across two busy lanes of a highway.
There have also been several accidents on the Bucketts Way itself in the past couple of years and I am concerned about emergency vehicles being able to access accident sites, but very importantly, being able to get people to hospital. This is not only an issue for accidents but also for the Stroud ambulance service getting emergency cases to hospital quickly.
I ask that you do not approve this project. It will make life miserable for all of us who have lived on the Bucketts Way all our lives.

The proposed development will if approved at this time will have a significant negative impact on the road network. Upgrade works are required at the intersection of The Bucketts Way / Pacific Hwy. I have attached a report which details specific concerns with regard to the Traffic and Parking Impact Assessment Report provided in support of the Hard Rock Quarry development.

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission.
I would like to raise my concerns about the proposal of the increase of the heavy vehicles and the implications of the current capacity of the interchange at the Buckets way and the Pacific highway.
Exiting the highway whilst travelling North on to The Buckets way (TBW) has a number of challenges. The first is the short run off to bring a vehicle to make a 90 turn onto the TBW. You are also required to make a full stop, should a vehicle turn off traveling south.
Vehicles waiting to turn on the highway to turn south are sitting a right angles to the traffic leaving the highway. Making them potentially prone to being T-boned by large vehicles that coming of the highway at 100kms.
The ramp is equally short and heavy trucks to get up to 100km is a big ask.
During school holidays the queue to get onto the highway can get very long with caravans turning onto the highway and also increased volume on the highway.
I apologise for the lack of technical terms in my submission, i'm writing as a public road user and my laymen descriptions my be hard to understand.
I request a planner from NSW Government attend the intersection of The Buckets way and Pacific Highway to see the capacity challenge it will be to increase the Volume of large Trucks proposed.

Please refer to my attached submission.

Please refer to the attached submission.

Objection to Grant of Consent-Hillview Hard Rock Quarry
Application Number: SSD-70557215
Address: 67 Maytoms Lane, Booral NSW


The proposed Hillview quarry should not be approved.
The Bucketts Way is not capable in its current configuration of accommodating the additional trucks when added to the increase in truck movements from the recently approved Deep Creek quarry. The design and configuration of the road does not meet the required Austroad standards for its class of usage as:
(a) it does not have sufficiently wide shoulders or pavement conditions to permit safe use in most sections of the road between Stroud and the Pacific Highway; Even new transport vehicles can break down or get flat tyres and when this inevitably happens, it creates a major safety risk unless the vehicle can move off the driving lanes particularly on a hilly road like the Bucketts Way;
(b) Much of the road has narrow gaps between the road surface and the trees, with steep verges, and these areas require the installation of guardrails; and
(c) the intersection of Maytoms lane and the Bucketts Way will be a dangerous location to have a large number of trucks entering the quarry and turning into Bucketts Way due to the lack of visibility for vehicles, particularly those heading south; the developer does not have access to the land required to undertake the construction of a proper interchange for the 250 to 300 vehicles entering and leaving the site each day and evening.
Further, the intersection of The Bucketts Way with the M1 Motorway does not safely accommodate existing traffic and the situation will only be worse when two new large quarries are established without a flyover for southbound traffic, a long deceleration and acceleration lane for Bucketts Way traffic turning left. It will be a shame if it takes more fatal accidents at the intersection before something is done.
Quarries approved elsewhere in NSW (eg Marulan) are required to upgrade transport routes to meet the Austroad standards before truck movements from the quarry can commence. This is done either by the developer, or at its expense if done by Council. Similarly, quarry developers are also required to contribute to the cost of flyovers onto motorways. This policy should be applied consistently across the State and the intersection.
More generally, the condition of the pavement along Bucketts Way is abysmal in many areas including some that have recently been rebuilt. Although developer contributions to Council for public road maintenance are required under quarry approvals, the Bucketts way must first be upgraded to make it capable of accommodating quarry trucks in large numbers.
As the developer does not propose to do all this work, the quarry should not be approved.