Martins Creek Quarry Project

We are a child care service on Paterson Rd who cater for up to 115 children per day. The heightened amount of truck traffic along Paterson Rd will cause our families an increased amount of risk when entering and exiting the child care facility, as well as risk to the Bolwarra Primary School children who walk from the centre of a morning, and to the centre of an afternoon. This also poses risks to our children during the day when excursions are taking place.

-i appose the expansion of Martins creek quarry on the following grounds.
-damage to houses and properties from explosions.
-the roads in this area are so narrow and are not maintained.
-the intersection at the paterson cafe is so dangerous with the trucks cutting lines and close to parked cars
-the trucks are quite fast thru there with no consideration for pedestrians
-the dust is extremely bad - is on cars-roofs-feed for animals.
-the noise already from the explosions and trucks is non stop so more trucks will just be insane for rural lifestyle
-we have had windscreen constantly hit with rock from trucks that are not correctly loaded so when they hit the holes on roads they flinge of the draw bars and have smashed my windscreen
-when u notify the truck companies with the trailer number they dont care
-the roads are to narrow the trucks are constanlt driving on the edge of the road also flinging rocks up.
-alot of the drivers are cowboys the speed on roads from quarry to Paterson is excessive and to tocal they go even fast er - they should be sticking to speed limits.
- this is area is suppose to be country but its a highway for heavy trucks.

Can only be beneficial to all involved.
Daracon is a supporter of local communities and charities.

This morning there 4 trucks with 2 double bins (double loaders?) on tocal Road. No-one could pass. They were going up the hill with over 10 cars behind them. It's too dangerous with that many trucks on a rural road. Going into Bolwarra behind all these trucks when they go 40 kms per hour is frustrating. People get angry at the delays.

Daracon is providing future generations of our children with employment, whilst taking much needed care of the environment.

see attached

My concerns are for our living conditions here in Paterson. A very small country village where people come for peace and quiet, to raise our children . The expansion of the quarry at Martin's Creek is a huge worry because of the noise, dust and the traffic congestion on our roads. The trucks are a danger to those living on the main routes and people living further away, the air particles in the fumes from the trucks are a health hazard to all that inhale them. The number of trucks on the roads now, are too many and the thoughts of an increase in truck movements will make living in Paterson a very sad situation. We want clean air to breath, that is our right as citizens of this wonderful country, profits of huge already very successful companies should not come before the people. We pay our taxes, rates and expect to be able to live in our homes, and travel with our children on the roads without having to deal with huge trucks travelling at high speed, and tailgating you with a loaded truck. The owner/owners of Daracon do not live in this
area, would they like to ? we can swap homes and living conditions with them if they think expansion of the existing quarry is such a good idea. The common sense answer to that is NO but it is okay for us. NO, to the expansion is my vote and that of my children and grandchildren who's human rights are to clean beathable air. Signed Paula Brager

I object to the project as described in the EIS, however in principle I do not object to the quarry and would not object to an alternative project that has a smaller impact on the community.

I am not currently impacted by the quarry and do not anticipate being significantly impacted at home by the project, apart from the road maintenance financial aspects further described below. Like other residents in the area I have purchased driveway gravel on a few occasions from the quarry and would hope to do so again, plus I acknowledge the local employment and other benefits the quarry provides.

I object to the project as currently proposed for the following reasons:

1. The impacts on others in the community. I've attached an analysis of the noise and blasting aspects of the EIS, prepared by me at the request of the Martins Creek Quarry Action Group, to illustrate some of these impacts. My review shows significant acoustic related errors and omissions in the EIS that, in my opinion, are likely to make the project unapprovable in its current form.

2. The inconvenience to me and others from the proposed centre island and other road realignment works at the corner of King St and Duke St Paterson in an attempt to improve truck paths through this intersection. The plan I've seen recently will result in less parking spaces to visit local businesses including the post office and cafe and prevent the full range of turning movements to and from the service station. In an attempt to address one issue, that of quarry trucks driving over the road centre line, this plan only adds to the community's inconvenience and impact associated with truck traffic through Paterson.

3. The lack of historical financial contributions to road maintenance. As a Dungog Shire Council ratepayer, I object to the quarry increasing profits while damaging local and regional roads at my expense and do not see any significant attempt from the proponent to rectify this.

I Ben Sutherland have worked for Daracon for approximately 6 years now. I believe that this expansion of the quarry will benefit the entire Daracon work force including myself, as It helps me provide for my family and the same for many other employees.

As an employee of Daracon, I work for the quarry and will be directly affected by any decisions made in regards to the proposed expansion. This project is important to our company and to the 800 people currently employed by Daracon. We also employ many subcontractors daily that would also be impacted by this decision.
Martins Creek quarry produces high quality construction materials to Internal and external customers in the construction industry. If we were to lose this source, this would have a flow on effect through all levels of the construction supply chain both in terms of costs and also the supply availability of materials.
Prices are dictated by consumer demand. If one of the four hard rock quarries suppling lower Hunter & Newcastle businesses has volume restrictions enforced, the demand will be split across the remaining quarries and the results would be crippling to the construction industry.
I support keeping this valuable resource available. Martins Creek quarry provides aggregates & civil construction materials for building and upgrading better water supply, electrical supply, bridges, rail networks, local roads and highways. Think - "a growing market with increased demand for construction materials ". Please vote to support a local business employing locals to continue. Martins Creek quarry should continue its supply of construction materials for the long term providing employment and goods and services for better Infrastructure and residential developments we live in.
Our quarrying practices reflect our commitment to eliminating adverse environmental impacts while providing the community with the construction materials they require.

Oppose the expansion of Martins Creek quarry due to environmental factors and potential hazards relating to increased traffic volume and noise pollution of both the quarry and the trucks being used to transport the contents of the quarry.

Dear Sir/Madam

Martins Creek Quarry Expansion

I oppose the Martins Creek Quarry Expansion. My partner and I have recently bought a house in Bolwarra Heights. We are very excited and are looking forward to raising a family in our new home. One of the things that attracted us to the area is the calm that comes with semi-rural living. However, I fear this will be lost with the anticipated increase in traffic that would come with the expansion of Martins Creek Quarry.

We are living in a community where travelling by foot and by bike should be encouraged as an everyday part of life. At present we can happily ride our bikes to Lorn and Maitland where we can access a number of amenities including cafes, childcare centres, sporting facilities, schools and shops. However, with the increase of trucks travelling along Paterson Road, that would almost certainly come with the expansion of the Quarry, I worry that walking or bike riding along that road will no longer be a safe and viable option.

Please, please, please, do not allow this to go ahead. My partner and I purchased a property on Paterson Rd Bolwarra. The environmental impacts alone of this proposal are enough to make one shudder. Especially in this day and age when we have so much going on with conserving our environment. The noise of the trucks now is beyond coping level. Any further road noise would have a massive impact on the serenity of our neighbourhoods. Currently, Bolwarra is listed as one of the most sought after suburbs to live in with massive potential. If this proposal were to go ahead, this would change in an instant. Current market values would go straight down. Is Daracon going to fund the difference in loss of equity for everyone that lives on the haulage route?? What is of particular importance is that this could all be transported by EXISTING RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE. How can it even be considered that this can be extended, when it was illegally started in the first place? What a GREEDY GREEDY company. NO consideration for the families that have built their lives around these quaint little towns, that will inevitably be torn apart. The township of Paterson is only just holding its own and should be commended for its community spirit where local people support local business. These towns are historic !!!!! Daracon...... whoever is making the FINAL decisions in your company should be ashamed that such greed, which could impact SO MANY FAMILIES, BUSINESSES AND THE ENVIRONMENT has come to the surface. I hope you have a quiet safe place to live and sleep well with your decision.

Please note I provide two submissions. The primary submission directly addressing the Martin's Creek Quarry proposal and a second submission that provides additional information that supports and justifies the recommendations in my primary Submission regarding the Martin's Creek Quarry Submission

To Whom it may concern,

I oppose the Martins Creek Quarry Expansion.

The expansion of the quarry should not be permitted due to impacts on the surrounding communities, including but not limited to:
- Road hazards
- Noise

See attachments

I oppose the expansion of the Martins Creek Quarry.

The envisaged number and size of the large trucks will combine to adversely impact the village community of Paterson in an inappropriate way.
Paterson was never intended to carry the above traffic and the noise and visual pollution will be appalling and significantly adversely impact the village life.
It appears to me that the greed and avarice of one man, the owner of the quarry, should not be allowed to override the wishes of numerous communities.


Chris Wokes

I OPPOSE the Martins Creek Quarry Expansion on the following grounds that apply to myself & my place of residence:

1) Truck movements from early morning to the evening along Paterson Rd at Bolwarra already greatly impact our road, house & residential street with loud noise, strong vibration & dust dispersal.

2) The road fronting my home has never been widened to the State recommended width & as such provides a narrow passageway to the Daracon truck movements & an increased safety risk for all road users dealing with truck movements.

3) If Daracon is allowed to increase production to 1.5 m tonnes a year & continues to use road haulage to move quarry product, our impacted residential & rural roads are not designed & are inadequate to manage that capacity.

4) I feel a safer transport option all round would be for Daracon to construct infrastructure at the quarry site & further down the valley to allow transport of the majority of materials away from the Quarry by RAIL

Submission attached as a pdf.

See attached PDF.