Martins Creek Quarry Project

The amount of truck movements per day would cause considerable traffic hazards

We have lived in Vacy for 28Years
I object to the project because -
- The truck movements
- Being tailgated by fully laden trucks
- Cutting the corner of Duke and King streets in Paterson,
- Road Damage due to truck movements,
- It will ruin the ambience of the Paterson Village
- Tourist orientated businesses in Paterson will be ruined by the truck movements through the village.
- risks to endangered species due to land clearing and mining
- Silica and other Dust in the air
- My wife travels from our home in Vacy through Paterson and on to Maitland several times a week to do shopping and also to visit her aged Mother in the Largs Nursing Home, each trip means travelling with the large number of heavy vehicles which will be significantly increased if the Quarry trucks are added.
She runs the Gauntlet every time she tries to cross the roads in Paterson to do her shopping the increase in Truck movements will make this even more risky
She has noticed the road conditions of the Dungog Shire being destroyed by the number of Truck movements and this will only get considerably worse with the increase of trucks from the Quarry
We have no problem with the 1.1million tons per annum being moved by RAIL.

I object to the proposed huge expansion of the Martins Creek Quarry. I do not object to the quarry operating, providing the quarry operates in a manner and at a capacity that allows the quarry and community to co-exist as amicably as possible, this proposed expansion will definitely not achieve this outcome. Having lived on Gresford Road for over 30 years I know that 280 truck movements per day for the next 25 years will be unbearable, the roads are country roads, not heavy vehicle haulage roads. I know from experience that when the trucks start running at 280 movements per day the roads will quickly deteriorate and then all you hear all day is the rattling and banging of the trucks as they hit every pothole and bump. The historic village of Paterson will suffer enormously from the constant flow of heavy vehicles, from the noise, the polluting diesel exhaust, the hazard created when they swing wide to negotiate the Post Office corner, the pleasure of having a coffee out the front of the cafe or having a chat on the footpath will be drowned out by the noise of the passing trucks. The roads and layout of the village are not designed to be a heavy vehicle haul road, Paterson is a tourist destination and Tucker Park is renowned throughout the district and beyond,the trucks will be going past the park all day long and there is no barrier between the park and road. Everyone who lives along the haul road from Martins Creek to East Maitland will suffer from the noise, traffic congestion, lowering of property values and this makes me wonder why rail is not the main transport of the product. I lived on New England Highway at Rutherford in the 1970's when road haulage of coal was at it's peak and there was an enormous amount of trucks day and night, but due to public pressure and common sense the coal mines were encouraged to use rail which they did, the trucks stopped and the problem was eliminated. Using trucks on country roads and going through Paterson and residential areas and not making more use of the rail to transport the product, in my view is going backwards. The proposed expansion of the quarry with the accompanying increase in noise, dust ,explosions and lighting, will be a nightmare for people living in Martins Creek and the surrounding areas and also the native wildlife. Also I wonder do we need any expansion as we have no shortage of quarries in our area eg. Brandy Hill just down the road has recently had a major expansion, on that note if we look at google earth we see that the whole Hunter Valley is one big quarry. I note with interest that the vast majority of supporters of the proposal do not live in this area.

Living on Tocal Road, I strong object to the project going ahead on the following grounds
1. Increased Traffic with heavy trucks on an already busy road. There is school Bus Stop right across the road from us where kids are dropped off in the mornings awaiting busses, they are dropped off in the afternoons and then walk home. Bus stops are all along Tocal Road, to Flat Road. The increase in noise will not be acceptable, nor trying to get in and out of my house. This will devalue the property with increased road use especially with heavy trucks. Dust increase, my 2 sons suffer already with asthma, this will add to it. Would 1.1 million tons of Coal be allowed to transported by road? The Rural town of Paterson will be destroyed. The area is getting busier and the roads are already coming under more and more strain with housing increasing in the area.

I strongly object to this project for the following reasons:-

1.This upscaling of Martins Creek Quarry is totally inappropriate for this quiet rural community - it will ruin the entitlement of residents in the surrounding communities and villages, to "quiet enjoyment" of their environment, due to increased noise, dust and air pollution.
2. The roads that will be used to haul this gravel are barely adequate for the existing traffic, let alone the massive increase of trucks proposed.
3. The increase of trucks will undoubtedly make use of these roads hazardous for local traffic. Many people in my local area use this route to travel to their nearest large town of Maitland for Doctors/hospital appointments, shopping, library and other services.
4. Local real estate will be severely downgraded. These areas are currently being sought out by people looking for a quieter regional lifestyle, so adding to the viability of local communities. The whole region will suffer loss of jobs and amenity.

The fact that this falls under "major projects" says it all. It is totally inappropriate for these small communities to host a development of this scale.

I support Daracon's proposal for Martins Creek Quarry.

As an employee of Daracon for the past 6 years, I have first hand seen the benefits Martins Creek Quarry has provided to infrastructure projects across the region and further afield with access to the rail network. The materials are not only provided for Daracon construction projects, but many other contractors and even private customers.

Daracon values the community and provides support to many charities and local organisations.

The Martins Creek Quarry operations support many local jobs (directly and indirectly).

The area cannot take this extra load on our roads with houses being built also. Heavy trucks will be very noisy, with on coming past our house every minute and a bit, will make it harder to get in and out of the house. Flat road and Melbourne street will be backed up even more. More dust into our houses. Danger to school kids on the Roads. A poor path was built by council along Paterson, that is not useable, therefore bikes still on roads. Would Coal miners be allowed to carry 1.1 million tonnes on roads - Its all Rock.... In summary - No! too much traffic, noise, dust, devalued house value and around danger to the community.

I still object to the project and would like to add the following comments to my previous submission :
1. I am a member of a group of experienced senior cyclists who ride a circuit between Woodville and Paterson several times per week.
All members wear high visibility clothing, ride single file as close to the left hand side of the road as possible with gaps between riders and flashing lights on their bikes.
The riders are very aware of passing traffic as there is barely room for a car to overtake and if there is an oncoming car one must give way.
Should a truck be involved it is worse and more dangerous.
Having 40 quarry truck movements per hour will greatly increase the risk factor and the chance of an accident.
2. Daracon's use of the Martins Creek Quarry has already been the subject of three court cases and it has been found to be operating without approval and far beyond what was
permitted.
It appears the company believes it can ride " roughshod "over all and displays scant regard for everyone and everything.
Daracon's application should be refused in it's entirety.

It beggars belief that all our appeals to our democratically elected officials will empathise with psychological, physical and economic suffering experienced by the Martins Ck, Paterson, Bolwarra, Lorn and East Maitland communities, especially when three judges have ruled that Daracon illegally extracted tens of thousands of tonnes of material from Martins Ck Quarry ...and if no one listens, it will happen again! Our communities do not wish to see the quarry closed. They are requesting that Daracon be made to comply with the original, legal permission to extract 70,000 tonnes to be transported by truck and 270,000 to be railed out.
1. Most submissions supporting Daracon are from people living out of the area. They do NOT experience the serious disruption to everyday life when B-Doubles travel along the route of the above mentioned communities every few minutes for 12 hours per day, 6 days per week.
a) Noise and vibrations every 90 seconds at peak level.
b) Deterioration of air quality caused by vasttly increased numbers of highly toxic diesel particles and silicon dust, potentially causing lung diseases.
2. Bio-diversity Studies?
a) There has not been a thorough study of the martins Ck and Paterson catchments in relation to the quarry.
b) Koalas and Quolls have been sighted right up to this point in time, on Vogels Rd and in the ridges surrounding the quarry.
3. Pollution of streams and Paterson Rv.
a)A Martins Ck resident at the Community Meeting, 24/6/2021, reported that clear running rivulets turn into slurry filled mud draining from the quarry during rain events.
They feed into Martins Ck which then feeds into Paterson Rv.
b) Pollution of water catchments of Martins and Duns Ck, which feed the Paterson which is a major tributary of the Hunter. Although the trucks are covered and fly ash over
the gravel is dampened, on hot days, the water evaporates, allowing dust contamination.
Please see attached document for remainder of submission.

"I oppose the Martins Creek Quarry Expansion"
My family and I have lived in Martins Creek for 5 years. We moved to the area to get away from the noise, dust and pollution of the urban lifestyle. We purchased a small 10 acre property to take advantage of the beauty and peace of the local area.
The Quarry had been in operation for many years and we were aware of this. During our time here, we became aware of the unlawful practices used by Daracon. There have been many times in the past 5 years in which Daracon operated outside of the designated hours, noting a number of times of significant noise and dust in the early hours of the morning and late into the afternoon. We have made several requests direct to Daracon in relation to excessive noise pollution, over the years.
Living in this pristine environment is what holds us to the Hunter Region. We strongly feel that the increased noise, dust ( possibly carcinogenic silica dust, which is at this point unclear and potentially health threatening), vibration, the destruction to the roads and heavy truck and diesel pollution, will make it very difficult to live in this fantastic rural region of NSW.
I have had a number of significant health issues over the past couple of years, that could possibly have been caused from dust and pollution from loading and blasting. This factor would most definitely increase for me and many of the surrounding population of Martins Creek, with additional dust and pollution.
One of the most significant issues for us here personally will be the destruction of bushland ( via additional blasting and levelling). Under the EPBC Act, it would seem unlawful to destroy the habitats of existing and endangered animal species within the area. Our property has an existing Koala population and various tree and land living species, not including the many bird species.
With the increased expansion of the quarry, we fear this could cause the possible relocation of these species and possible decline in numbers, threatening the current habitat we now live.
We feel that Daracon have a complete disregard for the local community in relation to the current quarry. We have never been consulted or contacted in relation to the expansion and were only made aware of the final development submission via the local action group, noting the public only had 32 days to respond.
It would also seem apparent that our local property values, including those on the the main arterial truck routes, will suffer a downturn due to the amount of additional traffic. We also feel that independent contractors will have no regard for the noted truck routes and will revert to other roads surrounding the area, including Martins Creek Road. The roads locally will not handle the numbers of vehicles coming in and out daily and are already in disrepair. The rail is very noisy for us here and a significant increase to rail haulage will only increase the volume and vibration effects.
On a final note, it is hard to understand how any assessments completed for Daracon for the submission, do not highlight a conflict of interest. Should these have been totally independent ( possibly ordered via NSW Planning after assessment ).
We don't want to move from our property and feel that this should not have to be the only option for residents. The expansion is unfair and unnecessary and only shows the greed of a large company with money and resources to obtain what it wants, with blind disregard to the local environment.

I STRONGLY OBJECT TO THE MARTINS CREEK QUARRY EXPANSION. My family and I live just over the ridge from the quarry and will be greatly impacted if this expansion goes ahead.
Our young family moved to this lovely property in May 2018. The real estate agent assured us the quarry was no issue and would not encroach on our land or enjoyment at all. We soon noticed the blast noise (much to our animals dismay) and the large amounts of dust that would settle on our back porch and the roof of our house which is also our catchment area for our tank water supply for the house (we had to get our tanks cleaned out due to the large amount of dirt settled in the bottom). The truck movements along Dungog rd, Gresford rd and through the township of Paterson were non-stop during the day causing lots of damage to the local roads and dare I say traffic!
Since the quarry shut down the local council was able to repair all roads and we went back to being a nice quiet little community. When the court decision was passed that Daracon could start operating the quarry again, we could hear the blasting again (not as frequently as it had been in the past thankfully) and so came the return of the quarry trucks through town. To be honest, I had no issue with the quarry operating at the court ordered amounts, we knew it was there when we purchased the property. I do NOT however agree to the expansion proposed by Daracon. Our family is about to start the process of major renovations to our house and we do not want to spend that kind of money building our dream home if our nice quiet valley is going to be on the doorstep of a mine!
The amount of blasts, trucks, dust and clearing of vegetation will definitely have an impact on our property as we are located just behind the quarry (over the ridge).

The proposal does not recognize and therefore does not mitigate against the severe social impacts of that many trucks through Paterson, or the traffic congestion that will result through Maitland with the associated impacts on productivity and access to health services, given the population growth and the imminent opening of the new hospital and expansion of Brandy Hill Quarry, that will use the same truck route into Melbourne Street.

I STRONGLY OBJECT TO THE MARTINS CREEK QUARRY EXPANSION. My family and I live just over the ridge from the quarry and will be greatly impacted if this expansion goes ahead.
Our young family moved to this lovely property in May 2018. The real estate agent assured us the quarry was no issue and would not encroach on our land or enjoyment at all. We soon noticed the blast noise (much to our animals dismay) and the large amounts of dust that would settle on our back porch and the roof of our house which is also our catchment area for our tank water supply for the house (we had to get our tanks cleaned out due to the large amount of dirt settled in the bottom). The truck movements along Dungog rd, Gresford rd and through the township of Paterson were non-stop during the day causing lots of damage to the local roads and dare I say traffic!
Since the quarry shut down the local council was able to repair all roads and we went back to being a nice quiet little community. When the court decision was passed that Daracon could start operating the quarry again, we could hear the blasting again (not as frequently as it had been in the past thankfully) and so came the return of the quarry trucks through town. To be honest, I had no issue with the quarry operating at the court ordered amounts, we knew it was there when we purchased the property. I do NOT however agree to the expansion proposed by Daracon. Our family is about to start the process of major renovations to our house and we do not want to spend that kind of money building our dream home if our nice quiet valley is going to be on the doorstep of a mine!
The amount of blasts, trucks, dust and clearing of vegetation will definitely have an impact on our property as we are located just behind the quarry (over the ridge).

I am a part owner of a property in Martins Creek (inheritance). I STRONGLY OBJECT TO THE MARTINS CREEK QUARRY EXPANSION. My family live just over the ridge from the quarry and will be greatly impacted if this expansion goes ahead.
My family moved to this lovely property in May 2018. The real estate agent assured them the quarry was no issue and would not encroach on our land or enjoyment at all. We soon noticed the blast noise (much to our animals dismay) and the large amounts of dust that would settle on our back porch and the roof of our house which is also our catchment area for our tank water supply for the house (they have had to get the tanks cleaned out multiple times due to the large amount of dirt settled in the bottom). The truck movements along Dungog rd, Gresford rd and through the township of Paterson were non-stop during the day causing lots of damage to the local roads and dare I say traffic!
Since the quarry shut down the local council was able to repair all roads and we went back to being a nice quiet little community. When the court decision was passed that Daracon could start operating the quarry again, we could hear the blasting again (not as frequently as it had been in the past thankfully) and so came the return of the quarry trucks through town. To be honest, I had no issue with the quarry operating at the court ordered amounts, we knew it was there when we purchased the property. I do NOT however agree to the expansion proposed by Daracon. Our family is about to start the process of major renovations to our house and we do not want to spend that kind of money building our dream home if our nice quiet valley is going to be on the doorstep of a mine!
The amount of blasts, trucks, dust and clearing of vegetation will definitely have an impact on our property as we are located just behind the quarry (over the ridge).

7 Roxburgh Street
Lorn NSW 2320
30th June 2021

The Director - Resource Assessment
Planning and Assessment
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Locked Bag 5022
PARRAMATTA, NSW, 2124

Dear Sir or Madam,

As a long time resident of Paterson and as an ongoing employee of Tocal College, I wish to object to the Daracon proposal for the expansion of Martins Creek quarry. The proposed expansion of quarry activities is completely incompatible with the region and will have very negative impacts on the local community and environment. Of particular concern is proposed dramatic increase in truck movements and the impact on the natural environment.

As a resident of Paterson for fourteen years we experienced first hand the impact of truck movements through the village and the constant damage to road infrastructure. Noise from truck movements commenced before dawn and continued unabated all day. Paterson should be an idyllic rural village, an attractive place to live and attractive to tourist visitors. Unfortunately, the environment has been severely impacted by the constant noise of truck movement and the social amenity of the village is severely impacted by the frequent and rapid truck movements. The centre of Paterson village has attractive retail and service facilities and the amenity of this area is compromised by the heavy traffic which makes pedestrian movement hazardous.

The proposed increase in heavy truck movements will have severe impacts along the entire haul route from Martins Creek through Maitland and beyond. The entire haul route is currently not of a standards to accommodate heavy haulage and the quarry operators are not currently or proposing to make any meaningful contribution to the maintenance and upgrade of the roads. Residential and commercial traffic is currently quite heavy and the roads along the entire haul route are inadequate for the proposed increase of 40 trucks per hour. This will impact the quality of life and amenity of many thousands of residents of the Dungog, Maitland and Port Stephens local government areas.

As an employee at Tocal College, I commute by pushbike daily from my current residence in Lorn. The current level of traffic, and particularly heavy trucks, is already quite heavy and I do not consider an additional 40 heavy truck movements per hour to be acceptable. This will make commuting by pushbike more hazardous with the current status of the road. The proposed increased truck movement will also have a severe impact on road safety as the haul route passes through a number of school zones and will contribute to already heavy traffic congestion through Lorn and on Flat Road approaching East Maitland.

My main objection to the proposed expansion is the use of road transport for an additional 410,000 tonnes of gravel annually. Martins Creek quarry has existing rail infrastructure which could be easily upgraded to facilitate the movement of the majority of the proposed increased tonnage of gravel via the North Coast Railway line to more centralised distribution depots at suitable locations adjacent to the railway system. Suggestions for gravel transfer to road transport at Hexham and also in the sydney region, have a great deal of merit when the full cost of road transport is factored in.

The North Coast Railway line which passes within metres of the Martins Creek Quarry has the potential to easily accommodate the additional freight movement and it would be far more environmentally sustainable with reduced truck movements. The economic cost of road transport and the increased carbon and particulate particle emissions from diesel are not being adequately considered. The is no suggestion that the additional cost of road maintenance and upgrades being met by the quarry operators.

I ask that the Department of Planning Industry and Environment take a much broader view of the long term impact of the proposed Martins Creek quarry expansion and properly consider:
1. The full social impact of traffic movement and noise on the local communities and along the proposed haul route
2. The full economic cost of road maintenance and upgrades which will be required to accommodate the proposed increase in truck movements.
3. The Carbon emission impact of the proposed increase in truck movements and the potential reduction of carbon emission if rail transport is utilised to move gravel to a depot closer to the end use destination.

Full and fair consideration of these issues and the adoption of a rail transport strategy will result in considerable economic, social and environmental benefits and has the potential to make the Martins Creek quarry expansion an example of sustainable development.

Regards

Charlie Bell

Read Attachment

I Object to this proposed expansion on the grounds of major urban disturbance with the many truck movements past endangered wetlands which are already affected by emissions and disturbance. This is a urban road not equipped for the volume of traffic. At the Melbourne street intersection I have often been involved in a near miss by a B- DOUBLE truck which had to veer to my side of the road to get around the corner. And I have been next to these trucks and pushed off the road when they merge. This is a Intersection already under pressure from high density traffic at all hours of the day not just peak times, I've been in a 2 km traffic jam there on a Sunday! Please don't approve this expansion! there is a rail line close to the Quarry , if the coal can be transported this way why cant Soil and Gravel.

The area is lovely and the amount of trucks and traffic problems this will cause in the area will be horrible. It would cause issues with the roads as well as wouldn’t be safe for kids catching school buses.
The traffic in Maitland is bad enough. Adding these trucks who will come through would make things even worse

I appreciate the opportunity to object to the project.

I have lived on Maitland Road Paterson for 30 years. I conducted a grazing enterprise consisting of three rural properties. Two of these properties front Tocal Road directly. The land is zoned Secondary and Primary Rural Land. I have also operated a heavy vehicle as part of the business moving livestock and material to, from and between the properties.

I have concerns regarding the suitability of King Street, Maitland and Tocal Road to facilitate the proposal and would appreciate if the following points would be considered.
*From experience it is difficult for a heavy vehicle to round the Paterson Post Office (PPO) corner and remain on the correct side of the road.
*Two heavy vehicles travelling in opposite directions cannot negotiate the PPO corner within the marked lines.
*Buses and heavy vehicles often need the patience and yielding of on-coming traffic to make it around the PPO corner.
*The Bus Stops adjacent to the PPO corner and movement of pedestrians and school children is at odds with the proximity of heavy vehicles.
*Loading and unloading of delivery vehicles to local businesses already impedes available road space.
*New Covid behavior has increased visitor numbers and parking needs at Paterson, especially to businesses adjacent to the PPO corner.
*The close proximity to the railway level crossing to the town center creates traffic chaos when trains are passing. Blind spots in trucks, their extended length all pose a danger to pedestrians as vehicles resume movement. This applies not only to the PPO but also the shopping center.
*Current land use of existing businesses at the PPO corner is neither safe nor compatible with a large number of truck movements.
*Added congestion within the village will impede the increased probability of the local RFS to respond to an accident or incident.
*The Paterson medical practice and pharmacy are both welcomed businesses and are incompatible with increased heavy vehicle movements.
* The noise of early morning truck movements through a residential area is obviously problematic.
*On Maitland Road it is difficult and dangerous trying to merge with heavy traffic when south bound at the southern end of Paterson where the road narrows; near impossible to merge when north bound.
* Tocal Road started as a track that has been since widened and surfaced. It is not a designed road meant for the intended use. It has steep inclines, sweeping corners, blind crests and hidden driveways.
*Heavy vehicles do not interact patiently with slower rural and residential traffic as they try and maintain momentum for the two inclines.
*From the previous period of multiple truck movements it is noticeable that drivers take 'possession' of the road. Local activities and traffic are inconveniences at best.
*Probably the most telling evidence of the inadequacy of the road for intended use is the absence of heavy vehicle skid marks since Quarry road transport ceased.
*Trucks do not like slowing as I access the property and will pass on the left hand side.

It seems the case that traversing through a village and the topography of Tocal Road is not compatible with the Quarry's location. Since its inception rail was to be the mode of transport. Furthermore the proposal is not consistent with the expectation of local land users and stakeholders.
Kind regards.

See attached letter