Monaro Rock Quarry Project

I am a long standing Royalla resident of over 23 years within 6km of the proposed quarry. I have concerns about the noise and dust from the proposed weekly blasting as this will affect my health and wellbeing and that of my family.
We get strong predominately north west wind and this will blow the dust and noise directly over my property.

Along with the noise from the concrete crushing and 500 truck movements per day and operation of associated concrete and asphalt plant, Royalla is in a bushfire prone area and I am concerned that this industrial site is storing 37,000 litres of diesel fuel and other associated chemicals. There has been no mention of what fire mitigation measures are proposed.

Royalla already is serviced by four nearby quarries including one directly to the south in (Willimansdale) all not operating at less than full capacity with over 100 years left of combined life. There is clearly no need for another.

I have lived in Royalla the last 23 years near the Willimansdale quarry and have experienced firsthand the negative effects of living withing 2km of a quarry.

I am very concerned about the proposed processing plant and quarry as it will produce toxic dust and excessive noise amongst other issues.

The amount of trucks proposed will greatly increase the dangers of road travel as well as spread dust and other rubble throughout the region,

I am also very scared of the increased fire risk and reduction to the water tables the project will create.

I believe the negative impacts of this project would offset any financial benefit received by the NSW government and therefore it should not go ahead.

My concerns relate to the increased traffic on Monaro Highway, Old Cooma Road and inevitably through parts of Royalla and Burra Road, which are the detour routes in case of accident/emergency.
These roads are significantly more busy than in the past. Unfortunately they have not been maintained to the same standard. There are minimal overtaking lanes, crumbling shoulders, blind corners and large potholes. Additional heavy vehicle traffic will make this much worse, and I have no reason to believe that the maintenance standards will improve to compensate for this.
Tipper and dogs have accounted for several fatal accidents on the Monaro highway in recent years. These are the same trucks that will be servicing the quarry, in an area of increased civilian traffic, at challenging intersections. How will the safety risk be managed?

We have young kids who love being outside, running around in the paddocks. If the quarry is to go ahead it will contaminate the fresh air with silica dust, which means our kids can’t go and play outside anymore.

I support the project it will create jobs and keep the building industry rolling keeping product prices down due to not importing product.

The Monaro can’t handle 200 trucks per day.

RE: SSD-27223807 Monaro Rock Quarry Project

I am a long standing Royalla Resident of over 23 years within 6km of the proposed quarry.
I have concerns about the noise & dust from the proposed weekly blasting.
This will affect my health & wellbeing & that of my family.
We get strong predominately northwest winds & this will blow the dust & noise directly over my property.
Along with the noise from the concrete crushing & 500 truck movements a day & operation of associated concrete & asphalt plant.
Royalla is in a bushfire prone area & I am concerned this industrial site is storing 37,000litres of diesel fuel & other associated chemicals. There has been no mention of what fire mitigation measures are proposed.
Royalla already is already serviced by 4 nearby quarries including one directly to the south (Williamsdale). All operating not at full capacity with over 100years life left combined .There is clearly no need for another.

It will have detrimental environmental impact which is contrary to QPRC environmental plan 2022 and also will impact the health of many residents.
There are major traffic consequences to Old Cooma Road and Monaro highway.
I believe it has no social or economic improvements to the region benefitting only the developer of the proposed project. I don’t want silica dust for me of my family.

There are a lot of concerns around the following if the project is allowed to go ahead:
Biodiveristy - The quarry will clear 22.44 hectares of endagered Box-Gum Grassy woodland and 77.83 hectares of vegetation overall.
Dust - Carried on the wind, will collected on homes, solar panels and contaminate gardens as well as rainwater collection.
Electricity - Extra energy needed will start causing brownouts or the use of excess fossel fueled generators, not to mention the amount of trucks burning fuel.
Indigenous Artifacts - Indigenous objects and area's of archaelogical deposites were found on the site during the survey.
Water - The extra use of millions of liters used to make the concrete and the attempt at dust suppression will be wasteful and not to mention damage the recovery of Tuggeranong lake while it's still trying to get back to a healthy state.
Pollution Risk - Washing of equipment and trucks, additionally contamination from concrete being recycled on site.
Economics - There is existing capacty within the four quarries within 30km with capacity to last over 100 years.

Please see attached my submission objecting to this project.

Monaro Rock Submission
My objection to this quarry starts with the health concerns of Royalla, Googong and South Canberra residents, from the large amounts of dust and mainly silica dust that will fill the clear air we all breath in each day, this in turn may have major health risks to all of us namely silicosis. No amount of water can stop all the dust from a quarry like this will produce.
My wife and I moved to Royalla as my wife suffers from asthma, since our move here her health as been greatly improved because of the clear air.
Is Monaro Rock going to pay for all our medical expenses if this quarry goes ahead I think not, not to mention the cost of cleaning the dust of our roofs, solar panels and contaminated water tanks, filtration systems that all of us have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on our own infrastructure just to live here.
The proposed site that this quarry will cover is quite a lot of hectares and with that it will destroy native habitat for native fauna and flora, birds will lose their nesting hollow logs in trees in that area.
The quarry will operate 6 days a week with estimated 500 vehicles a day going in and out of Royalla onto the Old Cooma Road and Monaro Hwy, what about all the pollution that this Trucks, cars will produce, plus the massive damage the trucks will do to the Old Cooma Road and Monaro Hwy, they are already full of potholes.
What’s going happen come summer when traffic more than doubles with people going down the coast plus in winter you have the same happen with traffic more than doubles people going to the snow.
I leave quite early to go to work in Canberra and in Winter the fog that is at the intersection of the Old Cooma Road and Monaro Hwy some mornings you can’t see 2 metres in front of you, add 500 more vehicles on the road this could end up being a disaster and god forbid there will be more accidents.
One thing I did not like was that Monaro Rock went to the State Government and not to Queanbeyan Council so have tried to get this over the line without us knowing very bad form.
And why do we need another quarry when there are at least 4 in the area, and I found out that it just won’t be a quarry but will be recycling concrete, producing asphalt which has very strong odours polluting the air.
Electricity surges from the blasting will end up damaging house appliances plus I have 3 phase very expensive woodwork machines that are quite sensitive electrical surges who will pay for any damage to these machines.
When we go to sell our properties will Monaro Rock make up the short fall we will all suffer with a price drop in value of our properties because of this quarry. Already there has been a decrease in property values because people have heard about this quarry proposal.
Please do not let this Monaro Rock quarry go ahead, we will all suffer greatly if you let this happen.
Do the right thing by the people who put you in office

You are not thinking about the noise, air quality and disruption to people living in the ACT area. This is NOT something we need and would appreciate it if you decide to not go ahead with this quarry project

I am a resident of Banks, ACT. I do not support this project because of following reasons:
1) The main reason for me purchasing my current property (couple of years ago) in Banks was because of the pure air and noise free environment. This project will defeat that purpose of my purchase and the purpose to live a peaceful life in Tuggeranong.
2) The Monaro highway is already a busy road especially at its junction with Johnson Drive and Tharwa drive roundabouts next to Theodore and Calwell. Having an industrial level project like this one will add to already busy traffic at this junction. Not to forget the noise and pollution from everyday trips of trucks, that will environmentally impact this otherwise pure and peaceful environment.
3) Environmental Impact: This is a major concern for me and I believe not enough has been done to study this concern. Due to the cold weather in Canberra and especially because of the geography of Lanyon Valley, we regularly see blanket of thick air at very low height. My street being up the hill, we regularly witness thick blanket of moist air during winters. The silica dust (in addition to other potentially harmful) dust particles, have potential to get trapped in this thick air and cause respiratory issues.

The NSW government should consult the ACT government because of the cross border impact of this project on residents like me.

I object to the proposed Monaro Rock Industrial Site proposal on the following grounds:
Human health impact of silica dust. The quarry extraction processes, rock crushing and concrete production, are likely to generate silica dust. This dust will become airborne and be spread across the surrounding area. With many houses in the area collecting rainwater for drinking, the dust that is deposited on roofs will be introduced into the tanks and then consumed by the residents. Dust suppression at the industrial site may restrict the immediate dispersal of the silica, but the dampened dust will dry out and be picked up at a later stage by the region’s strong winds and distributed onto roofs and into the household water supplies. The health impacts of silica dust are extreme and local suppression is unlikely to satisfactorily mitigate the spread of the dust and negate the risks to human health. The other control measures identified in the EIS are all self-regulated, with ‘an assumed air quality monitoring program’: there is little to no assurance that the operator will apply these measures or have any responsibility for third party users of the site being compliant.
Effect on the local aquifer. The volume of water to be used by the quarry will have a significant impact on the aquifer that serves the local communities that draw bore water for agriculture, animal care, gardening and some household uses. Water management restrictions in the local council development plan have sustained a large number of rural residential properties for over 20 years, but there are periods where bores or natural ponds have all but run dry owing to drought or climatic effect. The massive increase in water being drawn from the aquifer will jeopardise access of residents with legitimate water rights and have negative impact on established and future land use.
Increased heavy vehicles. The Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road corridors are increasingly used by commuters from residential developments to the south and east of the proposed quarry. The introduction of extra heavy vehicle movements will have safety implications that are statistically going to occur purely on a volume basis. These two roads are already under frequent maintenance given they were not originally built for the volumes and weights they currently endure, let alone the enormous increase in vehicle weights and frequency that quarry operations would bring – extracted material out as well as incoming material for recycling and asphalt production. The traffic surveys conducted for the EIS are also flawed by using data from a period in 2021 that the report already identified as statistically significant less traffic owing to travel restrictions through the COVID-19 pandemic. Equally, the traffic monitoring station at Bredbo is well beyond and unrepresentative of the populations travelling into and out of Canberra from established and new developments at Williamsdale and Michelago. The overall negative impact of the increased heavy vehicle traffic will be of greater damage to roads that are already in poor condition from higher commuter volumes as well as extensive road safety hazards brought about by heavy vehicles travelling at speed or crossing into traffic at low speed. The additional heavy vehicles on the roads will also contribute to a significant increase in road-kill. The Monaro Highway is already a corridor of cadavers, with psycho-social consequences from constant witnessing of mangled wildlife.
Impact on the local flora and fauna. The physical extent of the proposed development will destroy acres of vegetation and displace significant numbers of animal species. Urban encroachment and human pressures, expanding feral animal populations, combined with extreme bushfire events, are already impacting the available habitat for native species. The quarry and its associated activities will eradicate a specific parcel of native land and further reduce the overall habitat that is conducive to harbouring endemic flora and fauna. There is also an element of questionable probity in the BDAR as the report authors thank employees of the external reviewer for their contributions and assistance in compiling the report. This does not give faith to the integrity of the operator or the wider EIS process, as identified by negative community sentiment in the SIA.
Social impact on residents and communities. The SIA states: “Taking both the technical data and community sentiment into account, as well as the greenfield nature of the Project and the resulting sensitivity, it was determined that residents in the LSA would be likely to experience cumulative impacts from the Project with moderate magnitude resulting in an impact significance rating of high.” The researcher contends that essentially ‘people will get used to the quarry over time’, but also concedes that: “While this assessment was based on the best available data and expert technical studies, there remain inherent uncertainties in forecasting the scale and nature of social impacts.” This conclusion pays lip-service to the depth of sentiment in the community as to the negative effects of the proposed industrial estate. The disruption to communities on either side of the site will be significant given the expansive industrial activities intended. The increased heavy vehicle traffic will be a particularly visible and practical imposition on local communities. The SIA identifies that the proposal is already divisive: whether it progresses or not, it will continue to impact social cohesion by introducing new issues between factions who each want amenity on their terms. Very few locals will gain economically from the quarry yet everyone will pay for it by some measure.
I also contend that there was very narrow and constrained community consultation during the development of the EIS and in the short window for comment. A community forum with the applicant and their representatives is needed to further establish the merits of the proposal and gain commitments to the health, sustainability, ecological and safety issues that form the basis of my concerns and objections.

I object to the proposed Monaro Rock Industries on the following grounds.

Existing quarries
There are several existing operating quarries within close proximity of the proposed quarry that already have established their capacity and long-term supply chains well into the future. There is also a notable expansion expected for the Williamsdale Road Quarry that already adjoins Royalla. The number and capacity of existing quarries in the region does not support an additional requirement for new quarry. Examples of existing quarries include but are not limited to:
• Heidelberg Materials – Canberra Quarry, Williamsdale Road, approx. 7 kms from proposed site
• Mugga Quarry, Mugga Lane approx.. 14kms away from proposed site
• Boral Quarries
Ground water aquifers – water quantity and quality, bushfires
Royalla and immediate surrounds are an arid region of NSW suffering terribly in drought and is immediately adjacent Mt Tennant that has already caught fire twice within 20 years. We like many land owners in the area rely heavily on the bores and the aquifers that support them to provide water for stock, crops and water for fighting bushfires and maintaining gardens and in some instances commercial enterprises like the primary production e.g. cherry farm.

These bores have been established at personal cost and with continuing dry spells and impost of the exiting quarry, falter during dry spells. Williamsdale Quarry already draws significant water for its operations and together with an expansion of operations already anticipated and the proposed new quarry will leave landowners with little prospect of a reliable ground water source, if any.
Based on long term weather forecasts, the area is expected to get drier placing more reliance on groundwater that simply won’t be there with the pressure of two quarries at each end of Royalla depleting it of precious ground water.
Further local council environmental laws prevent Royalla landowners from creating additional water catchment (e.g. dams) if they have an existing bore.
Land aesthetics, indigenous heritage, wildlife, noise pollution/vibration and blasting effects – Extra trucks, blasting and vibration will all be heard across the region as noise travels great distances when there is nothing to absorb it.
This region is special to the Ngunnawal people and the people who have chosen a new and more peaceful way of life away from the hustle and bustle of cities. There is established prolific plant, animal species and the proposed quarry is in close proximity to a native quoll population which is uncommon for these parts. A quarry will scar the landscape and reduce the plant and animal populations of the area.
Traffic and Roads
Monaro highway between Michelago and Johnson Drive, Tuggeranong is currently full of potholes from the recent rain and existing traffic and trucks ranging from delivery trucks (fuel, foodstuffs) to logging trucks, cattle trucks, trucks from the Williamsdale quarry and more. Additional ski traffic and traffic generally makes it a treacherous strip already and rain (when we get it) washes the road out under the extra weight and use of heavy vehicles.
There are daily near misses where traffic in both directions overtake on double lines and more importantly race to overtake one another southbound before the two lanes merge into one which is where the proposed location of the quarry entrance has been proposed. This a is a traffic blackspot waiting to happen.
Extra road usage by proposed mining trucks will leave the road in further disrepair at the cost of ACT rate payers to fix as the road at that point is owned and maintained by ACT.
Air Quality Silica Dust/Pollution
I am concerned by the effects of dust and silica dust. The prevailing north westerly winds which at times peak at over 100kms will spread silica and dust for kilometers over roofs, properties, and water catchment. Together with the dust effects of the existing Williamsdale Quarry, this will place residents at greater risk of harm. Water dampening and other mitigation strategies do little to quell the spread of these small particles.
I’m not against in principle, the need for quarries but object to this one being placed where there is already existing quarry capacity within a built-up area. This proposal is better suited to a more remotely populated area with less environmental impacts on established land use.

I am extremely opposed to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry and object to the project.
Please find attached my submission, imploring you to consider the negative impacts that this project would have to our local community. While I didn't want to make a submission that was emotive and personal, the reality of what is being proposed is that this project is going to have an extremely negative impact on my partner and I and our young children - along with the broader Royalla, Burra, Googong and southern ACT suburbs / communities. Since hearing about the proposed quarry (days after exchanging on our property which backs onto the proposed quarry site) it has caused nothing but additional stress and anxiety to us at what we may have now exposed ourselves and our three young children too.
Please listen to the community, and please do the right thing with this proposal by saying no.
Thank you for taking the time to read my submission.

To Whom It May Concern
I am writing to express my disgust and strong opposition to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry Project in Royalla, NSW 2620. As a rate paying family in this once safe and family friendly community, I am not only deeply concerned about the irreversible environmental, health, and social impacts this development would impose on our region, but my life long investment and substantial contribution to this amazing and growing community’s future.
500 plus trucks per day to an area where I moved my entire family to, to escape the hustle and bustle, knowing it already came at an additional cost as we pay extremely high electricity bills, mandated ludicrous land rates for the privilege of living rurally and still don’t have the same tax payer funded social services our suburban neighbours do. The roads which I campaigned to make safe not that long ago for the school buses to get my children home safe from school where Deans Buses were dropping them off on a road that runs at 100km an hour. This reeks of back pocket handshakes and personal profits.
In years to come you will all be retired with your golden handshakes patting each other on the back, when our children are suffering the after effects of silica dust and the repercussions of this indulgent money grab. Mr Fluffy, Asbestos poisoning and Robodebt!! just to name a few of the governments previously ill advised decisions.
Families bought properties in Royalla due to the quiet rural lifestyle, an industrial quarry like this, in the centre of Royalla and impacting Theodore, Calwell, Richardson and Chisholm where my grandchildren will be schooled, will not only destroy this community but have health impacts you cannot underestimate, not to mention the investments in our retirement we all made to better ourselves and the future of our children.
Spend a day in Royalla, windy alley as it is commonly known, and tell me that an alarm will notify plant managers of unacceptable silica risks.
“Enough is Enough” we already have two quarries near Royalla with the Williamsdale Road and Old Cooma Road quarries. Both existing quarries apparently have years of capacity left, that will see all of us out. We don’t need another one and this new proposal is just a profiteering exercise by Monaro Rock.
Despite claims of community engagement, the overwhelming sentiment among residents is opposition. No amount of mitigation or compromise can make this project acceptable.
Conclusion
The Monaro Rock Quarry Project is incompatible with the values, health, and future of Royalla and its surrounding communities. It puts the lives of residents at serious risk and I urge decision-makers to reject this proposal and prioritise the wellbeing of residents and our neighbouring suburbs with in the ACT where we all have many family and friends, over industrial expansion.
Sincerely,
Michael Cooper
Royalla Resident

To Whom It May Concern
I am writing to express my disgust and strong opposition to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry Project in Royalla, NSW 2620. As a rate paying family in this once safe and family friendly community, I am not only deeply concerned about the irreversible environmental, health, and social impacts this development would impose on our region, but my life long investment and substantial contribution to this amazing and growing community’s future.
500 plus trucks per day to an area where I moved my entire family to, to escape the hustle and bustle, knowing it already came at an additional cost as we pay extremely high electricity bills, mandated ludicrous land rates for the privilege of living rurally and still don’t have the same tax payer funded social services our suburban neighbours do. The roads which I campaigned to make safe not that long ago for the school buses to get my children home safe from school where Deans Buses were dropping them off on a road that runs at 100km an hour. This reeks of back pocket handshakes and personal profits.
In years to come you will all be retired with your golden handshakes patting each other on the back, when our children are suffering the after effects of silica dust and the repercussions of this indulgent money grab. Mr Fluffy, Asbestos poisoning and Robodebt!! just to name a few of the governments previously ill advised decisions.
Families bought properties in Royalla due to the quiet rural lifestyle, an industrial quarry like this, in the centre of Royalla and impacting Theodore, Calwell, Richardson and Chisholm where my grandchildren will be schooled, will not only destroy this community but have health impacts you cannot underestimate, not to mention the investments in our retirement we all made to better ourselves and the future of our children.
Spend a day in Royalla, windy alley as it is commonly known, and tell me that an alarm will notify plant managers of unacceptable silica risks.
“Enough is Enough” we already have two quarries near Royalla with the Williamsdale Road and Old Cooma Road quarries. Both existing quarries apparently have years of capacity left, that will see all of us out. We don’t need another one and this new proposal is just a profiteering exercise by Monaro Rock.
Despite claims of community engagement, the overwhelming sentiment among residents is opposition. No amount of mitigation or compromise can make this project acceptable.
Conclusion
The Monaro Rock Quarry Project is incompatible with the values, health, and future of Royalla and its surrounding communities. It puts the lives of residents at serious risk and I urge decision-makers to reject this proposal and prioritise the wellbeing of residents and our neighbouring suburbs with in the ACT where we all have many family and friends, over industrial expansion.
Sincerely,
Charlene Cooper
Resident
Royalla, NSW

As a major land holder (112 Ha) of half of the north west side of Mount Campbell I am concerned about the lack of transparency of what activities are being carried out at the proposed quarry site and the complete lack of environmental impact studies done for the barely mentioned other activities. The proposal only talks about the impact of the hard rock quarry and not about the concrete recycling, asphalt plant and concrete batching plant that only gets mentioned in passing and there is no mention of the extras in any of the studies.
Hard rock mining is bad enough with the increase in silica dust, noise and traffic but to be dumping building waste with unknown contaminants which can include asbestos and lead and asphalt leaching petrochemicals into a conservation area and a concrete batching plant needs to be fully environmentally assessed by truly independent authorities and not companies on the payroll of the proposed quarry owner.
My property will be directly impacted by the proposed quarry. I do not want my box gum property and all the native wildlife that lives on my mountain polluted by petrochemicals or building waste.
This proposal must be stopped as proper environmental studies have not been carried for the actual activities that Monaro Rock intend to carry out on the site and I would also think that the noise and traffic would only be assessing the rock quarry and not the other intended uses.
Our area is endanger box gum forest and the actions of Monaro Rock will only endanger the flora and fauna more

I am a Royalla resident and a parent of two young children. I strongly oppose the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal because it would fundamentally and permanently change the character of our community. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) admits there will be blasting, crushing, truck movements of up to 200 loads per day, and significant dust emissions (PM10, PM2.5). These are not minor inconveniences – they are major threats to our health and wellbeing. Children are particularly vulnerable to particulate matter and silica dust, which can cause lifelong respiratory issues. No family should have to live under the constant noise of blasting or the stress of wondering if today’s air quality is safe for outdoor play.

The EIS concedes that there will be a significant increase in traffic volumes on the Monaro Highway, including up to 25 truck movements per hour. This is not just an amenity issue – it is a safety issue. Heavy vehicle traffic poses real risks to local residents, school buses, and everyday commuters. Royalla is a rural residential community, not an industrial haul route. The scale of truck activity described will erode road safety, increase noise levels day and night, and make simple daily activities, like entering and exiting our roads home, more dangerous. I would also like the note that the quality of the Monaro Highway is already subpar and is prone to potholes and damage following rain. This issue is only going to be exasperated with the addition of relentless trucks and heavy haulage.

The environmental impacts are equally concerning. Despite claims of minimising disturbance, the project footprint will clear vegetation and displace native wildlife, including threatened species such as the Pink-tailed Legless Lizard, which the EIS specifically mentions. Once destroyed, these habitats cannot simply be recreated. Our children deserve to inherit a landscape that is thriving, not one scarred by a 35-year industrial operation and a final void left behind as a water body of questionable safety.

This project does not represent progress – it represents the sacrifice of local health, safety, and amenity for the profit of a private operator. I urge decision makers to reject this proposal and preserve Royalla as a healthy, safe, and sustainable place to raise families, free from the constant noise, dust, and traffic that a quarry of this scale would bring.