Monaro Rock Quarry Project

This quarry will cluster roads with a plethora of trucks hauling equipment and rock, significantly increasing commute times, and since I live so far away from work and school as it is, I can't afford more time just sitting in traffic

To whom it may concern.
I like state my objection to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry. I am not against quarries, I work in a University Civil Engineering Laboratory making and testing aggregates, concrete and road pavement materials, I understand we need quarries for construction purposes.
My main issues with the quarry are location, traffic and road access, biodiversity of the area, and the number of quarries in the area.
Location:
On three sides the quarry is close to housing, the ACT suburb of Theodore to the west, Royalla to the south and Fernleigh estate to the east. If the quarry had been there before the housing, there could be no argument. We purchase our block 20 years ago knowing there would be development, expecting more rural residential blocks or even a suburb being developed nearby not a full-scale industrial venture. Why build a quarry when there are thousands of residents living within a 5km radius subjecting them to the risk of dust, noise and pollution risk.
I note the weather station used for the weather observations is at Issabella Plain in the ACT. Issabell Plains is appropriately 200m lower that Royalla. This means, at Royalla the temperature is normally a few degrees cooler and the winds stronger than Issabella Plains. This difference will affect dust and noise travel.

Traffic and Access roads:
We don't know where the main access road will be. Monaro Rock are proposing constructing a 4,5km road to join the Monaro Highway. This proposal requires approval from the ACT Government under different submission, if this in not granted what road are they going to use?

a) Monaro Highway intersection approved: The 4.5km access road would be constructed. The road would be cut into the side of enchanted hill, travel 600m dropping vertically close to 70m down Tuggeranong Creek Gully before climbing back up the gully and joining the Monaro Highway. This road with the cuts into the side of the hill and the steep descent will cause erosion and runoff affecting Tuggeranong Creek.
Heavy ladened trucks would have to cross two to three lanes of traffic on a major highway with limited sight distance in one direction. In 2024 there were at least three major accidents at the intersection of Monaro Highway and the Old Cooma Road, 14th June, 17th August, and 24th of September. this intersection has good sight distance in both directions.

b) Monaro Station Rd: attached are pictures of the damaged to this road caused by less that 20 trucks a day over a two-week period when the roads in the new subdivision, Royalla Reserve, were constructed. By looking at Google maps, satellite, the different areas of the road which were damaged during this time can be seen by the different colour of the spray seal. What damaged would 500 trucks a day cause? Also, who would purchase a hose in this street when a truck is driving past every couple of minutes. The houses in this area would be worthless.

c) Construct another road joining the Old Cooma rd: constructing a road from the quarry to the Old Cooma Road would have to pass houses due to the number of rural residential block in the area, as above with 500 trucks passing a day every house nearby would be worthless.

I note that the traffic surveys are four and a half years old and were taken during a time when travel was affected by the covid pandemic. Also there have been developments along the Old Cooma Road and the Monaro Highway which has increased the traffic in the area. For instance, the suburb of Googong has grown and therefore the number of people travelling along the Old Cooma Road and the Monaro Highway has increased. A new road survey should be undertaking.

Biodiversity:
The proposed area of the contains some critically endangered woodlands, flowers and animals. There is only 5% of Box Gum Woodlands left and while the reports states that the area to be quarried is only 0.09% of the remaining total do we keep subtracting small amounts until there is nothing left? 5 % is a depressingly low figure.

The statement below is from the NSW Government Local Land Services website, I believe it sums up why a quarry should not be allowed to progress on this site.

"Box Gum Grassy Woodland (BGGW) is an endangered vegetation type throughout NSW, and is critically endangered across eastern Australia.

Box gum grassy woodlands support more than 400 plant species with the highest diversity present in the grasses and forbs. The woodlands are primary habitat for a range of native fauna, including woodland birds such as the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot.

Box gum grassy woodland was once widespread across Southern Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. These woodlands have been extensively cleared for agriculture with remnant vegetation frequently in poor to moderate condition. Only about 5% of BGGW remains. Most remnants are found in private property".

Number of Quarries in the region.
There are already four quarries in the region Boral Hall, Boral Mugga Way, Holchim Old Cooma road, and Heidelberg Williamsdale. These quarries still have years to run and at least one Holchim Old Cooma road, which is allowed to extract 1.5million tpa (though table 2.3 on page 2.7 of the Enviromental report states 1.2mtpa) is only forecast to extract 675000 tones this year after a similar figure last year, page 15 of the Cooma Road Quarry 2024 Annual Review. This means that there is not the demand for material as stated in the proposal.

Conclusion

I live on the Monaro station Rd which is slated to be an access road for "light traffic for staff and service vehicles". This means what was a quiet rural residential road has become an industry service road with traffic starting around 430am.

The project can't tell us what the major access road will be, if the ACT Government does not approve the Monaro Highway access where will the major access road be. The submission shows a road joining the Old Cooma Road, this road must pass near houses. Who would buy a house where up to 500 trucks pass by daily. The house prices must be affected.

When this project was first raised, it was just a quarry extracting 750tpa, now after community consultation it has grown into an industrial complex with a quarry extracting 1milion tpa, a concrete and asphalt batching plants, recycled concrete will be transported here to be crushed. The companies involved already have these facilities in operation in industrial estates.

The social impact statement states
"Cumulative impacts were assessed as moderate but manageable, with the Project contributing
marginally to existing burdens. Given the resilience of the Royalla community and the absence
of any significant vulnerable cohorts, no irreversible or unacceptable social impacts were
anticipated, provided that mitigation measures were properly implemented and monitored".

How can anyone say that with the issues raised above there would be on irreversible or unacceptable social impacts? We have worked hard to build a house and to think that it worth maybe devalued by this project is heart breaking.

Silca dust and diesel particular matter are two major contributors to respiratory. the NSW Government websites below detail the issue. The location of the quarry and the number of trucks that could pass near house will affect the health of residents, another social impact
https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/customer-service/publications-and-reports/silica-dashboard
https://www.resources.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-06/diesel-particulate-matter-exhaust.pdf

These are the reason that I object to the approval of this proposal.

I have strong reservations and concerns around the proposed quarry at Royalla and the impact that it will have, not only on the local people in the immediate area of Royalla, but also in regards to its proximity to suburbs in southern Canberra. While there are many pros and cons to establishing a quarry, I have two primary concerns: health hazards, and environmental impact.

Health hazards: I am particularly concerned about the large and consistent amounts of dust and silica that will be generated by the quarry, and distributed by winds. This dust will impact the health of people nearby, causing breathing issues in the short term and contributing to respiratory problems in the long term. I live within 7kms of the proposed quarry, and my aging parents, one of whom already has respiratory and other health complications, live within 4kms of it. If this quarry is allowed to proceed, it will be able to operate for up to 30 years. It is easy to imagine that within that time period there will absolutely be people whose health is significantly harmed due to the dust generated by this quarry.

Environmental impacts: Establishing a quarry and digging into the earth is something that should not be done lightly, as it will create lasting damage and change to the local topography, environment, and the ecosystem of plants and animals of that place. Farmland and pastures that were established over the last couple of centuries have harmed native plant and animal populations, many of which have not recovered and are in a critical or endangered state. Many Australians, particularly those in the region of Queanbeyan and Canberra, take price in our care of country and respect for the environment. There are local populations of at-risk plants and animals, as the proposed quarry is on the site of critically endangered box gum grassy woodland (BGGW). Once we tear up the land there is no way to recover the plants and animals that once called that land home, and it's important that we continue to preserve and protect our precious ecosystems.

I would like to object to this project. I life within 5klm of the proposed quarry in an environmental living zone. We aren't allow to chop down a tree without approval and need to plant several more replacements, plus animal shelters, if approval is given for one tree and yet the quarry will decimate 22.44 hectars of endangered Box gum grassy woodlands. The noise of the extensive truck movements, up to 500 a day and the plant operations would turn our peaceful (zoned) environmental living to that of an industrial site. Not to mention the health risks of the silica dust which will travel over the residents of the area, as it is a high wind location. If the residents start developing health issues from exposure to silica dust ,the risk of lawsuits leveled against the government for allowing this to proceed when the health risks of silica dust are well known, would be high. There are approximately 49,000 residents within the area that would be exposed. Its quite a dry country in Royalla and the amount of ground water that will be taken to support the quarry is concerning regarding what effect it will have on the landscape and residences' bores. There are several quarries in operation in the area that aren't at full capacity and I understand they have enough material to last for 100 years. Which makes you wonder why we need another. Of course the local real estate prices will be negatively affected as acknowledge to be the quarry when raised earlier. This project if allow to proceed it will have an negative effect on the locals mental health. Apart from the horrible emotional cost, it is well known that poor mental health from a strictly financial views is a high cost to business and the government. I struggle to understand why this quarry that will be detrimental in so many areas would be allow to proceed. Thank you for taking the time to read my submission. I sincerely hope this project is quashed.

Dear Guardians of the Environment and Communities of NSW.

I am Father of 2 girls living 2kms West of the proposed Monaro Rock Quary and industrial Estate. I moved my family from Sydney 10 years ago to the rural and farming lands of Googong to avoid the pollution and threats of Sydney. We have chosen to purchase a small rural block of 20 acres with the intent of living a clean life and progressively provide as much of our own food as practical for our health and that of the environment. I object to the Monaro Rock Quary and industrial site located at Enchanted hill for the following reasons that concern me greatly:
Dust particulate from Quary activities, mining and processing of unknown other contaminants regarding concrete and asphalt recycling will place, fine dust including silica, PFAS and Asbestos that may be present in material transport to the site for recycling and processing. Considering the predominant Westly winds these contaminants will create a fallout zone effecting my roof catchment that is used for drinking and domestic water as well as the land we grow food on and breath. Any agency that approves this development will be liable for the ongoing health effects and environmental damage.
Traffic: The increased traffic frequency and weight of trucks places increased risk of Motor vehicle Incidents as well as pavement damaged on already poor local roads. The concept of slow heavy trucks entering Monaro highway is ludicrous and will result in catastrophic accidents of high speed impact on trucks slow to accelerate. Those whom approve this development will be contributory negligent in these accidents weather access is granted on Monaro highway or Old Cooma road.
Environment: This development will result in the removal of endangered box-gum trees and precious grassy woodlands, indigenous artifacts and cause particulate run off that will effect streams such as Jerrabomberra Creek, leading to the precious Jerrabomberra Wetlands. The water table will be affected over a larger area out greater Googong and Tuggeranong. How can family homes be limited in the house construction by a single box tree and this proposal effect such destruction when we need trees for co2 and animal habitat. We can hear the Holcim quarry road site 6.5kms away, how will the vibration and noise be if allowed on farming and environmental grasslands 2kms away.
Water: The use of ground water and pollution of rainwater fall out will affect the water quality of human, animal and plant consumption across the Greater Royalla, Googong and Tuggeranong area including the Googong dam catchment, Jerrabomberra grasslands and Greater Tuggeranong. How can agencies approve this development when it affects so may people and natural environments? With 50000 people living within 10kms and future projections approving agencies will be responsible for these negative health and environmental effects.
My family has undertaken native tree planting and regenerative practices to improve the control of erosion and water filtering in Jerrabomberra Creek and improve the fertility of our soil. We are successfully providing most of our own meat, eggs and increasing vegetable provisions. We have planted fruit and other shelter trees with a long-term objective to improve our health, resilience and improve the environment. We have not had to import water for 8 years and will complete our transition to be self-sustained regarding energy this year.
× The owners of the Monaro rock purchased farming land(Zoned E2 Environmental Conservation) with the intent to mine Rock. The proposal is for commercial greed by horizontal integration of business, with no community or state need. Four existing quarries have the capacity within 30kms.
× The owners have demonstrated little concern for their domestic animals(sheep) or collect animals that have strayed even following repeated phone calls. Reported to local land services(LLS).
× They disrespect neighbors by emailing invitations “Community consultation” later Friday afternoon for meeting the following day.
× They developed false community consultation and environmental reviews regarding a Hard rock Quary while failing to share that they will undertake concrete and asphalt stockpiles and recycling dramatically increasing treatment environmental risk and heavy traffic movement.
× For these reasons I have no confidence that they will adhere to any mitigation conditions or work within hours of operation or any volume requirements.
× The Existing Holcim quarry fails to manage dust or control material dropped on the road by trucks exiting the Quary road cross Cooma road intersection. This is evident by continuous stain on the road and material washing into gutters that is not managed by authorities.
My family’s health and wellbeing will be effected if the NSW government approves this out of zoning application. This development is not in keeping with the existing environmental zoning, it is not wanted by the community, taxpayers or needed for development of NSW or the Territory.
I want the right to continue the plan to provide a safe environment for my family on my land that as we have worked for paid our taxes and rates and volunteered(NSWRFS) to protect.. This Proposed Monaro Rock industrial estate is being proposed on land purchased as farming and environmental conservation with the intent to mine rock. It will threaten the health of my family, animals and the precious environment with regard to Silica and other particle contaminants in air and water. The NSW government agencies must take the responsibility entrusted to them to protect the People, animals, food supply and recreational needs of the constituents.

I make this submission as a clear OBJECTION to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry at Royalla, NSW.

I am a resident of Googong. Some of the main reasons I chose to move to Googong relate to health, and the quietness and beauty of semi-rural living. As someone living with chronic health conditions and disability, I hold grave fears for the potential impacts that this proposed quarry (and industrial site) will have on both my physical and mental health.

There now exists so much evidence about the negative impacts industrial dust particles have on human health. The potential negative impacts these dust particles alone may have on my health leave me feeling considerably anxious. The additional noise and vibrations that may result from blasting activities further add to that anxiety. Our homes are our sanctuaries, where we come to rest, regenerate and manage our health and wellbeing. This proposed quarry threatens that. The activities of this proposed quarry threaten our peaceful enjoyment and the very lifestyle we have sought by living semi-rurally. For these reasons alone, I urge you to deny all permits for this proposal on the basis of health, amenity and lifestyle factors of the residents in the surrounding areas.

In addition to the health and lifestyle effects of this proposed quarry, I hold grave concerns for the environmental impact this proposed quarry will have on the proposed site and its surrounds. The proposed quarry will clear 22.44 hectares of critically endangered Box-Gum Grassy Woodland (which is protected under Federal law) and 77.83 hectares of vegetation overall. The proposed site is home to over 300 species of flora and fauna, which will be negatively impacted by this proposed industrial site. In a time of constantly increasing loss of greenspaces and biodiversity, it is imperative that great effort goes into protecting these spaces and their inhabitants at every opportunity. There are already so many displaced wildlife from urban expansion. It is so important, to me, that these areas continue to be protected. Their existence provides considerable wellbeing to me and are a big part of why I chose to live in this region. This is my home. I did not chose, and I do not want, to live near such a significant, destructive, potentially dangerous industrial site.

The proposed number of trucks travelling our roads is beyond reasonable. There are already so many trucks travelling along Old Cooma Road and the Monaro Highway. Travelling amongst these beasts is terrifying at the best of times, dodging shrapnel flying out of the rear of these trucks, chipped windscreens, being blocked in, and lack of vision due to their size. The roads already struggle to be well-maintained, and I can only see the condition of the roads significantly deteriorating with this level of heavy traffic. To increase the volume of heavy vehicles on roads used by tens of thousands of residents to access their homes, by 500 trucks per day, is unreasonable and very unsafe.

Other issues of concern, as I’m sure are documented in other submissions, relate to odours, potential electricity brownouts, the effects on groundwater and pollution. Of most notable concern is the disregard for Indigenous artefacts found on site during the Environmental Impact Statement.

The Federal Government has protections in place to safeguard areas for their conservation, biodiversity, indigenous and heritage values. To disregard these safeguards, at the highest government level, shows how little value Monaro Rock places on all environmental protections, let alone the residents of the area. We trust our governments to enforce these protections on our behalf. To disregard these protections is such a violation of our trust. It is, simply, disgusting.

There are already multiple quarries in the region that have existing capacity, negating the need for this additional quarry. This quarry is unnecessary and unwanted by the surrounding residents.

The proximity of this proposed quarry to nearly 50,000 people (projected to increase by 20,000 people within 10 years) is alarming. This is our home. We didn’t choose to live within such close proximity to such dirty, dangerous and destructive industrial activity. We made a choice to live somewhere where we and our families feel safe and free of the dangers and disamenity that come from inner-city and industrial living. I implore you to protect our health, our amenity and our lifestyle.

Regards,

Catherine Durney
23 September 2025

I own a rural property within 3kms of the proposed site. This submission is in opposition to the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal due to my concerns with health risks, noise, environmental impacts and traffic concerns.

Health risks from respirable silica dust:
It is unrealistic to expect there would be only small amounts of respiratory dust and other mineral dust emissions generated from mining the site. Silica dust can reach up to 700 metres high and stay in the air for days. Silica dust particles can be extremely small and invisible to the naked eye. Our property, as is most of Royalla, is subjected to regular high winds. The respiratory dust risks associated with the Monaro Rock Quarry can not be fully eliminated, even when a hierarchy of controls are implemented (Airborne dust exposure in mines and quarries | Resources Safety & Health Queensland). The last bastion of defence for workers as outlined in the booklet are PPE specifically fitted to each worker, this equipment is not available to the surrounding community nor would it mitigate contamination of water tanks, dams, and edible produce grown on the many rural properties within 5 km of the site.

Noise and vibration from blasting:
Noise and vibration from blasting operations will be heard and felt five days a week from 9am to 5pm. We are recently retired and spend a lot of time outdoors around the property. It is unacceptable to permit a quarry so close to a rural/residential neighbourhood and to subject inhabitants to this amount of noise and discomfort. This is apart from the risk to our infrastructure such as cracks to water tanks, structures and foundations.

The environment:
The quarry will damage and/or clear close to 80 hectares of vegetation. A quarter of this land contains critically endangered fauna with 300 species of flora and fauna calling this land home.
The quarry intends to use groundwater which presents unacceptable risks to my property and livestock. My dam is spring fed and contains turtles, yabbies, and perch. It is also the main source of water for my livestock and garden. My surrounding neighbours have bores. Permission is required to create a dam or install a bore to help sustainably manage groundwater sources, protecting their quality and the ecosystems that depend on them (Drilling a bore domestic and stock rights FAQs). These safeguards have not been successful for mining operations in the past and have had a devastating impact on groundwater including flow paths and contamination.

Traffic:
The quarry will generate up to 500 heavy vehicles a day on the Monaro highway which equates to one truck every 10 minutes. This highway is the main road we travel on to get to town and is largely single lane. It already supports a steady flow of traffic during peak times particularly in the mornings, evenings and during the snow season. Accidents are common and the road is in constant disrepair. The quarry would increase our travel time and add to an already stressed infrastructure without regard to additional maintenance requirements.

Please find attached my submission.

I have great concerns for the proposed quarry in Royalla. I object to this proposal for another new quarry.

I have children who are learning to drive or are newly independent drivers driving to and from home on the Monaro Highway. I do not want them to have to manage the extra truck traffic and the possible reckless driving that will come from other cars wanting to overtake the trucks entering and exiting the new quarry onto the Monaro Highway. I also don't want to have to contend with the additional truck traffic from the proposed quarry. I work in Tuggeranong and travel on the Monaro Highway to and from work every day. This additional truck traffic will increase my commute time and will also increase the risks for my family and I on an already high-risk road.

I love the lifestyle that Royalla offers us with the livestock we tend to, the vegetable gardens and orchards that I have established and harvest from. I am concerned for the health of my family and I with regards to the silica dust that will be airborne and ingested from our fruits and vegetables. I am concerned about my own health with regards to the silica dust when I am out in the garden tending to it. I am also concerned about our animals and the impact that the silica dust will have on their health.I am also very concerned about the water table and how it could be affected by the proposed quarry as we have a bore which I rely on in my gardens and for our animals.

Development Application No. SSD-27223807
I am objecting to this project as I will be affected by a number of issues if this project is allowed to go ahead.
The concerns of neighboring residents as documented in the EIS, lists the issues raised by local residents from the consultation process 3 years ago, in response to the original proposal of a quarry only. It is only now with the publication of the EIS that we have learnt about the proposal to develop additional infrastructure for the production of premix concrete, an asphalt plant and a concrete recycling facility.

Concerns
Silica Dust - I am concerned with the hazards posed by finer silica dust which will result as a result of the quarrying process.
The study included in the EIS is based on the effects of particle size PM10 and PM2.5 which (according to this study which was commissioned by the developer) has a deposition zone of 1-2 km and max travel distance of 5 km. My residence is les than 3.5 km from the proposed quarry site. I have been told that it is advisable for me to fit additional filtration to my drinking water which is harvested from rain on my roof and also to install HEPA filters within my home during the 6 months of the year when the prevailing winds blow over the quarry site and directly towards my residence.
PM1 particles (not discussed by this study) penetrate deeper into lung (alveola region) and has to elevated toxicity due to the increasing surface area as particle size decreases. This is linked to accelerated silicosis, COPD lung cancer and other systemic effects. Silica dust of this size which is not covered by the impact study will typically travel up to 20kms. There are a number of suburbs and townships within a 20km radius of the quarry and the impact will affect thousands of people and over a dozen schools. According to Safe Work Australia, there is no safe level of silica dust exposure.

Policing of Safeguards/Mitigating requirements - I note that the impact of air quality, noise and blasting have been addressed by implementation of mitigating actions by the operator. My concern is that for the most part, this is a self-audited activity by the operator who would be motivated to comply to all the required safeguards during the periods of inspection/auditing only and relaxing these standards at other times.

My Other Concerns include;
• Water is a precious and limited resource and I note that the quarry requires large quantities of water especially for dust control.
• The proposed route for trucks requires access to infrastructure controlled by the ACT government. It is my great concern that this route will not eventuate and that our rural access road will be subjected to up to 500 truck movements per day if traffic for concrete, asphalt and recycled products are taken into account. I would like to see that the route via the Monaro Highway for truck access to/from the quarry becomes a mandatory requirement of this development.
• Social studies include in the EIS have not mentioned the areas of Little Burra and Mt. Pleasant estates which are of a significant size and adjacent to the quarry in addition to the Royalla estate. I suspect that we have been lumped in with Googong township which is between 6 – 9 kms from the quarry (not 13kms as stated in the EIS)
• Googong township (not the greater suburb of Googong with population of 13,800) has a population of approx. 7,400 and is a rapidly growing area.
• Similarly, the distances to other communities such as Burra have been stated to be further than the actual distance from the quarry.
• The zoning for the site of the quarry is currently set as Environmental Conservation and Rural landscape which reflects the values and expectations of the community already living here.
• This community immediately surrounding the proposed quarry site strongly identify with and have actively sought after the tranquility of this rural setting and we object to the disruption that the quarry will bring.
• There is a real threat that property values will decrease in proportion to the proximity to this industrial development in our midst. In addition, there is a real possibility of additional costs to implement extra filtration measures to our drinking water and the air within our homes.

The studies supporting the application have been commissioned and paid for by the developer. I would like to see a pause in the approval process so that additional independent studies be conducted to verify the finding as submitted in the EIS.
In addition, the air quality study should be expanded to include the effects of the PM1 size particles. The proposed mitigation measures should be expanded to include air quality monitoring throughout the surrounding areas – not just within the confines of the quarry property. The results of the air quality monitoring need to be transparent and available to the community.
The EIS comprises of 16 documents, one which is 503 pages developed over 4 years. The community has been given 4 weeks to respond, and it is not reasonable to expect a complete analysis of the EIS in four weeks. However, inconsistencies have been noted. Given the health, social and financial impact to a large number of people, I strongly urge that further independent investigation and community consultation be carried out and serious consideration be given to the overall impact to the local residents before deciding on the viability of this application.

Thank you
Nick George

I object to this project. Please see attached documents outlining my objection.

I would like to strongly object to the Monaro Rock Quarry Project, our quality of life and many others within our community will be adversely affected by this project.

Firstly, My family and I live approximately 2km from the proposed site on Monaro Station Road, firstly I would like to draw to your attention that although Monaro Station Road may sound like a large road due it being labeled a “Road” it is actually little more than residential street, with no line markings, street lighting, foot paths or even a shoulder in parts and is used daily by local residents for pedestrian access for children walking to and from the school bus stop, walking between residents homes as well as regular use by local cyclists, joggers, dog walkers and horse riders. This is a 70 km/h street which connects to the 100km/h Old Cooma Road with no slip lanes (it is suitable for domestic traffic not high volumes of heavy vehicles). Although these issues have been brought up in personal impact statements, according to the EIS Monaro Station Road will be the secondary thoroughfare should approval (which has not yet been given by the ACT Government) to enter the Monaro Highway is given, I think it would be naive to assume it won’t be used regardless of the highway access being granted. I will no longer be able to allow my children to walk to other residents or to the bus stop if it is overrun with heavy vehicles.

If the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry goes ahead Monaro Station Road which is the main outlook/view from our home (and our neighbors) will no longer be a quiet rural street, but a thoroughfare of up to 500 large smelly, noisy, dusty trucks causing vibration while they thundering their way backward and forwards past our home either accelerating or braking from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays this is not the quite rural living we moved here for!!! Noting according to table 4.1 in the Trasport Planning Document we now have a potential of traffic starting to access the quarry at 6am in the morning !!

Secondly, our main inspiration for moving to this beautiful area was one of our children being prone to on going respiratory issues, so this was a great opportunity to move our children into the rural clear air environment away from the noise, pollution and chaos of city life, it has made a noticeable difference. Now we face the prospect of relentless dust blowing over our property contaminating our water supplies, solar panels but worst of all our lungs! I realise that mitigations can be put in place as noted in EIS but they simply can’t stop it completely, with what we know about the risks of Silica Dust now days I am astonished that the risk can even be considered appropriate so close to existing domestic premises at all. Let’s add to that the foul smell of hot mix asphalt blowing over from the quarry and delivery trucks as well as the relentless stink of diesel exhaust that will now flow through our windows as the trucks roll on by, this is impossible to mitigate am I not correct?

Thirdly, Blasting according to the EIS Community Summary:
“Accounting for these mitigations, the following outcomes were predicted “
“Vibration from quarry operations would be low enough to avoid disturbing people or damaging buildings.”. A “prediction” does not fill me with confidence that this will be the case, I can’t afford to be fixing building faults that may appear in my home, how would I ever prove this was caused by the blasting.

Finally, there are no positives, only negatives impacts if the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry is approved, impacting our lives in so many ways, how about our view/outlook with the potential that not only our South / South Easterly view being affected by stinking, noisy trucks but our North / North Easterly view will potentially include a half blown out Enchanted Hill as well as even more trucks commuting around the side of the hill if the Monaro Highway entrance is approved. Considering all the above combined with our properties close proximity to the proposed Quarry a huge concern to us is the loss in value of our property. This is our home that we invested our life savings in on the hope that one day we would be able to sell for a reasonable profit and retire, I am very concerned that we may never be able to sell the property now if not for a loss, do I even want to live here with 500 trucks a day and a noisy quarry operating next door, probably not, who would ? We didn't move here for this, quite the opposite... I should have a choice, if this is to go ahead and Monaro Rock are of the opinion that this shouldn’t affect my property price, at no point has it been discussed that they would be interested in purchasing or offering any sort of financial compensation.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that EIS contains a lot of information and research but to much "in theory" and very little commitment, it is not enough to persuade me that Monaro Rock are acting in my or my community’s best interests. The other Quarries in the area are not running at full capacity, the various jobs that are claimed to be created through the development should easily be absorbed by existing Quarries if the so-called demand is there. This is an inappropriate place for a new Quarry far too close to Royalla residents and suburbs of the ACT. I don't want this near my home neither does the Royalla community as a whole. The land would lend itself better to clean environmental use or even possible more rural residential land.

We moved to a rural residential community not a rural industrial community, a Quarry wants to move near me, I did not choose to move near a Quarry.

Please Do Not approve this monstrosity.

My main objections lie with the trucks on the road and the dust in the air. The increased number of trucks on the road transporting rock would not only slow down travel along a road I use every single day, but also create unnecessary noise and increase the air pollution from the combustion alone by a drastic margin. Similarly, the dust in the air from all the mining would make the outside an unpleasant place to be, especially for me because of my asthma.

I am writing to express my serious concerns regarding the proposed Royalla Quarry. As a resident of Royalla for over 40 years, I have witnessed numerous changes in our community. While I have generally welcomed progress, the potential health risks posed by this quarry are deeply troubling.

My primary concern is the impact on the health and safety of not only nearby residents but also the wider community. The dispersion of fine silica dust across the valley poses a significant threat to numerous schools, as well as the 49000 residents in close proximity (within 10km’s). As a father and husband of a loved one who has pre-existing respiratory issues, I am particularly alarmed by the potential health consequences. The long-term costs to our healthcare system must be carefully considered. We are equally concerned about the contamination of our rainwater, this is our sole source of drinking water which will be contaminated by silica dust. This is a grave concern for all residents in Royalla and surrounding areas who rely on rainwater.

Beyond the health risks, I am also concerned about the potential financial impact to all residents if the quarry is approved. The presence of a quarry would undoubtedly diminish property values. I would never choose to live near a quarry, and I believe many others share this sentiment. Therefore, I urge you to consider how residents will be compensated for this inevitable loss. Furthermore, the significant increase in traffic, particularly heavy trucks, will exacerbate existing congestion issues on the Monaro Highway and Johnson Drive, leading to a rise in accidents.
We have been told that the traffic data was collected during COVID-19 restrictions, this should not be considered as representative of normal conditions and should not be used to justify this project. The noise and environmental impacts, including the destruction of protected plant species, are also significant concerns as well as precious Indigenous artefacts including a scar tree and ring tree.
It is unconscionable that the financial gain of a few should be prioritized over the health, well-being, and financial security of thousands of residents. I implore you to halt this project and protect our community from these unacceptable risks.

Submission Opposing the Monaro Rock Quarry Proposal – Joint Venture Between Monaro Mix and Pacific Formwork
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to strongly oppose the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry near Royalla, a joint venture between Monaro Mix and Pacific Formwork. This submission outlines serious concerns regarding health, environmental degradation, infrastructure strain, bushfire risk, community consultation, and the long-term sustainability of the project—particularly its impact on the Enchanted Hill community and surrounding rural areas.
1. Health Risks – Silica Dust and Water Runoff
The quarry will generate respirable crystalline silica (RCS) through blasting, crushing, and transport of rhyodacite ignimbrite. RCS is a Group 1 carcinogen, linked to:
- Silicosis (incurable lung disease),
- Lung cancer,
- Chronic bronchitis and COPD,
- Kidney disease.
These particles can remain airborne for days and travel kilometres, especially during dry, windy conditions. Rainfall can wash silica-laden dust into rainwater tanks, contaminating household water supplies—a critical issue in rural areas like Royalla and Enchanted Hill, where many homes rely on tank water for drinking and domestic use.
2. Blasting and Crushing Impacts – Pollution and Safety Risks
The quarry proposes regular blasting to extract rock, followed by on-site crushing. These activities will:
- Generate shockwaves and ground vibrations, potentially damaging nearby homes and infrastructure;
- Release fine particulate matter, including silica dust, into the air;
- Create noise pollution and odour from diesel exhaust, explosives, and disturbed earth;
- Increase risk of flyrock, which can pose a direct physical threat to nearby residents and properties;
- Contribute to air and soil contamination, especially during dry or windy conditions.
3. Water Use and Runoff
The site lacks access to town water and will rely on groundwater extraction and stormwater harvesting to suppress dust and support operations. This raises several concerns:
- Over-extraction of groundwater could lower the water table, affecting nearby bores and ecosystems;
- Contaminated runoff from the quarry site may carry sediment, diesel residues, and silica particles into local waterways and soil;
- Heavy rainfall events could overwhelm containment systems, leading to uncontrolled discharge into the environment.
4. Electricity and Carbon Footprint
The quarry will require significant electrical infrastructure to power crushing equipment, lighting, and water pumps. This contributes to:
- A high carbon footprint inconsistent with NSW’s climate goals;
- Potential strain on local energy networks, especially during peak demand periods;
- Visual and electromagnetic pollution from new transmission lines and substations.
5. Traffic and Safety Hazards – Monaro Highway Is Already a Deadly Road
The proposal includes up to 250 truck movements per day, using the Monaro Highway and potentially Old Cooma Road. The Monaro Highway is already known for its high accident rate, with multiple fatalities and serious crashes reported in recent years. Additional heavy vehicle traffic will:
- Increase congestion and driver frustration;
- Heighten the risk of collisions, especially at intersections and overtaking zones;
- Delay emergency services and school transport;
- Deter cyclists and pedestrians from using local roads safely.
Critical Intersection Risk: Monaro Highway–Old Cooma Road
The intersection of Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road is already notoriously dangerous, with poor visibility, high-speed traffic, and limited turning lanes. Introducing quarry trucks at this junction will:
- Exponentially increase the risk of serious accidents;
- Create bottlenecks and unsafe merging conditions;
- Endanger school buses, commuters, and emergency vehicles.
This intersection is not designed to handle industrial traffic volumes and must be considered a major safety liability in the context of this proposal.
6. Environmental and Biodiversity Loss
The proposed quarry site lies within an E2 Environmental Conservation Zone, home to several critically endangered species and ecological communities:
- Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands, of which less than 10% remain globally;
- Pink-tailed Worm Lizard, Striped Legless Lizard, and Glossy Black Cockatoo;
- Native orchids and other flora displaced by recent bushfires that found refuge in this area.
The quarry will fragment habitats, disrupt breeding cycles, and introduce noise, dust, and light pollution that further threaten vulnerable species.
7. Bushfire Risk
The quarry site is located in a bushfire-prone area, and the proposal fails to adequately address:
- Increased ignition risk from blasting and machinery;
- Obstruction of emergency access routes;
- Compromised evacuation plans for nearby residents;
- Loss of post-fire regeneration zones, which are critical for biodiversity recovery.
The community is still recovering from recent bushfires, and this proposal places them at further risk.
8. No Meaningful Economic Benefit
The quarry is expected to create only 30 jobs, a negligible number compared to the tens of thousands of residents in the impact zone. The economic benefit is concentrated in the hands of two families—the owners of Monaro Mix and Pacific Formwork—while the negative impacts will be felt by thousands across Royalla, Enchanted Hill, Tuggeranong, and beyond.
There are is already multiple hard rock quarries within a close proximity, none operating at full capacity. The region has decades of aggregate supply, making this project redundant and unjustified.
9. Decrease in Property Values
The presence of a large-scale quarry will significantly devalue residential properties in Royalla, Enchanted Hill, and surrounding areas. Contributing factors include:
- Noise, dust, and vibration pollution;
- Visual blight from industrial operations;
- Reduced desirability due to health and safety concerns;
- Loss of rural character and amenity.
Families who have invested in these communities for their peace, clean air, and natural beauty will suffer financial loss and diminished quality of life.
10. Community Opposition and Lack of Consultation
The proposal has triggered widespread community opposition, including:
- Hundreds of formal submissions against the quarry;
- A dedicated campaign at NoNewQuarry.com.au representing residents, environmental groups, and local businesses;
- Concerns that the project violates planning principles and conservation zoning.
Importantly, ACT residents—who will be directly affected—were not adequately consulted. Many were unaware of the proposal until late in the process, and the cross-border nature of the impact has not been properly acknowledged in the planning framework. This lack of transparency and engagement undermines public trust and planning integrity.
Conclusion
The Monaro Rock Quarry proposal is incompatible with the health, safety, and sustainability of the Royalla and Enchanted Hill communities. It offers minimal public benefit while imposing significant and lasting harm on thousands of residents and critically endangered ecosystems. I urge the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to reject this proposal in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Althorp
19 Farrier rd. Royalla NSW 2620
Vanessa,althorp@gmail,com
0402 760 732

To Whom It May Concern,
I strongly oppose the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry near Royalla. This project poses unacceptable risks to public health, the environment, infrastructure, and community wellbeing—particularly for residents of Enchanted Hill and surrounding rural areas.
1. Health Hazards – Silica Dust & Water Contamination
Blasting and crushing rhyodacite will release respirable crystalline silica (RCS)—a Group 1 carcinogen linked to silicosis, lung cancer, and kidney disease.
These fine particles can travel kilometres and contaminate rainwater tanks, threatening the only drinking water source for many rural homes.
2. Blasting, Noise & Air Pollution
Regular blasting and on-site crushing will generate shockwaves, dust, diesel fumes, and noise, damaging homes, degrading air quality, and increasing the risk of flyrock—a direct threat to nearby residents.
3. Water Extraction & Runoff
The quarry will rely on groundwater and stormwater, risking aquifer depletion and polluted runoff entering local waterways.
Heavy rainfall could overwhelm containment systems, causing environmental damage.
4. Carbon Footprint & Infrastructure Strain
The project demands significant electrical infrastructure, increasing emissions and placing strain on local energy networks.
Transmission lines will also contribute to visual and electromagnetic pollution.
5. Traffic & Road Safety – Monaro Highway
Up to 250 truck movements daily will worsen congestion and increase crash risks on the already dangerous Monaro Highway, particularly at the Old Cooma Road intersection, which is ill-equipped for industrial traffic and already a known hazard.
6. Biodiversity Loss
The site lies in an E2 Environmental Conservation Zone, home to critically endangered species like the Pink-tailed Worm Lizard and Glossy Black Cockatoo.
Quarry operations will fragment habitats and disrupt post-bushfire regeneration.
7. Bushfire Risk
Located in a bushfire-prone area, the quarry increases ignition risk and could obstruct emergency access and evacuation routes—placing lives and biodiversity at further risk.
8. Minimal Economic Benefit
The project offers only 30 jobs, while thousands of residents will bear the cost.
With five existing quarries nearby and decades of aggregate supply available, this proposal is redundant.
9. Property Devaluation
Noise, dust, and industrial blight will devalue homes and erode the rural character that residents have invested in.
10. Lack of Consultation & Community Opposition
The proposal has sparked widespread opposition, including hundreds of submissions and a campaign at NoNewQuarry.com.au.
ACT residents, who will be directly impacted, were not adequately consulted, undermining the integrity of the planning process.
Conclusion
This quarry offers negligible public benefit while imposing serious, long-term harm on people, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
I urge the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to reject the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal in full.

Please see my attached document for my comments on the proposed Royalla (Monaro) Rock Quarry.

I wish to oppose the development of the Monaro Rock Quarry.
We purchased our Monaro Station property in 2017. It was a massive financial outlay for us but after looking into the areas zoning, what price do you put on your family’s health and wellbeing what a wonderfully unique lifestyle for our family and even for friends to visit, it was such an exciting prospect, we couldn’t believe our luck we had managed to secure a property in an absolutely stunning rural area only minutes from Canberra. Given the financial commitment we had to consider this our “superannuation” becoming either an option for our children to purchase off us later in life or to on sell as a unique opportunity for someone to purchase a rural residence only ten minutes from Canberra, what would become an even rarer commodity in the future.
Wow, we had no idea what an amazing community we were moving into, it was almost like stepping back in time! If we left the door unlocked, we didn’t need to worry, neighbours look out for each other, everybody is house proud and maintain the appearance of their property, people were always trying to help each other… the list goes on, in short just a great place to live. A community centre built by the resident for the residents and the surrounding regions with regular local volunteer coordinated children’s events, sausage sizzles and bonfires…
Since our purchase we had been excitingly looking into so many options for our property, we were planning on re-developing our driveway, entrance and even a substantial extension to our home including large deck and inground swimming pool. We were just about to begin the process of relocating our children from school in central Canberra to one of the local south Tuggeranong schools to allow us the ability to use the local bus service and aid in mingling more in the local community.
Then in early 2021, I read a Facebook post one Sunday afternoon and there was a photo of proposed quarry and an associated letter posted by an angry resident. I was astonished, could not believe this could happen, I made my way down to my letterbox to find an unsealed, unaddressed envelope with the recently posted on Facebook documents inside, with consultation times of short notice and inconvenient times. From that point on our lives and the lives of our family, neighbours and community have been turned upside down. The consultation days where ill-prepared and provided very little information and only gave the impression that they were going ahead with this project as it will mean increased profits for our company and it’s your problem to stop it!
Due to the location and nature of this proposal our quiet and clean aired lifestyle could now be impacted but not limited to, a relentless line of trucks driving past or in close proximity to our property on a daily basis (500 a day from 7am to 6pm!!!), producing noise, dust, diesel fumes, rubbish (rocks ,dirt etc) on road to be flicked up and break windscreens, general traffic congestion. Noise from explosions, heavy machinery, trucks, increased visitor and employee traffic. Dust, no matter how well it is claimed this can be reduced realistically all the dust can simply not be stopped. This is an extremely windy location we will be inundated with dust both the dirty annoying dust and deadly silica dust, affecting our health, our water supplies, swimming pools, dams, solar panels even down to the smaller issue extra cleaning both inside and outside we will now have to perform. Damage, there is no denying that all properties within a certain radius will be affect by the shock waves of the blasting potentially cracking home and shed foundations, water tanks, underground services. There will obviously be an increase of debris on the roads be it small rocks, dirt dust, to damage windscreens and duco or the potential damage caused by inevitable potholes which will frequently turn up due to the heavy traffic on our residential streets. Not to mention the damage to pumps and filters on our water systems. Speaking of water, what about our water table, our community relies heavily on the underground water table to maintain our properties and stock the existing community respect the limited resource that it is and are very careful with its usage however according to the proposers they will be accessing this to use astronomical amounts of water on a daily basis with the only other option being to truck in water which apparently was unfeasible due to the amount required! and if it was the chosen option it would only increase the already unacceptable amount of trucks on the road. Last but not least power, as existing residents know the installation of the other quarries in the region have been closely associated with brown outs causing an unusual amount of electrical failures of water pumps and sewerage in the past, it seems the existing quarry and electrical authorities have more or less got this under control now but if the proposed quarry goes ahead we will most likely be faced with this problem yet again.
Given the above issues as a family we had to put our lives on hold, we didn’t want to move our children to a school that is potentially within the fallout area of the quarry, this would mean they would be exposed to silica dust both at home and at school, we wouldn’t be able to use the local bus service as it will be too dangerous to have my children walk down to the local bus stop as the existing roads are not appropriate for both pedestrian access and heavy vehicle access. Any plans to extend our home were and still are put on hold, we couldn’t afford to risk extending a home that may lose value and put ourselves at risk of over capitalising, the option of a pool is now more or less out of the question as it would more than likely just be filled with dust and become a mud bath.
We didn’t come here to live next to a quarry, we will most probably have little choice other than to move if the project goes ahead but who is going to want to buy our home now! What was to become our retirement fund is now a dwindling flame and ultimately has the potential to leave us financially crippled, how could we possibly be compensated for this.
I am still at a loss as how this proposal can even be considered given the huge number of residents affected by this, with our knowledge of the health risks associated with industrial developments like this, surely, they should be moved away from residents not closer. With three other quarries in the region not running at full capacity you can only assume that this is purely for higher profit which should not come before existing resident’s lifestyle and health.
Here we are now getting towards the end of the approval process and as I read through the EIS sure they have included several of the issues which I mentioned above but for me, it is just a lot of facts and figures, there are no guarantees, no promises, anything could happen really… Unfortunately I can only see downsides, I can’t find one upside in this for myself or my community.
In conclusion, when we bought this home, we carefully considered the zoning of the area, what else can we base the possibilities of future development on? We were aware of the proposed development of extra residential blocks behind us and were actively involved in the approval process, we were under the impression that the zoning laws would keep this untouched unique paradise maintained, if we had known a quarry or similar could be built so close to homes in a residential area we would not have invested our lifesavings into this property. The prospect of the Monaro Rock Quarry has left us deflated, disappointed and at a loss as to what to do next, what was an exciting opportunity to look forward to has become a long list of unknowns causing, incredible stress to my children and our marriage. The proposal has already affected the mental health of my entire family and the community and will only get worse.
Please don’t approve this horrible industrial development in our beautiful rural community and let us get back to living our dreams without this dark cloud hanging over us.

Refer two attachments

Excessive traffic, Silica dust, damage to local wild life