Stone Ridge Quarry Project

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I object to Stone Ridge Quarry within Wallaroo State Forest being approved for the following reasons.

Clearing 79.02 ha of habitat of both, endangered and threatened species is going to have a significant impact on their survival in the proposed area. Especially as the proposed site includes suitable koala habitat.

Species identified in studies of the proposed area, include koalas, squirrel gliders, brushed-tailed phascogales all listed as endangered as well as threatened species of bats, birds and native orchids.

Stone Ridge Quarry will add to the already burgeoned road movements from other quarries all converging in the same area. This will create safety concerns in the Italia Rd vicinity.

The proposed entrance to Stone Ridge Quarry will cut through important endangered pristine forest which is precious habitat.

Australia has a terrible reputation around the world because of our endless land clearing causing habitat loss and the extinction of our unique fauna and flora. It is time for us to think about our environment and all its inhabitants and put them first.

So, I am asking you to please not approve Stone Ridge Quarry.

Kind Regards
Roslyn Scoles

Please see attachment. I also request confirmation that my submission has been received.

Ref: Stone Ridge Quarry Project, Italia Road, Balickera, NSW 2324
SSD-10432, EPBC ID: 2022/09368
To the Director, Resource Assessments, Jessie Evans,

I object to the Stone Ridge Quarry proposal on the following grounds:
1.Sustainability –
The original ARDG proposal puts forward the argument that NSW is in dire need of the rock products to be produced at the Stone Ridge Quarry. (3.9 Project Need & Justification). These products include concrete, asphalt and sealing aggregates, gabion and crushed rock, armourstone and roadbase (Section 2.9.3)
However, sustainability is no longer a buzz word but is being implemented in all government policies. The extensive amount of waste generated by various industries and human activities has made the disposal of solid waste a major problem around the world (Rahman et al., 2014a). In Australia, approximately 8.7 Mt of demolition concrete, 1.3 Mt of demolition brick, 3.3 Mt of waste excavation rock, 1.0 Mt of waste glass and 1.2 Mt of reclaimed asphalt pavements are stockpiled annually, and these stockpiles are growing (Clay et al., 2007, Sustainability Victoria, 2010).
It has been estimated that the Hunter region alone has approximately 160-200 million tonnes of coal-ash waste at its disposal, presently contributing to ecosystem contamination, which could be reclaimed to manufacture sustainable, high-performing aggregates underpinning far greater potential regional employment benefits than the less than 50 direct jobs associated with the proposed Stone Ridge quarry proposal.

The NSW Government recognises that 40% of the waste going to landfill in the state is building waste. Minimising waste on the construction Site WasteLearnGd1.docx (live.com)
I maintain that destroying the environment for roadbase and construction material is no longer sustainable when we have alternate building waste material that can do the same job.
2.Environmental –
ARDG’s own assessment of Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) listed under the EPBC Act has identified that the project is likely to have a significant impact on the Koala due to the clearance of 79.02 ha of suitable koala habitat. Koalas, squirrel gliders, brush-tailed phascogales as well as threatened species of birds, bats, microbats and orchids have all been identified on or near the development site. Surveys for Corybas dowlingii and Powerful Owl breeding habitat have not been completed.
The disturbance site includes two threatened ecological communities (TEC) listed under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, and one Nationally listed Endangered ecological community: Subtropical eucalypt floodplain forest and woodland of the NSW North Coast and South East Queensland bioregions. The first and largest phase of clearance includes habitat clearance in each of the three Threatened Ecological Communities and areas where koalas were recorded during recent surveys.
If approved, the proposed quarry will result in significant negative impacts to the natural environment. These include the permanent destruction of 79 ha of state forest held in trust for the public; a permanent loss of habitat and increased threats for local koalas and several other species of threatened wildlife; the significant degradation and narrowing of an existing broader habitat corridor in the region; and an expected degradation of important biological values of the adjacent Wallaroo National Park.
The section of Wallaroo State Forest proposed for the site of the quarry is directly connected to the Wallaroo National Park and is part of a regional fauna corridor with broader connection to the Karuah National Park, Medowie State Conservation Area, and Medowie Nature Reserve. (EIS BDAR, p. 39)
3.Local Amenity – Cumulative impacts
The dust and noise from blasting, then drilling, crushing, stockpiling and loading of trucks will travel over the local area making life miserable for local residents. local residents already exposed However, safety was the number one concern expressed by local residents in surveys conducted by the proponent. Truck movements to be generated from the Stone Ridge Quarry will add to the impact of 2 other quarries in the area which have trucks using Italia Road as an exit point onto the M1 Freeway. The approval of this quarry would enable a cluster of 5 other quarries currently in various stages of planning to progress, resulting in cumulative traffic, dust, noise and habitat loss impacts. Cumulative daily heavy truck haulage has been estimated to grow to well over 2000 per day should this approval be granted. Local residents have estimated that this will mean 30 heavy truck movements out of Italia Road and onto the M1 every hour.
The Seaham Boral Quarry and Brandy Hill Quarry are already in operation and trucks from these quarries turn left out of Italia Rd, drive down to the Karuah interchange where they are joined by trucks from Karuah East Quarry and several other quarries operating in the area all driving south to Hexham and eventually the Central Coast or Sydney. Between Heatherbrae and Hexham they are joined by sand trucks exiting Tomago Road and Old Punt Road from the 8 sand quarries along the coast, closer to Stockton and Williamtown.
Concerns of everyone who uses this stretch of the Pacific Highway are expressed by the local Member of State Parliament, David Gillespie.
This was a recent newspaper headline: Federal MP for Lyne, David Gillespie has expressed real concerns about road safety in the area of the M1 north of Raymond Terrace where quarry trucks enter the busy freeway.
Federal MP David Gillespie says plans for three large quarries north of Raymond Terrace demonstrate why the Pacific Highway urgently needs a new interchange to fix safety concerns at Italia Road, Medowie Road and the Bucketts Way. (Port Macquarie News, 27th June 2023. Quarry plans revive calls for new overpass for Medowie Road, Italia Road, Bucketts Way | Port Macquarie News | Port Macquarie, NSW (portnews.com.au)
For all of these reasons expressed above, I believe that the Stone Ridge Quarry should not be approved.
I have not made any reportable political donations in the last two years. I acknowledge and accept the Departments Disclaimer and Declaration.

For the following reasons:
It presents unacceptable impacts to biodiversity protected under the EPBC Act. Your own Department (DCCEEW)
has deemed Stone Ridge as “likely to lead to population decline” for the Koala.
Site surveys completed by consultants for ARDG identified Koalas (Vulnerable, EPBC Act; Endangered, NSW BC Act), Squirrel Gliders (Vulnerable, NSW BC Act) and Brush-tailed Phascogales (Vulnerable, NSW BC Act) present within Disturbance area, and a total of 10 Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) are listed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by the DCCEEW, inclusive of 3 listed Migratory species due to the project proximity to the Ramsar listed Hunter Estuary Wetlands.
I regard biodiversity as the most critical component of a healthy natural system and we are anxious about the impacts here locally on our bushlands with its flora and fauna values and point to the fact that this quarry is but one such proposed
development in the Hunter.

See attached letter

Please find attached my objection to this proposal

Ref: Stone Ridge Quarry Project, Italia Road, Balickera, NSW 2324
SSD-10432, EPBC ID: 2022/09368, LOT: 1, DP 724372; LOT: 36 and 65, DP: 753200; LOT 540, DP: 1207159
To the Director, Resource Assessments, Jessie Evans,
I object to the Stone Ridge Quarry proposal on the following grounds:
Environmental –
If approved, the proposed quarry will result in significant negative impacts to the natural environment. These include the permanent destruction of 79 ha of state forest held in trust for the public; a permanent loss of habitat and increased threats for local koalas and several other species of threatened wildlife; the significant degradation and narrowing of an existing broader habitat corridor in the region; and an expected degradation of important biological values of the adjacent Wallaroo National Park.
The section of Wallaroo State Forest proposed for the site of the quarry is directly connected to the Wallaroo National Park and is part of a regional fauna corridor with broader connection to the Karuah National Park, Medowie State Conservation Area, and Medowie Nature Reserve. (EIS BDAR, p. 39)
Sustainability –
The original ARDG proposal puts forward the argument that NSW is in dire need of the rock products to be produced at the Stone Ridge Quarry. (3.9 Project Need & Justification). These products include concrete, asphalt and sealing aggregates, gabion and crushed rock, armourstone and roadbase (Section 2.9.3)
However, sustainability is no longer a buzz word but is being implemented in all government policies. The extensive amount of waste generated by various industries and human activities has made the disposal of solid waste a major problem around the world (Rahman et al., 2014a). In Australia, approximately 8.7 Mt of demolition concrete, 1.3 Mt of demolition brick, 3.3 Mt of waste excavation rock, 1.0 Mt of waste glass and 1.2 Mt of reclaimed asphalt pavements are stockpiled annually, and these stockpiles are growing (Clay et al., 2007, Sustainability Victoria, 2010).
It has been estimated that the Hunter region alone has approximately 160-200 million tonnes of coal-ash waste at its disposal, presently contributing to ecosystem contamination, which could be reclaimed to manufacture sustainable, high-performing aggregates underpinning far greater potential regional employment benefits than the less than 50 direct jobs associated with the proposed Stone Ridge quarry proposal.

The NSW Government recognises that 40% of the waste going to landfill in the state is building waste. Minimising waste on the construction Site WasteLearnGd1.docx (live.com)
I maintain that destroying the environment for roadbase and construction material is no longer sustainable when we have alternate building waste material that can do the same job.


Local Amenity – Cumulative impacts
The dust and noise from blasting, then drilling, crushing, stockpiling and loading of trucks will travel over the local area making life miserable for local residents. local residents already exposed to the effects of Boral’s Seaham quarry, currently seeking a life extension and However, safety was the number one concern expressed by local residents in surveys conducted by the proponent. Truck movements to be generated from the Stone Ridge Quarry will add to the impact of 2 other quarries in the area which have trucks using Italia Road as an exit point onto the M1 Freeway. The approval of this quarry would enable a cluster of 5 other quarries currently in various stages of planning to progress, resulting in cumulative traffic, dust, noise and habitat loss impacts. Cumulative daily heavy truck haulage has been estimated to grow to well over 2000 per day should this approval be granted. Local residents have estimated that this will mean 30 heavy truck movements out of Italia Road and onto the M1 every hour.
The Seaham Boral Quarry and Brandy Hill Quarry are already in operation and trucks from these quarries turn left out of Italia Rd, drive down to the Karuah interchange where they are joined by trucks from Karuah East Quarry and several other quarries operating in the area all driving south to Hexham and eventually the Central Coast or Sydney. Between Heatherbrae and Hexham they are joined by sand trucks exiting Tomago Road and Old Punt Road from the 8 sand quarries along the coast, closer to Stockton and Williamtown.
Concerns of everyone who uses this stretch of the Pacific Highway are expressed by the local Member of State Parliament, David Gillespie.
This was a recent newspaper headline: Federal MP for Lyne, David Gillespie has expressed real concerns about road safety in the area of the M1 north of Raymond Terrace where quarry trucks enter the busy freeway.
Federal MP David Gillespie says plans for three large quarries north of Raymond Terrace demonstrate why the Pacific Highway urgently needs a new interchange to fix safety concerns at Italia Road, Medowie Road and the Bucketts Way. (Port Macquarie News, 27th June 2023. Quarry plans revive calls for new overpass for Medowie Road, Italia Road, Bucketts Way | Port Macquarie News | Port Macquarie, NSW (portnews.com.au)
For all of these reasons expressed above, I believe that the Stone Ridge Quarry should not be approved.
I have not made any reportable political donations in the last two years. I acknowledge and accept the Departments Disclaimer and Declaration.

Please acknowledge receipt of submission

To the Director Resource Assessments Jessie Evans.
I object to the proposal for the Stone Ridge Quarry Project for the following reasons:
- Increased truck movements in a rural residential area.
- Unacceptable roads for quarry trucks.
- Long hours of operation.
- Noise, dust from blasting, crushing.
- Loss of natural habitat.
- Quarry is too close to residential homes as there is 2 large hard rock quarries in the area.
Our grandchildren's safety outweighs these quarries in our area.
Regards

Jessie Evans - The Director of Resource Assessments
Planning and Assessment
Department of Planning and Environment
Locked Bag 5022
PARRAMATTA NSW 2124


To Jessie Evans,

Re: Stone Ridge Quarry Project SSD-10432 EXH-59321711

I have lived at Heatherbrae for over 65 years, and I value the local area's natural beauty. As the years have passed, I have seen many destructive changes to these landscapes caused by sand mining and quarrying. I do not have to travel far to see hills cleared of vegetation and cut out by quarries or woodlands turned into dunes by sand mines. I have often enjoyed a peaceful picnic at Balickera Park and listened to the birds in the nearby forest. The proposed quarry is of such magnitude that I believe it will be the most destructive development proposal I have heard of for my local area. I have many concerns about how harmful this quarry will be for my community, and I oppose this development on the following grounds. Please note my references are attached.

Many people visit the Wallaroo State Forest for recreation, for example, canine agility trials, orienteering for students at the Uni, Jamborees for Scouts, Girl Guides Bush Walking events and camping. Sometimes tourists take a break from travelling to see if they can find a koala in the Wallaroo State Forest. If the quarry goes ahead, its great size, dust, and noise will see an end to this area for recreation and an end to this area being a habitat for wildlife, including koalas.

The Australian Koala Foundation prepared the 'Economic Value of the Koala in 2014' in which it reported that $3.2 billion was injected into Australia's economy each year by foreign tourists who came to Australia to see Koalas. In addition, this study found that the Koala is responsible for generating around 30,000 tourism industry jobs. Seventy-five per cent of inbound tourists expressed hope to see a Koala when deciding to come to Australia. The tourism industry and the Government at all levels must recognise the importance of securing the future of this economic resource. Therefore, the sector must lobby hard to stop any development where koalas exist, and Government must protect wildlife habitat from removal (1).

The developer assumes that the removal of habitat for koalas for the quarry will cause those koalas will move into nearby reserves, conservation areas and National Parks (2). Koalas don't share their trees with other homeless koalas. Male Koalas leave a scent on trees. Therefore, if a homeless koala visits a scented tree, they will not climb it. It can take up to a year before a koala will use a tree abandoned by a resident koala. Koalas are territorial, and only one male is allowed in a group of females. Young males are rejected from their family group when they are old enough.

Consequently, young males must roam until they find their home range. Clearing 79 hectares and expecting koalas to find habitat when so much of their preferred habitat has gone is not a responsible approach. There is limited koala habitat available, and more will die back because of climate change and the edge effects caused by the quarry. While koalas search for a new home, they are at risk of predators and vehicle strikes. The relocation stress can precipitate pre-existing conditions such as Chlamydia and Koala Retrovirus. A study found that 100% of Balickera Koalas have Koala Retrovirus (3). Koala Retrovirus in a stressed koala will contribute to a higher risk of developing diseases like lymphoma, leukemia, and chlamydia (4). The proposed project's impact will add to the demise of koalas in this area.

The quarry will generate 334 truck movements a day. These trucks will create congestion on the M1 when billions of dollars are about to be spent on the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace to reduce travel time on the M1. Hence, the trucks will negate the purpose of the M1. More trucks on the road will raise the accident rate and subsequent injuries and fatalities. My community is very concerned about how this quarry will cause our highway to become unsafe.

In addition, trucks will damage the road surface. Hence the roads will constantly be under repair, causing lorries and other vehicles to slow down and queue. Trucks emit diesel exhaust fumes which can cause lung cancer and other diseases. Drivers stuck in traffic with trucks will be exposed to these harmful fumes. Trucks carrying gravel and other products from the quarry will blow dust onto other cars and the road. Silica will likely be in this dust, and it will put the health of motorists at risk of developing silicosis.

In addition, I live near the Pacific Highway at Heatherbrae, and for years I have been woken by the compression brakes of trucks slowing down at the roundabout at Heatherbrae. The traffic noise is constant and will worsen when quarry trucks go past my place, blowing out soot and harmful dust in our neighbourhood. The roundabout at Heatherbrae is already congested during business hours and holidays—motorists who use the roundabout queue for some time before entering it. When the proposed quarry trucks start coming through, it will take much longer and become gridlock during long weekends and school holidays.

Thank you for considering my concerns about the proposed Stone Ridge quarry at Balickera.
Would you please not publish my name on the Major Projects website?
I have not made any reportable donations to a political party in the last two years. I also accept the Planning Department's disclaimer and declaration.
Yours sincerely





.

I object to the proposal.

Natural Environment.
This proposal will put considerable pressure on existing koala and other endangered species in the general and specific area of the proposal.
The proposal to clears existing native vegetation classes with further fragment an area of significant size and importance to species populations ranging from the coast to the Hunter Valley generally.

Social Environment.
This proposal will significantly increase heavy truck and vehicular in the general area of the quarry as well as increasing heavy vehicle movements on the highway. These increases will impact on the social fabric of the general areas as well as impact significantly on the greater area in regards to pedestrian and vehicular safety. The chance of major vehicle accidents will be increased due to these increase heavy vehilce movements between the Quarry and local areas as well as the users of the highway between Sydney and the quarry.
All of the material quarried is to be transported by road - there appears to have been no consideration of alternative transport of material other than by road.
As the quarry is looking at a significant time scale of operation there should have been more than a cursory consideration to the possibility of rail links, perhaps even along the existing highway easement. With all the tunnel boring equipment around the country perhaps even a tunnelled conveyor system to the nearest rail link could have been consider.

Other Developments / Proposals
I note that there are a large number of similar quarries proposed or existing in this area.
All these developments will create similar, depending on their size, impacts.
As these developments are considered as individual developments the appears to be no consideration to the incremental impacts across the regions.
While a single proposal such as the one submitted by Stone Creek Quarry might conclude to have "minimal" or "insignificant" or "manageable" impacts, the cumulative impact, for example, on koala populations and habitat will be substantial and should be considered in any determination.

Conclusion
I have yet to see any development proposal suggest it will be detrimental to anything but I continue to see the natural world being destroyed around this area without regard to the future other than future profits.

Continuous growth is not sustainable

The people who are impacted the most by these developments generally benefit the least, and those who benefit the most are impacted the least.

This development will have unacceptable impacts on the environment:
- Clearing of 140ha of occupied Koala, Squirrel Glider and Phascogale habitat in the Wallaroo State Forest
- Clearing of four Endangered Ecological Communities
- Likely impacts on the Grey-headed flying-fox (Vulnerable), Swift Parrot (Critically Endangered), Spotted-tail quoll (Endangered), Yellow-bellied glider (Vulnerable), New Holland mouse (Vulnerable) and the South-eastern Glossy Black Cockatoo (Vulnerable) (identified by Department of Climate Change and Water).

These impacts make the project incompatible with protection of vulnerable and listed species and communities.

This development will also have significant impacts on the local community through enormous impacts on roads, and noise and air pollution.

I object to this proposed quarry as it will only add to the fragmentation of our natural ecosystems and wildlife for the purpose of continuing the environmental damage caused by development ( gravel for building of roads and housing).
Environmental preservation and regeneration is paramount for our future generations to have a healthy and sustainable future on the planet. More quarries is not the solution, and especially one in such a sensitive and fragile area.
Thank you

I object to the project on the basis of environmental degradation caused by, but not limited to, forest fragmentation, long-term heavy vehicle haulage using fossil fuels and a lack of regard for the needs of future generations. I do not agree that my children need more development using quarry products and concrete at the expense of bushland, clean water and habitat.

Many thanks

Stone Ridge Quarry's proposed site exists on State Forest area, in the midst of dry and coastal climate corridors for the area and the State Forest connects up to moist climate corridors nearby. These corridors are vital for the movement of species in our warming future.

Removing connectivity in a vital area, that has been developing for decades after logging would be unwise, offsets will take decades to form shape that is similar and does not account for the old remnant trees that exist and the hollows of dead trees. Our State Forests should be held up to a higher standard in a time period where there are more than a handful of other proposed quarry sites in more desolate areas and creating more yield.

A landscape-scale approach must be taken for the approval of these sites, there are sites that will have a higher yield of stone and have far less impact than the site proposed on top of quarries in the area that are seeking expansion that would be able to meet demand for stone materials. We must consider the continued small cuts adding up if we are to protect our biodiversity into the future.

I lodge my objection to the Stone Ridge Quarry project on several grounds which include;
Impact on the local community uses of the Wallaroo forest areas by visitors to this unique habitat of many species of native flora and fauna. Australia leads the world on mammal extinctions so we need to not adversely impact on animal habitat.
Impact on the safety of NSW road users due to the foreseen generated increased heavy vehicle movements transporting products on the Itallia Road and the highway from Karuah to Sydney.
The increased danger to native animals due to the increased road traffic. Again, Australia leads the world on mammal extinctions so we need to protect them , not expose them to harm..
The generation of noise affecting the local residents and the native animals in the Wallaroo forested areas. Australia leads the world on mammal extinctions so we should be decreasing the human impacts on native animal environments such as the Wallaroo forest.
The potential negative impacts of blast vibrations on the nearby convict built Balickera House and the native animals in the Wallaroo forest areas. As illustrated by recent whale stranding not enough is known about the impact of noise and seismic vibrations on animals
The generated dust causing adverse health effects of the local residents. Several papers have been published researching the increased cases of emphysema in humans around mining areas.
The generation of dust polluting the drinking water of residents in the area of the proposal. Dust can pollute at times the drinking water of the residences in the surrounding area as their many source of this precious resources is via the collection of rainwater in storage tanks for drinking, washing and effluent treatment. Dust can be generated on occasions by rural agriculture and even natural wind events blowing dust from inland Australia. I have lived in East Seaham for over 35 years and noticed that the cleaning of house gutters and rain water storage systems has revealed an increase in dust build up has increased over the period in line with the increased number of gravel quarries and associated activities in the Seaham and Karuah areas.
The deforestation caused by the proposed quarry will further impact on climate change. The best method of converting carbon dioxide and returning it to the soil ids by the process of photosynthesis. The fact that the company proposing this quarry states in the media that “the trees have been logged for over a hundred years” or have stated at community information sessions that the trees in the area are “low quality and not suitable for logging” indicates their sales benefit but does not decrease the need that our planet requires them to reverse the impacts of climate change. Recent world events indicate the importance of humans changing their activities and protecting the forests.
In closing I believe I have provided valid reasons for not approving this project. I have not heard at the community information session or seen in the printed or television media a valid reason for another quarry to supply market requirements that cannot be met by existing quarries in the Seaham / Karuah areas.
Kind regards,
Steve Larsen – 348 East Seaham Road, East Seaham NSW 2324
Email - [email protected]
Mobile – 0488 023 234

I object to this project on environmental reasons as if this project were to go ahead it would result in major negative impacts to the natural environment and would not be in the public interest, let alone the interest of the flora and fauns. To destry 79 ha of state forest which is held in trust for the public should never be allowed to be considered, let alone developed. If this project went ahead the impact upon the koala and other species would be disastrous as their habitat would be greatly reduced thus affecting their longevity.
The project would also greatly affect the adjoining Wallaroo National Park and its important biological values.
The public have had enough of quarries being built or expanded on lands that affect flora and fauna and this needs to cease.
We are custodians of the land for future generations, and it is not our place or your place to ruin and destroy these lands.
Thank You

I am concerned for the health and safety of residents on Italia Road from the atmospheric pollution due to dust from the mining, water pollution and the number of trucks passing along this narrow road. I am also concerned about the forest decimation as this area is a koala corridor and a habitat of birds and wildlife. Even before this happening wildlife is often killed by passing traffic.

I lead koala conservation research projects, and koala science at the University of Newcastle. My research team has led the development of the drone methods now being adopted widely to locate koala populations across NSW by government and private industry.

My research team is currently conducting broadscale drone survey operations for koalas and coexisting species to estimate abundance across the Port Stephens Local Government Area. Our research project incorporates Wallaroo State Forest, and we will complete a thermal drone survey that captures the subject site of the proposed development as part of our research permit that covers State Forest Tenure. Data in Wallaroo State Forest will be collected during August, and may allow for an understanding of the potential for impact to the remaining Port Stephens koala populations, in the context of the broader landscape. Once collected our data and expertise may ultimately be relevant to understand the potential for the Stone Ridge Quarry project to impact the Port Stephens Koala Population.

Whatever will help protect our water security