Stone Ridge Quarry Project

The noise, vibration & dust impacts on my family & community will be massive
the roads are in very bad shape around the existing quarry, the trucks turning on the intersection of the Pacific Highway & Italia Road is already extremely dangerous. If this is approved the intersection will become a death trap
when the existing quarry does a blast we see & smell the dust & it shakes our home & we feel the vibration
If this quarry goes ahead we would be seeking compensation for ducted airconditioning, double glazed windows & doors, insulation etc
we live our lives around the existing quarry we get woken up at 5:30 went they start with the reversing beeper, gravel going into the bins, front end loader revving up & the scaping of the ground & every gear change of the trucks going up the pit. The same at the end of the day we can't go to bed till after 10pm for all the same reasons. This is only an 8 hour break, shift workers are entitled
to a 10hour break & we don't even get that in our own home.
if this mine is approved for 24 hours it will have a major effect on our health & quality of life, sleep deprivation etc.
we live here for the lifestyle that living in a rural area brings & we do not support any new quarries or any changes to the existing quarries conditions.
we live in this area for the native animals that also call this area home the Koalas, Kangaroos, possums etc. There is a large koala habitat area & this will affect the koala population in this area
surely the resident in these areas should be entitled to some quality of life or is it another case of money for big business is more important than peoples biggest investment in life their home, which property values will be affected

See attached.

I object to the proposal to establish a quarry at Stone Ridge, Balickera.

My concerns include:

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:-
Our native forests are remnants of the original cover. We are battling to protect habitat not only for the iconic koala but for many other species of endangered animals, birds, plants and insects. State Forests are a valuable resource, sustainable, but not when the vegetation is permanently removed. To clear nearly 80 hectares of prime, unburnt koala habitat is a huge blow to biodiversity in this Lower Hunter ecological community.
What allowance has been made for wildlife corridors?

TRAFFIC:-
There are multiple quarries in this vicinity, including sand and rock, and already a large volume of heavy transport on the roads. The cumulative effect of increased traffic will have a deleterious impact on not only the immediate residents but on surrounding communities of the rapidly expanding Lower Hunter Valley.

AMENITY OF RESIDENTS;-
The effects of blasting, noise and vibration, and particularly the problem of DUST , affect the health and well-being of local residents.

I object to this proposal of yet another quarry as being unnecessary, inappropriate and destructive.

I object to the proposal for the Stone Ridge Quarry Project (SSD-10432) for the following reasons:
- Potential loss of natural habitat for vulnerable species particularly the Koala and Brush-tailed Phascogale
- Potential impact to threatened microbats in the nearby Balickera Tunnel
- Potential impact to Aboriginal Heritage identified within the boundaries of the site
- Significant negative impact to nearby residents and commuters that use Italia Road, due to the dangers of high volume heavy vehicle road movements particularly at the intersection with the Pacific Highway. The current levels of movement from the operating Boral Quarry already create dangerous situations when leaving the Boral site and queuing at the intersection to enter the Pacific Highway especially when heading South. The trucks create significant damage to the road (Italia Rd near the Pacific Highway was resurfaced a couple of years ago and is already showing extensive signs of failure) which can cause damage to vehicles. The trucks are extremely noisy using exhaust brakes and empty trailers bumping over the numerous potholes. Lastly, they can flick up rocks that cause windscreen damage.
- The area is rural in nature and this project along with others being considered will negatively impact the rural feel if it subject to a significant increase in truck movements along with the potential dust and noise impacts from the quarry operations.
I confirm that I have not made any political donations in the last two years.

The noise, vibration & dust impacts on my family & community will be massive
the roads are in very bad shape around the existing quarry, the trucks turning on the intersection of the Pacific Highway & Italia Road is already extremely dangerous. If this is approved the intersection will become a death trap
when the existing quarry does a blast we see & smell the dust & it shakes our home & we feel the vibration
If this quarry goes ahead we would be seeking compensation for ducted airconditioning, double glazed windows & doors, insulation etc
we live our lives around the existing quarry we get woken up at 5:30 went they start with the reversing beeper, gravel going into the bins, front end loader revving up & the scraping of the ground & every gear change of the trucks going up the pit. The same at the end of the day we can't go to bed till after 10pm for all the same reasons. This is only an 8 hour break, shift workers are entitled
to a 10hour break & we don't even get that in our own home.
if this mine is approved for 24 hours it will have a major effect on our health & quality of life, sleep deprivation etc.
we live here for the lifestyle that living in a rural area brings & we do not support any new quarries or any changes to the existing quarries conditions.
we live in this area for the native animals that also call this area home the Koalas, Kangaroos, possums etc. There is a large koala habitat area & this will affect the koala population in this area
surely the resident in these areas should be entitled to some quality of life or is it another case of money for big business is more important than peoples biggest investment in life their home, which property values will be affected

please refer to attachment

This region is currently subject to numerous development activities. It is therefore of paramount importance that all available forests and bushland must be saved, to balance the areas already resumed for housing and associated projects. Therefore, this project should be abandoned totally.

My objection is that the proposed quarry is not in the public interest for the following reasons:
1. The land is State owned land for the purposes of protection of forest resources, including the native ecosystems occurring on the land, which contribute to a wider State and Regional interest for the proper management of those resources.
If the manager of the forest resources, Forestry Corporation of NSW are acting in the State's interest then it is unlikely that the quarry proposal represents the optimum, long-term interests of the State. Forestry Corporation, before engaging in a quarry joint venture should be required to conduct a Net Benefit Analysis involving public scrutiny and Ministerial oversight. That includes analysis, using a long term timeframe of the comparable net benefit of retaining the forest for long term forest harvesting or for the conservation of the biodiversity on the land. That biodiversity is linked to other biodiversity and ecological resources on adjoining and adjacent private and public land, including State owned National Parks and Reserves.
2. The development as proposed relies on offsite works which have not been assessed or approved. Either those works should be included in the application and their impacts assessed as part of the EIS and in the final determination, or the quarry application should be deferred for determination until after the offsite works are approved. I believe that this is now the accepted practice in assessment of Development Applications in NSW.
3. Compounding the matter of a lack of assessment of offsite works, is that those works may be either not be practicable in the circumstances of this case or inadequate to manage the heavy vehicle movements forecast for the quarry development. The TIA only addresses works that Transport for NSW considers adequate. That is, the upgrading of the intersection of the Italia Road and Pacific Highway intersection to include left in and left out slip lanes. The proponent, in response to the requirements of Transport for NSW is proposing that all heavy traffic will only enter Italia Road from the south and leave Italia Road and travel north. There is no mention as to how this traffic management arrangement could be enforced. The EIS and TIA state that the majority of demand for quarry products will be from the south. Quarry trucks leaving the site will therefore be required to divert 11 kilometres north and then 11 kilometres south. If this arrangement is viable, the applicant and TFNSW should be required to demonstrate how it will be enforced, noting that an existing quarry development in Italia Road is not subject to this requirement. If a satisfactory management regime cannot be demonstrated the proponent either provides a viable alternative or the development must be refused. The matter of creating a viable and safe access at the Italia Road / Pacific Highway intersection (and other intersections in the vicinity) is a major concern of mine as I am regular user of the Pacific Highway travelling from Gloucester to the Lower Hunter and beyond. It is also a major public interest issue that has been raised by the Federal Member for Lyne, Dr David Gillespie.
In conclusion, the application whilst declared “State Significant” for its capital scale is really a State significant development because it impacts on the matter of proper management of State land and State roads. In my view the cart has been put before the horse - Forestry Corporation should have publicly and openly explained why the proposed quarry is in the State interest. Additionally, Transport for NSW should be held to account for the future long term safety of road users on the Pacific Highway between Raymond Terrace and Karuah.

I live within 10 km as the Yellowtail Black Cockatoo flies to this development.
I object to the proposal or the Stone Ridge Quarry project SSD – 10432
I seriously doubt Italia road could take the proposed amount of traffic in the condition it is in at the moment. It is not even safe for normal domestic traffic in that Road having to share it with the amount of gravel trucks from the Hanson Quarry at Brandy Hill.

The proposed quarry is not in the public interest for the following reasons:
1. The land is State owned land for the purposes of protection of forest resources, including the native ecosystems occurring on the land, which contribute to a wider State and Regional interest for the proper management of those resources.
If the manager of the forest resources, Forestry Corporation of NSW are acting in the State's interest then it is unlikely that the quarry proposal represents the optimum, long-term interests of the State.
2. The development as proposed relies on offsite works which have not been assessed or approved.
3. Compounding the matter of a lack of assessment of offsite works, is that those works may be either not be practicable in the circumstances of this case or inadequate to manage the heavy vehicle movements forecast for the quarry development. If a satisfactory management regime cannot be demonstrated the proponent either provides a viable alternative or the development must be refused. The matter of creating a viable and safe access at the Italia Road / Pacific Highway intersection (and other intersections in the vicinity) is a major concern of mine as I am regular user of the Pacific Highway travelling from Gloucester to the Lower Hunter and beyond.
In conclusion, Forestry Corporation should have publicly and openly explained why the proposed quarry is in the State interest. Additionally, Transport for NSW should be held to account for the future long term safety of road users on the Pacific Highway between Raymond Terrace and Karuah.

Please see my attachment.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this State Significant Development in Port Stephens. The number and size of the documents provided for comment are such that I am not in the position to address every part of this project proposal. The lack of comment on aspects of the proposal therefore does not automatically indicate support for statements made.

This looks like a prime example of 'development at all costs'. At the cost of the environment, at the cost of the local community's health and wellbeing, and at the cost of local road infrastructure not equipped to deal with increased traffic. What has happened to “Sustainable Forest Management?”

Since coming to live in Port Stephens 6 years ago, I have found that there continue to be an endless number of rock quarries (and sand mines) being expanded or commenced in the Port Stephens LGA. At the same time, residential developments have also been expanding such as in Medowie, and there is a flourishing tourism industry throughout this LGA. These heavy extractive industries are not compatible with our residential towns, villages and holiday destinations, located in close proximity.
This week the Brig O’Johnston Bridge in Clarence Town was closed due to damage by an over-sized truck, severely inconveniencing the locals and a repair bill yet unknown. There are already too many large trucks on roads, intersections and bridges that were never designed to carry them. One truck can do as much damage to a road surface as 10,000 light vehicles.

The construction of roads, railways, ports, bridges, power stations, wind and solar farms, power lines, pipelines etc uses a huge quantity of concrete, steel, timber, rock, sand and precious minerals. There was a lack of forward planning by the previous State Government with an unprecedented number of infrastructure projects being rolled out. I had (have) great hope that the new Labor Government will look to more sustainable options especially in the Hunter Region which is proud to be a leader in the move to renewables and other new technologies. When is the Government going to provide more support to enterprises to develop sustainable industries based on a circular economy?

Continuing to destroy state forests and other natural sites to quarry for rock, sand or other natural resources is not sustainable. There are new or alternative technologies available to build roads and other infrastructure using materials such as Recycled Asphalt Pavement which can be easily and cheaply added to road mixes, reducing emissions and material use. Recycled plastic waste, used printer cartridges and many options already exist that do not damage the earth and its inhabitants.

The impact of ‘neighbours’ such as noisy and dusty quarries on people's mental health is not widely documented but I believe we should not underestimate how stress can lead to chronic health problems. Surely one of the responsibilities of state forest management is to take into account the adverse effects on the local community? Such large-scale extractive industries appear to take precedence over people's lives and that of the natural environment that sustains flora and fauna.

It astounds me that in this day and age, yet another rock quarry of this magnitude in Port Stephens would even be considered in an area known for its koala population and other threatened species utilising the forest as a wildlife corridor as well as adding extra truck movements to an already inadequate road network. Surely it is at odds with many State and Local Government initiatives such as koala protection, tourist development and road safety?

I am totally opposed to yet another quarry in this region especially one in a state-owned forest intended for public recreational purposes and as a safe place for threatened species.

I do not support the extension of the quary when it's going to effect our native wildlife and their habitats, namely the koala for one. We've lost enough native animals to "infrastructure ", got to stop somewhere.
Leave these animals and their homes alone.

I strongly oppose the project. We are losing too much koala habitat. Too many projects just go ahead regardless of the damage to our natural environment. Why?? Money. Please act before it's too late. Protect our native wildlife.

I live less than 1 km from the proposed site and I'm very worried and stressed about the dust and noise.
Our house has only tank water as town water is not available in our area. Dust from the quarry will settle on the roof of our house which is our catchment for our drinking water. This dust will mix with our drinking water and directly affect my family and friends health.
Noise is also a concern, The noise from their crushers , trucks reversing beepers, other plant equipment beepers etc will come from the proposed quarry and being in such close proximity to our house I'm very worried the noise will impact our peaceful semi rural lifestyle that we have loved so much for the past 27 years. This proposed quarry will destroy our life style which we have worked all our lives to achieve. It will be harmful to our health and wellbeing and definitely should NOT go ahead.

I am making this submission as a close neighbour to the proposed project, identified as residential receptor R13. I work in construction in the local area and I understand the dire need for quarry material in the area.

My partner and I operate a dairy goat dairy and also have breeding cattle and horses on our property. This has not been identified in the blast impact assessment .
We have invested a considerable amount of time and money over the past 10 years focusing on importing top goat genetics out of the United States and as a result have a long list of clients eager to purchase yearly prodigy, our main concerns with the development is the impact it will have on our animals, I understand testing and calculations have been completed and ground vibrations, noise and dust will all be within Australian standards however it is still of major concern, especially during kidding and calving season when the animals are heavily pregnant.

I also ride my horses ( 4-5 times per week) in the state forest and adjoining national park, including using the tracks that traverse the proposed development. Attached is a typical ride that I complete weekly. I often come across other horse riders, people bushwalking, orientating club events, 4WD drivers and motor bike riders. As a loss of trails and forest to users I feel the development and state forest should put something back into the forest community, weather it be funding for a car park to be created big enough for cars with horse floats and trailers adjacent to Nine mile creek road, funding to clean up and possibly create eco toilets at the area known as “the Common” and funding and providing materials to repair the fire trail network throughout the state forest, as if a bushfire was to start, I feel in the trails current state, access by fire brigades would be near impossible.
The blast impact assessment also states the evacuation of near by residents but fails to discuss how it will manage the risk of fly rock during blasts to forest users who may be in close proximity during blast periods.
I feel the traffic management proposal is sufficient and I really hope Transport for NSW prioritises their plans for an overpass.
I am neither against or for the development, my hope is that if it is approved the above mentioned concerns are addressed and there is on going communication between the local residents and the operators.

I respectfully urge the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to REJECT the Stone Ridge proposal to extract up to 1.5 million of hard rock from the Wallaroo State Forest site.
If the proposal is accepted, it will result in numerous major environmental impacts, specifically:
1. It will destroy the remaining natural forestry corridor from Kings Hill to Wallaroo State Forest through to the Wallaroo National Park.
2. It will risk the reduction of already threatened native species travelling through or resident in the proposed quarry area.
3. It will further endanger the already critically-endangered Koala population in the proposed quarry area.
As a volunteer at Port Stephens Koala Hospital I witness at first hand the appalling physical and mental injuries and suffering caused to the local Koala population by the mindless destruction of their habitat, as well as from motor vehicles and industy. It is a fact that the state’s Koala population has already been decimated, and is rapidly headed for extinction.
No more excuses: State Forest quarries like Stone Ridge cannot proceed.

As a Parent to children that live in area I strongly object to Stone Ridge hard rock quarry being approved within the Wallaroo State Forest on Italia Road, Balickera.
I believe this will not only affect the local wildlife habitat but also increase the traffic dramatically, with more trucks on the road in an area with already dangerous intersections, the potential for more accidents will be increased, along with noise and dust pollution and potential for animal being stuck by traffic.
the area is know to be a wildlife habitat one of the few that hasn't been damaged in the recent bush fires, don't we have enough quarries in the are already?
leave our bush alone!

I Am a 10 year old Boys that lives in the area, mum is helping me with this submission.
I'm worried about the Koalas and all the other native animals and where they will live, we learn at school about looking after the environment, and now the government wants to take away the trees.

I'm worried that will be getting more trucks on our roads, they are noisy and drive too fast past our driveway, its not a good thing the animals don't understand traffic and get hurt.
please stop the quarry.

10 year old local

I object the Stone Ridge quarries plan.

Koalas are endangered species, and how can koalas forest be cleared to make quarries? No way!

The state government has an obligation to protect endangered species.

The area has already seen 50-80% decline of koala population. Do you want to decimate koalas in the area? Do you think that is acceptable?

Habitat loss is the biggest cause of koala population decline.

I object to the plan.

Kind regards,
Anne Frances
East Lismore