From my reading of the documentation available, this quarry will have serious adverse health, environmental and economic impacts for the community and region. The application fails on many considerations, notably the growing community size and poor assessment assumptions. The benefits (30 jobs) are minor compared to the impacts this quarry would have on the region.

The Monaro Rock Quarry Project is going to create dust related health issues carried on the wind, collecting on homes, solar panels and washing into our water tanks to be consumed by young children potentially leading to longer term health issues. The quarry site is very close to rural residential home sites and the blasting noise, vibrations and odour will be damaging to the currently serene lifestyle being experienced by the residents. The increased traffic on either the Old Cooma Road and Monaro Highway which at peak hour are already experiencing a high level of traffic would create safety issues and further delays. The water to be extracted will likely impact considerably on the water table height which my dam and others are dependent upon as a water source for stock and domestic purposes. Putting an industrial site so close to Canberra, noting there are already 3 other gravel quarries in the area would be a very short term decision lacking strategic consideration as the focus should be on providing increased housing to help alleviate the current housing crisis and keep industrial type activities to areas of lower population or further distance from housing, noting that the existing quarries around Canberra can more than adequately supply the need for ages anyway without this proposed development going ahead. Additionally, a number of us have invested heavily in the area to purchase or house/land and put on improvements such as fencing and sheds, if the development goes ahead our properties will not be desirable, will not sell quickly or need to be sold at prices considerably reduced, will Monaro Rocks be paying compensation to local landholders to offset some of this? Also, will there be a public hearing prior to (if it is going this way) the quarry being approved? Thank you for taking the time to consider these points.

The quary is going to impact the community negatively with increased traffic, environmenyal noise, environmental destruction which will affect endangered gliders aswell as silica dust impacting houses, schools and multiple suburbs within the ACT not just Royalla. When is the environment and pur health going to be prioritised over profit?! Is another quary necessary and if so why do close to houses and schools please reconsider.
Rural residents are hoping to stop empty paddocks being transformed into a million-tonne-per-year rock quarry over their back fence.

A plan for Monaro Rock's proposed quarry in Royalla, on the border of the ACT and New South Wales, has been published online for public feedback.

Local residents have known about plans for the quarry since 2021, with the latest proposal showing the quarry would take up 545 hectares and sit less than three kilometres from homes in Tuggeranong in Canberra's south.
But residents in the township of Royalla across the border in NSW are even closer, with some homes neighbouring the project's boundary.

the noise impacts of the quarry, as well as truck traffic, dust emissions and possible home devaluation.

"Quarries are normally out in the sticks where there are no residents," Mr Tine said.

"They want to propose one right in the middle of our little estate here … it's just not right."

We all object and agree with this article.

Leave our beautiful land be and allow us to breathe easy.

I question the requirement for another quarry to be built in this region, particularly given the three other quarries are currently operating below capacity. The widespread environmental and health impacts that are likely to result from such a project would far outweigh the shortsighted economic gains of the few.

For a project with such significant impact to the region, there does not appear to be any clear benefit to the Royalla community. Already heavily trafficked roads will become busier and experience more degradation. Ground water and air quality will undoubtedly be contaminated, risking the health of humans and livestock in the area. Noise pollution from blasting and additional truck traffic will impact property prices and quality of life in this area.

Overall, the only benefit observed is profits for Monaro Rock and Queanbeyan Council. There does not appear to be any tangible benefit for the Royalla residents who will ultimately pay the price in quality of life and health.

Formal Objection to Proposed Quarry Development

I am writing to formally oppose the proposed quarry development in our community. My family and I moved to Royalla to embrace the rural lifestyle, peace, and natural beauty that this area offers. The proposed quarry would irreversibly damage these values and bring significant risks to our community’s safety, health, and environment.

1. Loss of Rural Lifestyle and Community Amenity

We chose to live in this rural area to enjoy the tranquility and serenity that comes with living away from industrial and high-density urban areas. The introduction of constant quarrying activities will drastically and permanently alter our way of life.

- Blasting will bring disruptive explosions and vibrations that will echo for kilometres, disturbing residents and causing unnecessary stress.
- Continuous truck traffic and machinery noise will destroy the peaceful environment we moved here to enjoy.
- The visual impact of an open quarry will reduce the natural beauty of our surroundings and harm the character of the community.

This development is completely incompatible with the existing rural lifestyle and the expectations of those who have invested their lives and livelihoods here.

2. Road Safety Concerns – Especially for Young Drivers

The proposed quarry will add a significant number of large, heavy trucks to our local roads, many of which are narrow, winding, and not designed for industrial-scale traffic. This will substantially increase the risk of serious accidents.

As a parent, I am deeply concerned for the safety of my children, who will soon begin learning to drive. Young, inexperienced drivers will face a far greater danger navigating around frequent, oversized vehicles. This poses an unacceptable risk to not only my family but also to other road users, including cyclists, pedestrians, and school buses.

No development should be approved that jeopardises the safety of our community.

3. Environmental Impacts

The environmental consequences of this quarry would be devastating and long-lasting:

- Habitat destruction: Clearing land for the quarry will displace native wildlife and damage fragile ecosystems.
- Dust and air pollution: Quarrying generates high levels of airborne dust, which will impact the health of residents, livestock, and surrounding vegetation.
- Water contamination: Runoff from quarry operations could pollute nearby creeks, dams, and water supplies, harming both wildlife and agricultural productivity.
- Noise pollution: Constant blasting and machinery will disturb both people and animals, disrupting natural behaviours of local fauna.

Our area’s environmental values are irreplaceable and must be protected for future generations rather than sacrificed for short-term industrial gain.

4. Conclusion

The proposed quarry is entirely unsuitable for our community and this location. It would bring irreversible harm to the area’s character, create serious safety hazards, and have significant environmental consequences.

I strongly urge the council and relevant authorities to reject this proposal in order to protect the wellbeing, safety, and lifestyle of the families who call this community home.

Thank you for considering my submission and for taking into account the long-term interests of the residents of Royalla and surrounds

The quarry is unnecessary when there are others in the area. This area is amongst a growing residential community and I object to the additional trucks in our roads as well as having serious concerns on health impacts

My name is Gary Slater. I am a permanent resident of Australia on a Global Talent Visa residing in Royalla at a home I purchased in Jan 2025. I intend to live in Australia with my family of 5 at this residence indefinitely for many years to come. I moved to Australia, to the ACT region, and specifically to Royalla intentionally for the unmatched work-life balance, opportunities, quality of life, sense of community, and rural lifestyle that makes the greater ACT region and Royalla in particular a high quality of life area to work, live, and raise a family.

I object to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry as an assessment of the EIS clearly indicates it will negatively impact the quality of life of surrounding residents including myself and my family.

I have relocated 10 times in the last 15 years in pursuit of a better life and greater opportunities for myself and my family - and I won't hesitate to move again for those same reasons. We moved to Royalla deliberately, purchasing a home and paying significant stamp duties in the process. Since moving to Australia I have founded two companies, hired workers, and pay both corporate and personal income taxes at some of the highest rates among OECD nations, contributing to the tax base and economic vitality of the region. If the negative externalities and unintended negative impacts of this project reduce property values, degrade quality of life and contribute to environmental degradation, result in extensive roadworks and excess traffic contributing to lost productivity and increased safety hazards I will be forced to consider relocating and taking my substantial contribution to the local economy and tax base with me.

My family and I commute to work, school, church, shopping, and sporting activities along the Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road multiple times daily, every day of the week. Safe, efficient, and assured access to these major thoroughfares is a critical component of many aspects of our daily lives. The current road construction on the Monaro Highway, whilst important for the future development of the region, has added significant time, cost, and additional safety impacts to local residents including my family already. The proposed road expansions and extensive trafficking in heavy vehicles required in support of the Monaro Rock Quarry will undoubtedly add tremendous strain to the area's infrastructure and transportation capacity. The cumulative negative impact of roadworks,changed traffic patterns, heavy vehicle traffic, wear and tear on existing and new roads and bridges will lead to degraded quality of life for local residents and reputational damage to the area which will contribute to population exodus, reduced land values, and a declining tax base. It will make Royalla and surrounding areas less attractive and rewarding for current and future residents and will undoubtedly have a series of unintended consequences that the local governments of both the ACT and NSW should consider and conclude that the cost-benefit analysis is not in favour of the quarry going forward.

As an Australian permanent resident and aspiring citizen I admire Australia's democratic government and the voice residents and citizens are afforded. I also appreciate the ability of local taxpayers and voters to hold local governments and elected officials accountable for their decisions and how those decisions impact the freedom and quality of life of their electorates. I look forward to living in Royalla, voting in Federal, state, and local elections, and paying even more taxes for many decades to come. I urge the policy making elected officials of all jurisdictions impacted by the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry to vote NO and not approve the quarry for further development. Your local community will thank you.

Respectfully submitted,
Gary Slater

I object categorically to this project. My reasoning is in the attachment.

I wish to register my strong objection to the proposed quarry development near Googong. While I understand the importance of sourcing materials for construction, this location is highly unsuitable and would cause significant harm to the surrounding community.

Googong is one of the fastest-growing communities in the region, with thousands of residents already living here and many more moving in each year. Families have chosen Googong for its natural setting, schools, and community lifestyle. The addition of another quarry so close to the township is incompatible with this residential environment. The community already lives with the effects of existing quarries in the surrounding district, and the cumulative burden of yet another facility is unreasonable.

One of the most pressing concerns is traffic. Quarry operations will require a large number of truck movements every day. This will increase congestion on roads not designed for such heavy use, raise the risk of accidents involving families and schoolchildren, and contribute to noise, vibration, and dust along transport routes. Residents already experience truck traffic from nearby operations, and this project would make the situation significantly worse.

Health impacts are another serious issue. Dust emissions from quarrying can contain fine particles that travel downwind into residential areas. These particles can worsen asthma and other respiratory conditions, especially for children and the elderly. With Googong located in the path of prevailing winds, it is likely that dust would be carried directly into homes, schools, and recreational areas. Residents should not have to accept increased health risks simply because of where they live.

The cumulative effect of multiple quarries around Googong must be considered. Each quarry adds more dust, more traffic, and more loss of amenity. Taken together, these impacts erode the liveability of the town and diminish the quality of life for families who chose to settle here. Googong was planned and marketed as a vibrant, family-friendly community surrounded by natural beauty. Allowing yet another quarry undermines this vision and damages community trust in the planning system.

For these reasons, I believe the proposal is entirely unsuitable for its intended location. The impacts on traffic, health, and community amenity are too great, especially when added to the existing burden from surrounding quarries. There are other locations in the region where industrial-scale quarrying would be far more appropriate and where impacts on residents would be significantly lower.

I respectfully urge the Department to reject this proposal and protect the health, safety, and liveability of the Googong community.