That this project is proposed to be located so close to south Canberra suburbs is outrageous. The south of Canberra is already home an industrial estate and Canberra's Waste Management Centre. The air quality in the Tuggeranong Valley in particular is already poor due to the topography of the valley with Monaro hills to the east and the Brindabellas to the west. This was heavily emphasised during the 2019/20 bushfire season when smoke from the south coast hung in the valley for weeks.
Additionally, the monaro highway is one of the most dangerous roads in Canberra and surrounds due to the limited access roads to the south and already heavy use of commercial vehicles.
Between the extremely concerning effect on the air quality to those in the Tuggeranong Valley, and the increased risk to road users with such a substantial increase in heavy vehicles, the location for this project is completely unacceptable.

This project will deliver significant benefits to the construction industry across NSW and also the ACT. Existing hard-rock quarries in the region are becoming increasingly constrained by both capacity and the quality of materials produced—issues that will intensify as the industry transitions to more sustainable materials such as concrete.
One of the most critical advantages of the Monaro Rock Quarry is its ability to address the local industry problem of alkaline aggregate reaction (AAR) in concrete. AAR can cause concrete seriously to deteriorate, resulting in defective structures. For this reason, TfNSW prohibits the use of rock with AAR unless strict approvals and controls are in place. The industry’s current method of controlling AAR relies on the addition of fly ash to concrete mixes. However, the availability of quality fly ash is declining as coal-fired power stations close or operate under conditions that no longer produce suitable flyash by-products.
We understand that testing confirms that Monaro Rock material is non-reactive and does not require fly ash for AAR control. This reduces dependency on a diminishing resource and avoids the need to transport by-products from outside the region. The result is both a lower carbon footprint and a more reliable, sustainable supply chain for concrete production.
In addition, the new quarry will provide much-needed future supply capacity to the local market, where some of the existing quarries are already showing signs of shortfall in meeting demand for specific rock products.

I object to this project as I believe that the people of the tuggeranong and royalla region should have their health be a priority. I also believe that the environment should be a priority of the government on both a local and federal level. If the NSW government cares about the health of Australians and the Australian environment, they should not go forward with this damaging project

Monaro Rock Quarry Project
SUMMARY
This proposal should be completely rejected as being the wrong project, the wrong place and the wrong time. If it is approved then the companies should be required each year to lodge funds equal to the rehabilitation costs for the site and the on going environmental undertakings to be met as the project proceeds. In addition, the shareholders should be personally liable for any damages that result from failure to meet best practice environmental standards during and at the end of the project.

The companies that have put in this proposal knew at the time of purchasing this land that development was severely restricted; it was priced accordingly. Their proposal will result in all the profits going into their vertically integrated business , increasing its benefits with short and long term detriments (or the costs) borne by the community , immediately by reduced amenity and for ever as once destroyed , we will never have this unique ecology again and residents will suffer the permanent loss of value of homes and health.

There are already three quarries in close proximity that can meet the local area needs for up to 100 years. no new quarry is needed to supply the communities of the local NSW area or the ACT

Background about me

I have lived in Royalla for approximately 22 years. At the time I bought my land I had an environment study done on my block to ensure I protected its values and I maintained the existing high value grasslands and mature trees. I was advised that the remanent yellow box were at least 200 years old; possibly older. The grasslands and understory were of high value with abundant rarer species . I sited my house and fencing to preserve these resources.
The land came with a series of covenants regarding the use of the land relating to the species that could be planted inside and outside the building envelope. In order to change my building envelope to do less pasture damage, I was required to provide a ecological study to the Council. I have a bore that has a limit for stock and domestic use and limits the amount of water I can extract each year. I am restricted to building withing my envelope and restricted as to where septic runoff can go. I am not allowed to have a dam to collect run off.
I selected this area because of the apparent consideration for environmental values that all these things, combined, suggested the ecology was of importance to the council. I bought the land knowing the restrictions on it and accepting them.

Sadly, this would all change if approval is given to one small family company that has decided that the zoning that is applicable to the land it purchased should not apply to it and its plans. The NSW government has an opportunity to send a message that zoning matters.

WHY THE PROPOSAL SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED

There are a number of considerations the NSW Government must take into account when assessing proposals under the State significant projects. I am sure you will have received many submissions that adequately cover most aspects of the proposal regarding such things as the destruction of high value ecology on the site, the impact on the only drinking water supply for residents due to contamination from dust , silica particles and other noxious elements that will be carried on prevailing winds. Living just 1 km downwind, I will be particularly badly affected by this.
The effect on traffic flow has been covered in relation to the local roads that are not designed for already increased the local traffic that currently uses them. The Old Cooma road barely has room for two four wheel drive cars to pass, let alone trucks and there are no shoulders for refuge if a car is coming head on. The same can be said for the Monaro highway that has limited shoulders and, at times, heavy traffic and impatient drivers. This month alone I have been confronted by three instances of a car on my side passing head on. The road surfaces of both roads are badly damaged resulting to damage to tyres and axels. A cost borne by insurance companies or sometimes the council.
The Federal government has spent considerable money upgrading the highway at Hume to improve the flow of traffic, additional heavy trucks would negate the benefits of all the work and money already committed and spent by taxpayers.

THE EIS
The EIS proposes possible solutions to some of the concerns raised by residents, This may be a best practice solution but it is a theoretical solution with no guarantees that the company will follow through or that the measures proposed will be adhered to. Sadly, transgressions are often not enforced if cost or impossibly of subsequent rectification is pleaded.
The proposal uses community resources such as roads, electricity infrastructure and water to implement its proposals; none of which it has provided from its own funds.

This is the crux of my main objection.

COST BENEFIT OF THE PROPOSAL

In many if not all proposals of this type and definitely in this one, the benefits seem to go to the entity that develops the proposal and the costs are borne by the community both at local, state and federal level. In this case the company will leave a hole in the ground and we will have lost, forever, a community resource that was zoned to protect it from any development. Instead, it is proposed that the most destructive development should occur that has the maximum negative impact on residents and the longer term future of the area. For example, to suppress dust the community water resource is to be used and inevitably it will be destroyed or contaminated forever. Harmful residues may forever preclude consideration other lower impact plans for housing or shared community amenities,
Electricity will be used from a grid that was developed and paid for, initially by taxpayers/ If it proves the be inadequate to the job, who will suffer the brown outs and pay for the upgrades to the grid. Who pays for the generation of additional non renewable energy being used throughout the day and at peak times in the morning and evening. Who pays for the restoration of the roads and the inevitable upgrades that will result from additional traffic, accidents and delays. Who is adversely affected from silica dust and its health effects and the additional fumes from truck exhausts, use of heavy equipment and bitumen fumes. The community not the company.
In short, the company gets all the benefits and the community at local and state and national level pays the cost.
In order to develop an industrial site with a 30 year life the people of NSW will be paying for life. And when it comes time to make good the site, after a very short lifespan of only 30 years, who will be left. The problems of collecting from companies is already being recognized as they are wound up, assets stripped or sold before they have met long term obligations.

I believe the consultation period for this project has been very short and not publicised enough for people who could be impacted to know about. There should be a much longer consultation period and a lot more detail given out before it is approved. It has the potential to impact the environment and many thousands of people’s lives, health and real estate values. It should not be hidden until the last minute and given a very brief four week consultation period. How can anyone make an informed decision in such a short time?

I write to formally object to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry Project on ecological, cultural, environmental, and community grounds. The proposed development would result in significant and irreversible damage to a critically endangered ecosystem, threaten native wildlife, and pose serious health, lifestyle, and cultural risks to residents and the broader environment.

1. Biodiversity & Environmental Impact
The proposed quarry will result in the clearance of 77.83 hectares of native vegetation, including 22.44 hectares of Box-Gum Grassy Woodland, an ecosystem that is critically endangered under both NSW and Commonwealth legislation. This is not just an area of bushland—it is one of the last remaining strongholds of Box-Gum Woodland in the Royalla landscape, supporting a complex and irreplaceable web of life.
The Box-Gum Woodland is already on the brink of extinction across NSW, the ACT, and nationally. Every hectare lost brings it closer to total collapse.
The site is home to over 300 species of flora and fauna, including species of high conservation significance such as the:
• Pink-tailed Legless Lizard
• Key Matchstick Grasshopper
• Small Purple-pea
• Gang-Gang Cockatoo (threatened under Commonwealth legislation)
These species depend on the connectivity and intactness of this landscape. The clearing will not only remove habitat but sever critical movement corridors between woodland and grassland areas, pushing local populations toward extinction.
The clearing of this habitat would also impact the Jerrabomberra headwaters, degrading the waterways and riparian vegetation, reducing the flow and quality of water that feeds into broader catchments—including areas downstream in Tuggeranong.
2. Cultural Heritage
Indigenous heritage must be respected and preserved. The proposed site includes culturally modified trees, including ring trees and scar trees, as well as numerous Indigenous artefacts and archaeological deposits.
Destruction of this site would mean a permanent loss of cultural knowledge, history, and connection to Country. This land has significance beyond what can be measured in development yield or truckloads of quarry product.
3. Human and Community Impacts
The project is proposed in close proximity to a growing population—49,000 people currently live within 10km, with this figure expected to rise to 69,000 within the next 10 years. The scale and nature of the quarry is wholly inappropriate for a region with this population density.
Major concerns include:
• Traffic: Up to 500 heavy vehicle movements per day, including haulage trucks and concrete/asphalt delivery vehicles. This will significantly increase noise, congestion, road safety risks, and wear and tear on the Monaro Highway, Old Cooma Road, and surrounding rural roads.
• Dust & Health Risks: Quarry operations will generate large quantities of dust, including respirable silica, which can be harmful to human health. Dust will settle on homes, solar panels, gardens, and contaminate rainwater tanks, directly impacting day-to-day life.
• Odour: The production of hot mix asphalt creates strong, persistent odours, impacting liveability for nearby residents.
• Noise & Blasting: Blasting activities will cause noise, ground vibrations, and further dust, disrupting both humans and wildlife. This will be a constant intrusion for nearby communities.
• Electricity Disruptions: Local residents have raised concerns about brownouts and damage to home appliances due to the electrical demands and fluctuations associated with the industrial site.
• Water Use: The quarry would extract up to 42.4 million litres of groundwater annually—in a region already subject to water stress. This could reduce flows in surrounding watercourses, affecting both people and ecosystems downstream.
• Pollution Risks: There is potential for water and soil contamination from washing equipment, concrete recycling, and runoff from the site. These are unacceptable risks near sensitive waterways and residential areas.
4. Economic & Planning Concerns
There is no clear economic justification for the quarry, especially given that four existing quarries within 30km already have capacity for more than 100 years. This project would duplicate supply while adding environmental and social costs that far outweigh any purported benefit.
The proposed development is inconsistent with the landscape character and community aspirations of Royalla and surrounding regions. It is not in the public interest to industrialise this area at the cost of ecological integrity, cultural heritage, and community wellbeing.

No Quarry. No Industrial Estate. Save Enchanted Hill.
This is not just a development proposal—it is a potential ecological, cultural, and social disaster. Once this land is cleared and blasted, there is no going back. There is also no feasible way of offsetting or mitigating the destruction of critically endangered habitat. Once it's gone it's gone.
I urge decision-makers to consider the irreversible damage this proposal would cause, and to reject the Monaro Rock Quarry Project in its entirety.

You cant produce the essential construction material of concrete if you do not have a quarry

Increasing production will help increase work in the community.

I object to the proposed quarry project. The geographical location is not appropriate to establishing a new facility such as this. The likely negative impacts on residential and rural-residential communities in close proximity to the site far outweigh the positives. My family is concerned about a reduced quality of life resulting from the proposed development. Surely there are better locations to establish a quarry that are much further from populated areas.
The issues that most concern me are (but not limited to): dust and noise, the sourcing of water and its use, pollution and traffic.
Regarding traffic, the Monaro Highway is already known to be a dangerous road. Both the Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road have fairly high traffic flows, which is likely to increase as the population at Googong, Tuggeranong and other nearby areas increases. If an industrial site is eventually approved for this location, significant road upgrades including turning lanes, bridges and road duplication should be a pre-requisite.
Regards, Jason

The proposed rock quarry is unacceptably close the residential properties and schools. The noise and explosives, the clearing of land, the potential for silica dust to be blown around outside the quarry, and the large number of trucks will have a harmful effect
on people's health, impact on property, and on wild life, and create greater congestion on the Monaro Highway (which already has a significant number of road accidents). The Tuggeranong Valley already traps smoke particles from household fires and local burn-offs so it is highly likely that silica dust or other air-borne particles from quarry will also be trapped and concentrate in the Valley and across nearby residential and rural properties. Residents of all ages including infants, school children,elderly and those with respiratory issues should not risk exposure to deadly silica dust or other by-products.