Richard Lindsay
Object
Richard Lindsay
Object
ROYALLA
,
New South Wales
Message
Richard Lindsay
59 Whisperer Place Royalla, NSW 260 23/09/2025
NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Re: Objection to the Proposed Monaro Rock Quarry, Royalla
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a resident of Royalla, and I am writing to strongly object to the proposed Monaro Rock quarry. My family and I chose to live in Royalla because of its clean environment, peaceful rural lifestyle, and strong sense of community. This quarry threatens all of that, and I ask that NSW Planning reject the application on the following grounds.
Personal and Community Impacts
1.
Health and Dust Concerns As residents, we will be directly exposed to silica dust generated by blasting and crushing. Silica is known to cause serious long-term health conditions, including silicosis. Dust does not stay within quarry boundaries — it will travel to nearby homes like mine, coating surfaces, contaminating rainwater tanks, and posing risks to my children, neighbours, and animals.
2.
Noise, Blasting and Vibration Quarry blasting and crushing operations will shatter the peace of our community. Vibrations can cause property damage, including cracks in homes, while also distressing livestock, pets, and horses — animals many residents, including my family, rely on for our way of life. Constant industrial noise will rob Royalla of its quiet rural character.
3.
Operating Hours and Amenity Impacts The proposed quarry intends to operate six days per week, with product despatch from 5:00am to 6:00pm. This schedule means trucks and industrial activity will begin before dawn most mornings, creating unacceptable noise and disturbance for residents of the housing estate that directly borders the proposed site. Early morning truck movements, reversing alarms, and heavy machinery will disrupt sleep, family life, and wellbeing.
4.
Traffic and Safety Risks An estimated 200 fully-laden quarry trucks per day will travel along the Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road. As a Royalla resident, I already see traffic risks in the area. The increase in heavy trucks will make our local roads more dangerous, particularly for families, cyclists, and school buses. The dust and diesel emissions from these trucks will also harm our air quality and road safety.
5.
Water Impacts on Local Residents Like many in Royalla, I rely on rainwater tanks and groundwater. The quarry proposes to extract groundwater, which risks lowering the water table and drying up existing bores. Stormwater and wastewater from the quarry will run into Tuggeranong Creek and
eventually into Lake Tuggeranong, degrading water quality and creating downstream pollution issues for residents and the broader community.
6.
Biodiversity and Habitat Loss The quarry would clear approximately 22 hectares of critically endangered box-gum grassy woodland, along with 78 hectares of vegetation. This land is home to hundreds of plant and animal species. As a resident, I value the biodiversity and natural beauty of this area — it is part of what makes Royalla special. The destruction of this habitat is both permanent and unnecessary.
7.
Amenity and Property Values I invested in Royalla because of its unique lifestyle and environment. If the quarry goes ahead, property values will drop, the peaceful amenity of our homes will be destroyed, and residents like myself will be left to live with the constant impacts of dust, noise, heavy traffic, and early morning disruption.
Conclusion
As someone who calls Royalla home, I urge NSW Planning to listen to the residents who will live with the consequences of this quarry every single day. The cumulative impacts — dust, noise, traffic, biodiversity loss, water risks, and reduced amenity — are too great.
For these reasons, I respectfully request that the proposed Monaro Rock quarry be refused.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Lindsay
Royalla Resident
59 Whisperer Place Royalla, NSW 260 23/09/2025
NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Re: Objection to the Proposed Monaro Rock Quarry, Royalla
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a resident of Royalla, and I am writing to strongly object to the proposed Monaro Rock quarry. My family and I chose to live in Royalla because of its clean environment, peaceful rural lifestyle, and strong sense of community. This quarry threatens all of that, and I ask that NSW Planning reject the application on the following grounds.
Personal and Community Impacts
1.
Health and Dust Concerns As residents, we will be directly exposed to silica dust generated by blasting and crushing. Silica is known to cause serious long-term health conditions, including silicosis. Dust does not stay within quarry boundaries — it will travel to nearby homes like mine, coating surfaces, contaminating rainwater tanks, and posing risks to my children, neighbours, and animals.
2.
Noise, Blasting and Vibration Quarry blasting and crushing operations will shatter the peace of our community. Vibrations can cause property damage, including cracks in homes, while also distressing livestock, pets, and horses — animals many residents, including my family, rely on for our way of life. Constant industrial noise will rob Royalla of its quiet rural character.
3.
Operating Hours and Amenity Impacts The proposed quarry intends to operate six days per week, with product despatch from 5:00am to 6:00pm. This schedule means trucks and industrial activity will begin before dawn most mornings, creating unacceptable noise and disturbance for residents of the housing estate that directly borders the proposed site. Early morning truck movements, reversing alarms, and heavy machinery will disrupt sleep, family life, and wellbeing.
4.
Traffic and Safety Risks An estimated 200 fully-laden quarry trucks per day will travel along the Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road. As a Royalla resident, I already see traffic risks in the area. The increase in heavy trucks will make our local roads more dangerous, particularly for families, cyclists, and school buses. The dust and diesel emissions from these trucks will also harm our air quality and road safety.
5.
Water Impacts on Local Residents Like many in Royalla, I rely on rainwater tanks and groundwater. The quarry proposes to extract groundwater, which risks lowering the water table and drying up existing bores. Stormwater and wastewater from the quarry will run into Tuggeranong Creek and
eventually into Lake Tuggeranong, degrading water quality and creating downstream pollution issues for residents and the broader community.
6.
Biodiversity and Habitat Loss The quarry would clear approximately 22 hectares of critically endangered box-gum grassy woodland, along with 78 hectares of vegetation. This land is home to hundreds of plant and animal species. As a resident, I value the biodiversity and natural beauty of this area — it is part of what makes Royalla special. The destruction of this habitat is both permanent and unnecessary.
7.
Amenity and Property Values I invested in Royalla because of its unique lifestyle and environment. If the quarry goes ahead, property values will drop, the peaceful amenity of our homes will be destroyed, and residents like myself will be left to live with the constant impacts of dust, noise, heavy traffic, and early morning disruption.
Conclusion
As someone who calls Royalla home, I urge NSW Planning to listen to the residents who will live with the consequences of this quarry every single day. The cumulative impacts — dust, noise, traffic, biodiversity loss, water risks, and reduced amenity — are too great.
For these reasons, I respectfully request that the proposed Monaro Rock quarry be refused.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Lindsay
Royalla Resident
Attachments
Jacob Michelsen
Object
Jacob Michelsen
Object
GOOGONG
,
New South Wales
Message
The project is should not be approved for a number of reasons;
It is based in a high conservation value area of Box Gum Grassy Woodland
It will affect the amenity of local residents through excessive heavy vehicle movements
It will cause significant dust and noise pollution, particularly high silica dust
It will draw down on limited ground water resources which became unavailable to many residents during the last drought with bores running dry.
There should be sufficient aggregate resource in the existing local quarries already
It is based in a high conservation value area of Box Gum Grassy Woodland
It will affect the amenity of local residents through excessive heavy vehicle movements
It will cause significant dust and noise pollution, particularly high silica dust
It will draw down on limited ground water resources which became unavailable to many residents during the last drought with bores running dry.
There should be sufficient aggregate resource in the existing local quarries already
Attachments
Matthew Bennett
Object
Matthew Bennett
Object
Royalla
,
New South Wales
Message
I object to the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal (SSD-27223807).
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) leaves critical matters unresolved, pushing risks and costs onto government and local residents. This is inequitable and contrary to the precautionary principle under NSW planning law.
Road Safety: The Monaro Highway corridor where the quarry trucks will merge is already dangerous. Adding up to 200 trucks daily will increase accidents and fatalities. The government must fund an independent safety review and guarantee upgrades are state-funded, not charged to ratepayers.
Air Quality: The EIS admits PM2.5 exceedances and uncertainty in health risk values. Dust exposure will harm children, elderly, and vulnerable people. EPA-led monitoring and a NSW Health review are required before any approval is considered.
Noise & Blasting: The assessments are preliminary and rely on after-the-fact compensation. This breaches the precautionary principle. Independent peer reviews, a government-appointed ombudsman, and a regional cumulative impact study must come first.
Water: Excavation to 100m and a new bore risk groundwater drawdown and surface water disruption. Government-led baseline studies and enforceable suspension thresholds are needed. Approval must be paused until a regional water security plan is complete.
Biodiversity: The project will damage Box-Gum Woodland and Pale Pomaderris. Offsets are speculative and federal EPBC referral unresolved. Offsets must be secured locally and upfront before disturbance.
Economic Need: Two existing quarries already meet demand. Duplication is unjustified and fails the public interest test. Treasury and Infrastructure NSW must verify actual demand.
Climate Obligations: The quarry has not been tested against NSW’s net zero targets. Approving such a project risks undermining statutory climate law.
Requests:
Independent government reviews of road safety, health, water, biodiversity, and market need before determination.
Written guarantees that residents will not bear hidden costs for road upgrades, health impacts, or environmental losses.
Rejection of the project if offsets, safety, and market need cannot be demonstrated upfront.
This proposal creates long-term harm for short-term private benefit. I respectfully request the Department refuse the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal.
A detailed submission is attached.
Kind regards,
Matthew Bennett
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) leaves critical matters unresolved, pushing risks and costs onto government and local residents. This is inequitable and contrary to the precautionary principle under NSW planning law.
Road Safety: The Monaro Highway corridor where the quarry trucks will merge is already dangerous. Adding up to 200 trucks daily will increase accidents and fatalities. The government must fund an independent safety review and guarantee upgrades are state-funded, not charged to ratepayers.
Air Quality: The EIS admits PM2.5 exceedances and uncertainty in health risk values. Dust exposure will harm children, elderly, and vulnerable people. EPA-led monitoring and a NSW Health review are required before any approval is considered.
Noise & Blasting: The assessments are preliminary and rely on after-the-fact compensation. This breaches the precautionary principle. Independent peer reviews, a government-appointed ombudsman, and a regional cumulative impact study must come first.
Water: Excavation to 100m and a new bore risk groundwater drawdown and surface water disruption. Government-led baseline studies and enforceable suspension thresholds are needed. Approval must be paused until a regional water security plan is complete.
Biodiversity: The project will damage Box-Gum Woodland and Pale Pomaderris. Offsets are speculative and federal EPBC referral unresolved. Offsets must be secured locally and upfront before disturbance.
Economic Need: Two existing quarries already meet demand. Duplication is unjustified and fails the public interest test. Treasury and Infrastructure NSW must verify actual demand.
Climate Obligations: The quarry has not been tested against NSW’s net zero targets. Approving such a project risks undermining statutory climate law.
Requests:
Independent government reviews of road safety, health, water, biodiversity, and market need before determination.
Written guarantees that residents will not bear hidden costs for road upgrades, health impacts, or environmental losses.
Rejection of the project if offsets, safety, and market need cannot be demonstrated upfront.
This proposal creates long-term harm for short-term private benefit. I respectfully request the Department refuse the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal.
A detailed submission is attached.
Kind regards,
Matthew Bennett
Attachments
Hayley Bennett
Object
Hayley Bennett
Object
ROYALLA (NSW)
,
New South Wales
Message
I object to the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal (SSD-27223807).
As a resident directly impacted, I believe this project presents unacceptable risks to safety, health, environment, and public finances. The EIS relies on incomplete studies and assumptions, leaving costs and liabilities to be carried by government and local ratepayers. This is inequitable, inconsistent with planning law, and not in the public interest.
Road safety and cost shifting
Up to 200 quarry truck movements per day are proposed to merge onto an already high-risk Monaro Highway corridor. This will endanger commuters, freight and tourists. The EIS assumes upgrades but fails to identify funding sources. It is unacceptable for road costs or accident liabilities to be pushed onto council rates or residents.
Requests:
Government fund and conduct an independent corridor safety review of the Monaro Highway before any determination.
Guarantee all road upgrades and accident liabilities are met from state infrastructure budgets, not council rates.
Pause determination until liability allocation is resolved in writing.
Air quality and health
The EIS shows exceedance of PM2.5 standards and admits uncertainty in toxicity values. Fine dust will directly harm children, elderly, and vulnerable residents. This creates a public health liability if the project proceeds without independent validation.
Requests:
EPA to run independent baseline and real-time monitoring with automatic shutdown triggers.
NSW Health to conduct a cumulative quarry health impact inquiry.
Pause approval until these reviews are complete.
Noise, blasting, and amenity
Noise and blast studies are described as preliminary, with reliance on compensation after the fact. This contradicts the precautionary principle in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.
Requests:
Commission independent peer review of noise and blast modelling.
Require a government-appointed ombudsman for monitoring and complaints.
Pause approval until a cumulative regional quarry impact study is completed.
Water security
The quarry intends to excavate to 100m and install a new production bore. Drawdown and contamination risks are significant, especially in a drying climate. Surface water assessments are based on “average” conditions, ignoring flood variability.
Requests:
Fund government-led baseline groundwater and surface water studies.
Establish enforceable public thresholds with automatic suspension if exceeded.
Pause until a regional water security plan is finalised.
Biodiversity and federal triggers
The project impacts Box-Gum Woodland and Pale Pomaderris. Offsets are speculative and may never be secured. This likely requires referral under the Commonwealth EPBC Act, which has not been resolved.
Requests:
Secure offsets in perpetuity and locally before disturbance.
Commission a government biodiversity audit to test feasibility.
Pause approval until EPBC referral outcomes are finalised.
Questionable economic need
Two other nearby quarries already supply the region. The economic case here is speculative duplication. Approving a new site without testing true demand risks breaching the “public interest” test.
Requests:
Require Treasury to conduct an independent market need and value-for-money review.
Direct Infrastructure NSW to confirm whether existing quarries can meet demand.
Reject the project if duplication is confirmed.
Conclusion
This proposal creates disproportionate risks for minimal public benefit. The EIS leaves key issues unresolved — safety, health, climate, biodiversity, and market need. It is unfair for ratepayers to subsidise corporate profit through hidden costs.
I respectfully request that the Department refuse the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal.
A detailed submission with references is attached.
Kind regards,
Hayley Bennett
As a resident directly impacted, I believe this project presents unacceptable risks to safety, health, environment, and public finances. The EIS relies on incomplete studies and assumptions, leaving costs and liabilities to be carried by government and local ratepayers. This is inequitable, inconsistent with planning law, and not in the public interest.
Road safety and cost shifting
Up to 200 quarry truck movements per day are proposed to merge onto an already high-risk Monaro Highway corridor. This will endanger commuters, freight and tourists. The EIS assumes upgrades but fails to identify funding sources. It is unacceptable for road costs or accident liabilities to be pushed onto council rates or residents.
Requests:
Government fund and conduct an independent corridor safety review of the Monaro Highway before any determination.
Guarantee all road upgrades and accident liabilities are met from state infrastructure budgets, not council rates.
Pause determination until liability allocation is resolved in writing.
Air quality and health
The EIS shows exceedance of PM2.5 standards and admits uncertainty in toxicity values. Fine dust will directly harm children, elderly, and vulnerable residents. This creates a public health liability if the project proceeds without independent validation.
Requests:
EPA to run independent baseline and real-time monitoring with automatic shutdown triggers.
NSW Health to conduct a cumulative quarry health impact inquiry.
Pause approval until these reviews are complete.
Noise, blasting, and amenity
Noise and blast studies are described as preliminary, with reliance on compensation after the fact. This contradicts the precautionary principle in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.
Requests:
Commission independent peer review of noise and blast modelling.
Require a government-appointed ombudsman for monitoring and complaints.
Pause approval until a cumulative regional quarry impact study is completed.
Water security
The quarry intends to excavate to 100m and install a new production bore. Drawdown and contamination risks are significant, especially in a drying climate. Surface water assessments are based on “average” conditions, ignoring flood variability.
Requests:
Fund government-led baseline groundwater and surface water studies.
Establish enforceable public thresholds with automatic suspension if exceeded.
Pause until a regional water security plan is finalised.
Biodiversity and federal triggers
The project impacts Box-Gum Woodland and Pale Pomaderris. Offsets are speculative and may never be secured. This likely requires referral under the Commonwealth EPBC Act, which has not been resolved.
Requests:
Secure offsets in perpetuity and locally before disturbance.
Commission a government biodiversity audit to test feasibility.
Pause approval until EPBC referral outcomes are finalised.
Questionable economic need
Two other nearby quarries already supply the region. The economic case here is speculative duplication. Approving a new site without testing true demand risks breaching the “public interest” test.
Requests:
Require Treasury to conduct an independent market need and value-for-money review.
Direct Infrastructure NSW to confirm whether existing quarries can meet demand.
Reject the project if duplication is confirmed.
Conclusion
This proposal creates disproportionate risks for minimal public benefit. The EIS leaves key issues unresolved — safety, health, climate, biodiversity, and market need. It is unfair for ratepayers to subsidise corporate profit through hidden costs.
I respectfully request that the Department refuse the Monaro Rock Quarry proposal.
A detailed submission with references is attached.
Kind regards,
Hayley Bennett