The traffic will be horrendous with to many trucks. There are all ready multiple quarry’s in the area.
The dust and silica issue is of great concern. I’m a tradie and know first hand how many lives are affected by silica dust in the trade industry. I also know that they have said that they can contain silica with water. Which leads to next problem if drought or Bore water is to be use so the. locals will be short on water under ground tables.
It also only takes one truck driver to forget to do the water truck or not Secure a load properly. Ie human error which could have catastrophic effect on the locals in the area.
We moved to the country for Clean country living for our kids to grow and experience country life. The rules of our houses will be covered in dust, which then we will be drinking

To whom it may concern.
I like state my objection to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry. I am not against quarries, I work in a University Civil Engineering Laboratory making and testing aggregates, concrete and road pavement materials, I understand we need quarries for construction purposes.
My main issues with the quarry are location, traffic and road access, biodiversity of the area, and the number of quarries in the area.
Location:
On three sides the quarry is close to housing, the ACT suburb of Theodore to the west, Royalla to the south and Fernleigh estate to the east. If the quarry had been there before the housing, there could be no argument. We purchase our block 20 years ago knowing there would be development, expecting more rural residential blocks or even a suburb being developed nearby not a full-scale industrial venture. Why build a quarry when there are thousands of residents living within a 5km radius subjecting them to the risk of dust, noise and pollution risk.
I note the weather station used for the weather observations is at Issabella Plain in the ACT. Issabell Plains is appropriately 200m lower that Royalla. This means, at Royalla the temperature is normally a few degrees cooler and the winds stronger than Issabella Plains. This difference will affect dust and noise travel.

Traffic and Access roads:
We don't know where the main access road will be. Monaro Rock are proposing constructing a 4,5km road to join the Monaro Highway. This proposal requires approval from the ACT Government under different submission, if this in not granted what road are they going to use?

a) Monaro Highway intersection approved: The 4.5km access road would be constructed. The road would be cut into the side of enchanted hill, travel 600m dropping vertically close to 70m down Tuggeranong Creek Gully before climbing back up the gully and joining the Monaro Highway. This road with the cuts into the side of the hill and the steep descent will cause erosion and runoff affecting Tuggeranong Creek.
Heavy ladened trucks would have to cross two to three lanes of traffic on a major highway with limited sight distance in one direction. In 2024 there were at least three major accidents at the intersection of Monaro Highway and the Old Cooma Road, 14th June, 17th August, and 24th of September. this intersection has good sight distance in both directions.

b) Monaro Station Rd: attached are pictures of the damaged to this road caused by less that 20 trucks a day over a two-week period when the roads in the new subdivision, Royalla Reserve, were constructed. By looking at Google maps, satellite, the different areas of the road which were damaged during this time can be seen by the different colour of the spray seal. What damaged would 500 trucks a day cause? Also, who would purchase a hose in this street when a truck is driving past every couple of minutes. The houses in this area would be worthless.

c) Construct another road joining the Old Cooma rd: constructing a road from the quarry to the Old Cooma Road would have to pass houses due to the number of rural residential block in the area, as above with 500 trucks passing a day every house nearby would be worthless.

I note that the traffic surveys are four and a half years old and were taken during a time when travel was affected by the covid pandemic. Also there have been developments along the Old Cooma Road and the Monaro Highway which has increased the traffic in the area. For instance, the suburb of Googong has grown and therefore the number of people travelling along the Old Cooma Road and the Monaro Highway has increased. A new road survey should be undertaking.

Biodiversity:
The proposed area of the contains some critically endangered woodlands, flowers and animals. There is only 5% of Box Gum Woodlands left and while the reports states that the area to be quarried is only 0.09% of the remaining total do we keep subtracting small amounts until there is nothing left? 5 % is a depressingly low figure.

The statement below is from the NSW Government Local Land Services website, I believe it sums up why a quarry should not be allowed to progress on this site.

"Box Gum Grassy Woodland (BGGW) is an endangered vegetation type throughout NSW, and is critically endangered across eastern Australia.

Box gum grassy woodlands support more than 400 plant species with the highest diversity present in the grasses and forbs. The woodlands are primary habitat for a range of native fauna, including woodland birds such as the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot.

Box gum grassy woodland was once widespread across Southern Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. These woodlands have been extensively cleared for agriculture with remnant vegetation frequently in poor to moderate condition. Only about 5% of BGGW remains. Most remnants are found in private property".

Number of Quarries in the region.
There are already four quarries in the region Boral Hall, Boral Mugga Way, Holchim Old Cooma road, and Heidelberg Williamsdale. These quarries still have years to run and at least one Holchim Old Cooma road, which is allowed to extract 1.5million tpa (though table 2.3 on page 2.7 of the Enviromental report states 1.2mtpa) is only forecast to extract 675000 tones this year after a similar figure last year, page 15 of the Cooma Road Quarry 2024 Annual Review. This means that there is not the demand for material as stated in the proposal.

Conclusion

I live on the Monaro station Rd which is slated to be an access road for "light traffic for staff and service vehicles". This means what was a quiet rural residential road has become an industry service road with traffic starting around 430am.

The project can't tell us what the major access road will be, if the ACT Government does not approve the Monaro Highway access where will the major access road be. The submission shows a road joining the Old Cooma Road, this road must pass near houses. Who would buy a house where up to 500 trucks pass by daily. The house prices must be affected.

When this project was first raised, it was just a quarry extracting 750tpa, now after community consultation it has grown into an industrial complex with a quarry extracting 1milion tpa, a concrete and asphalt batching plants, recycled concrete will be transported here to be crushed. The companies involved already have these facilities in operation in industrial estates.

The social impact statement states
"Cumulative impacts were assessed as moderate but manageable, with the Project contributing
marginally to existing burdens. Given the resilience of the Royalla community and the absence
of any significant vulnerable cohorts, no irreversible or unacceptable social impacts were
anticipated, provided that mitigation measures were properly implemented and monitored".

How can anyone say that with the issues raised above there would be on irreversible or unacceptable social impacts? We have worked hard to build a house and to think that it worth maybe devalued by this project is heart breaking.

Silca dust and diesel particular matter are two major contributors to respiratory. the NSW Government websites below detail the issue. The location of the quarry and the number of trucks that could pass near house will affect the health of residents, another social impact
https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/customer-service/publications-and-reports/silica-dashboard
https://www.resources.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-06/diesel-particulate-matter-exhaust.pdf

These are the reason that I object to the approval of this proposal.

Formal Objection to Proposed Hardrock Quarry and industrial Site at Royalla NSW

Objection Lodged by: Mrs Sandra Bennett, 38 Redbox Place Royalla NSW 2620

To: NSW Environment and Planning Minister

I strongly object to this development of this project on the following grounds;

1. Destruction of Rural Ambience

I have lived in Royalla for 21 years and moved here to raise my family and enjoy the quiet and unspoilt rural farming community. I am shocked and disappointed to learn that this proposed development is even being considered. This will destroy the rural peacefulness and ambience of Royalla, and I do not wish to see this large scale industrial site approved in any capacity.

2. Zoning Conflict

I understand the current zoning for the site is RU2 and C2. The proposed industrial development is clearly prohibited under these zoning categories. These zoning categories are put in place to protect out native flora and fauna and should not be disregarded. As a former teacher, I know the significance of environmental conservation in the curriculum and to the next generation. We need to be good role models and act appropriately to protect our local native species of both plants and animals before it is ruined.

3. Environmental Impact

This development is nothing short of a complete environmental disaster and would destroy critically endangered Boxgum grassy woodland and directly negatively impact wildlife currently on the proposed site. On this basis alone the industrial development should not proceed.

Wider environmental impacts also include dangerous and unacceptable air pollution from silica dust, noise from blasting and equipment operations six days a week.

In addition, this will result in a massive increase in truck movements of over 500, plus per day, onto either the Monaro highway or Old Cooma Rd, both of which are unacceptable and unwarranted. This stretch of highway in front of Royalla has already seen multiple fatalities and dozens of serious car and truck accidents over the past 20 years alone. This development will only cause an increase in these accidents and place Royalla residents at direct risk of accidents when entering and exiting the Monaro Highway. Two of my grandchildren live on the property with us and I fear the increased traffic burden will increase their risk of injury or worse, twice daily as they are driven to and from school in Calwell. Not to mention the hazardous risk on the rest of our family every time we use the highway, which is daily.

I understand the traffic studies were deliberately conducted at times of low traffic flow, during covid lockdown and school holidays, rendering the traffic impact assessment studies misleading and inaccurate. You only need to travel at any time during snow season to see the high traffic use (kilometers of bumper to bumper traffic travelling north and south) on the highway which was not included in this traffic study.

4. Existing Quarry

Royalla residence already suffer from an existing Quarry at Williamsdale, impinging directly on our southern Boundary which is only 2.5 km from our home. We already experience blasting noise, dust, daily voltage dips causing breaker trips and unsightly dirt overburden dirt piles visible from our home. We don't want any more unsightly, noisy and dusty quarries near our home.

5. Direct Health impact

I already struggle with respiratory breathing problems due to the early onset of Parkinsons disease. This concern is high on my list as more dust will only cause me more difficulty with breathing. Toxins are well documented as causes and effects in Parkinsons disease. By living in this rural environment, I have done my best to eliminate as many toxins entering my body as possible. Our home is in a highly elevated part of Royall which experiences high winds from all directions every day. Silica dust particles will be carried in the air, settling on our roof and washing into our water tanks every time it rains. As part of my neurology physiotherapy, I walk four to five km each day around Royalla, and I am very concerned about the effects the silica dust in the air will have on my ability to breathe. I already use an asthma prevention inhaler, which is not always effective and can often cough to a point where I cannot breathe. I worry that the silica dust from the quarry will make the management of this even more difficult.

6. Increased Stress

Life is hard enough without facing the increased stress of this proposed development. Not only am I stressed about my own health, I worry that the constant exposure to silica dust to my grandchildren at home and school, will have an adverse effect on their health in the future.

7. Quarry Capacity Justification

Existing quarries at Williamsdale, Mugga Lane and Queanbeyan (Old Cooma Road) quarries are operating well below capacity. The area simply doesn’t need another Quarry. Any suggestion that this quarry is economically significant to NSW is ludicrous. The future health burden on doctors and hospitals alone would cancel out any possible economic gains.


Regards

Sandra Bennett

My home is heritage listed built about 1923, my house does not have guttering or tanks which cannot be installed because of the heritage listing. I will explain further how the major project will negatively impact my situation. I have lived here for 45 years; my sole source of drinking water has been the creek running through my land. I pump this water to an uphill tank and it is gravity fed to my house. My livestock - now horses, previously sheep - also rely on this water as does my garden.

The quarry proponents state in their information sheet that the Project Need (Aug 2025) would be 'designated and operated in a manner considerate of the impacts of local residents and that it is in the wider community interests" because it would supply aggregate for construction and infrastructure projects in the ACT and QBN-Palerang region. They claim the quarry could provide up to 1 million tonnes of material annually for 35 years, meeting around "30-35% of local demand." While I understand the argument for supply, these assertions do not address the risks to local residents like me, whose health and livelihood depend directly on clean water which will be compromised by silica deposits in the water supply. The quarry has indicated the water from the operations of the quarry will be released into Guises Creek which is my sole water source. This raises grave concerns about water quality and the impact to my health. For me, this is not a hypothetical risk - it directly threatens the safety of my drinking water, the wellbeing of my animals and the continued habitability of my heritage listed home.

The quarry documents also emphasise 'local benefits' and 'economic value' to the region, but it fails to recognise that such benefits cannot come at the cost of human health and wellbeing or the destruction of established rural properties. In my case there is no alternative water source available due to the heritage restrictions.

I strongly object to the Monaro Rock Quarry Project. I have many concerns with the proposed project, particularly the impact on the local wildlife, such as the pygmy possum, blue tongue lizard, legless lizard, grass parrot and other birdlife. I also have serious concerns about the grassland earless dragon (tympanocryptis pinsuicolla) as the area of the proposed quarry is their typical habitat. I don't believe a proper assessment or environmental study has been completed by the Monaro Rock Quarry Project to understand the impacts on the local wildlife, in particular, those wildlife I have listed above. I also am extremely concerned about the increase in traffic (by at least a 1000%) and the detrimental affect the heavy vehicles will have on the local roads, including Monaro Station Road, the Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road - these roads have not been designed or built to handle the amount of heavy vehicles that will travel on these roads daily if the Project goes ahead. This has been evidenced recently when the new estate of 13 blocks (Royalla Estate) built at the end of the Monaro Station Road, when just a slight increase in traffic and heavy vehicles destroyed large parts of Monaro Station Road. When I purchased land on Monaro Station Road, it was to enjoy the rural lifestyle, including peace and quiet, no loud traffic or industrial noises. If the Project goes ahead there will be constant loud noise and traffic 6 days per week - from 5am to 6pm - this does not align with the intended purpose of the Royalla rural lifestyle. I am also concerned that if the Project goes ahead, it will have a significant negative impact on the housing market in the area, particularly reducing the value of my own home.
Christopher OToole, local resident

Please see attached