My objection to the Royalla Rock Quarry.
I have lived here in this beautiful community for 24 years, Our family is building our future with all the others with the same ideals of being happy, comfortable…and supposed to be safe.

Dust:- we work in the area and would be subjected to the additional dust from this quarry for one day per fortnight just in Monaro Sation alone, which is not good for my health as I have developed asthma in the last 5 years, had 6 bouts of pneumonia in the last 2 years along with related illnesses. This would be subjecting my body to even more stress.

Wind:- when the predominant winds are North-Westerly delivering the dust directly to our family home, impacting myself and all 3 generations of my family directly.
This will be deposited on our roof which collects our ONLY domestic water supply, thus reducing the life of our current water filters (already in place due to the Williamsdale Quarry) also onto the paddocks that our pets roam in. Plus the abundant herds of Kangaroos, Wombats and other local animals.
When blowing in a South-Westerly direction, (we try and work out of area because of the dust) the contaminants will be blowing towards the houses and schools of the border area, affecting the children’s play grounds, settling on play equipment in the schools and private homes, (relatives of our family live there)….what are these children’s future going to look like?

Traffic:-Up to 500 trucks a day, that is horrendous on multiple levels, because we are working in the area, we are entering multiple properties each day in that area servicing the Aerated WasteWater Treatment Systems. So, the traffic will increase our possibilities of us and others being involved in a traffic accident. It will put the bus drivers that take the local children to and from school every day under even more stress in their endeavor to keep the children under their charge in a safe position. It will be even more harrowing for the grandparents (us) driving the grand kids to and from school. The current roads are NOT adequately designed for this amount of traffic as can be seen by the degradation caused by the trucks going to and from the development of Googong, the extra load will make them totally unsafe for all who try and travel along them.

Ground Shock:- this will have the possibility of increased failures on the concrete septic tanks, domestic water tanks and ground movement that has detrimental effects on the PVC plumbing connections, all of which can result in untreated human waste being leaked onto the ground or loss of domestic water.

Electricity Supply Fluctuations:- we already see evidence of this from the Williamsdale Quarry affecting the southern end of Royalla Estate in the form of multiple “Brownouts”, The new Monaro Quarry being even bigger with more plant that relies on electricity, will have a bigger impact on the local power supply due to the massive increase on demand that it will impact on the Current and Future residents.


Water Table (bore water):- in the 24 years living here we have noticed the static water level of our domestic bore has dropped 14 meters. After having worked on projects in other quarries, I know that the use of bore water will exceed the quantities they have quoted …if they are to meet the “dust suppression levels” that the EPA will try to enforce. When they don’t meet these levels, the EPA will impose fines …….which, will be after the fact! That is not a comforting thought for all of us.

Hi, having a quarry so close to the ACT and Royalla would greatly impact so many people and animals. There are many horses and other livestock in the surrounding area that would be effected by noise and dust caused by the quarry. i am worried dust may travel to effect even more places , people and animals. i am also worried for the traffic increase along the Monaro which will greatly impact commutes around those areas. please reconsider this project.

I object to the Monaro Rock Quarry Project.
I consider that it is too close to residents in my local area and my own home at Little Burra in Googong.
The issues that I have with the quarry project being so close to my home, small acreage with horses, pets and of course my family are provided below.

1. Most significantly I believe that the Quarry management procedures proposed cannot safeguard escape of silica dust and other particles that will significantly and seriously damage my own health, my family health and my horses.
The site is on high ground in an area that is known for strong winds with unpredictable wind direction. It was the case during the bush fires of the Orroral Valley and Beard that the particles contained within adversely impacted me directly with difficulty breathing. Silica dust may be present in lower concentrations, but is known to be extremely toxic, carcinogenic to humans and other animals. I find it difficult to comprehend that anyone would propose a development that will certainly release these particles into the air so close to human population, when we now know how dangerous this event is likely to be.
2. I am very concerned about the location also for the quarry with respect to the volume of traffic predicted on the route proposed. The Monaro highway is already an extremely dangerous road and I have witnessed first hand accidents happening, particularly caused by the bends in that road and overtaking cars with obscured views. The increase in heavy trucks, potentially travelling at much reduced speeds until they accelerate to the road limits is very likely to increase the risk of serious accidents occurring unless the road is fully dualled both down the hill and up the hill. Additionally, a very lengthy slip road will be required , with underpass/overpass for the lorries to join to prevent inevitable serious accidents. In addition, there will need to be continuous maintenance of the road surface which already causes significant risk to road users due to frequently occurring large potholes.
3. I am a resident of a C4 Environmental Living zone and I am very concerned to the damage to the environment and water table that will result from the quarry. The quarry location is proposed in an area that is prohibited for any development of any type. Hence, the quarry management have made a submission under suggested National significance. However, there seems to be no accurate information to support this initiative as being of national significance.
There are already three other quarries in the region and none of these are operating at full capacity. It is believed to be not correct that there will be a forecast deficit able to be produced from the existing quarries to serve the region. This information supplied requires independent validation in consultation with the other quarries.
In addition, as there is not the need for the additional capacity in the region it is not going to generate substantial new jobs, as it will just compete for resources from the other quarries in the area.

In summary, I believe that this is a proposal based on profits desired by the company and its investors at completely indefensible danger to a wide number of residents of both Canberra in the Tuggeranong area, and regional Canberra/NSW.

We have been residents of Royalla for the past 22 years and feel we know the area and those who reside in it well. Over this time we have also observed the development of rural residential allotments and the increased pressure on the Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road. The impact to these roads is not only the increased traffic on them but also the deterioration of the road surfaces that pose a risk to those travelling on it. There are large populations of kangaroos living in this area. Along with wombats, deer and other animals their dead bodies line the highway posing another grim hazard for those who use it on a daily basis. My concern is that truck movements associated with the quarry will start early in the morning when animals are moving about, increasing the risk for collisions with wild life. It is my experience that truck drivers do not stop to remove dead or injured animals from the middle of the road. Foggy conditions are common on the highway and it is very dangerous to come upon a dead kangaroo buck or wombat in the middle of the the road. We see the increase of these incidences in winter time with people travelling to the ski resorts.
I am opposed to this development because it’s purpose will completely destroy the land and all the plants and animals that are living on the 77.83 hectares of this proposed quarry. It does not seem fair for the residents of this area who are actively enhancing the biodiversity on their properties and in community projects to have their efforts so dramatically diminished by a single party. When we moved to Royalla the land was degraded by grazing animals. We have worked so hard to improve the biodiversity on our 5.2 hectares with planting local trees and plants and weed removal. All my neighbours do the same. The reward is enjoying the birds, lizards, and mammals that are supported by the environment at close hand, an experience not possible in suburbia. My feeling is why can’t they build a quarry in an area that does not effect so many people. We live approximately 5 kms from the rock quarry south of Royalla and can hear the rumbling of the rock crusher, the windows shake when they are blasting and the power supply dips in the morning when they are starting up machinery. Hence I already understand the impacts of living in the proximity of a quarry. I urge the department to reject this proposal.

This project will have major detrimental impacts on the environment and residents that surround the proposed site. A quarry located near residential and farmland areas can have significant negative effects on both the residents and the environment. One of the primary concerns is the release of toxic dust into the air. As mining activities unfold, fine particles such as silica can become airborne, contaminating the air quality and posing serious health risks to residents. Long-term exposure to these dust particles can lead to respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer. The toxic dust also settles on surrounding vegetation and farmland, potentially affecting crops, soil health, and even contaminating local water sources. For those living nearby, the air quality decline becomes an ongoing threat to both physical health and quality of life.

In addition to the dust, the constant noise and vibrations from blasting, machinery, and truck traffic can severely disrupt daily living. The excessive noise from the quarry operations and the hundreds of trucks transporting materials through local roads each day can make life unbearable for nearby residents, affecting their sleep, concentration, and mental health. The vibrations from blasting and heavy equipment can damage nearby homes, buildings, and infrastructure, leading to costly repairs. Furthermore, the increase in truck traffic on local roads often leads to congestion, greater risk of accidents, and accelerated wear and tear on roads, forcing communities to bear the economic burden of maintaining these infrastructures. Overall, the presence of a quarry near residential and agricultural zones creates a cascade of environmental, health, and economic issues that significantly diminish the quality of life for those nearby. There is no economic, financial or environmental benefit to local residents in approving this quarry and it should not be allowed to go ahead.

I am writing to lodge my objection to the Proposed Monaro Rock Quarry Project located near my daughters home in Royalla NSW.

Health Concerns
My daughter suffers from a serious autoimmune condition (psoriatic arthritis) and is under the care of specialists doctors in Sydney, NSW. That care is beginning to show some level of success, and I fear the introduction of air borne dust pollutants, including crystalline silica, and heavy vehicle exhaust gases, posed a serious and unacceptable risk to her continued improvement.

My daughter lived in suburban Canberra ACT for many years but moved to Royalla because of its clean rural environment. I note that the land under consideration for the quarry is zoned RU2 and C2 (Rural and conservation). I have great difficulty in accepting that environmental protection measures will be effective in the prevention of dust pollution that will impact the entire Royalla community particularly on windy days.

I am also concerned at the estimated number of heavy vehicle movements that would be necessary to support of the operation of the proposed quarry. This level of heavy vehicle movement will further impact adversely the air quality at Royalla

Water impact
As with many of her neighbours my daughter depends on bore water to augment her rainwater tanks and I consider the proposed use of ground water for the proposed quarry must impact the viability of the Royalla ground water supply. The rural environment of Royalla will always be subject to risk of bush fires and that risk is mitigated to some extent by having a reliable water supply.

Conclusion
The world in general, and Australian in particular, has become much more knowledgeable and questioning of environmental issues. As a nation we are going to great length to produce clean forms of energy, to ensure vehicle emissions are not dangerous and polluting industries no longer operate in a manner that impacts the environment or nearby residents.

To proceed with this proposal seems contrary to the Federal and State desire to protect the environment and nearby inhabitants.

I vehemently oppose the proposed development for the following reasons:
1- adverse health effects from contamination of drinking water and inhalation of dust
2- further destruction of already fragile environments for native vegetation and animals
3- outrageous use of already straightened water supplies. 4- road safety issues caused by increased number of heavy vehicles
5- increased number of brown outs causing increased damage to electrical appliances inside the home as well as damage to envirocycle and water pumps outside the home.
We moved into this area for peace and quiet and a healthier environment.
Heavy industrialisation is inappropriate

I see this Quarry as an asset to our surrounding region.
It will keep the supply of local material for any future projects available for a long period of time without the need to source material from other states or worse, overseas.
It will also help to keep local people employed for the future.
It will help local business by keeping a local supply of material for the future.
This project will ensure a sustainable supply of local materials for all future projects for the development of infastructure as required by the surrounding region.

I object to the project and have provided my reasons in the attached document.