If this Sand quarry has 200 + truck movements North to quarry and 200 south to the quarry, me and others will find it difficult to exit our driveways on Nelson Bay Road. I am talking about the single lane sections of Nelson Bay Road south of the proposed mine ( 99.9% of trucks will travel south). It is difficult to exit now due to large traffic numbers and would be more dangerous with an extra 400 truck movements (200 north and 200 south).
This project should be paused until the Nelson Bay Road Bypass is completed, and it would be against public safety to approve it before the bypass is finished.
Kind Regards
Shane Scanlon

Two hundred trucks per day driving along Nelson Bay Road as if there isn’t enough traffic congestion already. Where does all this sand end up? How big of a quarry do you think this is going to be? There is already sand erosion in the LGA and this will just add more as well as diesel exhaust

As a father of young children I would like to see more industry to support the community

I OBJECT resoundingly to this project. I ask that you REFUSE this project. It is unacceptable on so many levels.
The sand mine should not approved due to so many reasons but a few major ones.
Traffic and Road safety Risks – The number of trucks and the amount of sand to be extracted. Up to 40 heavy trucks an hour. These trucks are supposed to drive all the way up to Port Stephens Drive roundabout, I am positive they won’t waste that time, and they will try to turn at Marsh rd or even go Marsh Rd. Marsh Rd is a disaster already and has by RMS had its limit reduced to 60kmh due to the condition of the road.
Another issue is that Nelson Bay Rd before the sand mine road is the change from 100 to 80 and on a corner. I was driving that the other day and I was thinking about the sand mine. I was considering how extremely dangerous it would be if a sand mine truck had just slowed in front of me or had pulled off on to the road.
The next day I was then following a b double truck up to the Port Stephens Drive. It had to cross over to the right hand lane and tried to then turn around at the roundabout. All cars around it had to hold back. If this was 40 trucks an hour it would be absolutely choas on already extremely busy road.
When accidents occur on Nelson Bay Rd, Marsh Rd is used as the access road, THESE trucks can’t be allowed to go on Marsh Rd.
The rules around how the trucks use the roads need to be acknowledged and enforced but then deemed acceptable because they will be monitored and managed in the future.
Habitat Destruction and Threat to Wildlife –
24 hectares of native vegetation will be destroyed.
Wildlife corridor between the Tomaree and Tilligerry peninsula will be destroyed.
Critical Koala Habitat
Threatened species – Koala, Powerful Owl, Masked Owl, Squirrel Glider, GreyHeaded Flyins fox.
Site Suitability –
It is at the gateway to Port Stephens - at the entrance there will be an ugly mine with trucks coming and going. People come to Port Stephens for the beautiful environment as you come down that hill you feel like you have got to Port Stephens.
Bobs Farm school – the application thinks it is ok because the road isn’t going past the school. But it is no better because it is too close to the school. There will be constant noise and dust, disturbance to the students.
Local houses – the houses around that site have recent been sold, as beautiful coastal retreats. These people do not want a sand mine in their backyard.
We live down the road by 1.5 kms but we have bought our property to have a lasting legacy for our family, we don’t want to be living near a sand mine.
Other issues of Dangerous Groundwater Risks – razor thin margins, acid sulphate soils and other issues that haven’t been resolved.
Unproven Noise Compliance and Health and Dust risks
Climate change impacts have not been adequately assessed.

The project needs to refused and this beautiful area needs to be protected for the future of the world and our children and grandchildren.

Our Home Is Not a Sand Pit
We are deeply concerned about the proposal to place a sand mine directly on our boundary fence, in what is currently a peaceful and thriving biodiversity zone. This is not vacant land. It is not wasteland. It is a living, breathing ecosystem — and it is our home.
Right now, we wake up to birdsong, not machinery. We see kangaroos and wallabies grazing in open areas at dusk. We know there are koalas moving through the trees. Eagles nest here. Frogs and turtles live in the wetlands and waterways. This land supports life in ways that cannot simply be replaced once destroyed.
A sand mine will not be quiet. It will bring constant heavy machinery, reversing alarms, truck movements, excavation, dust, and vibration — from early morning and throughout the day. The peace and safety of our homes will be replaced with industrial noise and activity just metres from our fence line.
Dust pollution will not stay neatly within the mine site. It will drift onto our homes, into our water tanks, over our gardens, and into sensitive habitats. Runoff and sediment threaten nearby waterways where frogs and turtles breed. Fuel and chemical risks pose further dangers to soil and groundwater.
Most heartbreakingly, this development will destroy critical habitat in a recognised biodiversity zone. Koalas depend on these trees and corridors to survive. Eagles require undisturbed nesting areas. Kangaroos and wallabies rely on this land for grazing. Once their habitat is cleared and fragmented, they do not simply relocate — many will disappear.
This is not just about inconvenience. It is about irreversible environmental loss. It is about protecting wildlife that has far fewer places left to go. It is about standing up for the integrity of a biodiversity zone that was identified for protection, not industrialisation.
As a community, we value clean air, quiet surroundings, and the preservation of native wildlife for future generations. We believe economic gain should not come at the cost of permanent environmental destruction and the loss of our local ecosystem.
We are asking decision-makers to listen to the people who live here, who care for this land, and who see its value every day. Once this habitat is gone, it cannot be restored to what it was.
This is our home.
This is wildlife habitat.
This is a biodiversity zone.
It should be protected — not mined.

To whom it may concern, I , Linda Merrilees of 521 Marsh Road Bobs Farm, object to the proposed sand quarry by Newcastle Sand
I am a local resident ( over 25 years) & have taught at Bobs Farm Public School for 34 years ( recently retired). Let's say I know the area, it's residents & natural beauty well
My list of objections ( no list of benefits)
*National Park across the road - animals & plant life don't know boundaries
*impact on Tourism - welcome to Port Stephens ( with a vast destroyed area of coastal bushland)
* local businesses impacted - Murray's Brewery, The Stables, Cookabarra Barramundi Farm, Kookaburra Cottages farmstead, Valhalla, Port Stephens Wildlife Refuge, Go Karts are a few
*affects on young local families who have purchased/ built nearby not knowing about this proposal
*25m of natural dunes will be levelled to 0m on their doorstep, along with silica, noise & destruction of coastal forests possibly including koala habitat among many other native species ( I know the area as I've ridden my horses here over the past 20 years & witnessed the natural beauty & wildlife)
*we rely on tank/ spear point water from the spring waters that filter through the dunes
* sand truck traffic issues have not been adequately addressed - sand trucks from at least 3 other sites are already a heavy presence on our roads - how will this impact School?
*I have first hand witnessed the devastation of the sand quarry Newcastle Sand operate at Williamtown ( cleverly hidden from the main road) Lunar landscape is what comes to mind
* I am also aware that Newcastle Sand have been fined by the EPA at this site - will they be like the company on Port Stephens Drive ( Harvey Norman site) & clear fell everything ( illegally)& just pay the fines as they did?
*images provided of so called rehabilitation of the site were so poor I almost laughed - a pile of weeds cannot replace 100 year old trees
* my question regarding use of this sand? Golf courses & building sites? Really? We already have several businesses extracting sand from the dunes , how is another necessary? There's no 'profound ' use for this sand, other than to line some Director's pockets. I'd be thrilled if someone could provide me with some meaningful use of this sand that warrants such disruption & destruction to local residents ( both human & animal!)
* Bobs Farm residents have been through a similar application before ( which gained national media attention) & this project appears to be riding on it's coat tails
So, in conclusion, I vigorously implore that the Department of Planning refuse this application for the detrimental reasons to our community that I have provided with no benefits whatsoever
Linda Merrilees
521 Marsh Road Bobs Farm

I object to the development of yet ANOTHER sand farm for the following reasons:
Biodiversity loss
Impacts on a sensitive coastal groundwater system
Increased truck traffic and road safety risks
Impacts on amenity, rural character and lifestyle
Potential impacts on schools, families and local residents
Potential health impacts from dust and silicates
Potential visual impacts on one of Port Stephens most important entrance corridors
Further industrialisation of the Bobs Farm–Salt Ash area
Cumulative impacts from existing and proposed extractive industries

Until such time the NSW Government complete the planned Nelson Bay Road dual carriage way this project should not proceed.
The amount of truck movements when combined with current operating businesses that generate truck movements cannot be supported by the current as built road infrastructure. This cumulative effort will be dangerous to road users in the local area.
In summary if the government wants to approve this project spend the money on the infrastructure to sustain it safely.

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to strongly object to the proposed sand quarry development at Bobs Farm.

My family and I are residents of Bobs Farm, and this is not simply a place we live—it is our home, our community, and the place we deliberately chose to raise our three children. We chose Bobs Farm because of its peaceful rural lifestyle, its open spaces, native wildlife, and the quiet environment that is becoming increasingly rare. We understood the responsibilities that come with living rurally, but we did not choose to live beside an industrial mining operation.

The proposal to remove more than 10 million tonnes of sand from our area would permanently change the character of Bobs Farm.

Health Impacts

I am deeply concerned about the health impacts this project will have on my family.

Both my son and I have severe asthma. Another one of my sons and I also suffer significant allergies to dust and pollen. The additional dust generated by quarrying activities and heavy vehicle movements has the potential to significantly worsen our health, increase asthma attacks, and reduce our quality of life.

The long-term health impacts on children, elderly residents, and others living with respiratory conditions should not be underestimated. Dust does not stop at property boundaries.

Traffic and Road Safety

The proposal indicates approximately 40 heavy truck movements each day.

This is unacceptable on our local roads.

Residents have spent years asking for our roads to be repaired. We have been repeatedly told that fixing the roads is too expensive, despite living with potholes and deteriorating road conditions.

It is incredibly frustrating that authorities have considered our roads unsuitable for investment, yet they are now expected to accommodate constant heavy vehicle traffic associated with a commercial mining operation.

This raises serious concerns regarding:

* Road safety for local residents.
* Increased wear and deterioration of already poor roads.
* Safety for school buses, cyclists, horse riders and local traffic.
* Increased noise and vibration affecting nearby homes.

Loss of Rural Character

Bobs Farm is home to more than 112 residences, many of which have existed for generations.

Many homes are over one hundred years old and have been passed down through families. This proposal threatens not only the landscape but the history and identity of our community.

Families have invested their savings into properties here because of the peaceful rural environment. The introduction of an industrial sand quarry would fundamentally change the character of the area and diminish the lifestyle residents have worked so hard to achieve.

Environmental Concerns

The wildlife, native vegetation, birdlife and natural landscape are some of the defining features of Bobs Farm.

I am concerned about the impacts that excavation, vegetation clearing, dust, noise and increased heavy vehicle movements will have on local ecosystems and native wildlife.

Once this environment is damaged, it cannot simply be restored to its original condition.

Lack of Community Benefit

Residents already experience limited services despite paying significant council rates.

We have:

* No town water.
* No guttering.
* No local parks.
* Poor road maintenance.

Rather than investing in improving the infrastructure for the existing community, this proposal places an additional burden on residents while providing little obvious benefit to those who actually live here.

Impact on Families

This proposal is about far more than sand.

It is about the lives of the families who call Bobs Farm home.

It is about children growing up breathing clean air, riding bikes on quiet roads, hearing birds instead of heavy machinery, and enjoying the rural lifestyle that residents have spent years building.

Industrialising our community for the removal of millions of tonnes of sand comes at an enormous cost to the people who live here every day.

Conclusion

I respectfully ask that the decision-makers carefully consider the cumulative impacts this proposal would have on residents, our health, our safety, our environment, and our community.

The loss of the unique rural character of Bobs Farm cannot be replaced once it is gone.

I strongly urge the NSW Government to reject this proposal and protect the families, history, environment, and future of Bobs Farm.

Thank you for considering my submission.

I am a lifetime Anna Bay resident who along with many fellow residents believe the proposed Bobs Farm Sand Quarry (SSD-99860959) at 3631 Nelson Bay Road will not only damage our lives but the environment, native flora and fauna’s lives too. I have listed below two reasons which i strongly believe should result in the proposal being refused.

1. Severe Traffic & Road Safety Risks
The proposal seeks to extract up to 530,000 tonnes of sand per year—more than double Macka’s Sand which will result in massive truck volumes. That’s up to 40 trucks per hour turning onto Nelson Bay Road and navigating the Port Stephens Drive roundabout which will disrupt our day to day lives and ours more animals in risk of getting run over. The EIS fails to include an independent Road Safety Audit assessing risks to Bobs Farm Public School bus runs, local rural driveways, or peak holiday traffic on our main peninsula gateway.

2. Habitat Destruction & Threat to Wildlife
The quarry will destroy ~24 hectares of native vegetation that forms a vital north-south wildlife corridor between the Tomaree and Tilligerry Peninsulas. The Commonwealth identified this site as habitat critical to the survival of the Koalas. The land is documented habitat for Koalas, Squirrel Gliders, Flying Foxes, and apex predators like the Powerful Owl and Masked Owl. Buying offset credits doesn't save local species—it just records the local loss.

Let me ask you, when was the last time you saw a Koala in the wild? Only a few years ago you would’ve replied atleast once a week, now we struggle to see them once a year! Our planet isn’t slowly dying. It’s dying rapidly and every area of protected land plays a crucial role!! Therefore, I ask for refusal, requesting the Department REFUSE SSD-99860959.