During the period of time that Martin’s Creek Quarry operated brazenly and excessively beyond its consent we learnt quite a few things about the proposed quarry operations and its management.

Martin’s Creek Quarry does not adequately monitor its impacts or care if it exceeds its operating consent. The company has shown that it can only be brought in line with Court action. It cannot be relied upon to monitor its own operations or the actions of its workforce. They have shown that consent once given will be abused.

We lived in Lorn during the illegal operation of the quarry and the excessive truck movements through our streets had considerable impact on our lives and the amenity of our homes.

Drivers would routinely shortcut through our neighbourhoods to the highway. Despite assurances that they would not.

We would be woken by the rumble of the convoys as they rattled the windows and hauled their loads through our streets to make their delivery deadlines each morning.

I would stand at the pedestrian crossing while trucks deemed it unnecessary to slow or stop for my children and I. Perhaps they are too heavy or it was just too inconvenient. We have had a taste of this awful reality and do not want it repeated.

Martin’s Creek quarry is poorly situated for road operations and it is mere greed that sees Its operators attempt to revive this unlawful and abusive corporate neighbour.

We lived through the years of our roads being damaged by these heavy vehicles. We lived through the noise and vibration of truck after truck hurrying to drop of loads or return with empty and loudly drumming trailers. We lived through the danger that these trucks present plowing through an urban environment.

We were relieved when they were finally called to account for their abuse of operational consent and now we have to sit through the process of this corporate abuser attempting to legally operate again in that fashion despite resounding community objections.

It is inappropriate for trucks to be operating in this residential neighbourhood and in adjoining neighbourhoods and towns in this fashion. The impact on our lives is real and present and needs to be prevented.

We have lived through this scenario in the past and we know what it will be like if approval is granted again. That would be an unacceptable situation. If anything good comes from the quarries illegal past operations it should be that it serves as an example of what we should never have to put up with again.

Please reject this and future proposals. The quarry has an existing consent. Hold them to it.

I strongly object to the intrusion onto our road network which will impede the comfort and quite nature of our community. It is a recently developed heavily populated area and increased volumes of traffic create a serious hazard with these large vehicles. The road infrastructure will not support. Their are young families, school buses along with aged community receiving services that will be at risk. There is no benefit for the community it would be a destructive impact. Why isn’t the existing rail infrastructure being utilised to keep these heavy vehicles off the road network.

My main objection to this quarry expansion is how they will transport their mined materials. The proposed increase of a couple of hundred trucks per day running through our small country suburbs is an accident waiting to happen. The roads are narrow in places, with many concealed driveways and small side roads, and run directly through areas with walkways built purposely for pedestrian traffic such as school children and families. Noise pollution will considerably increase with that volume of heavy vehicle traffic , as well as greatly impacting our road surfaces. Cost to local council in road repairs would massively increase.
Heavy vehicles will increase congestion on an already struggling route, especially in peak hours. Our small country roads cannot take this, as well as the roads and traffic in town that will see many big quarry trucks mingling with city traffic.
Why can’t they rail their materials out, as we have a perfectly good rail line running right by their mine?
I do not want my home suburb to be subjected to a heavy vehicle every 40 seconds, 13 hours a day. This would greatly effect every day life for people living along the proposed route.
I am not against industry or development entirely, if this can be done with consideration of lessening impact on local communities as much as possible.
Please do not increase heavy traffic along a road my children and grandchildren walk daily. If this goes ahead it will be a recipe for disaster. Many heavy vehicles and small suburban roads do not mix.

I object to this project purely because i dont want hundreds of trucks a day using my road, the noise pollution and dust will be outrageous, there is a railway line in martins creek, just extend a loop of that to the mine, will save money in the long run and keep a quiet country town and country roads just that, quiet.

I object to the approval because the Quarry was originally designed to utilise the train line to transport the majority of it’s output - NOT ON OUR LOCAL ROADS!

The quarry’s proposal to use the local roads and infrastructure is disruptive and damaging to the local community. The Paterson township is miserable when you can’t talk or think straight when meeting other locals in the street. The roads become inherently more dangerous with the additional traffic and are themselves not designed to take the volume of traffic that this proposal will add. This additional wear and tear on the road infrastructure will not be able to be maintained, again, making the road even more dangerous. Being able to cross the street in what is a normally very quiet village, will become almost impossible while the trucks, at the volume’s being considered, are rumbling back and forth. This coupled with the existing trainline will make for a very congested roadway in what is a reasonably narrow streetscape.

Our house is on Gresford Road, only 1.5km from the Paterson township and the movement of trucks on our local road is already incredibly noisy and causes great anxiety and annoyance within our home. Our house is very close to the roadway, having been constructed in the early 1970’s (before this quarry was established). The constant noise and rattling of the home with more heavily loaded trucks would be truly depressing. There would be even more noise delivered from the unladen trucks as they make their way back to the quarry to get further loads.

I fear that our 3 children and numerous pets would not be safe with the additional heavy traffic that this proposal would add to the road. All three of our school aged children are required to cross the road to get on to their designated bus transportation to get to school. More trucks on the road (who may have difficulty seeing children from their high up cabs) only adds more danger.

A number of other quarries in the area have recently been approved. Adding another quarry into the already crowded marketplace does not even make sense from a pure economical standpoint. This quarry is not required to fulfill any shortages within the market.

This quarry is not needed or wanted. To reiterate, I fully object to the proposal.

I am objecting to this application due to the large increase in heavy vehicle traffic the DA proposes. The last time we had this number of trucks rocketing past our front gate was when Daracon deliberately and knowingly exceeded its current approved level of extraction. There is a 100km limit on our stretch of Tocal Road and judging from the speed of the trucks at that time compared to other traffic they often well and truly exceeded this. It became dangerous to turn onto or off Tocal Road from our property. I note Daracon’s suggestions on policing this but their actions in the past give me little faith that they will abide by any commitment they make.

Daracon bought this quarry as a source of rail ballast shipped mostly by rail. Their own proposal states that they can at least double the volume they move by rail alone and this should be, at most, what they are limited to.

Martins Creek Quarry expansion in Hunter Valley.

I object to any expansion of the quarry. Any increased truck movements on any local roads (including Martins Creek Road) will detrimentally affect the lifestyle of residents. The quarry is located in an unsuitable location taking into account the proximity of residents who otherwise enjoy a comfortable rural or semi-rural lifestyle. The village of Paterson provides an idyllic environment for residents and the many visitors to the area. It should be maintained as it is which will be impossible with the proposed additional truck movements. Paterson is a welcome contrast to other overdeveloped nearby areas. It is already often difficult to exit Bolwarra Road onto Paterson Road at Bolwarra. The proposed additional truck movements will detrimentally affect residents of Bolwarra in this regard and dramatically increase noise pollution in the area.

I wish to make a submission re the Martins Creek Quarry Project and the revised/amended proposal.
1. The revised proposal is a token gesture with little substance aiming to create the impression that Daracon actually has listened to the community and the consultation process.
2. It is simply ridiculous that this quarry will be able to impinge on the lives and safety of all who live in Paterson and surrounding areas while there is a rail siding accessing the quarry.
3. With up to half a million tonnes of material to be travel by road ie truck and dog, that could mean over 1000 trucks per month using a sub standard road and as many as 260 trucks and dogs per day. This is unacceptable for the citizens and visitors of Paterson and surrounds and severely impacts on their quality of life and safety.
4. This through a town that involves a blind hill crest when entering the township along Gresford Road, a railway line crossing and a 90 degree right turn through the main street in front of the busiest part of the town including service station, café and post office, doctor’s surgery and B&B.
5. The run on lane from Dungog Road to Gresford Road is extremely hazardous an d more than 200 trucks a day will make it even more hazardous.
5. I have witnessed the trucks and dogs carrying quarry material often cut the corner both ways and this provides an extremely unsafe environment for citizens and through traffic and Paterson retail trade.