I write to formally object to the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry Project on ecological, cultural, environmental, and community grounds. The proposed development would result in significant and irreversible damage to a critically endangered ecosystem, threaten native wildlife, and pose serious health, lifestyle, and cultural risks to residents and the broader environment.

1. Biodiversity & Environmental Impact
The proposed quarry will result in the clearance of 77.83 hectares of native vegetation, including 22.44 hectares of Box-Gum Grassy Woodland, an ecosystem that is critically endangered under both NSW and Commonwealth legislation. This is not just an area of bushland—it is one of the last remaining strongholds of Box-Gum Woodland in the Royalla landscape, supporting a complex and irreplaceable web of life.
The Box-Gum Woodland is already on the brink of extinction across NSW, the ACT, and nationally. Every hectare lost brings it closer to total collapse.
The site is home to over 300 species of flora and fauna, including species of high conservation significance such as the:
• Pink-tailed Legless Lizard
• Key Matchstick Grasshopper
• Small Purple-pea
• Gang-Gang Cockatoo (threatened under Commonwealth legislation)
These species depend on the connectivity and intactness of this landscape. The clearing will not only remove habitat but sever critical movement corridors between woodland and grassland areas, pushing local populations toward extinction.
The clearing of this habitat would also impact the Jerrabomberra headwaters, degrading the waterways and riparian vegetation, reducing the flow and quality of water that feeds into broader catchments—including areas downstream in Tuggeranong.
2. Cultural Heritage
Indigenous heritage must be respected and preserved. The proposed site includes culturally modified trees, including ring trees and scar trees, as well as numerous Indigenous artefacts and archaeological deposits.
Destruction of this site would mean a permanent loss of cultural knowledge, history, and connection to Country. This land has significance beyond what can be measured in development yield or truckloads of quarry product.
3. Human and Community Impacts
The project is proposed in close proximity to a growing population—49,000 people currently live within 10km, with this figure expected to rise to 69,000 within the next 10 years. The scale and nature of the quarry is wholly inappropriate for a region with this population density.
Major concerns include:
• Traffic: Up to 500 heavy vehicle movements per day, including haulage trucks and concrete/asphalt delivery vehicles. This will significantly increase noise, congestion, road safety risks, and wear and tear on the Monaro Highway, Old Cooma Road, and surrounding rural roads.
• Dust & Health Risks: Quarry operations will generate large quantities of dust, including respirable silica, which can be harmful to human health. Dust will settle on homes, solar panels, gardens, and contaminate rainwater tanks, directly impacting day-to-day life.
• Odour: The production of hot mix asphalt creates strong, persistent odours, impacting liveability for nearby residents.
• Noise & Blasting: Blasting activities will cause noise, ground vibrations, and further dust, disrupting both humans and wildlife. This will be a constant intrusion for nearby communities.
• Electricity Disruptions: Local residents have raised concerns about brownouts and damage to home appliances due to the electrical demands and fluctuations associated with the industrial site.
• Water Use: The quarry would extract up to 42.4 million litres of groundwater annually—in a region already subject to water stress. This could reduce flows in surrounding watercourses, affecting both people and ecosystems downstream.
• Pollution Risks: There is potential for water and soil contamination from washing equipment, concrete recycling, and runoff from the site. These are unacceptable risks near sensitive waterways and residential areas.
4. Economic & Planning Concerns
There is no clear economic justification for the quarry, especially given that four existing quarries within 30km already have capacity for more than 100 years. This project would duplicate supply while adding environmental and social costs that far outweigh any purported benefit.
The proposed development is inconsistent with the landscape character and community aspirations of Royalla and surrounding regions. It is not in the public interest to industrialise this area at the cost of ecological integrity, cultural heritage, and community wellbeing.

No Quarry. No Industrial Estate. Save Enchanted Hill.
This is not just a development proposal—it is a potential ecological, cultural, and social disaster. Once this land is cleared and blasted, there is no going back. There is also no feasible way of offsetting or mitigating the destruction of critically endangered habitat. Once it's gone it's gone.
I urge decision-makers to consider the irreversible damage this proposal would cause, and to reject the Monaro Rock Quarry Project in its entirety.

You cant produce the essential construction material of concrete if you do not have a quarry

Increasing production will help increase work in the community.

I object to the proposed quarry project. The geographical location is not appropriate to establishing a new facility such as this. The likely negative impacts on residential and rural-residential communities in close proximity to the site far outweigh the positives. My family is concerned about a reduced quality of life resulting from the proposed development. Surely there are better locations to establish a quarry that are much further from populated areas.
The issues that most concern me are (but not limited to): dust and noise, the sourcing of water and its use, pollution and traffic.
Regarding traffic, the Monaro Highway is already known to be a dangerous road. Both the Monaro Highway and Old Cooma Road have fairly high traffic flows, which is likely to increase as the population at Googong, Tuggeranong and other nearby areas increases. If an industrial site is eventually approved for this location, significant road upgrades including turning lanes, bridges and road duplication should be a pre-requisite.
Regards, Jason

The proposed rock quarry is unacceptably close the residential properties and schools. The noise and explosives, the clearing of land, the potential for silica dust to be blown around outside the quarry, and the large number of trucks will have a harmful effect
on people's health, impact on property, and on wild life, and create greater congestion on the Monaro Highway (which already has a significant number of road accidents). The Tuggeranong Valley already traps smoke particles from household fires and local burn-offs so it is highly likely that silica dust or other air-borne particles from quarry will also be trapped and concentrate in the Valley and across nearby residential and rural properties. Residents of all ages including infants, school children,elderly and those with respiratory issues should not risk exposure to deadly silica dust or other by-products.

I am raising a young family near by and do not want them growing up with silica dust in their lungs. Why do we need a rock quarry here when there is one so close in Hume?
This seems unnecessarily close!
Please reconsider!

Submission is by attachment - "Monaro Rock Quarry Project 17-9-2025"

I appreciate the desire to create jobs but the proposed location for the quarry is surrounded by residences and it seems inappropriate and frankly risky to allow it to go ahead.

Based on health reasons, I believe this proposed project could have long term negative impacts for residents of at least 3 suburbs.
The toxic particles would be released 2.5km from a primary school, let alone other residents in the area.