THE sound and number of double bogey trucks rolling through Dunbogan and Laurieton will continue for at least another five years and probably longer, under an application to extend sand mining operations at the Hy-Tec quarry off Diamond Head Road.

Residents have until close of business today to respond to an application by parent company Adbri Concrete and Quarries Northern NSW, to modify the quarry’s 30-year-old development application (DA).

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The concrete and aggregate supplier is seeking to increase its extraction area by approximately 3.12 hectares (ha), of which 0.67ha is koala habitat and 2.45ha is agricultural land.

“We are fearful of the environmental risks associated with this proposal,” resident and tourism operator Peter Johnson told News Of The Area (NOTA). .

“The mine is eating a hole past the water table that is fifteen metres deep at the narrowest point of the Dunbogan Peninsula.”

He is concerned this will raise the risk of increased salinity levels and potentially lead to the leaching of acid sulphate, which has a toxic effect on marine life.

An Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment (ACHA) has also determined that the proposed expansion would disturb previously identified shell midden material, however Adbri says this material could not be located during field surveys.

Truck Movements

While the aim is to increase the size of its mine and the number of years it can operate, Adbri says the current sand extraction rate of 360 tonnes per day, and heavy vehicle movements of up to 140 a day, would be maintained.

That is little consolation to those sharing the area’s roads.

“The trucks are a nightmare,” resident Terry Simpson said.

“They start as early as 5.30am, they are extremely loud, they travel too fast, and we are sick of scraping off the roadkill on our morning walks.”
News Of The Area has been told that residents in the Diamond Waters area were only notified of the company’s plan three weeks ago and have 1500 pages of documentation to digest before today’s deadline.

“The so-called consultation was superficial,” Julie Reis said.

“Mine representatives showed up unannounced, without any plans or documents, and their description differed completely from the proposed modification.

“They suggested it was just a minor change, but that’s far from the truth.

“There was no genuine consultation process, and our request to the Council for this to happen has been denied.”

The deadline for submissions for and against the modification has been imposed during a caretaker period for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council (PMHC), when residents are without access to councillors who can advocate on their behalf.

In response to NOTA’s questions, Acting Director Community, Planning and Environment Dan Croft, said the application was notified and exhibited in accordance with PMHC’s Community Participation Plan.

“This involved advertising the proposal on Council’s website and notifying surrounding property owners,” he said.

“It is important to note that applicants are not required to consult with neighbours before submitting an application to Council.”

Property owners were advised by Council in 2016 that based on extraction rates, the life of the mine would expire by 2030, and that the area was being progressively rehabilitated.

Instead, Adbri has now signalled that this proposed modification is just an interim measure “as it prepares for a larger application to extend the operation”.

Mine Jobs

As with all developments, there are supporters and selling points.

Local Jarryd Gaskin commented online that the expansion was a “win-win”.

“It’s been there for many years, keeps people employed and supplies many businesses.”

The mine started in the 1970s as a locally-owned sand dredging operation.

Adbri says in its Statement of Environmental Effects, that the “extension of operations at the quarry [will] allow recovery of the additional defined resources and would extend the period over which the economic benefits to the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and surrounding areas would be provided.

“These would include direct benefits through employment, services and consumables and indirect benefits through indirect employment and taxation.”

International Takeover

Adbri began as Adelaide Brighton in the 1880s and was Australian-owned until June this year.

That is when Irish miner CRH became its majority-share owner in a $2.1 billion dollar takeover deal.

The application to modify was also lodged in June, around the same time that members of the quarry industry inspected the site, as well as the Grants Head quarry in Bonny Hills, as part of a networking tour.

Mr Croft said assessment of the modification application was in the early stages and would be presented to the Development Assessment Panel (DAP) for determination once complete.

“[That] is likely some time away, well after the Council caretaker period,” he said.

“All individuals that have made a submission to Council on the proposal will be notified and invited to attend the DAP meeting once a date is set.

“Residents who have specific concerns with making a submission or require assistance, are encouraged to contact the DA team through Council at (02) 6581 8111.”

By Sue STEPHENSON