Welcome to the STOP Montrose Quarry Expansion website
Our aim is to keep the community informed about the issues associated with the proposed expansion of Boral's Montrose quarry
STOP is pleased to announce that on Thursday 5 June 2008, Planning Minister Justin Madden announced his decision not to intervene in the planning process which could have resulted in expansion of the Montrose quarry.
The Minister's announcement to uphold Council's decision means the rejection of Boral's current application to expand the quarry and should put an end to any future expansion proposals.
STOP will continue to maintain a presence on the Stakeholders Reference Group and looks forward to seeing the complete rehabilitation of the site once the quarry finally closes.
We congratulate the local community, Shire of Yarra Ranges, Councillors and State & Federal Politicians for their hard work and strong support in the campaign against the expansion proposal.
STOP would like to thank the community for their unwavering support. Your letters and encouragement have made all the difference in this long and protracted campaign and this victory belongs to you all!
Media Release from the Minister for Planning
News articles
Maroondah Journal:
Community wins battle: Boral quarry expansion plan rejected
Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader:
Planning Minister stonewalls Montrose quarry expansion
Victory over Montrose quarry row
The Mail:
Quarry Expansion Blasted (November 2007)
Another day in the life of the Montrose quarry...
Boral sets off a huge blast at approximately 12.20pm on Friday 16th November
From the corner of Mt. Dandenong Rd and Liverpool Rd, the dust plume was seen to spiral 50 meters directly above the quarry
This photo taken from Pink’s Reserve some 5 minutes after the initial explosion and after the plume had mostly dissipated
13 November 2007
Council rejects application to expand Montrose quarry
Last night (13th November 2007) Councillors of the Shire of Yarra Ranges made their welcome, unanimous and historic decision to reject Boral's planning application that would allow the expansion of the Montrose Quarry.
The Committee of Stop Montrose Quarry Expansion Inc. sincerely thanks members of the Montrose and Kilsyth communities for their wholehearted and unwavering support during this protracted and ongoing campaign. Your presence at last night's Council meeting together with Council's decision, has sent the strongest and most emphatic message yet to Boral and to our State Government, that the operation and expansion of the Montrose Quarry is just no longer appropriate.
We want you to be assured that we will not rest until this proposal has been defeated at the highest level by your elected representatives in State Government or wherever it is taken.
Welcome to Montrose
GATEWAY to THE DANDENONGS QUARRYVILLE
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Boral Resources Victoria propose to expand their Montrose quarry, located in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges
The proposal includes:
* Expansion of the extraction area
* Removal of State Significant forest which requires Ministerial approval for removal
* A reduction in the buffer distance between quarrying operations and sensitive land uses including residential housing and schools
* Removal of Callum's Ridge - a ridge which currently acts as a barrier to noise, dust, blasting vibration and visual impact from the quarry and which forms part of the Dandenong Ranges. A naturally occuring feature of the Dandenong Ranges foothills that would be lost forever...
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Boral's proposal is subject to State Government approval via an Environmental Effects Statement (EES), and requires the preparation of a planning scheme amendment and planning permits from the Shire of Yarra Ranges to proceed.
* We have concerns about the quarry's impact on health; the environment; noise levels; the effects of blasting vibration; local tourism; the Dandenong Ranges National Park; and a realistic end use of the very large and deep pit
* It is not appropriate to allow a hard rock quarry that requires explosive blasting to operate in such close proximity to homes, schools, retirement villages and nursing homes
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* It is difficult to imagine that any proposal to establish a new quarry site in the middle of Montrose would be taken seriously by Council or any other relevant authority. What difference is there then with this latest attempt to gain approval to expand the existing quarry and possibly still be extracting rock for another 50 years (or more)?
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* The "new" expansion proposal is remarkably similar to the one unanimously rejected in 1999 by the Shire of Yarra Ranges Council, just smaller (for now?)
* If this expansion proposal succeeds, there is no impediment to Boral seeking further expansions in the future!
Community concerns about the existing quarry and the proposed expansion include:
Health Concerns:
What will be the long term health impacts on the community from:
* Fine airborne dust (PM10, PM2.5 and ultra-fine particles) on the health of our children, pregnant women, the elderly and sufferers of asthma, respiratory and cardiac complaints
* The specific effects of silica (particularly freshly fractured silica) on health and disease, eg, cancer
* Air pollutants emitted from the asphalt plant
* Who will take responsibility should there be any eventual adverse impact on public health? - Shire of Yarra Ranges, Boral, the State Government?
Links:
What's in the air we breathe?
US EPA "Particle Pollution and Your Health"
Environmental Concerns:
* The impact on native flora and fauna, including an endangered species and threatened forest type
* The impact on Bungalook Creek, due to altered water flows and lowering of the groundwater table
* The visual impact of the quarry scar from near and far
* How would removal of Callum's Ridge affect the prevailing wind patterns and air flow?
* The quarry already causes environmental impacts. How much more damage will be done by extending the life of the quarry?
Noise Concerns:
* Residents are already subjected to noise from the quarry, concrete and asphalt plant operations. How much louder will the trucks, rock crushers and other equipment sound with the ridge removed?
* How much more traffic noise will reach residents and schools to the south and east?
Traffic Concerns:
* The impact of quarry trucks on other road users, in particular the increased size of trucks and their loads with the use of more B-doubles (truck and trailer combined)
* The impact of additional traffic lights near the junction of Fussell and Canterbury Roads
* The impact of the traffic lights on Sheffield and Glasgow Roads, as drivers potentially use those streets as a `rat run'
* Unknown impact of the finished Eastlink tollway on traffic volumes on Canterbury Road
Tourism Concerns:
* How will the Dandenong Ranges and Montrose, as the `Gateway to the Dandenongs' be affected by the quarry expansion?
* How will tourism be affected by visibility of the pit, from local suburbs and areas around Mt Dandenong?
Property Concerns:
* The impact on local real estate values, in particular those homes within close range of the pit and those with a view of the pit
* The potential for landslip as blasting gets closer to homes in higher risk areas
* The potential for damage to homes due to blasting vibration
Links:
Residential property values
General Concerns Regarding the Process:
* How independent is the EES process?
* Is the process ensuring that all community members are aware of Boral's proposal?
* Why is the EES not considering the option of closing the quarry?
* Why is the EES not considering the asphalt, concrete-crushing and batching plants?
End Use:
* What are realistic, acceptable end-use options for the pit?
* Who will be responsible for rehabilitation costs for the pit - ratepayers, taxpayers, Boral shareholders?