Whoa back on the quarries, say residents

Some fear the district will never recover from the physical impact of the industry’s proliferation.

“I take your point that quarries have been here for a long time and have been the backbone of the economy,” one woman told Mayor Geoff Kettle.

“But why should Marulan become the Queenstown of Tasmania?”

“...Marulan will never recover from this blot on the landscape.”

The comments came at a Council outreach meeting in the town on Tuesday night, which some 50 people attended.

Six councillors also turned up, with Crs Margaret O’Neill, Alf Walker and Andrew Banfield apologies.

The impact of more quarry trucks from expanding and emerging operations was a hot topic of debate, as was the proposed Islamic cemetery.

Local real estate agent Christine Wilkinson asked Council to look at the ‘big picture.’

“Do you agree the impacts of these quarries are absolutley not acceptable and they will get far worse?” she asked councillors.

“People have come to Marulan because of the place and the lifestyle but now we have quarries and cemteries. Our properties are devaluing.

“It is potentially a fantastic place to live; it’s pictureque and beautiful but now surely the reins have to be pulled in.”

Mrs Wilkinson said quarry expansions were only “lining certain people’s pockets,” and while everyone had a right to make money, it shouldn’t be at the community’s expense.

The Brayton Rd resident is one of many worried about Gunlake Quarry’s application to boost production from 750,000 to two million tonnes annually.

Trucks numbers will rise from 160 to 440 daily under the plan.

Mrs Wilkinson said while people didn’t want to stop quarries, they wanted to make them safe.

She argued the community should be “seriously benefiting” from the industry’s presence but was sceptical of some quarries’ community contributions.

“It’s a great spot here and everyone should benefit but nobody will move here with 440 trucks and a cemetery,” she said.

Another woman told Cr Kettle that Marulan needed a “clear direction.”

“It should not just be about quarries,” she said.

“Council should be promoting our rural lifestyle, that it’s a great place to live and visit. We need more promotion of other economic areas.”

RESPONDING to Mrs Wilkinson, Cr Kettle said quarrying had been a part of the town for well over 100 years.

With Sydney’s resource “drying up,” Marulan’s bountiful quarries were both its biggest advantage and disadvantage.

“I’m with you and I want the roads and infrastructure looked at,” he said.

“...Development must respect the local community through employing local people, using their services and investment funds etc. They have to be good corporate citizens.”

But he pointed out many of the companies were already doing this. Cr Kettle highlighted Holcim’s support of the Beacon Foundation, which develops programs to solve youth unemployment, and a $50,000 annual community investment fund.

“That ($50,000) is nothing,” resident Michelle Costello countered.

Cr Kettle acknowledged the companies could always do more. Earlier, he told the crowd that Marulan Hall’s upgrade was funded by Council, Boral, Holcim and the Veolia Mulwaree Trust.

The two quarry companies have also backed other community causes, including Marulan’s Heritage Museum and Sustainable Parkland.

But many residents at Tuesday’s meeting were adamant that if quarries had enough money to expand, they could also cooperate on a dedicated haul route to ease the burden on existing roads.

They cited near misses on Red Hills Rd, part of Holcim’s and Gunlake Quarry’s haul route, and instances of speeding company trucks.

“This road (Red Hills) should not become a truck super highway under any circumstances,” one man told general manager Warwick Bennett.

The council has committed to consulting further with the community once Gunlake’s environmental assessment, including a traffic impact study, is released later this year.

The feedback will form part of a formal submission on the DA to the State Government.

In addition, the council is also reviewing the adequacy of section 94 levies to maintain infrastructure