Sunshine Coast Council has delayed plans to privately lease its quarries “to consider the variety of issues and requests raised” by concerned hinterland residents.
Sunshine Coast councillors decided the fate of the council-owned Image Flat and Dulong sites late last year, resolving to lease the quarries to a private operator by June 30.
Image Flat Quarry has been in operation since 1959 as a source of construction rock (rhyolite).
In 1977 council established Dulong Quarry for the extraction of high-quality basalt rock used in asphalt and sealing aggregate for road surfacing.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said both quarries were recognised as resources of state significance and were identified as key resource areas within the Queensland State Planning Policy.
“In 2022 council undertook a strategic assessment of quarry operations at Image Flat and Dulong, which included an independent review performed by a national business advisory and a mining adviser,” the spokesperson said.
“In December 2022, five options were presented for consideration and council voted to seek expressions of interest (EOI) to lease the quarry sites to a suitably qualified commercial operator via an EOI process.”
Community members raised concerns about dust and associated health impacts, noise, road damage, road safety, environmental impacts, negative effects on property prices and lifestyle.
Residents then formed the Hinterland Quarry Action Group, holding public meetings throughout the year and expressing concerns about the closed tender of the quarries to council.
In February, council acknowledged the group’s concerns, saying the leasing process and how it was managed had yet to be determined.
“Council values the community and long-term support of our neighbours at Image Flat and Dulong quarries,” the spokesperson said.
A detailed submission outlining community concerns with the proposal, backed by a number of community advocacy groups, was presented to council in early August.
Hinterland Quarry Action Group president Anne Veivers said due to the issues identified, the submission requested council put an indefinite hold on releasing the tenders, until all matters raised could be addressed.
She said after extensive investigations and professional advice, residents were of the understanding that the council-owned quarries may be treated differently from private quarries in the region under the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014.
“If founded, the anomalies – which surround zoning issues under the scheme – could offer planning and development, operational and commercial advantages to council that local private quarry companies do not share,” she said.
Blackall Range Land Use and Planning Association vice-president Lindsay Holt expressed concern that any advantages may also be transferrable to a successful lessee and couldn’t be “wound back”.
Ms Veivers said residents were worried that if a private lessee applied to increase production at either council-owned quarry, the community couldn’t have fair input into the decision.
“This is of huge concern to residents as they’re the ones who stand to be most impacted in their homes by any future changes,” she said.
“The community is asking the council to demonstrate it’s a level playing field for both public and private quarry operations and all residents equally in the region.”
A council spokesperson said the initial plan was to conduct the EOI in early 2023.
“However, after a series of community engagements and feedback through a stakeholder liaison group, council has taken further time to properly consider the variety of issues raised,” they said.
“Council received a detailed submission from the community on August 7 which included a request for ‘an indefinite suspension of the EOI process’. Council has delayed releasing the EOI to consider the variety of issues and requests raised.
“At this point in time, council is in the process of considering the points raised. There has been no further decisions made and council is planning to respond to the community soon.”
The community submission has the support of Blackall Range Land Use and Planning Association, Mapleton and District Community Association, Montville Village Association, Hinterland Quarry Action Group, Organisation Sunshine Coast Association of Residents and Sunshine Coast Environment Council.
Mr Holt said “no one was against council running their own quarries”.
“At this stage, hinterland residents are just glad council is listening and taking their concerns seriously,” he said.
Ms Veivers said the community members agreed council’s move was great news.
“Hinterland residents have worked tirelessly for eight months to reach this point. Yet this is now actually the beginning of the real fight for the community to protect themselves and the Sunshine Coast hinterland,” she said.
“The hinterland community needs to fundraise $15,000 to cover legal and professional costs as it works to address the quarry issues with council.
“To donate, sign up as a member or for more information please follow Hinterland Quarry Action Group on Facebook.”
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