Sites 
North Central Quarry For the record
For the record
North Central Quarry will play an important role within the local community once operations commence. It will provide local people choice and access to quality material; a range of employment and commercial opportunities; and a repository (or habitat) for native flora and fauna which wouldn’t otherwise exist.
We are committed to supplying transparent information and responding to questions. Our key objectives are to ensure issues are identified, misconceptions resolved and expectations met where possible.
We look forward to welcoming site visits once it is safe to do so.
Myth: Trucks will be driving down Taylors Lane and local streets |
Reality:
No. Site access is directly from the Northern Highway.
All traffic will have to use a purpose-built, sealed and signalised access road that will provide the safest and most direct route to the nearby Northern Highway and Hume Freeway, both part of the HML Arterial Road System. No shire roads are proposed as part of the access route.
Myth: The quarry is too close to existing houses and will make too much dust |
Reality:
No. Current and future communities were considered when choosing this unique site.
The nearest quarry face to housing is nearly TWO KILOMETRES away from residential areas – substantially exceeding the EPA recommended 500m separation distance. The wind and environmental factors were assessed during the site’s design, and the noise and dust reports demonstrate compliance. The control measures have been modelled and reflect our 40 years of experience.
Myth: Basalt contains silica and will cause silicosis |
Reality:
Impossible – This basalt is best described as ‘iddingsite olivine’ containing around 15% of the mineral olivine which is chemically incompatible with crystalline silica or quartz.
Geologist Basil Natoli confirmed this as part of the original analysis of the rock. “There would be no risk of silicosis due to quartz (crystalline silica) from the basalts at this site.”
B. Natoli member Aust. Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Geologist – Bell, Cochrane and Associates.
Myth: The site will always be blasting – everyday all day |
Reality:
No. Blasting is an operational process requiring significant regulatory and administrative controls during loading and firing, and as such occurs infrequently. We expect in the order of 16-29 blasts per year or twice a month. The nominated times are to ensure we can respond safely to weather, explosives supply chain and onsite conditions.
Blast duration, including safety sirens, is only a few minutes and is completely self-contained within the site. Please see the video right which shows a recent blast.
With long term experience in blasting, Conundrum Holdings has highly skilled technicians who conduct the exercise in a controlled manner. Conundrum has also committed to profiling, line boring, recording by video and monitoring for air blast overpressure and ground vibration for all shots.
Like all quarrying work, this process is heavily regulated by WorkSafe and Earth Resources Regulation with records available to them at all times.
We are very proud of, and passionate about, our long held safety and compliance record.
Myth: Quarry dust will be blown everywhere |
Reality:
As quarries naturally generate a certain level of dust and noise impacts, established quarry operators have developed specific techniques to manage their impacts to a contextually suitable level. The wind and environmental factors were analysed during the site’s design, and the noise and dust reports demonstrate compliance. As committed to in the Work Plan and tested in the Dust Impact Assessment, the following dust control via design and management practice will be undertaken:
- Weather monitoring and associated management of the site’s activities (including suspension)
- Land buffers and vegetation screens
- Dust suppression and extraction during drilling, and suppressions prior and following blasts in dry conditions.
- Water storage and suppression which includes a full-time water cart
- Embedding the crushing plant below the skyline
- Operation and maintenance of water delivery system
- Minimising of disturbed area
Myth: The quarry will become a tip |
Reality:
No. The site has already been deemed ‘not for waste’ and will be rehabilitated and beautified adding value to the area and a wonderful parkland legacy. This is the natural and best-use lifecycle of the land right now with PSP housing still decades away from the site.
Now…………..Clearly green rural farmland
Soon………….Short term quarry
Then………….Beautification and rehabilitation
Permanent..Housing in keeping with known PSP timelines
Legacy……….Site maximised, multiple uses, homes & families
The Geology and Geography |
Melbourne’s north has a proud history of providing the literal ‘bedrock’ of Melbourne’s past and present – and this new site just north of the existing quarry will continue that tradition into the future.
Materials from quarries allow us to build infrastructure like interchanges, intermodals and bypasses to service our local communities.
After surveying over 500,000 hectares this UNIQUE site presents a once-only opportunity for local industry to access a vital and strategic resource that is diminishing right now.
New source of strategic rock at North Central Quarry |
The new site has been designed strategically to minimise the quarry footprint over four clearly defined phases.
Phase One will see multiple job opportunities in a range of professions as direct employees and also as contract suppliers and service providers.
This a temporary land use, and the site’s legacy will see it transition to parkland and residential land, integrating into the broader development.
