There are several concerns residents and community members have raised since the proposed Montrose quarry expansion came to light in October.
Star Mail put numerous questions to Boral regarding these concerns and comments from the community. This article provides both the question and the related answer.
At a community meeting earlier this month, it was said that most residents were under the impression the quarry was reaching its natural end of life, with Councillor Len Cox also stating that after the last request, Boral had “promised us they would never come back with another application”.
Stop the Montrose Quarry group member Phillip Dane said about a month ago it was discovered that a further eight to 10 year operating window had been granted in 2024.
At the community meeting Mr Dane said, “if they got eight to 10 years, why do they need 30 years?”
A Boral spokesperson said:
“Late last year Boral gained Earth Resources Regulation approval on an administrative update which included a minor design change to the northern benches within the current pit to allow additional material to be extracted, boosting the available resource enough for another eight to 10 years.
“These site modification approvals have allowed us to access previously untapped resource within the extraction footprint to continue quarrying operations at site in line with our permits and operational licences.”
The spokesperson said the newest 30-plus-year proposal “is in addition to the currently approved pit design” because Boral expects this to be exhausted by the end of the decade.
The timeframe it would take to reach the necessary resource to continue supply to major projects occurring across the state was also questioned, but Boral said it could not give an accurate estimate because it was measured in volume.
“The exact time period will depend on the level of demand for quarrying resources – the extension sought is not measured in years, but by volume,” the spokesperson said.
“The proposed development of the pit extension is to be split into eight stages, subject to market forces and demand. Operational sequencing may also see any newly approved expansion area accessed prior to or concurrently with current approved areas.”
“We estimate, based on the resource, this will take circa 30 years.”
A question surrounding the movement of Boral’s main quarrying work in the eastern suburbs to Coldstream was raised, with this being highlighted by the community as a solution to the ongoing supply required.
But the Boral spokesperson said their current focus was at Montrose, with Coldstream not able to replace the operations at the foothills site.
“Coldstream is currently operational, however there is no permanent crushing plant at this site, and therefore to ensure Boral can maintain aggregate supply to the Melbourne region, blasted rock would need to be trucked from Coldstream for processing at Montrose’s production plant, adding significant truck volumes to local roads, increasing carbon emissions, and increasing the cost of construction materials.”
Speaking to the long-term plan and timeframe for the project, including the post-extraction winding down of the site, Ghilgai School principal Annabel Brown said some of the options presented by Boral would “render the site of little ecological value and of little community benefit”.
Boral outlined four options for its end use concept plan, including a 1994 approved rehabilitation plan. The document cited that the “Montrose Quarry will likely conclude extraction in early 2024 and the existing reclamation plan will be enacted” under the current work authority.
It was noted that this was the baseline option, with further options highlighting potential for the site to become an activated community park, similar to the Ferntree Gully Quarry.
“The proposed expansion, together with remaining approved reserves, will extend the life of the quarry to approximately 2058,” the Boral spokesperson said.
“Based on conservative fill volumes, backfill of the void space would take approximately 56 years to complete post completion of the project operations.”
