Multiquip Quarries’ Ardmore Park operation on Oallen Ford Road, Bungonia was delivering road base to Goulburn Mulwaree Council roadworks when it was alleged to be in breach of its consent conditions.

The company was moving more than its permitted five trucks daily between August 2 and September 13 this year, a Department of Planning spokeswoman said. 

“The Department found there was an average of 12 truck movements a day, with the highest being 58 truck movements in one day,” she said.

But Multiquip managing director Steve Mikosic said the Department was ‘wrongly interpreting’ the consent conditions.

In a letter to the Department he maintained the number of truck movements were not limited to the principal haulage route and the approval specifically included Lumley Road, one that could be utilised by the company.

Mr Mikosic also said road works were not limited to those completed by the company itself. In this case they were being done for Goulburn Mulwaree Council.

He has paid the fine but reserved the right to court action.

Compliance officers investigated from September 13 following a community complaint. They spoke to the company and council that day, before inspecting the quarry on September 15 and reviewing truck movement records for the previous three months.

The alleged breach came as no surprise to Bungonia resident and Progress Association president, Bill Dobbie.

Residents have long-complained about the quarry’s operation and alleged truck movements through the village, in breach of consent conditions. 

“Once again it appears the community have to be the policemen,” Mr Dobbie said.

“...We’ve found it very difficult to get complaints up against the company because the Department wants dates and times.”

But in this case, the company was delivering product to council works on nearby Lumley Road. Once council general manager Warwick Bennett became aware of the breach, he cancelled the company’s contract, Mr Dobbie said.

He told the Post the GM had acknowledged it was “not appropriate” for the council to source material from the company and blamed a breakdown in communication with new engineering staff. 

Mr Dobbie said the fine should have been “$15,000 for each day”.

The council had not returned requests for comment by the time of going to press.