Boral Ltd has notified residents, the State Government and Goulburn Mulwaree Council of its intention to develop a granodiorite quarry adjacent to its giant Blue Circle limestone mine at Marulan South.

Council has been told the quarry would yield 250 million tonnes of stone over its expected 70-year life.

The company's project manager, John Wordon said the quarry would supply local markets and the Sydney metropolitan area with high quality construction materials for use in concrete, road building and other related projects.

The company had already engaged ERM Australia Pty Ltd, an environmental services group, to carry out the environmental investigations and assist with community consultation.

"The proposed quarry will be designed to extract granodiorite, a rock similar to granite and planned timelines suggested operations could start in 2008 with production increasing gradually, up to five million tonnes per annum at full production," Mr Wordon said.

He said test drilling on a property acquired by the company, The Peppers, had confirmed pure granite to a depth of 135 metres. He described the resource's footprints as "quite substantial".

Boral has four main quarries which supply these markets: Peats Ridge, Emu Plains (Penrith Lakes), Prospect and Dunmore with Emu Plains and Prospect due to close in the next few years as the resource runs out. The proposed Marulan South quarry would provide the materials to meet ongoing demand, Mr Wordon said.

He said the majority of the material from the proposed quarry would be transported in trains along the company's existing rail line.

An environmental impact statement for the project was expected to be presented during the first quarter of 2006.

Mr Wordon said the quarry when fully operational was expected to employ up to 30 people.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council's director of environment and planning Chris Berry said government agencies had only been involved in focus group meetings so far "as the company was still in the process of developing its plans".

"There is no application from the company as yet for they are in preliminary discussions with the agencies and residents.

"Because the value of the project will be greater than $30 million the project is deemed to be of State Significant are assessed and accordingly, will be determined by the Minister for Planning, not the local council," Mr Berry said.

However, Mr Berry said council had several concerns namely the visual impact the quarry would have on those living in adjoining properties, and visiting the adjacent Moreton National Park.

"We also have issues with the transport component and while the company owned railway line would be expected to transport the aggregate as it already does with its limestone, the 24 hour operation could affect residents living near the route.

"In addition, we have issues with the adequacy of the road and Hume Highway interchange should stone not conveyed by rail be required to be directed to Goulburn, Canberra or southwards," Mr Berry said.

"At this preliminary stage, the company knows it has a resource and wants to design the quarry based on what emerges from the community's response," Mr Berry said.

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Grazing a rich granite resource

BORAL has acquired three well-known stud grazing properties in readiness for mining at Marulan South.

The 296ha property Greenhills, which was established on a soldier's settler block in the late 1940s by the former for Goulburn the late Ron Brewer and his wife, Dorothy, was sold to Boral in recent months. That followed the sale of James and Ella Brewer's 320ha property, The Peppers, which is located adjacent to Marulan South township.

Another neighbouring 70ha property was also acquired.

Mr Brewer said the company started scientific probing on The Peppers earlier this year, drilling to a depth of 135 metres and discovering a major resource of high grade granite.

He said the mine itself was expected to occupy a 80ha area parcel of land surrounding The Pepper's homestead and just a hundred metres north of the main road and rail line into Marulan South.

Mr Brewer described the land in the area as productive granite-based grazing land which has been running prime cattle and merino sheep for several generations.

One of those activities has included the Moorroowoollen Merino Stud which bred Hillcreston-based sheep to 14.5 microns.

Some family members will continue living on Greenhills, Mr Brewer said.