There is a resources boom right here in the Southern Tablelands, with some of the nation’s biggest quarrying companies investing millions in the Marulan district. Holcim Australia’s giant pit at South Marulan will be the company’s biggest this side of The Equator while Boral’s big operation nearby will be the ‘jewel’ in the firm’s crown. LOUISE THROWER reports.
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TRAVELLERS on the Hume Highway at Marulan catch just a glimpse of the massive quarry development underway nearby.
The overhead interchange under construction is but one part of Holcim Australia’s $450 million Lynwood Quarry at South Marulan. When complete, it will be the company’s largest quarry in the southern hemisphere.
The sheer scale impressed Regional Development Australia Southern Inland board members at a Marulan presentation last Monday. Holcim’s Sydney operations manager Steven Barclay said even if Lynwood only extracted 2.5 million tonnes of aggregate each year, it would be one of the company’s largest developments in Australia containing high quality road base.
The state government granted a 30-year approval in 2005 to draw five million tonnes annually from the resource. But its estimated life is 90 years. The high quality hard rock will supply the Sydney, regional and local construction industries.
In Sydney it will replace Holcim’s current production at Penrith Lakes. Behind the scenes, construction managers B&D are going to work on millions of dollars worth of infrastructure.
This includes a three-stage crushing and screening plant, a rail spur and rail loading facility, the highway interchange, two weighbridges, a pre-coat plant, workshops, offices and amenity buildings.
“We have 70 contractors on site, including local firms, and this will peak to 140 during (full) construction,” Mr Barclay said.
When operational in early 2014 the quarry will employ between 30 and 40 people, many of these locals. The company will have five onsite dams and plans to recycle as much water as possible. Water will also be pumped 9km along a pipeline from its Johnniefelds quarry on Brayton Rd.
Environmental and community coordinator Suzannah Mitchell told the meeting the development was subject to five rehabilitation plans. Some of this had already started with topsoil set aside for revegetation.
Asked by Marulan Chamber of Commerce president David Humphreys whether he saw any negative impacts, Mr Barclay said the company certainly didn’t want to do this but had set up the community consultative committee to deal with any issues arising.
“The trucks may have an impact during construction but we’re doing our best to minimise these,” he said.
Lynwood will be five times the size of Johnniefelds quarry on Brayton Rd. The majority of the material – more than two-thirds- will be transported by rail and the rest by truck.
“The positive impact we see is employment for the area,” Mr Barclay said.
“As industry comes in there will be more ancillary businesses, demand for engineering services, parts etc…There will be a lot of business coming in that needs to be serviced.”
For related articles, please see the print edition of the Goulburn Post.
