Martins Creek Quarry Project

I believe the Martins Creek quarry plays an important role in the development of the Hunter Region. The quarry is one of only a few hard rock quarries in the area, providing high quality material for local projects all over the region. If the quarry was to close, two issues would be raised:

- The quality of materials for local projects would decrease, leading to poor design life and therefore additional maintenance costs in the future.

- High quality rock would have to be sourced elsewhere, driving up the costs of projects and likely causing many of these projects to become financially infeasible, and hence not go ahead.


Further to this, the quarry provides jobs to thousands of local employees and contractors, and would affect thousands more if local construction was to slow down due to increasing material costs.


With all factors above considered, I believe the Martins Creek quarry expansion will enable continued regional growth and high quality construction.

I am supporting Martin Creek because it is a big part of the organisation and the lost of this will affect many employees and families

The construction industry relies on the Quarry as one of only a couple of hard rock suppliers in the region and if the Hunter Valley is to prosper and grow, Martins Creek Quarry will be required to provide the necessary materials for major infrastructure projects.
For the region to grow at the rate we would like, and at a rate reported in the Hunter Regional Plan 2036, not only do we need to support local jobs but we also need to be able to service the demand of a growing population with the necessary construction materials

I have been employed by Daracon for 21 years and have relied on materials from Martins Creek Quarry to sustain many projects within the region. This has lead to growth and prosperity within the region whilst ensuring stable employment for many workers. The industry relies heavily on this quarry as a supplier of hard rock within the region.

I am concerned about truck noise, traffic congestion on narrow roads, pedestrian and motorist safety, deterioration of roads, property value and the effect on wildlife.So I oppose the Martin Creek Quarry Expansion - the infrastructure just does not exist to make this a viable project that considers the local communities.

I have owned my home for 30 years since darracon took over the quarry it has been a living hell constant rumbling trucks past our home the blasting that shakes our house cracked windows in our home dust in our house on and in our cars and pool noise from quarry products falling from trucks tarpped and untarped the amount of trucks all with trailers they are already in breach of what they are linsenced total disregard for people living in this residential town our house values have dropped this is a small residential village that once co existed with a state rail quarry that did not impact on our life u totally object to any expansion

* I have been employed with Daracon for 15+ years and have enjoyed the stable employment it provides.
* Martins Creek Quarry is a big part of the organisation and supports many of the infrastructure jobs we undertake
* The Success of the quarry helps maintain the jobs of over 850 employees and over 1000 contractors and their families
* Daracon is a supporter of local communities and charities
* As a resident of the Hunter Valley, Daracon creates opportunities for people from many different backgrounds
* There are a lot of infrastructure projects in the Hunter. Limiting material supply may increase the cost of projects which the taxpayer is funding
* The construction industry relies on the Quarry as one of only a couple of hard rock suppliers in the region and if the Hunter Valley is to prosper and grow, Martins Creek Quarry will be required to provide the necessary materials for major infrastructure projects.
* The Quarry provides materials to many projects crucial to the growth and prosperity of the region: road construction, housing, railway construction and other public infrastructure.
* As a long term employee of Daracon I have been lucky enough to have been employed continuously through hard times, through the down turn in the mining industry and the GFC
* I also know of many projects outside of Daracon that also rely on the materials available from Martins Creek Quarry. I believe it is one of only 3 hard rock quarries of this kind in the region.
* I believe the Quarry plays an important part within not just the Daracon group but also in the supply to many projects within the Hunter Valley area and to numerous local businesses.
* The quarry provides materials required in many of our projects and without the quarry, some of our projects would not be commercially viable and would not proceed.
* For the region to grow at the rate we would like, and at a rate reported in the Hunter Regional Plan 2036, not only do we need to support local jobs but we also need to be able to service the demand of a growing population with the necessary construction materials.

As an employee of Daracon and father of 2 young children, I support the proposed expansion at Martin's Creek as it provides security for long term employment.

I am aware of community concerns regarding the expansion of the existing quarry and the increased number of trucks projected to use the existing road system. I believe that a business should be able to use the roads as they pay normal registration fees inline with the legislation for trucks like everyone else however it is the state government responsibility to improve the existing roads or develop new roads to cope with the traffic. Having said that I believe that the existing rail system should be utilised instead of the roads as is the case with coal transportation.

Daracon is a locally owned and operated company that employs over 850 people in the region. Martins Creek quarry helps Daracon stay competitive when tendering projects in Newcastle and the Hunter against more and more interstate and international contractors. The expansion of Martins Creek will not only help secure the jobs of Daracons 850 employees but also the 1000 contractors that Daracon provides work to on a day to day basis.

Upload below.

Progress of just one small industry should not have such adverse effect on so many. It's a long route from Martins Creek through Bolwarra and Lorn. The banging noise of the speeding trucks changes the whole beauty of the area and definitely devalued Tocal road properties (I am a former real estate agent). For many who have to back out onto the road it is scarey. The deterioration of the road caused by heavy vehicles is being paid from our rates and will be ongoing and surely best spent elsewhere if the damage was not so great and ongoing.The expansion will also cause death to flora and fauna. We will mourn when it's gone but could stop it now.

I object to the number of proposed trucks using Paterson Rd. this will impact residents mental health in regards noise, & safety coming out on to Peterson Rd.& entering our street.

These are country roads & I am concerned about these huge vehicles (& increase in number) using such roads.
The noise factor greatly effects peoples quality of life in these areas of use.

Please note my concern about the expansion of Martins Creek quarry. At present the noise from the trucks is notable as the trucks travel along Tocal road or Lang road and along Patterson Road, and the speed at which they travel also worries me.
Should the expansion go ahead this noise will increase by a huge amount, the road conditions will be dismal, and the value of our peaceful homes will be substantially reduced.
There is a constant rumble from the trucks, let alone the horror of trying to walk along the roadside with the dog.

Refer uploaded letter.

I oppose the Martins Creek Quarry Expansion mainly because I believe it will destroy our village community of Paterson. We moved to Paterson to get away from the traffic chaos in Sydney, and now we find we are facing a similar hell here in the country. The existing number of trucks passing through Paterson is just bearable, but the thought of up to 600 trucks per day is totally incomprehensible.

We spend a lot of time in Paterson village, shopping and meeting friends for coffee or a meal, and cannot bear to think what impact those trucks will have on our lifestyle.

We also fear that one day there will be an accident. The corner at the CBC B&B and Cafe is cambered the wrong way and nobody dares to park within 100m of the corner, aware of the trucks which come round the corner with half their wheels off the ground. An increase in the number of trucks mean an increased safety risk which is unacceptable.

These trucks will also worsen our already bad roads, for which Daracon pays not one cent towards the repair of.

We also have friends who live close to the quarry and know what a terrible impact this already has on them - their house shakes, rocks erupt from the ground, and nightmare traffic jams. We fear for their sanity if the expansion is allowed to proceed.

Surely people should have the right to say what will happen in their community. Daracon, its owner and management have no concern for our community.

I object to the expansion due to the massive increase in truck movements and hours of use. I live in close proximity to the main road through Paterson and I am currently impacted by the noise and vibration of quarry truck movements from 5.30am, when the very noisy empty trucks proceed to the quarry for filling, then through the day until closure of the quarry in the afternoon. An increase in the number of trucks and the increase in hours of use including weekends will make living near this road intolerable. I will not be able to move as the value of my property will fall due to the increased noise and vibration. I believe my health will then suffer due to the increased stress cause by this expansion.
I further believe the increased use of the road by the heavy vehicles may cause structural damage to my house.

I also object to the ratepayers of Dungog, Maitland and Port Stephens subsidising the profits of Daracon by providing roadways at virtually no cost. Daracon have previously stated that it is not financially viable to move their product by rail as it is too expensive yet they expect us to pay for the roads they want to use with minimum cost to them.

We support Daracon.