The Hanson Quarry is one of two open-cut hard rock quarries located on the southern side of 1140 Wellington Rd, Rowville/Lysterfield. It took over from Pioneer concrete in 2000, the site covers an area of approx. 162ha, and contains substantial reserves of high quality stone comprising granodiorite and hornfells. Which are extracted and processed on site, and is located  adjacent to Lysterfield State Park and Churchill National Park.

At a time when Knox has less than 3% remnant native veg remaining, Hanson is seeking a work plan variation application from  Earth Resources Regulation to extend the life of the quarry to the southwest of the site which includes Aboriginal cultural Heritage. This is controlled by the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990. The Quarry operates under a planning permit issued in 1999, and will submit  for a new Planning Permit Application to Knox City Council. (Which falls under the Planning & Environmental Act (1987) and represents the interests of the community.

This area of remnant bush was always intended as an extension of adjacent parkland and was subject to a Public Acquisition Overlay. On 28 May 2018, Knox Council supported the State Government’s proposal to remove the overlay thereby making possible the expansion of the quarry. This was done without informing residents. Also, the remnant bush and the likelihood of rare and endangered species were not considered. 

The Expansion of 400m buffer distance  will allow the Hanson quarry to encroach closer to residential area and Church Hill National Park, (According to the  EPA publication 1518 there is a buffer distance for quarries where blasting takes place – this is 500m.) Quarry depth will increase by 15m, which will make the shielding of the benches and hills weaker which is an environmental time bomb digging a hole 15 Metres below sea level. As the current  ground vibration is at 10mm/s and Air blast limits 120.00dba, while the current limit of extraction is already happening at 380m from the nearest resident. However, the current  Australian standard is 5mm/s for ground vibration.

750,000 tonnes of rock  have already been supplied as at mid Aug 2020. 450,000 tonnes yet to be supplied. Thus increasing dust, sludge damage to the road surfaces, or could result in increased traffic jams. on Wellington Rd.

Residents living in Rowville and Lysterfield, including the flora and fauna in church Hill National Park are significantly impacted by 2 hard rock Quarries. Boral and Hanson. As both quarries are located close to dense residential properties, there is potential for impact on amenity.

Many issues presenting concerns such as: dust, noise pollution, blast vibration, rock crushing . Especially when we have a Shopping Village, School Crossing, 3 Child care centre, Retirement Village, Mosque and other commuters that use Wellington Road. 

Dust pollution: Save our community from major health risk (containing silicates) which can lead to complicated health problems long term

Noise pollution, Weekly Blasting, people having to settle with cracks in their homes from blasting. Rock crushing operating from 6am  till 10pm from Mon - Sat, as ERR has permitted essential plant maintenance at 5:30am in a residential area.

Multiple double-B trucks back and forth on Wellington Rd, burning fuel and omitting CO2. Dangerous road conditions: trucks have been caught running red lights,  working at all hours of the day, and not forgetting working outside the designated hours of operations. Resulting in further hazard & safety issues, from 500 or more trucks movement daily on Wellington road.

This Petition is addressed to:  Hon  Lily D'Ambrosio Minister for Resources & Environment  -     lily.dambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au

Hon lizzie blandthorn Minister for Planning -  lizzie.blandthorn@parliament.vic.gov.au

Hon  Ben Carroll  Minister for Transport - ben.carroll@parliament.vic.gov.au

Please kindly sign this petition and share it via your own networks to encourage your friends and family to share as well.

Help us 

1) Save our community from major health risk. (Asthma), which can lead to complicated health problems long term. Do we want to subject our children to increased levels of dust and noise vibrations?

2) To protect rare and threatened species in this 46.5 acres of native pristine bushland expansion site.

 • Some of the native vegetation present belongs to regionally threatened Ecological Vegetation Classes; • Four plant species recorded from the park are listed as rare or threatened in Victoria, and at least some of these may be within the part of the park that lies within Knox; • The site is known habitat for Powerful Owl and Speckled Warbler, which are both threatened in Victoria; •Wedge tale Eagle, that live over the Hanson Quarry, and fly over Heany Park Scouts ridge, I do not want them to lose their home due to this Expansion. 

We have forest bats, a lot of different frogs like the Southern Toadlet endangered in Victoria. The Lysterfield population has dropped 30% in the last 2 years. The Population should be monitored and protected from extinction  a great variety of reptiles. All that live in the South West of the forest and the National Park where the Hanson Quarry wants to Extend.

• All these different landscapes corridors help support, some of the unique species around the park   
  Church Hill National Park is part of an important link to our Township's history, and must be protected from destruction.
  "the importance of the fauna and flora" visual and tourism aspects of the area should be protected.
• Original Habitat has been completely destroyed, and cannot be replaced. 
• A huge loss of biodiversity as flora and fauna habitats corridors are destroyed, and cannot be replaced resulting in further eco-system decline.
•  Environmentally destructive to say the least not many know or understand, it’s too close to home.

The Hanson Lysterfield Quarry Expansion application has been accepted by ERR, and referred to the relevant Statutory Authorities and referral Agencies for their review.

Should approval be granted by ERR, Hanson anticipates submitting the Planning Permit application to Knox City Council in early September 2021.

Simply email your concerns to each Councillor:

Cr Lisa Cooper -  Scott Ward - Lisa.Cooper@knox.vic.gov.au 

Current Deputy Mayor Cr Susan Laukens - Friberg Ward - cr.susan.laukens@knox.vic.gov.au 

Cr Nicole Seymour - Tirhatuan Ward  - Nicole.Seymour@knox.vic.gov.au 

Cr Jude Dwight - Chandler Ward - cr.jude.dwight@knox.vic.gov.au 

Cr Sorina Grasso - Dinsdale Ward - sorina4dinsdale@gmail.com

Mayor  Marcia Timmers-Leitch -  Collier Ward -marcia.timmers-leitch@knox.vic.gov.au 

Cr Yvonne Allred -  Baird Ward - cr.yvonne.allred@knox.vic.gov.au 

Cr Meagan Baker - Dobson Ward -cr.Meagan.Baker@knox.vic.gov.au 

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  Be the voice of your community, to help build a stronger community both now and into the future.

• Update: Lysterfield quarry expansion application
  14/09/2021

  Earth Resource Regulation has refused a Work Plan Variation application from Hanson Construction to expand its Lysterfield quarry after an objection from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

  The Work Plan Variation application for the site at 1140 Wellington Road Rowville was referred to DELWP by Earth Resource Regulation in accordance with Victoria’s quarrying law.

  DELWP objected to the statutory endorsement of the application, finding that the application did not adequately address impacts to native vegetation and raised concerns about the proximity to the Churchill National Park.