Protect Royalla and Surrounding Communities from the Proposed Monaro Rock Quarry


Protect Royalla and Surrounding Communities from the Proposed Monaro Rock Quarry
The issue
The proposed Monaro Rock Quarry would bring long-term quarrying and heavy industrial activity into the Royalla region, close to homes, rural properties, environmental values, and a growing cross-border community.
This petition calls on decision-makers to refuse the proposal, or at the very least subject it to the highest level of scrutiny before any determination is made.
We are not opposing this project lightly. We understand that development and infrastructure matter. But projects of this scale must be in the right place, backed by strong evidence, and genuinely in the public interest.
Many in the community believe this proposal fails that test.
Why people are concerned
Health and amenity
Residents are concerned about the impacts of dust, noise, blasting, vibration, lighting, and industrial activity on daily life, health, and rural living.
Water security
Local households rely heavily on water systems and catchments. There is concern about possible impacts on groundwater, surface water, runoff, water quality, and long-term water security.
Traffic and road safety
The project could add up to 500 vehicle movements a day, including around 200 laden trucks, to the Monaro Highway corridor and surrounding roads. Residents are deeply concerned about placing more heavy quarry traffic on a high-speed route that already carries real crash risk, including a fatal car-and-truck collision near Royalla Drive in January 2026. Concerns include road safety, turning movements, access, delays, and the cumulative effect of more quarry traffic on an already pressured transport corridor.
Biodiversity and landscape
People are concerned about the loss of native vegetation, threatened ecological communities, and important habitat in a valued rural landscape. The site and surrounding area include critically endangered Box-Gum Woodland, as well as recorded or potential habitat for species such as the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Pale Pomaderris, and Small Purple-pea. Community members are also concerned about impacts on broader wildlife corridors and nearby species records, including koalas in the wider surrounding area, and the cumulative fragmentation of habitat over time.
Community wellbeing
This is not just a technical issue. It is also a social and community issue. Residents are concerned about the long-term effect on wellbeing, local identity, future growth, and quality of life.
Public interest
A key question remains: is this project actually justified in this location?
Many in the community are not convinced that the claimed benefit outweighs the likely costs to residents, the environment, road safety, and the future of the region.
Why this matters
This issue affects more than just immediate neighbours.
Its impacts may extend across the wider district, including nearby residents, road users, future residents, and communities near the ACT border.
Decisions like this shape the future of the region for decades.
What we are asking
We call on decision-makers to:
- refuse the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry project, or
- require far stronger scrutiny of its impacts
- properly consider water, biodiversity, traffic, amenity, and community wellbeing
- give full weight to cumulative and cross-border impacts
- put the public interest first
Why your signature matters
Every signature helps show that this is not a small or isolated concern.
It is a serious public-interest issue that deserves careful attention.
Sign and share
If you believe the Royalla region should not bear unacceptable long-term impacts for uncertain public benefit, please sign and share this petition.
Together, we can show that community voices matter.

3,756
The issue
The proposed Monaro Rock Quarry would bring long-term quarrying and heavy industrial activity into the Royalla region, close to homes, rural properties, environmental values, and a growing cross-border community.
This petition calls on decision-makers to refuse the proposal, or at the very least subject it to the highest level of scrutiny before any determination is made.
We are not opposing this project lightly. We understand that development and infrastructure matter. But projects of this scale must be in the right place, backed by strong evidence, and genuinely in the public interest.
Many in the community believe this proposal fails that test.
Why people are concerned
Health and amenity
Residents are concerned about the impacts of dust, noise, blasting, vibration, lighting, and industrial activity on daily life, health, and rural living.
Water security
Local households rely heavily on water systems and catchments. There is concern about possible impacts on groundwater, surface water, runoff, water quality, and long-term water security.
Traffic and road safety
The project could add up to 500 vehicle movements a day, including around 200 laden trucks, to the Monaro Highway corridor and surrounding roads. Residents are deeply concerned about placing more heavy quarry traffic on a high-speed route that already carries real crash risk, including a fatal car-and-truck collision near Royalla Drive in January 2026. Concerns include road safety, turning movements, access, delays, and the cumulative effect of more quarry traffic on an already pressured transport corridor.
Biodiversity and landscape
People are concerned about the loss of native vegetation, threatened ecological communities, and important habitat in a valued rural landscape. The site and surrounding area include critically endangered Box-Gum Woodland, as well as recorded or potential habitat for species such as the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Pale Pomaderris, and Small Purple-pea. Community members are also concerned about impacts on broader wildlife corridors and nearby species records, including koalas in the wider surrounding area, and the cumulative fragmentation of habitat over time.
Community wellbeing
This is not just a technical issue. It is also a social and community issue. Residents are concerned about the long-term effect on wellbeing, local identity, future growth, and quality of life.
Public interest
A key question remains: is this project actually justified in this location?
Many in the community are not convinced that the claimed benefit outweighs the likely costs to residents, the environment, road safety, and the future of the region.
Why this matters
This issue affects more than just immediate neighbours.
Its impacts may extend across the wider district, including nearby residents, road users, future residents, and communities near the ACT border.
Decisions like this shape the future of the region for decades.
What we are asking
We call on decision-makers to:
- refuse the proposed Monaro Rock Quarry project, or
- require far stronger scrutiny of its impacts
- properly consider water, biodiversity, traffic, amenity, and community wellbeing
- give full weight to cumulative and cross-border impacts
- put the public interest first
Why your signature matters
Every signature helps show that this is not a small or isolated concern.
It is a serious public-interest issue that deserves careful attention.
Sign and share
If you believe the Royalla region should not bear unacceptable long-term impacts for uncertain public benefit, please sign and share this petition.
Together, we can show that community voices matter.

3,756
Petition Updates
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Petition created on 1 May 2021