Residents continue fight against quarry

The local battle to protect the Mount Cannibal reserve at Bunyip North from effects of a quarry proposed on nearby land enters its 13th year with opponents putting their case to Cardinia Shire at a public meeting earlier this month.

The Mount Cannibal Preservation Group has asked the shire to support its opposition to the quarry that it claims threatens not only the 17-hectare council owned reserve, but Mt Cannibal Creek and houses and properties in the area.

Resident and group spokesman Bill Pearson said about 100 people attended the meeting with the shire.

The quarry is proposed by Hanson, a subsidiary of a global company, that has bought almost 440 hectares of land at Bunyip North that its latest Environmental Effects Statement as part of its community consultation plan could yield 70 million tonnes of granite over its lifetime.

As well as the environmental dangers the preservation group says local roads are not suited to the large amount of heavy vehicle traffic the quarry would generate, local residential water supplies would be polluted with silica dust and local Landcare groups’ work over many years to preserve and improve Cannibal Creek that is only a kilometre away would be negated.

Mr Pearson said residents in the area relied entirely on rain water run-off from the roofs of their houses for domestic supply.

He said there were 26 houses within one kilometre of the proposed quarry including some in a privately owned 380-metre strip between the boundary of Hanson’s property and the Mount Cannibal reserve.

Mr Pearson added that according the Hanson’s EES the company would provide an additional 100 metre buffer from its property boundary to any quarrying, but he says this is still short of the minimum requirement.

He said the recent multi-million dollar redevelopment at Gumbuya World at Garfield North was only two to three kilometres from Hanson’s land and could also being impacted by dust.

Mr Pearson said as the owner of Mt Cannibal reserve – it is not Crown land – Cardinia council was in a difficult position as far as giving official support to the campaign against the quarry although he claimed councillors do not want the reserve threatened.