Martins Creek Quarry: Residents share fears with Independent Planning Commission at Tocal hearing on Daracon expansion proposal

Martins Creek Action Group spokesman James Ashton told the Independent Planning Commission on Monday that, unlike other quarries operating in the Hunter, Martins Creek was 27 kilometres away from any state infrastructure.

That meant that 40 trucks per hour would be relying on 25 kilometres of local roadways along the proposed haulage route, creating "bedlam" and "chaos", Mr Ashton said.

There was no correlation between historical trucking rates and the proposal, and the current level of activity was illegal as it was, he said, making reference to a 2019 Land and Environment Court decision.

Mr Ashton went on to question why the proponents, Daracon, had not suggested mitigating measures such as those proposed at quarries elsewhere, specifically the Southern Highlands, where operations included plans to create a $34 million road transport interchange on to the Hume Highway; a 6 kilometre private bypass road around rural and residential properties, as well as upgrades to another 22 kilometres of road.

"We toured these modern-day quarries and discovered new, reasonable and feasible measures considered best practice which are not being offered by the proponent," Mr Ashton said.

A panel of three commissioners are in Tocal for a two-day hearing which started on Monday when they heard from a stream of residents, as well as representatives of groups such as the Hunter Environment Lobby, critical of the Department of Planning's recommendation to approve the quarry's expansion.

Local businesswoman Robyn Rurgman told the commission that she had worked hard to create a 'safe and happy environment at both her places of business, Paterson Service Station and Riverview Deck, where customers were not just locals, but tourists as well.

"We are the frontline and the last time the trucks were coming through town, ... it was dangerous," she said.

"Our fuel tanker delivers twice a week, they have to drive onto the road and reverse back - so you are going to have a bottle neck of trucks which we've had before. I have watched mums trying to cross that road, and elderly customers with walking frames and in wheelchairs who need extra time to cross."

She had seen trucks hitting gutters and screaming up behind cars, she said, and felt any jobs created would not make up for the number of jobs lost due to decreased trade and tourism.

Margarete Ritchie, for the Voice of Wallalong and Woodville and Surrounding Locations Inc, said it felt as though residents and those impacted were fighting a losing battle.

"It just seems as if we're not important, that we don't count," she said.

"As soon as something's deemed a state significant development, it's almost as if we should throw up our hands and walk away."

Other complaints about the proposed development was that it made no mention of noise mitigation measures.

Martine Brieger, whose great great great grandfather settled in the area as a convict, said she has concerns about her teenagers who were growing up in the area and were going to be learning to drive on local roads. Another resident,. Todd Oldfield, had the same concern.

"I have four children who will be getting their licences in the next four years," he said.

Fiona Baker told the panel that local roads were already under constant repair, particularly after weather events, and that the council could not keep up with it. Her daughter, who has her provisional driver's licence was also being put at risk, she said, along with the many young drivers who attend Tocal College.

"Some roads cannot manage current levels of traffic," she said.

Under the current proposal, Daracon wants to extract 1.1 million tonnes of material from the quarry every year for up to 25 years - taking 500,000 tonnes by road annually with 280 truck movements a day.

Daracon argues it has done "the best it can" to ameliorate resident's fears, making what it describes as a substantial effort with its amended development application to engage with the local community and regulatory authorities on the impacts of the proposed expansion.

The initial proposal was to transport up to 1.5 million tonnes of material by road each year for 30 years.

In its response to submissions, Daracon said it had "committed to reduce the extraction limits, operational hours and truck movements" and the construction and use of a new access road and bridge to effectively bypass Martins Creek village.

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