WITH growing attention on the North Central Quarry, it is worth revisiting the project’s history and to clarify some misconceptions that have surfaced over time.
The story began in 2004 with site identification and early planning. A formal application was lodged in 2011, with Earth Resources Regulation assigning and mapping the proposal on the public register.
In July 2014, an independent petrographic examination of 30 drill core samples found no crystalline silica in the basalt, confirming no silicosis risk. Despite this, opponents, including Mitchell Shire Council, continue to incorrectly cite silica as a health concern. WorkSafe Victoria lists crystalline silica in granite, sandstone and reconstituted stone, but not basalt. Safe Work Australia also does not classify basalt as an atmospheric contaminant.
By 2015 the site had statutory endorsement, setting it on the path to approval. In December 2020, an independent planning panel recommended the quarry’s inclusion in the Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan (PSP).
Community opposition grew. More than 100 residents attended a 2021 public meeting, raising concerns over the project.
Despite claims to the contrary, community consultation has indeed been occurring throughout the process, from public information sessions in January 2016 up to over 24 days of public hearings in 2022.
A directions hearing in March 2022 paved the way for ministerial advisory committee hearings, which concluded in June after input from council, Yarra Valley Water, the anti-quarry group, the quarry operator and the Victorian Planning Authority.
Cultural significance was also raised. At a community meeting, Taungurung Elder Uncle Andrew Gardiner spoke about the area’s importance, though the site sits within Wurundjeri country.
Despite claims to the contrary, Mitchell Shire Council did not outright reject two applications. The first was refused on the grounds it was premature to the PSP and only after a split vote. The second application progressed to VCAT due to Council’s failure to reach a decision in the required time.
On August 5 this year, after nearly four years of hearings and submissions, the Victorian Government formally approved the Beveridge North West PSP with the quarry included. Conditions of approval include a 500-metre buffer to homes, no more than two blasts per month, and strict rehabilitation obligations. The site sits about 1.8 kilometres from the nearest houses.
Blasting will be regulated by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, which enforces vibration and air-blast limits. Truck movements will be restricted to designated routes, similar to operations at two long-running Kilmore quarries. Road and intersection requirements are still under consideration.
Authorities say consultation has been “thorough and open,” though council spent over $1.31 million in legal costs opposing the quarry between 2016 and 2022, including $2,860 for a community protest trip to Parliament.
The quarry’s future is now set, and residents are being urged to stay engaged through monitoring programs as the project progresses.
