Residents group fears Christmas quarry expansion

A hinterland residents' group fears a festive expansion of a nearby quarry is on the cards, but council says it's not the case.

FEARS: Hinterland residents fear a nearby quarry may be gearing up for expansion. Picture: Stuart Cumming

A HINTERLAND residents' group fears a festive expansion of a nearby quarry is on the cards.

Sunshine Coast Council this week issued a tender for the sale of general fill material from Dulong Quarry.

The fill is overburden, made up of soil and materials on top of the quarried rock, which has to be removed from the site to allow for future blasting.

Depending on the tender responses, up to 100,000 tonnes could be removed.

The removal of the overburden from the western side of the mined area was part of regular business operations and the removal was expected to happen in February or March next year.

Dulong Futures founder Gillian Hall said local residents feared the tender was a sign the nearby quarry would be expanding or production would be increased significantly.

Gillian Hall, founder of community group Dulong Futures. Picture: Patrick Woods

"The quarry's very close to our houses," she said.

"We know it's a valuable asset."

A council spokesman said there was "no increase in production of the quarried rock forecast for 2019".

On average, between 30,000 and 60,000 tonnes of basalt was extracted from Dulong Quarry each year.

Basalt rock is typically used in the production of asphalt to be used on council-maintained roads.

In 2011 the Dulong Quarry had been identified as one of multiple local quarries to provide fill for the Sunshine Coast Airport expansion.

But a council spokesman said the materials "were not of a quality suitable for use as airfield fine crushed rock pavement".

The spokesman said neighbours and the wider Dulong community would be notified before any future blasting and quarry activities started.