Dust from latest Brisbane quarry blast drifts over homes

Did the earth move for you this week? If you live in Brisbane’s inner-west, it probably did after the latest blast at a controversial quarry.

The future of Mt Coot-tha Quarry has again come under the spotlight after the latest blast, on Thursday.

Longtime opponent, Phil Best, who has led protests against the quarry, uploaded video of the latest blast on his media page BanTheBlasting.

He said Scenic Drive was closed during the blast but the dust instead blew over Mt Coot-tha Rd and surrounding houses.

“Potentially, there was silica dust in that cloud and you don’t want any of that, ever,’’ Mr Best said.

“It wasn’t as bad as the February 28 blast but (in recent years) we’ve had one every two weeks.

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“They went gangbusters in the last two years because council was expecting the zipline to go ahead.

“The fundamental issue here is they are moving into more difficult to access and expensive to quarry areas as the quarry approaches the end of its life.

“Each blast is making it more expensive to rehabilitate and pushing back the start date of rehabilitation.’’

One of Mr Best’s images of the July 18 blast, with Stuartholme school in the background.

The longrunning issue has come into focus recently after revelations in Westside News that there is no rehabilitation plan in place for the quarry, which does not have to meet new state quarry rehabilitation laws.

It also comes after calls from the Mt Coot-tha Protection Alliance for the quarry to be rehabilitated and potentially turned into world-class gardens, now the Mt Coot-tha zipline has been canned.

A council spokeswoman said all blasts were monitored, independently, at several locations and were carried out under State Government guidelines.

“Brisbane City Council has operated the Mt Coot-tha Quarry since the 1920s, long before many of the current residents chose to purchase in the area,’’ she said.

“The Mt Coot-tha Quarry continues to be a vital resource for Brisbane, providing necessary materials to build and maintain road infrastructure in our city.

Mt Coot-tha resident Phil Best outside the quarry site..

“In the coming year alone the quarry will contribute to the resurfacing of hundreds of Brisbane streets and several major road projects.

“The quarry conducts a maximum of two blasts per month, with each blast lasting less than 0.6 of a second.

“Blasts are monitored by an independent blasting expert for compliance at multiple locations including at residential property boundaries.

“Residents are provided advance notice of all blasting activities.

“Strict environmental conditions are in place for quarry activities and compliance audits are conducted routinely by the State Government.’’

The Department of Environment and Science was contacted for comment.

It has, however, previously said the quarry operated under an environmental authority held by council.

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State Greens MP for Maiwar, Michael Berkman, said he had great sympathy for residents who had been fighting to have the quarry shut for nearly 20 years.

“It was supposed to reach the end of its life in 1998, but it was extended to 2015, and then all the way out to 2032, each time with no public consultation,’’ Mr Berkman said.

“As far as I’m aware, there is just one dust monitor for the Mt Coot-tha quarry.

“I urge the Department to pay better attention to monitoring the quarry’s environmental conditions.

“Unlike many other quarries around Queensland the pit and blasting area is hard up against the boundary, right next to suburban homes.’’