THE QUARRY PROBLEM
An overview of the facts
1.
This would be the biggest mine the Mornington Peninsula has ever seen. 94 acres of pristine bushland - equivalent to 21 MCGs, or the size of the Royal Botanic Gardens - will be destroyed, replaced by a hole 190 metres deep. 70 million tonnes of granite will be blasted and gouged from the bay-facing side of Arthurs Seat.
2.
An essential wildlife corridor which connects sections of Arthurs Seat State Park will be bulldozed. This is irreplaceable koala, bird, mammal and plant habitat, comprising also a large number of threatened and regionally significant species.
3.
The Mornington Peninsula is a magical place: it is loved by tourists and locals alike for its natural beauty, recreation opportunities and "the vibe." Tourism in the region is worth more than $1 billion - this is not the place for an invasive and destructive industry. This quarry will leave an ugly scar on the northern slopes of Arthurs Seat, visible to all as they enter the region.
4.
This quarry will create dust, noise and truck traffic on an unprecedented scale. That is untenable for residents and unthinkable in a prized tourism region.
5.
The open-cut mine will be 800 m from the Red Hill Consolidated School and an early learning centre. Do we really want to subject our kids to increased levels of dust, noise and vibrations?
6.
What price philanthropy? The new quarry is fundamentally incompatible with the Ross Trust's stated mission to protect the environment. The Ross Trust has over $60 million in assets - it can continue its philathropic work without this destructive new quarry.
7.
We do not need granite from Arthurs Seat: The Victorian Government's own extractive resources strategy does not rate the Mornington Peninsula as stategically significant for sourcing granite to meet future demand.
There are no good reasons for this quarry: it's in the wrong spot, not needed and a stupid idea.
Impact on environment, flora & fauna
Any new quarry on Arthurs Seat would have a devastating impact on regional biodiversity and would degrade the adjoining State Park - let alone a quarry of this magnitude. There are at least 28 threatened, rare or significant species on, or around the site, including the Southern Brown Bandicoot, the Powerful Owl and koalas.
It's the Mornington Peninsula!
Everybody loves the Mornington Peninsula. It attracts millions of tourists annually (6.3 million in 2018), and contributes over one billion dollars to the economy, and it's growing. The proposed quarry site is on the Southern Peninsula (Dromana and Red Hill) and lays at the doorstep of the Hinterland. Why would any State Government allow the degradation of a valuable tourist region for a needless quarry?
It is a major health risk
Quarrying is a dirty business resulting in dust, noise, vibrations, air pollution and associated heavy vehicle traffic and emissions. Quarries don't belong among popular rural townships, and they certainly don't belong 800m from a primary school, early learning centre, or near businesses and residents.
It is not needed
Let's be very clear, there is no state or regional need for granite sourced from the Mornington Peninsula. And there is certainly not a shortage to warrant blowing up the iconic Arthurs Seat. Even a recent State Government report (2019) has identified that the Mornington Peninsula is not a strategically significant source for extractive materials for Victoria.
The owner, the Ross Trust
The Ross Trust is a philanthropic charity which operates Hillview Quarries. Part of its mission is to ensure Victoria's biodiversity is conserved, protected and valued." A new quarry with such a destructive impact on the environment is fundamentally incompatible with this mission.