Urge Lake Macquarie City Council to reconsider the Bolton Quarry Rehabilitation Project

1) Increased heavy vehicle traffic along Main Rd and along Bay Rd Outside Fennell Bay Public School - Typical daily truck movements are expected to average about 10 trucks per day. During peak times heavy vehicle traffic will fluctuate with up to 20 trucks per day during that day. Vehicles to be used are understood to be B-Double Trucks. Road deterioration is expected, this was already experienced during the remediation works completed at the school last year.

2) Proposed access point to the quarry on Bay Rd - Close proximity to the school. Trucks have to cross a pedestrian footpath to enter the quarry via the Bay Rd entrance. The footpath has high pedestrian activity across the day, not just school zone times, due to the school operating a Schools as Communities Centre running groups for children aged 0-5 as well as other support services. There are concerns regarding children walking to and from school without adult supervision being less aware. Parking restrictions will be introduced from 7am to 4pm Monday to Friday fronting 19 to 25 Bay Road. No Stopping restrictions will be introduced adjacent to the quarry access on the northern side of Bay Road. Parking restrictions will affect School drop-off and pickup and School events.

3) The proposed access point on Main Road - The use of this entrance may need reduced speed limits to be introduced, which has not been confirmed, on an already busy main road, approaching a busy intersection that regularly gets banked up. The addition of up to 20 B-Double trucks a day to Main Rd and potentially using this access point will increase risk for local road users.

4) Noise, dust and disruption - Children, staff, and visitors to the school, as well as nearby residents, with asthma, allergies and other health issues will be impacted by the dirt and dust introduced into the environment. The school has multiple support classes and many students with sensitivities to loud and sudden noises which would be triggered by large trucks and construction. The support classrooms are located closest to the quarry. Construction noise could impact general day to day learning of all students and the greater community.

5) Potential impacts on property values - The median house price in the area is currently around $829500. With heavy vehicles frequenting the area for a period of 15 to 20 years, house prices in the area will almost certainly be negatively affected.
Fennell Bay Suburb Profile and Property market - property.com.au

Bolton Point Property Market, House Prices, Investment Data & Suburb Profiles - realestate.com.au

6) Potential impact on school reputation - Fennell Bay Public School has a very successful, thriving, Bush School Program. It started off as a pilot class in 2026 and due to its success will grow to 3 classes in 2027. The school is surrounded by beautiful bushland, native flora and fauna, and natural historical sacred sites all within walking distance. The presence of Heavy vehicles for a period of 15 to 20 years could tarnish the school's reputation from being a beautiful school surrounded by gorgeous bushland and nature to a school surrounded by heavy vehicles, noise and dust.

7) Fire safety management plan given we are in a high fire danger area - We will request details from the council, no information provided as yet.

8) Aboriginal sacred site - There has been no consultation with the Local Aboriginal Land Council

9) Damage and destruction of the land, bushland, and risk to endangered species - Naturally regenerated bush around the quarry will be disturbed and most certainly destroyed by trucks and machinery. Potential subsidence? There is already a small area of visible subsidence in the back corner boundary of the school grounds, there has been no assessments conducted to our knowledge by the council to ensure that project work will not further impact subsidence.

10) Fennell Bay Public School Landcare site - The school has a registered
Landcare site in the bushland to the East of the school, on either side of the Bay Rd access road which will be used by the project. The site will be impacted by the presence of Heavy vehicles and the noise and dust generated by project.

11) Environmental Factors
a) Fennell Bay and west Lake Macquarie, sits within the largest squirrel glider colony in the LGA - 3,000 to 5,000 estimated squirrel gliders (LMCC fact sheet)

b) Threatened plant species - Tetrathecea Juncea or Black Eyed Susan. Only found between Sydney and mid-north coast. Found growing (assumed sporadically) inside the school boundary. Possibly also growing within the quarry (NSW Office of Environmental and Heritage)

c) Koalas noted as living in Bolton Point (UoN project, as cited by LMCC)

d) Waterway that runs from quarry/hillside directly into Lake Macquarie, running alongside proposed access road. Many frogs living in the area (anecdotal evidence).

e) A large colony of Bell Miners (Bell birds) live in the bushland surrounding the school and quarry.