The RCKRA Project site and the WBCWRR Project site are split by the M1 corridor, with intensive industrial and commercial land uses clustered on the eastern side of the M1 and a mix of industrial, residential and rural residential uses on the western side of the M1. 

In a land use context, the RCKRA Project site is located in where the surrounding types of land use change. Old Coach Road acts as a transition point for urban activities (east) moving towards more non-urban or less intensive residential development (west). Of note:

• There is a pocket of land zoned for low impact industry uses located to the north-east of the RCKRA Project site. This land is accessed via the M1 and Oyster Creek Drive. Whilst zoned Low impact industry, it has historically been used for more intensive activities, including waste disposal (landfill) activities. More recently, the landfill has moved into the rehabilitation stage, noting resource recovery activities are continuing. The parts of this land adjoining the M1 have been used by contractors delivering the M1 upgrade.

• Pockets of residential and rural residential uses adjoin the RCKRA Project site. The more intensive residential uses are located on the opposite side of Old Coach Road, known as Old Burleigh Town. The residential uses on the western side of Old Coach Road tend to be more isolated pockets of residential development or larger rural residential development.

• The RCKRA Project site is directly adjoining and surrounded by various land parcels identified for open space and conservation uses. 

Whilst the WBCWRR Project site is only separated from the RCKRA Project site by approximately 500m (property boundary to property boundary), it has a different land use context. The WBCWRR Project site is at the south-eastern extent of the Burleigh Heads industrial precinct. In this regard, the following is noted:

• The WBCWRR Project site is included within the Extractive industry zone, which reflects a committed resource area that acknowledges the WBCWRR Project site’s KRA designation and existing use as a hard rock quarry.
• The WBCWRR Project site forms part of the highly valuable Burleigh Heads Industrial Precinct, being one of the few industrial precincts in the Gold Coast that accommodates high impact industrial activities. The diverse mix of industrial uses accommodated in this precinct is reflected in the graduated zoning, with Low impact industry zoning acting as buffer to the more intensive Medium and High impact zoned land, generally located to the north-west of the WBCWRR Project site, on the opposite side of Southport-Burleigh Road.
• The Burleigh Heads Industrial Precinct already contains several waste and resource recovery activities, including the Council’s Reedy Creek putrescible landfill and resource recovery facility. The Council’s Reedy Creek putrescible landfill is an active general waste landfill, which is one of only two remaining Council owned landfills on the Gold Coast, the other being the Stapylton landfill facility located approximately 45km to the north. Council has identified through various public materials that the remaining landfilling capacity of both Council owned facilities will be exhausted by the next decade, based on current rates of waste disposal. 
• In addition to the intensive industrial character of the area, the WBCWRR Project site adjoins a pocket of low-density residential area to the north-east, along Plantation Road and Dulcie Drive (and broader Skyline Terrace area to the north-east). Although this low-density residential area is proximate to the existing intensive industrial activities, there are notable topographical features, including vertical separation, that provide relief.  

Site Location  

This development application is proposed across two (2) project sites split by the Pacific Motorway (M1) and consisting of four (4) allotments.  

The site at Reedy Creek has been degraded over time due to continual exposure to unauthorised and unlawful access by 4wds and motorbikes, uncontrolled impacts erosion and sedimentation impacts, illegal dumping of rubbish and major weed infestations.

Through this proposed development, Boral is committing to restoring, enhancing and conserving over 74% its landholdings to ensure that the ecological integrity and quality of the balance lands are significantly improved over the life of this development.

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It can take 10 - 15 years to bring a greenfield hard rock quarry site from planning, approval and construction stages to full production.    

The timeframes required to develop the two strategic landholdings, complete significant capital works programs and establish operations mean we must put forward this development application now to ensure:  

• the continuity of aggregate supply in the southern Gold Coast area;   

• there is an overburden solution for the RCKRA Project to assist with the minimising the extent of vegetation clearing and associated impacts on environmental values; and  

• there is a timely solution Boral can implement to rehabilitate the West Burleigh quarry void once quarry activities cease.  

Therefore, timing of an approval is critical to ensure that these two strategic infrastructure projects are positioned to assist and support the ongoing and significant growth forecast for the Gold Coast over the next 20 – 30 years.  

If the project does not proceed, the absence of aggregate supply in the southern region would translate into reduced competition and the need to source raw aggregates for required construction materials from quarries situated in the northern part of the City. As a result, this would lead to:  

• over 31,000 additional trucks and heavy vehicles annually on the M1 that must move through M1 Exit 38 (Yatala North), Exit 41 (Yalata South) and Exit 45 (Ormeau) to access the southern Gold Coast; and   

• 1.88 million kilometres of unforeseen wear and tear on the road network.   

The flowthrough effects of this scenario mean longer transport times, increased material costs and as a result, a direct impact on housing costs and affordability.  

Just over a decade ago, the State Government declared the previous proposed 2Mtpa quarry as a Coordinated Project under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 and the submitted Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was approved by the Co-ordinator General in 2014. Post the Co-ordinator General approval, an impact assessable application for Extractive Industry was subsequently made to Council to allow extraction across a similar part of the Project site as is now proposed. That application was ultimately refused by the then Council, and in 2017, the Council’s refusal was upheld by the Planning & Environment Court in an appeal by Boral against Council’s decision (the Previous Appeal). 

Judge Richard Jones found there wasn’t sufficient grounds for the development at that time, but it will be observed by reading the judgment that this is a key resource area, a state asset, and that the site ought to be protected for future exploration. It is not a question of ‘if’ but just ‘when’.

It has been 8 years since the appeal and having regard to the current economic conditions, the housing affordability crisis and the announcement of the 2032 Olympic Games, Boral are of the view that the ‘when’ is now.

We understand a proposal of this type requires careful consideration and must address the questions and concerns held by stakeholders, particularly those in the surrounding community. Feedback and consultation undertaken in recent years has been incorporated into the new design, siting and operational parameters of this proposed development, which will deliver a modern, state of the art facilities, with a key focus on limiting impacts to the community and the environment.   

Consequently, the development application differs from the development that was the subject of the Previous Appeal in a number of important ways, including: 

1. The production output of the RCKRA Project has been reduced by 40% from 2Mtpa to 1.2Mtpa, thereby reducing heavy vehicle movements on the western side of the M1. This, in turn, reduces the extent of noise and air quality impacts associated with the RCKRA Project.
2. Reducing the total disturbance footprint of the proposal by 20% from 70.5ha to 56.4ha. This reduction has been achieved through the development of an alternative overburden strategy involving the proposed WBCWRR Project. This, in turn, reduces the impacts on mapped environmental values and corridor functionality.
3. The overburden from the RCKRA Project will be used to support the establishment of the WBCWRR Project, which involves the use of residual non-putrescible construction waste streams to rehabilitate the existing quarry voids in a timely manner.
4. The infrastructure area has been reduced by approximately 8.4ha in response to a reduced production output and overburden being transferred to the WBCWRR Project for beneficial reuse in the rehabilitation of the existing quarry void.
5. 176.1ha of Boral’s landholding identified as land for environmental purposes will be protected, conserved, enhanced and managed to improve ecological health and functionality of the Burleigh Heads – Springbrook Hinterland to Coast Critical Corridor and positively contribute to the habitat of the local koala population and other fauna species.
6. The extraction boundary has been revised to minimise impacts on the mapped 30m waterway buffer associated with the east-west tributary of Oyster Creek, located within the southern part of the RCKRA Project site.
7. Pit development and rehabilitation strategies have been altered to ensure that Ridge J (a ridgeline that traverses through the RCKRA disturbance footprint) can remain in place longer, and terminal benches are developed earlier to facilitate much earlier progressive rehabilitation to ensure that a ‘green’ backdrop can be maintained. This improves the extent of visual impacts associated with this proposed development.

Key Resource Areas (KRA) contain and protect known and designated high quality sand and hard rock resources of State interest and regional significance, for intended use as building and construction materials when needed by the community.  

There are seven (7) hard rock KRAs on the Gold Coast, of which one (KRA 69 at Stapylton) is now depleted, and one (Reedy Creek KRA 96, which hosts the Project site in the Southern Gold Coast) is yet to be developed.  

To respond to the RCKRA Project site’s visual vales, Boral has forgone significant extractable resource to deliver different bench design criteria that will support early rehabilitation of the top split terminal benches between RL 132m and RL 54m (depending on natural ground level) in all 4 phases of pit development.   

This approach allows planted vegetation to mature as quarrying processes continue (as opposed to end-of-life rehabilitation) to maintain a green backdrop and minimise periods of visibility from surrounding residential areas.  

What is it and why do we need it?  

Quarry products are often collectively referred to as aggregates. Aggregates are used in composite materials such as concrete, asphalt, masonry products, bricks and bituminous road surfacing, or on their own such as road base.  

Aggregates are essential to our economic prosperity and are the foundation of our built environment. They are crucial in the building of our homes, roads, railways, schools, hospitals, and other types of other essential urban infrastructure.   

Quarry materials are Queensland’s second largest mined commodity by tonnage, but unlike mining for minerals and coal, almost the entire industry output is consumed domestically and close to source for the construction and maintenance of our built environment.  

Each year, the building and construction industry needs more than 200 million tonnes of quarry materials.  

• Every Australian requires 8 tonnes of stone, sand and gravel every year to build the roads, houses and other infrastructure we all need.  

• To build an average new house we use about 110 tonnes of construction aggregates and 53 cubic metres of concrete.  

• To build one kilometre of two-lane highway requires about 140,000 tonnes (or 400 truckloads) of construction aggregates.  

Aggregates are also used for rail ballast, drainage media, landscaping purposes, and larger sized rock such as gabion and revetment stone for erosion, scour protection and construction of retaining walls.  

Ideally quarrying needs to be carried out close to where these materials will be used. This keeps transportation costs low, reduces environmental emissions, reduces traffic congestion and helps keep building costs down in local communities. Road transport distance and cost represents around 35% of the delivered costs of aggregates.  

Quarries usually coexist with local communities and are bound by stringent planning and operating conditions to minimise their impact.   

The RCKRA Project will be surrounded by a 160.3 hectares of land that will be protected, conserved and enhanced for environmental purposes.   

The identified land for environmental purposes will be placed under an environmental covenant, ensuring it will never be used for future expansion or housing development.  

As well as providing these essential construction materials, quarries are a key employer within local communities and promote local investment. The quarry industry provides more than 10,000 jobs directly and supports another 80,000 indirectly, often in rural and regional locations.  

The quarrying process begins with clearing vegetation and stripping topsoil/ overburden. Once the site is cleared, drilling and blasting will be carried out to break the underlying rock, creating the required quarry benches.   

 After blasting, the raw material is extracted and loaded from the pit floor onto haul trucks. These trucks will transport the material to the permanent plant and stockpile area located in the eastern section of the site.   

 Any larger rock fragments will typically be broken down using a rock breaker before being loaded onto trucks. The load and haul fleet will generally operate continuously during quarry working hours to ensure a steady supply of material for processing.   

Crushing and Processing  

The crushing stage involves multiple crushers, including a jaw crusher, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary crushers, along with vibratory screens. The crushed material is then stockpiled for further handling.   

Material Loading and Transport  

Once stockpiled, quarry materials are loaded by front-end loaders onto road haulage trucks. These trucks proceed across the weighbridge, pass through the wheel wash to remove dust and debris and then exit the site for dispatch.  

What is the difference between putrescible waste and non-putrescible waste?

Putrescible waste is waste containing organic matter that degrades and putrefies. Examples are general household waste containing food that is collected by local councils.

Construction and demolition waste is non-putrescible because it does not decay like general household waste.

What is non-putrescible waste?

Non-putrescible waste consists of items including glass, plastic, rubber, ceramics, bricks, cement or metal materials, soils, timber, garden trimmings, agricultural, forestry and crop materials, as well as natural fibrous organic and vegetative materials.

General solid waste may only be classified as non-putrescible if:

• It does not readily decay under standard conditions.
• Does not emit offensive odours.
• Does not attract vermin or other vectors (such as flies, birds and rodents).

Typically, construction and demolition waste materials are tested for a range of pollutants prior to disposal, in order to confirm their acceptability for delivery at a reprocessing facility.

Why is this C&D waste different from normal household waste?

Normal household waste contains organic matter such as food (meat, fish, vegetables and other food leftovers) and liquids. These are called putrescible materials, this waste will eventually and in certain weather conditions rapidly, decay, attract bacteria, rot and slowly liquefy. This is why garbage sometimes smells bad.

What is it and why do we need it?   

Boral is one of Australia’s largest recyclers of construction and demolition waste with over 2m tonnes of construction and demolition materials recycled for re-use and repurposed every year.  

By recovering materials from waste, we are working together to conserve our natural resources, reduce our carbon emissions, divert waste away from landfill and at the same time we work to save construction firms waste disposal costs and energy.  

Boral manages demolition and excavation waste materials such as concrete, sand, and brick that would otherwise be destined for landfill. These materials are then reprocessed through a process of sorting, washing and blending and then turned into recycled, and lower carbon construction materials, ready to be reintroduced back into the industry.  

Boral has made a recent significant investment and commitment to open Boral’s first Queensland Construction and Demolition Resource Recovery facility in Stapylton, Gold Coast. It is set to open in 2025 and it will have the capacity to recycle up to 250,000 tonnes of waste annually which will directly benefit the City’s diminishing municipal putrescible landfill space.   

In a circular economy, things are made and consumed in a way that minimizes our use of the world’s resources, cuts waste and reduces carbon emissions.  

Products are kept in use for as long as possible, through repairing, recycling and redesign – so they can be used again and again.  

The circular economy is an alternative to traditional linear economies, where we take resources, make things, consume them and throw them away. This way of living uses up finite raw materials and produces vast quantities of waste.  

In an ideal circular economy, products are redesigned so they last through several life cycles – rather than being immediately recycled.  

In Australia 26.8 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste is generated in annually, with 63% of these materials now being reused as part of the circular economy.  

The use of recycled materials in road, infrastructure and building construction is increasingly being mandated by governments and requested by customers.  

Whilst recycled aggregates will play an important role in continuing to help meet future demand for aggregates, they will supplement hard rock supply. They cannot replace the need for new reserves of hard rock and additional quarry capacity to meet community need to 2050 and beyond.  

How are Circular Economy principles applied to Boral’s business model?  

Most demolition waste such as brick, concrete, and steel are not at the end of their life cycle as a material, so there is a significant opportunity to recycle. Similarly, excavation waste materials such as sand, stone, and fill can be reclaimed, blended, or repurposed.  

In a seamless process, demolition and excavation waste is collected from site and transported to a local Boral recycling centre where it is processed and recycled for use in new, more sustainable building materials. These include:   

• Recycled aggregates   

• Specified and non-specified recycled road base   

• Reclaimed concrete, sand and asphalt   

• Specified and non-specified select fill   

• Recycling pipe bedding sand; and others  

An independent Cumulative Noise Impact Assessment considering both the Reedy Creek Key Resource Area Project and the West Burleigh Construction Waste and Resource Recovery Project operating at the same time. This ‘worst-case scenario’ assessment demonstrated that the cumulative operations will not impact the nearest sensitive residential premises, and they operate well below allowable noise limits. 

The assessment found that the Reedy Creek Key Resource Area Project has been appropriately located and designed to ensure there are no unacceptable acoustic impacts to nearby residential premises and other sensitive receptors. 

Read about the Reedy Creek Key Resource Area Project Noise Impact Assessement 

Read about the West Burleigh Construction Waste and Resource Recovery Project Noise Impact Assessment

An independent Cumulative Air Quality Impact Assessment considered both the Reedy Creek Key Resource Area Project and the West Burleigh Construction Waste and Resource Recovery Project.  

The assessment of cumulative air quality impacts from both project sites operating, found odour emissions are inconsequential. 

It further noted that the predicted dust concentrations and deposition rates for the cumulative scenario did not significantly increase above the predicted for the projects operating in the isolation of the other. 

Reedy Creek Key Resource Area (RCKRA) Project Air Quality Assessment 

West Burleigh Construction Waste and Resource Recovery (WBCWRR) Project Air Quality Assessment 

There are a few ways to extract ‘hard’ rock, but the most common and effective method is ‘controlled blasting’. As blasting is very precise practice, each blast is designed and carried out by an independent third-party blast expert.  

A blast design is a carefully planned operation that involves drilling into the rock in a specified pattern, then placing a very precise amount of explosive in the holes. The explosives are then detonated in a precise sequence, designed to maximise the efficiency of rock breakage while minimising noise, vibration and dust. One of the advantages of blasting is that it reduces the need to operate large heavy equipment to extract the rock, in turn reducing noise and greenhouse gas emissions.  

Depending on how close you live to a quarry, you may notice some short-term vibration or noise associated with blasting activities that typically last for around 4 seconds per blast. 

More information about blasting at the Reedy Creek Key Resource Area can be found here.

An independent Terrestrial Ecological Assessment was undertaken to identify areas of ecological significance within both project sites. 

Survey techniques included day and night field investigations that were undertaken during winer and spring of 2024 and spot assessment technique (SAT) for koala, call playback, spotlighting, nocturnal amphibian searches, threatened flora and fauna searches and disturbance surveys.  

Reedy Creek Key Resource Area Project Terrestrial Ecological Assessment Fact Sheet

West Burleigh Construction Waste and Resource Recovery Project Terrestrial Ecological Assessment