URGENT UPDATE: Residents of Montrose are rallying against Boral’s shocking proposal to expand its quarry operations, threatening their peace and safety. The controversial plan aims to increase the quarry’s footprint from 39 hectares to 52 hectares, putting homes dangerously close to blasting activities that have already affected the community for over 60 years.
Local resident Kim Wormald, who lives just 500 metres from the quarry, described the blasts as “a horrific shock.” She expressed her fears, stating, “The noise makes you jump out of your skin sometimes. The air blast rattles the windows.” With this expansion, residents could face even greater disturbances, including blasts that feel like earthquakes, shaking their homes and displacing pictures from their walls.
Boral, which operates the quarry at the base of Mount Dandenong, plans to extract an astonishing 26 million tonnes of rock from the ridge, significantly increasing the impact on local residents and wildlife. The area, already home to native species such as the powerful owl and southern greater glider, faces dire consequences if the expansion goes ahead.
Wormald, a member of the Montrose Environment Group, emphasized the community’s opposition, saying, “We had thought the quarry was near the end of its life.” Past attempts by Boral to expand the site were blocked by the Yarra Ranges Shire Council in the 1990s and early 2000s, yet the company has now submitted its latest proposal directly to Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny, bypassing local governance.
Residents are mobilizing for action, leveraging support from school leaders, local councillors, and state officials to push back against Boral’s expansion plans. The grassroots campaign is gaining momentum as the community unites to protect their homes and the environment.
The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. The proposal, just announced, threatens to bring the quarry’s operations alarmingly close to residential areas, sparking fears of increased noise, air quality degradation, and disruption to local wildlife habitats.
As the situation develops, Montrose residents are calling for immediate attention from officials and the public to halt Boral’s expansion plans. The outcome of this battle could set a precedent for community rights and environmental protections in quarry operations across the region.
Stay tuned for updates as this story unfolds and the community seeks to reclaim its peace and quiet.
