Community urged to continue pressure on council ahead of DA decision
By Sonia Isaacs
COMMUNITY members have vowed to keep up the pressure on the Sunshine Coast Council as the final stages of a controversial development application by Heidelberg Materials approaches.
The company is seeking to double the extraction capacity of its Glasshouse Quarry, a move that has sparked significant local opposition.
With the final decision now in the hands of the Council, opponents to the proposed quarry expansion are more determined than ever to ensure their concerns are heard.
Save Our Glasshouse Mountains co-founder Megan Standring, said while the development application had recently received state approval through an updated Environmental Authority, the fight was far from over.
“Ninety percent of submissions to Sunshine Coast Council were against expansion.
“Council represents the community. This is the time for our local government representatives to embrace community concerns and vote no to further expansion of this quarry.”
Speaking with GC&M News, Ms Standring reiterated the importance of ensuring every councillor understood the implications of the proposed expansion.
She said the next steps for quarry expansion opponents would be to organise meetings with the mayor and individual councillors.
“We also need to get more visual and to get the imagery out there of what this quarry looks like right next to the Glass House Mountains,” she said.
“If the Council approves this development application—with all the additional truck movements, emissions, silica exposure, and safety risks along heavily impacted roads through our town—how can they prove to us that this will be safe for our community?”
Anne Veivers from Hinterland Quarry Action Group echoed these concerns, highlighting the urgency of the situation as the application moves into the decision phase.
“The community doesn’t know when this will be finalised within council administration or when it will go on the agenda for councillors to vote, but it’s safe to assume it’ll be soon.
Ms Veivers said.
“It’s vitally important for the community to get engaged now.
“I urge people to get involved with local groups because all ideas and support are useful, or to actively pressure the councillors and mayor by writing or calling.
“The community is deeply disappointed by the approval of the Environmental Authority. Once the decision on the development application is made, it’s very difficult to wind it back.”
Ms Veiviers highlighted several key concerns, including the need for constraints on the rate of extraction, protections for Mt Coonowrin and the Glass House Mountains, and minimised impacts on residents and surrounding areas.
“The road and traffic impacts are a huge issue, as well as the blasting and cultural heritage impacts for the Indigenous community and people who genuinely love and care for the mountains,” she said.
sonia@gcnews.com.au
