Aussie couple's fight to stop quarry being constructed metres from bedroom window
“People say if you don’t like it leave. But we can’t, because we can't sell the property.”
An Aussie couple fear their peaceful country existence will be shattered after a neighbour lodged plans to build a gravel quarry outside their bedroom window.
“Devastated” is how Glenn Todd and his partner Tiffany Harrison say they have been feeling after spotting the planning permit sign across from their 6.5 acre hobby farm in eastern Victoria. They argue the project would make their home ‘unliveable’ due to the impact of noise and dust.
“It’s been very stressful. You go through a phase of depression, wondering how we’re going to fight this,” Glenn told Yahoo News Australia.
Glenn and Tiffany believe they have no option but to stay and fight. “People say if you don’t like it leave. But we can’t, because we can't sell the property” he said.
The couple were unaware of the proposal and preparing to celebrate Christmas when they spotted an application for a planning permit hanging from a fence across the road. It had been erected by the owner of the neighbouring property, Radial Timber — a medium-sized private plantation owner that employs around 20 staff in the region.
The company’s owner Chris McEvoy said he understands why this upset Glenn and Tiffany, saying he sent out letters and put up a sign, but they were probably delayed over the Christmas period. But Glenn believes more of an effort should have been made to contact him.
In response to the submission of the planning application, Glenn set up a website opposing the plan, posted in local Facebook groups, and hand-delivered leaflets around the community.
What will change under the quarry plan?
It's not the first time Yahoo has reported on a dispute between neighbours over a gravel quarry. In 2020, the Commonwealth dismissed community concerns about a much larger separate project located in NSW.
In the case of the Carrajung site, a small amount of rock is currently taken from the hillside, but the company’s objective is to have the area officially developed into a quarry, so supplies can be gathered to strengthen the roads on its other nearby properties.
The rock crusher could operate approximately 350 metres from Glenn and Tiffany’s home,
Rock stockpiles could be loaded around 175 metres away.
The proposed truck entrance could be less than 50 metres from their house.
While Chris understands the plan has left his neighbour “hurt”, he thinks the problem has been “blown out of proportion” as the rock crushing machinery would likely only operate two weeks a year.
But Glenn says verbal assurances won't cut it, and he's also concerned about the noise created by heavy trucks accessing the area to pick up gravel on other days when the rock isn't being actively quarried.
Plantation owner doesn't want to make enemies of neighours
The three have spoken on the phone and Chris has downplayed the potential impact of the project. He encourages Glenn and Tiffany to lodge any objections they may have with council, but he still hopes they can talk through the matter. “When you’re all living in the same place you’ve got to work together, not as enemies. The last thing we want is a house close by that has got issues,” he said.
“We could work when our neighbours go on holidays. There’s lots of things you can do to try and make it work,” he added. “But if it was impacting neighbours I would just stop it.”
But Glenn said he can only respond to the 17 page planning proposal that was submitted to council and the rights it would give Radial Timber to operate. Outside of public holidays and Sundays, that document doesn't limit operating days, and if approved it could allow the company to work on site between 7am and 6pm on weekdays, and 7am and 1pm on Saturdays
"If they withdraw the document then we'd be keen to negotiate," Glenn said.
Concern about noise, dust and appearance of quarry
Chris believes the previous neighbours who owned the site did not appear to object to his plan as they didn’t live permanently on site.
But Glenn and Tiffany moved to their Carrajung farm 19 months ago, with plans to develop the property into a sustainable farm, which they believe would be impacted by noise and dust.
Glenn is determined to have the project stopped before it becomes operational, as he believes it would make their home “unliveable”.
“We’ve got a dam near the property, so at night it's loud with frogs and crickets. There are a lot of birds — kookaburras, magpies, ducks, koalas and echidnas,” Glenn said.
“They’d be using trucks carting heavy gravel, the machinery to do the quarrying, and then they’d use an industrial crusher. And we’re also actually in a valley so it’s going to amplify the noise.”
Glenn and Tiffany have until January 31 to lodge any objections with Wellington Council.
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