Community keeps a close eye on truck traffic at Grantville sand quarries

HEAVY vehicle traffic remains a high priority for residents living near local sand extraction sites following the latest meeting of the Grantville Quarries Reference Group (GQRG).

The consultative forum which brings together quarry operators, community representatives, and government regulators each quarter to monitor the ongoing industrial activity situated within the local environment met recently with community representatives.

Managing heavy vehicle traffic through the Grantville township remained a critical focus for the group because of the high volumes of truck movements and the need for targeted infrastructure upgrades to mitigate the impact on local roads.

GQRG Chair John Mitas confirmed that traffic management updates were a major talking point at the recent meeting at the Grantville Hall. He highlighted a looming infrastructure fix designed to ease the burden on local residents.

"Quarry operators are required to install traffic lights so the movement of trucks can be managed effectively," said Mr Mitas.

The imminent completion of a new traffic light system at the Dandy Pre-Mix site is expected to significantly reduce the volume of heavy vehicles queuing or disrupting flow through the main township of Grantville.

"They are not far off from being completed," Mr Mitas added, noting that the new infrastructure would provide a more structured and safer flow of industrial traffic.

In addition to the discussions on traffic the reference group members conducted a site visit to the GSG Quarry in Grantville. The visit focused heavily on transparency, with operators explaining the rigorous processes behind their environmental reporting.

Community representatives expressed a strong desire to see these reports firsthand. Mr Mitas acknowledged that public interest in the environmental footprint of the Grantville sites remained high with the environmental performance of each site a common concern.

“Including the monitoring of dust and the measurement of dust deposition rates.”

While dust remained a highly visible issue for neighbours of the Grantville sand extraction operations, Mr Mitas clarified the data collected so far. He noted that while dust deposition was routinely tracked as a measure of nuisance dust, current readings show no actionable or alarming trends for Grantville at this stage.

Originally formed in 2006 as the Grantville Environmental Review Committee, the group underwent a structural shift and has operated independently since 2019. Today, it functions as a formal consultative body providing a structured setting for information sharing, environmental reporting, and direct community feedback.

Under current regulations, quarry operators must present detailed data during these meetings. This includes reporting on environmental monitoring, daily site activity, regulatory compliance matters, and any official complaints received from the public.

Mr Mitas said the GQRG served as an essential mechanism for locals to access raw data, raise active complaints, and directly monitor how quarry operations are conducted.

“Because sand extraction is an intense industrial activity taking place next to a rural and coastal environment, truck movements and landscape changes always generate strong interest.”

As sand extraction operations continue, the long-term future of the local landscape remains a priority for the reference group. Progressive rehabilitation of the extracted land is required to ensure the coastal environment is safely restored once sand reserves are depleted.

Of thirteen authorised work sites in the region, five remain active and approved, with three of the sites nearing the end of their working life, two sites are undergoing rehabilitation, one site operates as the Grantville land fill station, three sites have ceased operations, and two sites are waiting for further approvals.

Community member Rob Parsons said community members attended the quarterly meetings of the reference group to provide feedback from the local community.

“The community representatives of the Grantville Quarries Reference Group are keen to have conversations with members of the local community, regarding any concerns or questions about the local (Bass Coast) sand quarries,” Mr Parsons said.

Rob Parsons, Anne Westwood, Allan George, and Halina Gwizdzil are the four current community representatives of GQRG with the group seeking to fill two vacant positions.

There are no known future quarry applications for the Westernport Woodlands or Bass Coast Shire. The Grantville Quarries Reference Group is open to considering support for local community-based organisations and services with a particular focus on welfare activities, or projects that benefit the wider community, over those of a single interest or focus.