Deadline: Midnight Friday, 19 September 2025
The Hinterland Quarry Action Group (HQAG) is urgently calling on Blackall Range residents to take action in the final days before the Planning Scheme submission deadline. They need every resident to understand what’s at stake and make their voice heard before it’s too late.
What HQAG is Fighting For
The Hinterland Quarry Action Group has one clear demand: the Sunshine Coast Council must end the dangerous double standard that has left hinterland communities without basic protections from council-owned quarries.
HQAG is asking residents to demand that council-owned Dulong and Image Flat quarries be subject to the same “Impact Assessment” requirements as every private quarry on the Sunshine Coast. Currently, these council quarries operate as “Accepted Development” under Community Facilities zoning – a classification HQAG says creates an inequitable and unsafe situation.
“The same rights, responsibilities, and planning protections must be provided for Dulong and Image Flat Council-owned quarries as are required of all private quarries on the Sunshine Coast,” HQAG states.
The Double Standard HQAG Calls “Dangerous”
HQAG points out that while private quarries must undergo rigorous “Impact Assessment” if they want to make any changes, the council-owned quarries face no such scrutiny.
Max Standage, President of Mapleton and District Community Association (MADCA), said: “The Dulong and Image Flat quarries wrongful Community Facility zoning and resulting lowest possible level of development assessment is one of the biggest risks our hinterland currently faces.”This means:
Council quarries currently have:
- No development assessment required for changes or expansions
- No public consultation requirements
- No community notification obligations
- No legal rights of appeal for residents
- No environmental protection assessments
- Zero transparency or accountability
Private quarries must undergo:
- Full Impact Assessment for any changes
- Detailed environmental and traffic studies
- Public notification and consultation processes
- Community rights of appeal to Planning Court
- Rigorous compliance with scheme codes
HQAG believes these are the only two quarries in Queensland operating under such inadequate planning arrangements, calling the situation a “dangerous double standard” that places hinterland residents at risk.
Specific Changes HQAG Wants in the Planning Scheme
The Hinterland Quarry Action Group is calling for specific wording changes to the proposed Planning Scheme:
- Remove the “Accepted Development” status for Dulong and Image Flat quarries from Community Facilities zoning
- Rezone the quarries and latent asphalt plant to match the “Rural” zoning applied to private quarries
- Mandate that any expansion or change of use requires full “Impact Assessment” development applications
Include requirements for:
- Full public notification and community consultation for all future proposals
- Legal rights of appeal to the Planning and Environment Court for affected residents
- Environmental protection and assessment provisions identical to private quarries
How These Changes Would Transform Quarry Operations
HQAG explains that their requested changes would fundamentally alter how these quarries operate by removing their current permit-free status and placing them under the same rigorous assessment pathway as private operations.
Currently, as “Accepted Development,” the council quarries don’t require development applications for changes or expansions – meaning no assessments are triggered at all. HQAG wants them subject to “Impact Assessable Development Permits,” the highest level of scrutiny applied to private quarries.
Impact Assessable Development Permits would require:
- Formal development applications subject to comprehensive impact assessment processes
- Detailed assessment against all relevant local planning scheme codes and regulations
- Assessment of potential adverse effects including environmental impacts, traffic, noise, and community amenity
- Proper evaluation and mitigation measures before approval can be granted
New Public Notification Requirements: HQAG’s changes would mandate that quarry operators notify adjoining landowners, community members, and relevant agencies about any development applications. This includes:
- Placing notices on the land
- Advertising in local newspapers
- Written notices to potentially affected people
- Opportunity for the public to make submissions or objections during assessment
Legal Appeal Rights: Under HQAG’s proposed changes, any person who makes a submission during the public notification process would gain the right to appeal council’s decision to the Planning and Environment Court. This applies whether the decision grants approval with unacceptable conditions or refuses the application entirely.
HQAG emphasizes that affected residents currently have no legal rights to appeal quarry-related developments because no permits or decisions require their input. Their proposed changes would transform council-owned quarries from what they call “opaque, unchallengeable operations” to fully transparent developments with mandated community oversight.
HQAG’s Call: Every Submission Counts
The Hinterland Quarry Action Group emphasizes that every single submission matters, regardless of length or expertise. They need residents to understand that after years of lobbying council directly without success, these planning scheme submissions represent the community’s last opportunity to force change.
“A submission is nothing more than a letter,” HQAG explains. “Everyone can do it, and you can submit multiple times as long as each submission raises different points.”
HQAG wants residents to begin their submissions with this clear statement:
“I strongly disagree with the proposed planning scheme arrangements for Dulong and Image Flat quarries because they must have the same impact assessable rights, responsibilities and planning protections as those provided for all Sunshine Coast private quarries.”
Why HQAG Says This Matters Now
The Hinterland Quarry Action Group points out that council has defended maintaining the inequitable arrangements for operational and cost reasons, ignoring community safety concerns. With the proposed Planning Scheme potentially governing the region for the next 20 years, HQAG says this is the critical moment to prevent the dangerous double standard from being entrenched permanently.
They remind residents that even if hundreds oppose the quarry provisions, council isn’t legally obligated to change them – but significant community opposition creates substantial political pressure that makes change more likely.
Anne Veivers from HQAG said: “The Planning Scheme review is the hinterland’s only chance to stand up and be heard by writing submissions. It’s shocking we have to demand Sunshine Coast Council gives us our quarry development protections and rights back. But it’s what we have to do, so let’s all do it.”
How to Submit: HQAG’s Step-by-Step Process
The Hinterland Quarry Action Group has prepared comprehensive guides to help residents make effective submissions:
Online submission portal: https://haveyoursay.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/newplanningscheme
Key requirements:
- Include your name, residential address, and email or postal address
- Use clear language like “strongly object” to avoid misinterpretation
- Complete in one session (cannot save and return later)
- Consider preparing your submission offline first
Alternative methods:
- Email submission (no signature required)
- Hard copy written submission (must be signed by all submitters listed)
Get Connected with HQAG
For detailed submission guides, templates, and ongoing updates:
- Follow: Hinterland Quarry Action Group on Facebook
- Email: hinterlandquarry.ag@gmail.com (to join mailing list)
- Phone: 0416 155 116 (for questions)
- Read: MADCA Community Connect and Range Community News
HQAG’s Final Message: Don’t Let This Opportunity Pass
The Hinterland Quarry Action Group’s message is clear: after three years of fighting for equitable treatment of council quarries, this planning scheme submission period is the community’s last chance to create change. They need every household to participate, reminding residents that multiple submissions from the same address are allowed as long as each raises different concerns. “Your voice matters, and your community’s future depends on it,” HQAG states. “The deadline is fast approaching – don’t let this opportunity pass.”
Submissions must be completed by midnight, Friday 19 September 2025.
Who should write a quarry submission
How to make a quarry submission
Key points for quarry submissions
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