Ballina Sands Quarry - Newrybar

Ballina Sands quarry is located approximately 300 metres north of the intersection of Ross Lane and Newrybar Swamp Road and is situated on flat, low-lying coastal soils in the Newrybar Swamp area characterised by sandy soils and a high underlying water table.

The extraction area appears as a large pit lake with varying depths with initial plans identifying extraction depths up to three meters below ground level. The pit lake has been created by the extraction of product by excavator and more recently in late 2022, dredging was used to extract the product. The operations area and pit are surrounded by vegetated earthen bunding which has been installed to reduce noise impacts, increase visual amenity and to isolate and divert incoming surface water from the operations area. The earthen bunds have been revegetated to the east, north and south, however further plantings are required to be undertaken on bunding generally to the west, northwest and southwest of the site.

Ballina Sands application for an extractive industry (sand) was approved under DA 2013/162 and the consent has operated from 19 March 2014. The approval has permission to extract a total of 610,000 M³ of indurated sand from the site with a total extraction rate of 80,000 M³ per annum. The approval allows the above total and annual limits or to operate for a period of not more than 15 years - whichever occurs first.

Environmental Constraints

Ballina Sands must operate the site in accordance with the submitted and updated Plan of Management and the conditions of the approval. as well as all conditions of the approval. The site must adhere to the provisions of a Soil and Water Management Plan and a Plan of Management which must be reviewed every 5 years. The site also holds an Environment Protection Licence (EPL) 20639 which limits any environmental discharge of pollutants from the site and is also monitored by Environment Protection Authority (EPA) officers.

Rehabilitation Requirements

The approval for Ballina Sands requires several areas to be progressively rehabilitated in accordance with the Vegetation Management Plan which involves the end use formation of a pit lake. The land immediately surrounding the extraction area including acoustic barriers which are 2.5 -3.5 meters in height will undergo revegetation works following cessation of quarry activities. The excavated area will continue as a man-made lake with vegetated surrounds along the western, southern and eastern boundaries and a sandy beach and regraded grass area on the north and north-western edge to protect key habitat of the protected Wallum Frog. The Vegetation Management Plan details specific measures for the protection of vegetation and habitat during works and the establishment of vegetated buffer zones including wind breaks, visual screens and earthen mounds as well as cane toad exclusion fencing. The vegetated areas and foreshores adjacent to the Wallum frog habitat is designed to restrict the ability of cane toads to infiltrate and utilise the Wallum frog habitat areas to the east of the lake. Rehabilitation is to be completed within twelve months of cessation of quarrying activities.