The Mount Cotton community is facing a major shake-up as federal authorities re-examine a long-approved quarry expansion after internal documents revealed serious concerns about its environmental impacts and compliance with past promises.
Environmental Conditions Under Scrutiny
The Mount Cotton Quarry, approved for expansion in 2012 and operated by Barro Group in southeast Queensland, is now under federal review following leaked government emails. Stage 1 works began in 2023, but officials have raised concerns about unmet environmental commitments tied to the project’s original approval.
The site, active since the 1960s and recognised as a Key Resource Area in 2004, plays a key role in supplying construction materials across South East Queensland. Federal emails revealed delays in building a conveyor belt meant to reduce truck traffic, as well as missing koala fencing and fauna crossings.
The conveyor is now not expected until 2040, yet quarrying is set to begin in mid-2024. With koalas now listed as endangered and truck movements projected to reach 16 per hour, scrutiny is increasing over the project’s impact on wildlife, air quality, and local roads.
Council And Community Response
Redland City Council says it is reviewing expert advice and seeking legal input on the quarry’s development conditions, after earlier calls for stricter rules were not adopted in 2019. Local residents say they were left out of the loop during a recent federal consultation, which ran from 19 May to 3 June.
Some worry the quarry’s expansion could damage wildlife corridors, local roads and air quality. The Community Reference Group continues to meet with Barro Group, which states that over 75 percent of the 250-hectare site will remain conserved. The company has also planted thousands of native trees and is building an 8-metre-high vegetated barrier to reduce dust and noise impacts.
Regulation And Future Approvals
The Mount Cotton Quarry is regulated by both state and federal agencies, with strict conditions on noise, dust, water management, and complaint reporting. While monitoring is ongoing, some environmental offsets and infrastructure works are still waiting final state approvals.
The federal Environment Department has reopened its review of the project’s approval. Environment Minister Murray Watt or his delegate will decide whether to revoke the original approval or impose stricter new conditions. That decision is likely to consider updated biodiversity protections and signs the quarry hasn’t met earlier commitments.
What’s Next For Mount Cotton?
While construction and early works continue at Mount Cotton Quarry, uncertainty remains over how far the project can go under its current permissions. Community members and environmental groups have signalled they want stronger protections and better transparency moving forward.
Whether this review results in tighter restrictions or allows the expansion to proceed as-is, the outcome could shape how other major developments are assessed in Queensland, especially those near residential and sensitive environmental zones.
Published 4-June-2025
Featured Photo Credit: No Mt Cotton Superquarry/Facebook
