Operations expression of interest

Reasons for pursual of external operator model via EOI 

During the council ordinary meeting held on December 8, 2022, council voted on the following resolution: 

• receive and note the report titled "Future Operation of Council Quarries” 
• agree to pursue an external management model for the future operations of the quarries business and operating sites from 1 July 2023
• resolve to proceed with the calling of expressions of interest for the lease and management of Image Flat quarry site (Lots 368 on FTY1901, Lot 858 on CG4800, Lot 861 on CG4801, Lot 11 on CP883883, Lot 3 on RP154740, Lot 14 on SP110907 and Lot 317 on C311711) and the Dulong quarry site (Lot 1 on RP163034 and Lot 3 on RP199680) in accordance with section 228 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, noting that the calling of expressions of interest would be in the public interest as the process will allow Council to receive a diverse range of competitive proposals that enables council to identify the solution that best aligns with the interests of the public and council. The EOI lease model was proposed to optimise the performance of these assets and their continuing contribution to the region as a sustainable source of supply of essential construction material. 

This resolution was voted against by Councillor D Law (Division 10). 

The resolution was voted for by Councillor M Jamieson (Mayor), Councillor Baberowski (Division 1), Councillor T Lansberg (Division 2), Councillor P Cox (Division 3), Councillor J Natoli (Division 4), Councillor C Dickson (Division 6), Councillor E Hungerford (Division 7), Councillor J O’Pray (Division 8) and Councillor Maria Suarez (Division 9).  

Please see the minutes from 8 December 2022, for further details go to Meetings, minutes and agendas. Note: meeting minutes and agendas from other council proceedings can be also be accessed.

Information about quarry operations EOI process 

A two-stage procurement process is currently underway to identify a commercial operator to manage the quarry business and sites. The initial EOI to market will seek proposals from suitably qualified and experienced operators.

Following the initial EOI [PDF 1.8MB], Council may proceed to undertake a closed or selected tender process with the shortlisted respondents who will be evaluated in accordance with Council’s Procurement Policy and procedures.

It is Council’s current intention that the preferred Tenderer would be appointed as the commercial operator which will be managed under the terms and conditions of an operational arrangement, considering the community impacts and benefits. Operational arrangements will be subject to further consideration pending consideration of EOI proposals as well as considering other factors and criteria including planning, environmental, land access and use and extraction of material issues.

Timeline for EOI process 

The anticipated timeline of the quarry operations EOI process hopes to finalise May 2024, however Council may adjust the timing at its discretion without prior notice. View the infographic as PNG or PDF [83kb]

 Explanation of proposed management and operation structure 

Council is seeking proposals for the management and operations of the quarries. The current and proposed ownership, management and operation of the quarries is shown in the infographic.

The proposed arrangement will only come into effect if there is a successful respondent following the EOI. Operational arrangements will be subject to further consideration pending consideration of EOI proposals as well as considering other factors and criteria including planning, environmental, land access and use and extraction of material issues.

Until such time as current arrangements change, Council will continue quarrying at both Dulong and Image Flat Quarries as it is necessary to access high-grade materials to enable Council to deliver infrastructure to the region in a cost-effective manner. 

You can review the current and proposed state as an infographic.

Effective management of EOI process 

The EOI process will involve probity auditing and advisory services delivered by Charles Kendall Australia, an independent business consultancy specialising in procurement. Probity advisors from Charles Kendall Australia will work with council’s internal procurement and project teams to ensure the EOI process is fair, transparent, accountable and auditable. 

Background of community consultation for quarry operations EOI 

Due to the nature and length of the EOI process, Council had planned to undertake community consultation following Stage 1 of the EOI process (generally a six-month timeframe). This was based on the need for Council to understand the feedback from commercial operators through Stage 1 of the EOI.

However, following the announcement of the EOI at the December 2022 Ordinary Meeting, it became clear that the potential level of change and uncertainty (around the quarry operations EOI process) resulted in concern within the community.

Although Council did not invite community input or contributions to the decision to release an EOI, Council acknowledges and values the opportunity to receive feedback from residents and interested parties.

In response to requests for information from the community, Council officers commenced a community engagement process including the following:

• Establishment of a Stakeholder Liaison Group (SLG) which would represent the broader community. Council agreed to facilitate the SLG regarding the EOI process, provide requested documentation regarding the current and historic operations of the quarries if deemed to not impact the commercial EOI process and listen to the feedback from the SLG. The SLG was intended to serve as a conduit to provide feedback from the broader community and disseminate information to residents and the community about the EOI process.   

 Council committed to:

• Undertake relevant engagement activities including meetings with the SLG to provide updates on the EOI progress. The frequency of SLG meetings is dependent on available information on the EOI process and relevant documentation. 
• Provide relevant information/documents to the SLG and community via release of the EOI tender and subsequent documentation. 
•  Provide the Community with information updates via Council websites and via information requests (subject to sensitivity and commercial in confidence information).
• Provide ongoing updates provided to the community via Stakeholder Liaison Group and other distributions of relevant information among residents.

Council’s commitment to inform and communicate with residents 

Council’s position about decision making is that it’s not always appropriate to undertake community engagement on operational matters, nor does the practice of engaging or consulting replace council’s responsibility for decision-making (refer to Community Engagement Policy).  

Where community engagement is not deemed appropriate, council commits to informing the community through distribution and provision of timely, accurate, factual and comprehensive communication in formats accessible for all audiences. Council commits to facilitating two-way communication by inviting feedback and correspondence through many channels, either to Council or via the divisional Councillor.  

Through the Stakeholder Liaison Group, Council commits to working with communities to identify and utilise the most appropriate and effective communication and engagement methods to promote equality of opportunity, create an environment for people to have their say and to address barriers to ongoing participation.

The project team will continue to improve and refine communication processes as the quarry operations EOI process progresses.

Management of correspondence and feedback 

Since voting on the EOI process in December 2022, Council has worked with the community to receive and respond to feedback and concerns about potential changes that may result from the EOI process, if successful.

Council has been responding to correspondence and feedback from the community where further information or questions were asked about the quarry operations EOI decision and process.

If the EOI is successful, Council intends to engage with respondents on key issues raised in community feedback. 

Expectation regarding community behaviour and conduct towards employees and quarry workers 

The wellbeing, health and safety of employees, contractors and community is Council’s most important responsibility and highest priority. The Wellbeing, Health and Safety Plan outlines the organisation’s commitment to employees by providing workplaces that support good health and wellbeing, including physical, mental, and positive and healthy interactions and relationships while performing their duties. 

To this end, all workers have the right to work in a safe and healthy environment without violence and harassment from members of the public.

Council and the project team are dedicated to ensuring the community consultation aspect of the process is respectful and constructive. 

If the EOI process is unsuccessful, will Council close the quarry operations at Image Flat and Dulong? 

If council decides not to progress to past the initial EOI Phase, operations will continue at Image Flat quarry and Dulong quarry with Sunshine Coast Council as operator and manager of these sites. Council will review ongoing operational improvements. 

Rock from the Image Flat and Dulong quarry sites makes valuable materials including aggregates and road bases used in the development of local infrastructure and roads. If the EOI is unsuccessful, council will continue quarrying at both sites for high-grade materials to enable Council to deliver infrastructure to the region in a cost-effective manner. 

Could there be changes to blast frequency, operating hours, extraction limits and truck movements, if the EOI is successful? 

Council will not know details about possible changes to operational activities until the responses are received from respondents as part of the EOI process (refer to the Quarry Operations EOI Project Timeline).

Any changes to how the quarry sites are currently operated may require further consultation or approvals from the Department of Environment and Science or other relevant authorities.

How will council inform the community about new information or decisions as the quarry operations EOI progresses? 

This web page is the primary source of information about the quarry operations EOI process and associated decisions. Council asks the community to check the online FAQs in the first instance, to see if their queries can be answered by information provided on this page.

Future updates and new information will be added to this page as the EOI process progresses throughout 2023 and 2024. Any new information or answers generated by questions received from the public will be added to this page. This process will assist Council to better inform the community.

Other information about quarry products and day-to-day operations can be found at Orders and Quotes and Quarry Operations and Community Information. 

How will planning related issues be considered in relation to Key Resource Area status?

A number of lots at Image Flat Quarry are recognised as a Key Resource Area(PDF, 27.3MB) [Refer to KRA 53 as at July 2021]. Dulong Quarry lots are also recognised as a Key Resource Area(PDF, 22.7MB) [Refer to KRA 148]. Image Flat Quarry and Dulong Quarry are included in the State Planning Policy (SPP). This ensures the State’s interests - such as agriculture, tourism and extractive industries - are considered and integrated into regional plans, local government planning schemes and form part of the development assessment process. Council has and will consider all planning related issues through the quarry operations EOI process and during the assessment of tender submissions. 

How will quarry operations be considered as part of council’s proposed planning scheme?

Council seeks to ensure that quarries contribute to improved economic, social and environmental outcomes for the Sunshine Coast region, and any successful proposal must align with this vision. As at October 2023, Council is in the process of drafting a new planning scheme for the Sunshine Coast, which involves a review of zoning, overlays and levels of assessment and is to be prepared in accordance with State legislation. The preparation of a new planning scheme is a lengthy process, involving multiple steps and follows a process set out by the Minister’s Guidelines and Rules 2023. In due course, Council will be engaging with the community through a formal consultation process in which community feedback will be sought on the proposed planning scheme. If you would like to receive project updates and be notified about community engagement activities for the new planning scheme, please review and register through the project. 

Why was the quarry operations EOI released on a weekend? 

Council’s standard practice is to release public tenders and EOI weekly on Saturday. Suppliers registered with council’s tender alert service receive an email the day prior (Friday) advising of tenders and EOIs scheduled to be released the following day (Saturday). 

The quarry operations EOI was released Saturday 9 September 2023 via an electronic tendering system (Queensland Government QTenders). The precise timing of the EOI release on the QTender website was managed and controlled by QTenders, not Council. 

Interested respondents can obtain tender and expression of interest documents at QTenders or view the EOI document.[PDF 1.78MB]

Some people’s past requests for information and documents from Council haven’t been fulfilled. Why is this? 

Council has a commitment to be open and transparent, however disclosure of information and documents is subject to legal and policy requirements.  

Consideration is given to the provision of requested documents, data and information within realistic and reasonable timeframes in line with available resources. Requests for documents or information may not be achievable due to factors such as resource limitations; personnel availability; delays with accessing archives, historical information and record keeping systems; limitations and approval processes cause by governance and legislative requirements; and reliability of documentation requested via other government authorities and Queensland Government departments. 

Customers may make a formal application to access specific documents by contacting council’s right to information (RTI) officer on [email protected] or find out more about RTI. 

What can council tell the community about the presence of silica dust at quarry sites and how does Council test for this? 

Image Flat Quarry and Dulong Quarry comply with all statutory requirements, including any reporting requirements to the Queensland Mines Inspectorate.

Crystalline silica and general dust monitoring is conducted by an independent third-party contractor quarterly. The monitoring results are collated by Resources Safety & Health Queensland.

Crystalline silica monitoring data for Image Flat Quarry and Dulong Quarry do not exceed the general exposure limit of 0.05 milligrams per cubic metre (mg/m3) averaged over an eight-hour period (8-h time-weighted average).

What is council doing about truck driver behaviour for vehicles servicing the Image Flat and Dulong quarry sites? 

On Queensland roads, speeding is defined as driving at a speed higher than the posted speed limit or at a speed that is inappropriate to the driving conditions. Road users and residents who witness this type of driver behaviour by any vehicle should report observations of illegal driving to Policelink by calling 131 444 or online. 

Drivers of trucks contracted by the quarry must adhere to the posted road speed limits. Council’s quarry manager holds daily prestart meetings with contracted truck drivers to reinforce council’s priority is the safety of all road users and truck drivers must adhere to the posted speed and drive to conditions.  

Council advises that quarry-related vehicles are among the larger grouping of trucks travelling on roads in the Image Flat and Dulong area. Many other commercial and private contractor trucks operated by other service providers may also be present on local roads for unrelated activities. These include B double trucks which do not service or visit the Image Flat and Dulong quarry sites. 

The community are encouraged to be mindful that not all trucks on roads around the Image Flat quarry and Dulong quarry relate to servicing the quarry, and not all trucks present on the roads are there to conduct council business. 

More information about trucks servicing Image Flat and Dulong quarry sites for quarry business or product transportation can be found on Quarry operations and community information.  

What kind of monitoring occurs to check the quantity of trucks using local roads in Dulong and Image Flat? 

During the most recent truck haul campaign (end of May to mid July 2023), council carried out traffic counting activities to gain an understanding of the number of quarry trucks using local roads in Dulong and Image Flat. Placement of traffic tubes on Sherwell Road and Image Flat Road recorded the number of vehicles and the weight and speed of vehicles travelling on these roads:

• during the evaluation period, the volume of heavy vehicles (see below definition) travelling on Sherwell Road was 31.3 per cent. Of these heavy vehicles, 16.1 per cent were attributed to servicing the quarry (entering or exiting quarry sites by council contracted haul trucks or commercial operators collecting product)
• during the evaluation period, the volume of heavy vehicles (see below definition) travelling on Image Flat Road was 26.3 per cent. Of these heavy vehicles, 4.2 per cent were attributed to servicing the quarry (entering or exiting quarry sites by council contracted haul trucks or commercial operators collecting product). 

Heavy vehicles are classified as truck, prime mover, bus, articulated bus, amphibious vehicle/vessel and motorhome with more than 4.5t gross vehicle mass (GVM). (Source: Transport and Main Roads)

More information about trucks servicing Image Flat and Dulong quarry sites (for quarry business or product transportation) can be found on Quarry operations and community information. 

Will there be mobile crushing and processing occurring at Dulong quarry in the future? 

Currently, crushing and processing occurs only at Image Flat quarry. 

If a successful commercial operator is appointed there may be changes to activities undertaken at Dulong quarry to suit the commercial operator’s business processes. As per above advice, council won’t know these details until the responses are received from commercial operators as part of the EOI process. 

Where would council obtain their gravel and rock products, if not from Image Flat and Dulong? 

If council were unable to obtain gravel and rock products from Image Flat and Dulong quarries, an alternative supply source from a commercial operator would need to be arranged. A change in supply for rock products may cause an increase in costs to council through the requirement to pay more for product and haulage charged by commercial operators at other quarry sites. 

What was the reason behind a waterway on Dulong School Road becoming discoloured in June 2023? 

An incident occurred on Wednesday 14 June 2023 unrelated to operations of the nearby Dulong quarry. 

During scheduled maintenance works designed to control sediment and prevent erosion, a green-coloured sediment control product was sprayed on the surface of a roadside embankment along Dulong School Road. 

Regrettably, a portion of the substance ran into the creek, even though council workers had installed environmental control measures including coir logs, silt socks, and rocked drain outlets. 

The substance that entered the creek was an environmentally friendly (non-toxic) erosion control product called GRT: Enviro Binder which contained vegetable-based green pigment, resulting in dispersion of green colouration to the creek water.  

Council engaged the services of an ecologist to undertake assessments at the site. The ecologist reported: 

• no mortality or other apparent impacts to aquatic fauna were observed during the monitoring
• several aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates were seen in and around the creek during monitoring, and numerous native birds were observed in and around the creek 
• the dye present in the water during the first monitoring effort has largely dissipated by the time of the second and third monitoring events. 

Communication to residents occurred and extensive stakeholder engagement from internal and external specialists was undertaken, including SCC Waterway specialists, external ecologists, DES, product manufacturer, and external environmental groups for notification of impacts.  

Ecological assessments will be ongoing and appropriate measures will be in place for environmental assessment. 

How can people register for future updates about the quarry operations EOI? 

Members of the community can request to receive updates about the Image Flat quarry and Dulong quarry operations EOI, by sending an email to [email protected]. The sender’s email address will be added to the community updates database.

Important Information: The email inbox referenced above (QuarryComms@SunshineCoast) will only operate for the purpose of receiving community update registrations. Emails about other matters will not be actioned if sent to this email box. For other types of matters such as residential questions, community concerns or official complaints, please submit a request online or email [email protected] 

How can people contact council to provide feedback?  

If you have questions which cannot be answered by the website and FAQs, please contact the project team by submitting a request online or email [email protected]. 

Please note that not all requests for information or documentation can be fulfilled due to factors such as resource limitations; personnel availability; delays with accessing archives, historical information and record keeping systems; limitations and approval processes cause by governance and legislative requirements; and reliability of documentation requested via other government authorities and Queensland Government departments. 

Information on this page is accurate at the time of publishing (11 September 2023).