Any reference to CASACIR or its directors, shareholders, owners or operators relates to pre-14 February 2024 when the company was sold. In no way can anything said relate to the company or its new owners, operators, directors, and shareholders after that sale.
I made a number of complaints direct to the quarry, but they were disregarded.
The DPI “Work Plan Conditions – Assessment Protocol” dated 9/3/10 (the only one performed) states (6.3): “What was the date and substance of the last Complaint. What was the outcome” The answer was “”None received”. So, in spite of the following complaints, the 15 complaints made (up to the date of the Assessment”, none of them were noted in the complaints register. It is doubtful then that the additional more recent complaints were logged. I gave up complaining direct to them because they did nothing. Some of the correspondence is identified below.
On 31/08/09, I did a site visit to object to the illegal and unauthorised works on Kookaburra Creek – works done without any permit or authorisation, and which works robed us f the flow of Kookaburra Creek.
On 17/09/09 at 07.16pm I texted Paul, the quarry manager: “Paul, I obtained a urgent vcat hearing for tomorrow, so no works can happen on site until there is a determination. This means no blasting either. I have emailed David & Tom and sent a fax to their planning rep at Focus. Please confirm receipt of this sms” – no surprise that no reply was received and nothing changed – in fact, they did not wait for VCAT to make a decision, but went ahead and blasted anyway.
On 10/10/09 at 08.41am I sent Paul the following text: Complaints – yet again well over the noise limit Paul & that is a just moving soil! Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
On 13/10/09 at 03.10pm I sent Paul the following text: “What will it take for you to comply Paul?” Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
On 03/11/09 I did a site visit to object about them working on Melbourne Cup day. Later that day (at 02.31pm), I sent the following text: “Paul, it is clear that you as quarry manager & Casacir as a company care nothing for compliance. You are, and will be held, responsible for all breaches. You are currently (today) in many breaches including working on a public holiday& over the limit noise”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
On 27/11/09 at 09.56am I telephone Paul objecting to dust exiting the site and over the limit noise. He told me that the noise was none of my business, and there was no change.
On 28/11/09 at 04.53am I sent Paul a text: “Paul, I don’t appreciate you telling me that the quarry noise limit has nothing to do with me – it has everything to do with me when you chose to ignore the limits and continue to destroy my amenity”. Later that day, I sent a letter to man X, man Y and CASACIR’s solicitor (at their request) letting them know that noise was over limit and dust was exiting the site… again. He obviously didn’t let them know or they didn’t care … again.
On 30/11/09 I sent a further letter to man X, man Y and CASACIR’s solicitor (at their request) letting them know that noise was over limit … again. He obviously didn’t let them know or they didn’t care.
On 23/12/09 at 09.58pm I sent a text to Paul: “Paul, please tell me what day the quarry is not working to make up for the breach of Melbourne Cup”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
On 04/01/10 at 08.00am I sent a text to Paul: “Paul, happy new year. You are over the limit – the limit being 45 dB(A). Therefore you continue to be in breach with noise (amongst the many other breaches). I do hope you do not intend to use the unsilenced drill you have there. Please advise how you are going to comply”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change. Then at 10.03am I sent a text to Paul: “Paul, so you already used the un-silenced drill in breach of conditions. Why am I not surprised”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change. Then in desperation, at 03:36pm I sent a further text to Paul: “Paul I acknowledge your call advising the blasting is postponed ‘til Wednesday. I also note you have not responded to my previous sms messages”. Needless to say, there was still no reply.
On 04/01/10I sent an email complaint about the lack of road maintenance.
On 11/01/10I sent another email complaint about the lack of road maintenance.
On 29/01/10I sent yet another email complaint about the lack of road maintenance.
On 07/04/10 at 09.51am I sent a text to Paul: “Paul, you are over the limit yet AGAIN”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change. Later that day, at 06.15pm, I sent a text to Paul: “Hi Paul, I am advising you that truck S14 138 was exceeding the truck speed limit, crossed over single and double lines and I had dust & stones from the truck hit my car. Please advise what yo intend to do about it”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
On 18/06/10 I sent yet another email complaint about the lack of road maintenance. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
On 07/12/10 at 12.18pm I sent a text to Paul: “Paul, yet again yo have significant dust leaving the site & the noise is over the construction limit. Kindly advise what you intend to do to remedy both situations”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
On 04/02/11 at 08.18am I sent a text to Paul: “Reduce the noise Paul – u r way over the limit AGAIN”. Needless to say, there was no reply and no change.
These were in addition to advising DPI, but nothing was done, no monitoring as a result and nothing has changed other than the locations from which the noise emits. And they were far from being the only times I had complaints, which were mostly aimed at DPI and council.