Joint Media Release: Hornsby sees its quarry half full thanks to NorthConnex spoil

A new public park at Hornsby in northern Sydney is a step closer to becoming a reality, with the task of filling Hornsby Quarry with spoil from the massive NorthConnex project reaching the halfway mark.

Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher said that with half of the planned 1 million cubic metres of spoil already deposited into the void by a state-of-the-art telescopic conveyor system, the former quarry’s pit was steadily being filled.

“Using NorthConnex spoil to transform this blot on the local landscape into a pleasant, multi-use asset for the community is a major win for Hornsby and northern Sydney generally,” Mr Fletcher said.

“In addition, NorthConnex will remove 5,000 trucks per day from nearby Pennant Hills Road – thanks to the $3 billion free-flowing motorway link between the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga and the Hills M2 Motorway.”

New South Wales Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said 500,000 cubic metres of spoil had now been delivered to the quarry, while the project is expected to generate about 2.25 million cubic metres of tunnel spoil.

“The 65,000 to 75,000 cubic metres of sandstone and shale spoil trucked from NorthConnex to the quarry every month will fill about one third of the quarry, thereby enabling Hornsby Shire Council to start rehabilitating the site,” Mr Constance said.

Federal Member for Berowra Julian Leeser said using NorthConnex spoil to help rehabilitate the Hornsby Quarry site had also substantially reduced NorthConnex’s haulage costs.

“Using Hornsby Quarry has saved around 3.7 million kilometres worth of driving which is delivering economic savings, improved environmental outcomes and reduced congestion on Sydney roads,” Mr Leeser said.

New South Wales Member for Hornsby Matt Kean said the initiative was a good example of multiple levels of government working together to achieve positive results for the entire community.

“This is an example of what can be achieved when all levels of Government work together. This project will transform the quarry into the Centennial Park of the North - a destination park for the region,” Mr Kean said.

Hornsby Shire Mayor Philip Ruddock said the Council is working with the public to design the planned 50-hectare park on the site of the rehabilitated quarry.

“This will be a park that is designed by the community,” Mayor Ruddock said.

“Around 1,200 surveys were completed by the community during our first public consultation phase, all bursting with creative ideas for the future development of the site.”

Fifty third-year landscape architecture students from the University of NSW have also been invited to visit the project and develop their own proposals.

Work on NorthConnex started in February 2015 and is expected to be completed in late 2019, weather permitting. The new park is expected to open in 2023.

The Australian and New South Wales governments have each committed $412.33 million towards the $3 billion project.

For more information on NorthConnex, visit northconnex.com.au.