Arabic version: المزارعون يتظاهرون ضد المحجر المقترح في وادي لوكيا في كوينزلاند

Queensland farmers are raising concerns over a proposed sandstone quarry that would impact family-owned farmland in the Lockyer Valley. According to ABC News, the quarry is planned by Rosehill Sandstone and would cover a section of Daniel Storey’s family property, which has been farmed since the 1920s.

Storey, a fourth-generation farmer, fears that the quarry’s operations will disrupt his cattle farming and lower the land’s carrying capacity. The company has applied for a mining lease over 62.2 hectares, which includes a 21.6-hectare section of Storey’s 100-hectare property, with an estimated deposit of about one million cubic meters of stone, enough to support mining for up to 50 years.

Rosehill Sandstone’s manager, John Doherty, stated that only about one to five hectares would be actively disturbed at any given time, and the company is committed to progressive rehabilitation of the land. However, local farmers like Storey are skeptical about the impact on their agricultural operations.

The quarry is projected to create 12 to 15 jobs and contribute approximately $3 million to the local economy. Despite this, the local community is concerned about the long-term effects on the landscape, which they consider integral to their way of life. A public meeting is scheduled for today at the Junction View Community Hall to further discuss these issues, with community leaders emphasizing the importance of preserving the region’s agricultural heritage.