Forbes Shire Quarries

Forbes Council operates a number of quarries across the Forbes Shire. Many of these quarries have been in operation for over 30 years and are utilised when roadworks are required in the surrounding areas. Quarries are operated on Crown Lands, via agreements directly with NSW Department of Industry, Council owned land and private land through agreements with the individual landowners. With strategic locations across the Shire, haulage costs are reduced, further adding to the benefit of Council operated quarries.

Utilising local contractors and Council staff, the quarries produce gravel for use on unsealed road maintenance and sealed road construction projects which provides a significant financial advantage to these works. Whilst the amount of gravel used from year to year varies, typically Council will use around 40,000 tonnes of material sourced from local quarries. With the highly competitive rate that Council produces its own gravel, combined with modified construction techniques utilised on local and regional roads, Council is able to deliver more kilometres of maintenance works across the road network than would otherwise be possible.

A number of techniques are used at the quarries to produce gravel to the required specification for road construction and maintenance projects. This includes conventional winning and crushing using a dozer and mobile crushing plant along with drill and blast methods followed by crushing to specification.

Quarry Management

Forbes Council has a Quarry Management Plan which provides management with a comprehensive direction for operations and future quarry development at each of the quarry operations. Integral to this plan are quality, technical, environmental, safety and planning considerations that are essential to sustainable management of quarries as well are being fundamental to compliance with the WHS Mines and Petroleum Act.

The financial sustainability of quarry operations is supported by the extensive construction and maintenance program that Council undertakes each year and is further contributed to through the private sale of gravel.

Contact Councils Quarry Manager during business hours on 02 6850 2300 for more information on private gravel sales or the development of a quarry on your property.