State Planning Policy 2/07 Guideline - Queensland Mining and Safety

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PIN GIN HILL KEY RESOURCE AREA – KRA 16
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA: Johnstone Shire
LOCATION:
The resource is located about 6 kilometres west of Innisfail, off the Palmerston Highway (see
map KRA 16).
EXTRACTIVE RESOURCE: Quarry Rock
EXTRACTIVE RESOURCE DESCRIPTION:
The resource consists of basalt, which occurs beneath about 3 metres of red soil in hills south
of the Palmerston Highway west of Innisfail.
The resource is the site of a large quarry operated for several decades by the Johnstone Shire
Council (the Palmerston Quarry) but which is now leased to a private company. Concrete and
bitumen aggregates and road base are produced.
SIGNIFICANCE:
The resource remaining is very large, sufficient for several decades at the present rate of
production. It is one of only two currently known sources capable of supplying a range of
high quality crushed products and is of strategic significance to the Innisfail district and areas
to the north as far as Babinda in Cairns City and Tully in Cardwell Shire.
SEPARATION AREA:
On the west, south and southeast the separation area boundary adopted is just beyond the
gentle ridge crests of the land rising above the quarry. The separation distance thus varies
from about 500 to 800 metres from the resource boundary. On the northeast the distance is at
a full 1000 metres as this land is lower and exposed to future operations on the resource. On
the north, the boundary is North Bamboo Creek, where it crosses Quarry Road, as this lies
along a ridge screening the surrounding land from quarry operations.
TRANSPORT ROUTE:
The materials are transported a short distance along the sealed Quarry Road to the Palmerston
Highway.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The northwestern section of the separation area in the KRA encompasses possible essential
cassowary habitat.
State Planning Policy 2/07 Guideline