Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Armidale regional manager Simon Smith said Gunnedah Quarry Products Pty Ltd had entered into an enforceable undertaking with the authority under which it would contribute $32,000 towards a local koala research project.

He said the company had an Environment Protection Licence that allowed it to extract up to 100,000 tonnes of gravel a year from Mary’s Mount Quarry at Mullaley. 

“Between May 2013 and 2014 Gunnedah Quarry extracted a total 166,563 tonnes of material, that’s 66,653 tonnes in excess of the licence limit. This was not in accordance with the licence conditions,” he said.

Mr Smith said the EPA believed the incident had the potential to cause environmental harm, particularly in the form of noise and dust emissions. 

Under the agreement with the company, he said, the money would be given to the project, being carried out by the Office of Environment and Heritage.

“This project will provide a good environmental outcome and will benefit the long-term conservation of the koalas in the area,” Mr Smith said.

Community koala-sighting data, the tracking of koalas around the Mary’s Mount area using GPS collars, tree and habitat surveys, and looking at how koalas use the landscape will all come under the study.

The project will also study how koalas move through modified landscapes and the connectivity with known koala population centres to the east (Gunnedah) and to the west (Pilliga Forests). 

“It will help identify and protect critical linkages and help to make sure future planting programs are most effective for the koala population,” Mr Smith said. 

Gunnedah Quarry Products will also pay the EPA’s legal costs.