“Quarries are essential in securing affordable materials for Victorians, the process of transforming these spaces for community uses will also create jobs in the future,” the Victorian Minister for Resources Jaala Pulford said.
From Mar. 7, Quarry Transformation Grants will be accepting applications for design ideas to transform the current quarry sites into places that can benefit the local communities once production ends.
“Some of Victoria’s most iconic parks and popular tourist destinations were once quarries and these grants present an opportunity to create more spaces for communities to enjoy,” Pulford said.
A total of $550,000 is available for four projects across two categories: small quarries and larger operations. Grants will help fund feasibility studies, designs, or plans for future services including power networks and water management services.
Potential ideas the government is seeking include those that provide ongoing local community access and critical local services, generate employment opportunities, have a direct positive impact on surrounding land and property values or improve the overall liveability of the area.
Australia is home to at least 80,000 abandoned mining sites, posing a range of environmental, health and safety risks.
The extraction of natural resources often changes the original landscape and when abandoned, rarely leave enough soil and natural resources for life to return to the area.
Additionally, productive land is often reduced due to erosion after abandonment, while contaminants in the extraction sites also pose risks for air pollution from dust or toxins.
The grant applications open on March 7 and close on April 14.