GOSFORD QUARRIES CIVIL SANDSTONE FOR VENM MATERIAL SUPPLY

Gosford Quarries Sandstone landscaping logs, soil retention & filtration rock

Simply, sandstone does not go in and out of fashion as a civil landscaping material and because of Gosford Quarries’ quality control and adherence to civil specification is highly prized and sought in the Civil Industry across NSW. Sandstone also gives a softer more pleasing overall visual look when compared to basalt or man-made concrete civil landscaping materials.

At Gosford Quarries we have a wide range of ‘quarry stage’ raw sandstone civil products to suit any Civil project at scale.

Sandstone Is A Perfect Virgin Excavated Natural Material (VENM) For Civil Projects

Gosford Quarries Sandstone supplies large boulders, flat boulders, gabion, embankment rocks, rock armoury, stormwater aprons (also known as rip rap aprons), rock revetment, landscaping logs, blade walling, random-shaped walling rock, filtration rock for watercourses, kerbstone and road-based spall rock. We have dimension raw quarry stone to suit and meet Civil Engineer specifications and have the capacity to supply larger quantities in faster turnaround times than our industry competitors.

Gosford Quarries Sandstone landscaping logs, soil retention & filtration rock

What Is Virgin Excavated Natural Material (VENM)?

VENM is actually an acronym to describe a natural material as defined in the “The Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act)”.

VENM, that is, virgin excavated natural material’ is any clay, gravel, sand, soil or rock ‘fines’ that have been excavated or quarried from uncontaminated areas and that have NO EXPOSURE to man-made and manufactured chemicals and where there may be residual contamination to the natural material.

The definition and requirements to be met for classing VENM are mandated and communicated via an “EPA Gazettal notice” from the NSW Environment Protection Authority. ‘Government Gazette’ can be used as a search term to find these Gazettes on their website.

The EPA’s latest ‘EPA Gazette’ for May 2021 PDF can be located here relating to VENM and other NSW council legislation, etc.

Even though a ‘pure’ material in environmental and sustainable regards, VENM is also classified as waste being “pre-classified as general solid waste (non-putrescible)”. See an official waste classification reference here.

Gosford Quarries Sandstone landscaping logs, soil retention & filtration rock

Why Use Sandstone As A Virgin Excavated Natural Material Instead Of Tunnel Spoil For A Natural Civil Material?

When large mining and tunnelling civil contractors excavate large holes the excavated material (“Tunnel Spoil”) is mostly sold to supply civil and public projects. The result can be a significantly varied product with consequential large variances in quality.

Tunnel Spoil (for example excavation spoils from North Connex) is a potentially contaminated material by its very nature of extraction. In a 1000 tonne mix, you may have metal needle pins and filings, shale, soft and hard sandstone, wet sandstone with varied properties, etc. This would not pass the definition of sought after VENM for Civil Projects as well, as tunnel spoil (it is in the name; spoil) is actually a contaminated material by the inclusion of contaminant materials intermarried by the actual excavation process and byproducts ensuing from mechanical extraction.

Gosford Quarries Sandstone landscaping logs, soil retention & filtration rock

Sandstone As VENM Material For Civil Works

The Gosford Quarries Sandstone good name is renowned for quality and our company for the ability to supply large sandstone raw quarry civil products in approximate 3-day turnarounds.

Civil Designers seek natural materials with new environmental and sustainable mandates through government controls and directives.

We are often asked by civil engineers, out of concern, the suitability of sandstone as a material sedimentary porous rock if its nature is suitable for use in civil waterway projects, where there is exposure to moisture and direct water contact, especially in marine installations where large boulders have significant physically wave attack, etc.

Sandstone, in fact, is more suitable and stronger than other materials and man-made blocks (concrete materials, etc).

In regards to MPA density (recent studies reveal an MPA of 70, better than some other hard stones) revealing that the strength of sandstone is GREATER than that of concrete.

Wet sandstone is stronger than concrete

For Civil Designers, it is crucial to have natural filtration material in projects involving national parks, creeks, rivers and waterways. Sandstone, again, is a perfect, purely functional filtration and sediment retention natural stone material.

Sandstone is also incredibly durable with longevity far beyond other materials when compared which may have a life of around 10 years.

Apart from government environmental mandates, functional and civil engineering concerns, sandstone also grants the benefit of aesthetics to the Civil Designer. Natural Sandstone affords a visual ‘hand in glove’ blending of application to the environment.

Using 100% natural Australian Sandstone gives an environmentally suitable civil material that, by its very nature originating from our beautiful land, integrates to coalesce VENM with civil design in situ.

Gosford Quarries Sandstone landscaping logs, soil retention & filtration rock

Gosford Quarries Compliances In Civil Law, Business Practice, Corporate Citizenship and Environmental Sustainability

Our compliance is an overall consideration for the environment and sustainability. 

We source the majority of our Civil Products from our quarries at Wondabyne, Cattai and East Kurrajong, located North West of Sydney.

We are compliant with all associated Authorities with regards to our extraction processes and these compliances are also accompanied by quarterly mandatory testing for both the extracted material and its surrounding environment.

With our dedication to meet the requirements of our Mine Safety Management System and in accordance with our Environmental Impact Statement, we continue to re-habilitate the environment as we produce the natural resource of Australian Sandstone which is classified as, Virgin Excavated Natural Material (VENM).

We have and continue to supply our materials to many projects across NSW to both Government and Non-Government sectors.

All Gosford Quarries sandstone civil sandstone products are tested and RMS compliant, and meet “Blacktown Specifications”, etc.

Synonymous with our good name in the highest quality sandstone materials across residential, commercial, civic and heritage sectors, our high-grade sandstone product are the consequence of rigorous and constant testing regimes to ensure the quality of end product for sandstone supply.

Unlike most quarries targeted for aggregate and ripped concrete product, we quarry to target the high value, high-end sandstone product for all sectors, and this is especially true in our Civil Sandstone product range.

Our Wondabyne Quarry is nearly 100 years old, besides all testing regimes, it has a history of performance unparalleled in the industry for civil sandstone VENM supply.  Our other quarries are between 40-50 years old with arguably as much testing data and quality assurance proved over time and consistency of supply to the civil sector in NSW and other states.

Gosford Quarries Commitment To Environmental Management, Sustainability And Landcare

All Gosford Quarries quarry sites have an end-use management system in place. For example, one of our quarries has been earmarked for commercial use post quarrying (when the quarry is deemed exhausted from excavation and no remaining high-quality sandstone product to be extracted). At this time the site can become an industrial area.

Other quarries have an end-use agreement with Council and Crown Land to be restored to exactly as they were before quarrying took place. This program is also overseen by Council and Crown Land alike. This involves replanting and revegetation sites back to a completely natural environment where you would never know mining or extraction took place.

As we quarry we also seed bank topsoils and use this for our rehabilitation of the site. This also ensures microbial life and entire insect ecosystems continue to renew organically and the soil returned is endemic to the land and environment, fully suitable, unlike soil that would be shipped in from another site for landfill, etc.

Australian Sandstone is a 100% recyclable product with no true waste, 100% reusable and repurposed with full environmental and sustainable responsibility with long term management plans and our sincere commitment to Landcare and responsibilities as an Australian corporate citizen. This is something Gosford Quarries takes incredibly seriously as a company.

Gosford Quarries Expert Consultation and Advice For Civil Construction, Civil Engineering and Public Works

The expert sandstone team at Gosford Quarries are here to speak about your Civil Construction and Engineering Projects and Public Works Projects at any scale.  We can work with you from conception to construction and support the realisation of your design and architectural vision for any civil or public construction project. Call us today on 02 8585 8282.

Peace of Mind When you Choose Gosford Quarries as your Civil Sandstone Supplier

Gosford Quarries source ALL of our 100% Australian raw and crushed civil sandstone materials from exclusively owned quarries. All our products are tested to reach a benchmark of quality which we never compromise, that's why landscape Architects, Governments and councils choose Gosford Quarries Sandstone for peace of mind.

Gosford Quarries are local to supply for Sydney Council’s and this is one of our greatest strengths as a sandstone supplier in the Australian market. Sandstone council landscaping projects are particularly interested in incorporating quality Australian sandstone into their designs and public spaces.

• Gosford Quarries are not just known for the quality of our products, our adherence to Standards, our quality controls, our expert knowledge, our robust supply capabilities to scale and our technical capabilities with the latest technological advances.
• Gosford Quarries are also known for their word. They do what they say and constantly look for ways to improve their customer service and ensure their customers are confident and can trust the Gosford Quarries name.
• Gosford Quarries are the go-to for all things sandstone across four sectors; residential, commercial, civil and heritage sandstone projects. This is particularly true in Civil Sandstone Supply.

Gosford Quarries are keen to grow their civil client base and public work contracts and they would love to hear from you to show you why they are Australia’s Number 1 Sandstone Supplier.

Call GQ today on 02 8585 8282.