Limeburners Creek residents are no strangers to a fight. In the past decade they have won high profile battles against coal mining and coal seam gas proposals near their town.
This time it is a plan to create a hard rock quarry that has their blood boiling.
The project's business case says it would provide between 17 to 31 direct employees and contractors each year for the 30 year consent period.
In addition, it would contribute between $3.7 and $10.2 million per year in gross state product. A further $25.3 million in taxes and revenue would go to state and Federal Governments and $1.1 million would go to local councils for road maintenance over the project life.
But Ironstone Community Action Group secretary Amanda Albury says the quarry would devastate the community and the environment.
"If this project goes through it will have a catastrophic impact on everyone in a 360 degree radius. Hundreds of people will be impacted let alone the environment," she said.
On a personal level Ms Albury said the quarry would force the closure of her 18-year-old ecotourism business.
"From a wildlife perspective anything that can fly or jump away will move off our property. They won't be able to hear themselves talk to each other."
A Mid Coast Council submission to the Department of Planning Infrastructure and Environment said the proposal was significant and would cause the clearing and loss of a large area of native vegetation, affect local populations of threatened species and remove and modify areas of habitat for biodiversity and connectivity.
A spokeswoman for Ironstone Developments said the quarry was designed to ensure natural wind and noise breaks formed by the adjoining ridgelines would reduce the potential for noise and dust issues at surrounding properties.
"The sealed quarry access road was repositioned on multiple occasions to adopt a location that would minimise noise and dust impacts on adjoining properties," the spokeswoman said.
"Noise and dust impact assessments for the quarry have shown that no privately owned dwelling will be impacted above the health and amenity criteria."
The company rejected community concerns regarding potential impacts on water quality.
"The quarry has been designed to keep the quarry away from and protect Deep Creek," the spokeswoman said.
"Water management systems will include surface water diversions to direct clean water around the quarry and contain water from disturbance areas in sediment basins and water management dams.
"Water is only released from these dams during major rain events and only when it is of a quality that is consistent with or better than the existing water quality."
Water quality will be regulated though an environmental protection licence and reported monthly on a publicly available website.
