There’s another chance to meet some or maybe all the council election candidates, this time in Pomona. 

But unlike some recently organised meets, this one does not have advance questions for candidates to answer, nor a restricted audience demographic. Not even a cover charge. 

For this Monday, March 4 meeting is firstly an information one, to bring community members and, hopefully, councillor and mayoral candidates, to be updated on the issue of the Kin Kin quarry and its ever-increasing consequences upon Noosa’s hinterland. 

Organised by the 632-member community group Save Noosa Hinterland, which also has more than 1600 Facebook supporters, the meeting will also include representatives from Main Roads and police. 

Spokeswoman Sarah Keating said due to awaiting an outcome of a court case concerning aspects of the ongoing quarry issue – which has been nearly two years – regular ‘round-table’ meetings with stakeholders had not been frequent during this time. 

“It’s a setback, but there’s very little we can do,” she said. 

“But then we had an annual general meeting for the group a couple of weeks ago, and we feel now is the right time [to restart the round tables].” 

Ms Keating said Noosa MP Sandy Bolton had advised her unavailability for the upcoming meeting but that Sandy “has been very good; we had a meeting in December to get an update about the TMR review, extraction volumes and the IEPA progress”. 

“Unfortunately, she can’t come to the meeting as she will be in Parliament.” 

Ms Keating said all council candidates will receive an update on the quarry issue, where residents on the haulage routes have to endure up to 288 daily truck or truck-and-dog movements past their homes five days a week and as well on a Saturday– on what the tourism industry calls a “scenic hinterland drive”. 

“That’s one every two-and-a-half minutes, from 6am to 6pm,” Ms Keating said. 

She said quarry operator Cordwells was looking to expand its operations while awaiting a federal government decision on the affected land’s status under EPBC legislation. 

The Main Roads department had already resurfaced most of Pomona Kin Kin Rd, which includes a new bridge over Six Mile Creek, new bookend at the range and two new areas to be completed shortly on the same stretch of road. 

Much of the road materials have apparently been supplied by – you guessed it – Cordwells. 

The meeting is taking place at the Majestic Theatre, Factory St, Pomona, on Monday March 4, from 6pm to 7.30pm.