Stevenson proudly hosted a community open day at their Waingaro Quarry on Sunday 23 March.

Attracting over 500 attendees, the event brought together locals and visitors for a fun and education-filled day at the quarry. The quarry open day offered a rare opportunity for local residents and the wider community to get an inside look at the Waingaro Quarry, which has been part of the Ngāruawāhia landscape since 1947.

Visitors were treated to a unique view of the quarry pits and got to see up-close the impressive heavy machinery used to operate the quarry.

Stevenson’s General Manager – Aggregates, Kurt Hine says the open day was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the quarry, share our proposed plans and hear from our local community.

“We’re thrilled by the turnout and the positive response from our neighbours and the community,” says Kurt.

“Sharing the expansion proposal is important so we can continue to engage with the local community and incorporate their feedback in our plans.”

Knowledgeable staff and advisors were on hand to answer questions posed by visitors and provided insights into the quarry’s current operations and future.

“Quarries and the aggregate they produce play a crucial role in construction and infrastructure projects that are part of building and looking after our community.”

“Community events like our open day help share the important role quarries play and increase awareness of our industry,” says Kurt.

Former staff and quarry enthusiasts were also in attendance, taking a stroll down memory lane and discussing the intricacies of quarry operation with staff.

Ngāruawāhia Community Board member, Venessa Rice, worked at the quarry nearly 20 years ago and attended the open day as part of the Ngāruawāhia Community House team supporting the event.

“It was fantastic to see locals and the wider community coming out and having a great time while learning about how the quarry works and what’s proposed for the future.”

“Many people don’t know that having a local aggregate supply helps reduce the cost of things that really matter to our community like road repairs and new developments,” says Venessa.

The proposed quarry expansion plans will support future local and regional growth with a secure supply of aggregate. Local aggregate reduces transportation costs and the carbon footprint of infrastructure and construction projects.

The quarry expansion plans are still under development, with technical assessments and reports underway. Staff are preparing to lodge the expansion applications later in the year.  

Learn more about the proposed Waingaro Quarry expansion at stevenson.co.nz/waingaroproject and sign up for project updates.