Bendigo Washed Sands
GARY MCCLURE, reports on the history and development of Bendigo Washed Sands.
THE tertiary gravels of White Hills had long been exploited for gold and sand products as far back as the late 1850’s. The gravel in Bendigo accumulated in situ as a result of high energy river systems that laid down broad sheets of the gravels draining north and north east from the central highlands.
Bendigo Washed Sands negotiated with Rocla Quarry Products to purchase the White Hills Amatek tertiary gravel quarry at Bendigo in 2000.
The remaining stone reserves at the time of purchase were estimated at about 200,000 cubic meters within three work authorities; WA 10, 16 and 533 which was processed at the Powell Street processing plant (WA 16). The current plant is rated nominally at an annual production in the order of 65,000 cubic meters of aggregate and sand products.
The Rocla operation was established in 1976 and have provided washed sand and aggregate products to the Bendigo market since. Raw gravel feedstock has subsequently been exhausted from WA 10 and WA 533 and is now transported to Bendigo from our quarry at Guilford, south of Castlemaine (WA 326).
The White Hills tertiary gravel formation has been used for many years as a source of sand and gravel for building, road construction and general construction purposes. The sand and aggregate is used by the ready mix concrete industry, garden and landscape suppliers.
The resource and plant site is significant, as it is less than 3 kilometres from the centre of Bendigo. The processing site consists of the plant area and associated process water and slimes dams with the remainder of the 12.96 hectare site containing product stockpiles and slimes drying areas.
Approximately 75% of the product is washed sand and 25% is washed aggregate including oversize that is crushed and screened to size. Further resources of tertiary gravel exist on site; however these are unlikely to be exploited due to significant vegetation and historic values.
Bendigo Washed Sands (formerly Malcolm McClure Pty Ltd) has been operating the Guildford Gravel Pit since June 1966. Prior to this, Malcolm McClure operated out of the Tarilta Pit until the former Newstead Shire took over this operation.
An extractive industry Licence was granted to Malcolm McClure Pty Ltd in 1972 and this gravel pit has been operating continuously supplying gravel to our own washing plant in Castlemaine until its closure in 1989, various shires, VicRoads, private clients and in recent times to our operation in Bendigo.
Bendigo Washed Sands was created when the company bought the Rocla Quarry Products operation in Bendigo in 2000. Bendigo Washed Sands accelerated the cartage of raw tertiary gravel from Guildford when the supply of gravel from the quarry source at Bendigo was exhausted in 2009.
All the raw gravel resource to maintain our washed sand business in Bendigo is now carted in from Guildford using company owned vehicles and occasionally when demand requires, additional subcontract cartage.
Over the last 4 years, an average of 46,200 cu.m. of gravel annually has been hauled from this pit.
Bendigo Washed Sands has been a member of the CMPA since its inception and appreciates the support and representation that the association gives its members over 11 years.
60 SECONDS WITH A VOTING MEMBER…
What is your name?
Malcolm McClure
Who do you work for?
I’m now retired but I started AP & MJ McClure Cartage Contractors in 1953 which later became Malcolm McClure Pty Ltd.
How many years have you been involved in the Industry?
46 years. I started in the business in 1949 working with my father Henry McClure in cartage contracting.
What is your role at the company?
I was the company owner & business partner with my wife Phyllis.
What does your job involve?
I ran all aspects of the business with my wife until our sons were able to take up management roles within the company.
What is the best part of your job?
Watching a family business grow and develop.
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