Council was told about 200 cubic metres in around 50 blocks of trachyte were needed to restore buildings as part of the Centenary Stonework Program.

Buildings of state and national significants constructed of Bowral trachyte include the Queen Victoria Building, Art Gallery of NSW, State Library and Central Railway Station.

The NSW Department of Commerce had previously purchased and removed a small amount of stone that had already been quarried and left at the quarry site.

With no suitable remnant quarried stone available, acquiring the material needed would require cutting into the existing quarry.

Council has agreed to the request on the condition that the Department of Commerce and the Sydney City Council play to rehabilitate the quarry and that Council is reimbursed for the material extracted.

Money received for the trachyte would be used for the benefit of the Mount Gibraltar Reserve.

A community liaison group including members of the Mt Gibraltar Landcare and Bushcare Group will be established for the life of the project.

Cr Ken Halstead said that when the State Government last requested trachyte around 20 years ago, the Council of the time made it clear that this would be the last quarrying at Mount Gibraltar.

A recommendation from Cr Halstead that an appropriate environmental impact assessment be carried out was adopted.

“This is one of two sites in the world for trachyte,” Cr Halstead said.

“The other is in Russia - so it’s unique.”

Mayor Duncan Gair said that the Sydney City Council could be “good allies” if Council needed support in any future local government issues.

Cr Paul Tuddenham said the Sydney City Council should be ask to quantity what the amount of trachyte they would need for the present and future, that this amount be stockpiled, and that following rehabilitation, no further quarrying should take place.