Over 500 visitors give Open Day 'Thumbs Up'
Posted on Wed, 9 Nov 11
Over five hundred visitors attended the Nucrush Group’s Community Open Day on Saturday 29th October 2011. In its 6th year, the free public event is the annual highlight of the Group’s award-winning “Good Neighbour Programme”. Most importantly, the event is a rare opportunity for the community to see what goes on behind the scenes of a hard-rock quarry and concrete plant and for the Group to strengthen their relationship with local residents.
The Nucrush Group is the only quarry in the Gold Coast region to open its gates to the public and host an event of this type. The most popular activity again this year was the guided bus tour of the quarry pit, crushing operation and concrete plant. Visitors comment on how much the pit has changed from one Open Day to the next and what other changes they observe around the operation.
The event also included a variety of information booths, kid’s activities and involvement from local community groups. Information on the businesses and the Group’s environmental practices was available, along with displays of ‘monster trucks and machines’ to appeal to kids of all ages. The theme of rocks and concrete continued through to the free activities with ‘concrete hand prints’, rock climbing, and pet-rock making all on offer.
Specialist contractors and six local community groups, including the blasting professionals Maxam, the Rotary Club of Coomera Valley, Communities for Children and the local Rural Bush Service provided visitors with interactive information and activities.
Further adding to the success and profile of the event was the attendance of the Hon. Stirling Hinchliffe MP, Minister for Employment, Skills and Mining to launch the Nucrush Group and Volvo Trucks school road-safety initiative.
The school road-safety initiative is aimed at educating primary school children on the role that trucks play in the community and the importance of being safe around trucks. The initiative is free to the schools and the first of its kind for the truck manufacturer outside Europe.
Michael Cooper, General Manager of the Nucrush Group, said “The event is a combination of teamwork from across our organisation. Our staff really enjoy showing their place of work to visitors, most of whom have never visited a quarry or concrete plant before and have little concept what goes on behind our avenue of trees.”
Feedback from visitors was extremely positive. Comments such as “Fantastic and informative day, excellently run” and “thank you for providing wonderful activities and staff” summed up how much everyone enjoyed the day.
