Sharing its success with the wider Goulburn community, Gunlake Quarries principals with the Southern Tablelands Community Foundation executives. From left are Productions and Projects Manager Jack O’Neil, Gunlake Quarries Managing Director Ed O’Neil, Gunlake Community and Stakeholder Engagement Geoff Kettle, STCF Secretary Paris Parker-Cox, STCF Treasurer Bob Kirk, STCF Patron Warren Brown and STCF President Dick Kearins. Photo: John Thistleton.
People taking off or landing at the new Western Sydney Airport later next year can be confident the runway beneath them has a rock-solid, ongoing connection with Goulburn and district.
Having provided more than 450,000 tonnes of blue metal aggregate for the concrete runway, Gunlake Quarries at Marulan has established a three-year sponsorship for the philanthropic Southern Tablelands Community Foundation.
Gunlake Managing Director Ed O’Neil says he is passionate about the local area because it’s been good to his family who have been quarrying for five generations, and good for the 85 mostly local people employed at the Marulan site.
“We want to give back to the community what we can, and this program fits exactly with what we believe in – supporting local businesses and the like to get ahead and opportunities they need to make a difference,” he said.
The sponsorship worth $30,000 follows Gunlake’s contributions to the Goulburn and District Education Foundation which issues grants to students, Tallong Apple Day, Marulan Australia Day, Marulan CWA and local schools. “We have set up a community fund that we top up every year and distribute those funds as they come in,” Mr O’Neil said.
The Marulan quarry has more than 100 years of proven rock resource suitable for concrete aggregates. The O’Neils bought it as a greenfield site in 2006, were granted their first approval in 2008 and swung into production in 2010. Mr O’Neil said a wonderful journey of 15 years followed, expanding its operation.
Aside from some truck drivers coming from Sydney, the locally based staff include loader, excavator and dump truck drivers, fixed plant operators, mechanics and boilermakers.
“We run as many apprentices as we can get which is very hard, unfortunately,” Mr O’Neil said. To overcome the shortage, they are working with TAFE NSW in Goulburn to promote apprenticeships.
A carpenter by trade, Mr O’Neil and his son Jack O’Neil, a qualified mobile plant mechanic and Gunlake’s productions manager, are pushing for trades qualifications for their staff. “We love it, we are passionate about it and it is essential for our business,” Mr O’Neil said.
Winning the contract to supply Western Sydney Airport’s construction at Badgery’s Creek was a significant step forward.
“The team out at Gunlake are exceptional people with amazing talent and did an absolute perfect job all the way from start to finish,” Mr O’Neil said.
Gunlake has approval for 4.2 million tonnes annually and is selling about 2.3 million tonnes a year and since completing the airport contract has found other markets to supply.
It has five concrete plants in Sydney which take 50 per cent of the quarry’s production. The remaining aggregate goes to the local area and Sydney for civil works.
Gunlake Quarries Managing Director Ed O’Neil and Southern Tablelands Community Foundation President Dick Kearins shake hands after the three-year sponsorship announcement. Photo: John Thistleton.
“The important thing is to get the far-reaching approvals so when the jobs do come up, you don’t have to seek further approvals to meet that demand,” Mr O’Neil said. “We have a lot of contingencies in the current approval. For example, if another big project like the Western Sydney Airport came on we could hit it straight away.”
Gunlake’s Community and Stakeholder Engagement officer Geoff Kettle said the O’Neils could see the STCF’s founders Ursula Stephens and Dick Kearins’ vision for starting a community foundation.
“We see this sponsorship as a springboard to encourage other businesses to come in and support the foundation. We have committed $10,000 a year with a review after that,” he said.
STCF president Dick Kearins said Gunlake were an extremely generous group and would be a great team to work with over the next three years. “This gives us the opportunity to have our first round of 10 grants, each worth $500 to the community,” he said.
“We will be inviting applications online at the STCF website from not-for-profit community organisations in the Goulburn Mulwaree region to apply for the grants from 2 February 2026. Applications close on 27 February and successful applications will be announced the recipients in March,” he said.
He acknowledged Mr Kettle’s work in establishing the relationship and in creating other opportunities in the Goulburn and district community.
STCF has $30,000 invested with the Capital Region Community Foundation’s Greater Good which was established in 2003 by the Public Trustee and Guardian which enables organisations to create their own perpetual charitable fund.
The STCF is holding an additional $50,000 to establish a gift fund enabling people to receive a tax deduction for their donations.
“We also have the Goulburn Show Society as a sponsor and welcome sponsors from $500 upwards,” Mr Kearins said.
