Batesford Quarry: A Century of Quality, Innovation and Regional Support
Batesford Quarry, located near Geelong in Victoria, is a long-established and highly regarded supplier of premium-grade lime and sand products.
With a history spanning more than 100 years, the quarry has evolved from a single-purpose limestone operation into a modern, diverse business supporting agriculture, construction, and civil industries across Victoria and New South Wales.
Originally developed to supply limestone to the Geelong Cement manufacturing works in nearby Fyansford, over its operational life, more than 100 million tonnes of limestone and overburden have been excavated from the site – underpinning decades of regional infrastructure and development.
In 2001, the closure of the cement works marked a significant turning point; rather than signalling decline, this transition created an opportunity to redefine the quarry’s future.
Following the closure, Adbri the cement works operator and Work Authority holder, partnered with the McCann family companies – the landowners, to develop new markets for value added products.
Utilising the remaining limestone resources and fine sand layer underlying the limestone, partners formed ‘Batesford Quarry’ as a joint operation. This collaboration combined technical expertise and local knowledge, enabling the quarry to expand its product range and enter new markets.
Rehabilitation Stage 3
Today, Batesford Quarry is recognised as Geelong’s leading lime supplier, operating as the region’s only lime quarry, servicing customers across Victoria’s North, north east and north west, extending as far as the Murrumbidgee region of New South Wales.
Customers are diverse and include:
- Farmers
- Builders and developers
- Gardeners and landscapers
- Government departments
- Plumbers
- Professionals in civil construction
- People in the sporting industry
“A key strength of Batesford Quarry lies in its specialised lime product range. Agricultural lime (Ag Lime) plays a critical role in correcting soil acidity, enhancing nutrient availability, and improving fertiliser efficiency, contributing to healthier soils and increased crop productivity,” said Mark Malone, Quarry Manager.
With a neutralising value of 80%, the product delivers reliable and effective acid correction, ensuring consistent performance across a range of soil types. This consistency supports sustainable farming practices and makes it suitable for diverse agricultural applications, including broadacre cropping, pasture management, viticulture, and truffle production.
To support product quality, an onsite laboratory undertakes daily testing to ensure all material consistently meets required specifications and performance standards. The quarry also supplies soil conditioning lime for treatment of acid sulphate soils, further demonstrating the versatility and value of its product offering.
Batesford Quarry also produces high quality, clean sand products for civil construction and recreational applications – used in turf preparation, equine surfaces, sporting arenas, landscaping, and residential projects.
All products meet strict quality standards and are supported by ISO 9001 certification, with test results available upon request, to ensure confidence and consistency for customers. Customer service and reliability are central to the quarry’s operations, with bulk delivery solutions tailored to meet project requirements of all sizes. This dependable supply capability is critical for both agricultural operations and major construction projects, where material availability directly impacts productivity and timelines.
“Batesford Quarry demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability and responsible land management. Over the past decade, Adbri has progressively rehabilitated approximately four kilometres of quarry faces. Around 3.1 million cubic metres of material has been moved and reshaped in accordance with approved rehabilitation plans, with areas seeded back to pasture.”
Overburden Stripping
In addition, approximately 120,000 trees have been planted, enhancing biodiversity and restoring the landscape – a proactive rehabilitation approach ensuring that environmental impacts are minimised over time while maintaining long term resource availability.
More recently, a Work Plan Variation (WPV) for Batesford Quarry was approved by Earth Resources, extending the quarry’s resource by approximately 10 million tonnes. This approval provides long term certainty for operations and has enabled significant infrastructure investment.
As part of this commitment, Batesford Quarry has invested in a new 42 metre tri deck weighbridge with a maximum capacity of 150 tonnes.
This modern facility allows for the effective and accurate weighing of A and B triple heavy vehicles, improving efficiency, safety, and customer service across transport operations.
Safety and community engagement remain core priorities. Strong safety systems, ongoing training, and open communication with stakeholders ensure the quarry operates responsibly and transparently within the local community.
“With sufficient resources available, Batesford Quarry is well positioned to support continued regional growth. Its unique combination of operational history, ongoing innovation, commitment to sustainable practices, and strategic investment ensures it will remain a critical supplier to the agriculture, construction, and civil sectors into the future.”
Batesford Quarry has been a CMPA Member for over 13 years. We thank them for their support and representing the interests of small to medium businesses in the quarry industry.