A decade of sustainability and biodiversity conservation through the Quarry Life Award

The Quarry Life Award is Heidelberg Materials’ global nature-based competition, a program that celebrates innovation in biodiversity conservation and quarry rehabilitation.

First launched in 2012, the award was created to raise awareness of the ecological value of extraction sites and discover new ways to enhance it. It reflects Heidelberg Materials’ global commitment to sustainability, nature-positive rehabilitation and species recovery, bringing research, community partnerships and on-the-ground conservation together.

Today, with more than 600 active quarries worldwide, Heidelberg Materials is committed to protecting and enhancing nature both during and after extraction.

While quarrying plays an essential role in providing materials for Australia’s infrastructure, Heidelberg Materials recognises that responsible extraction must go hand in hand with long-term environmental stewardship. Every project supported through the Quarry Life Award is part of that balance, finding practical ways to restore and protect biodiversity while meeting the needs of modern construction.

The Quarry Life Award strengthens that commitment by promoting collaboration between scientists, students, environmentalists and local communities, uniting everyone in the goal of restoring biodiversity and reconnecting people with nature.

Where it began: Turning quarries into living laboratories

First launched in 2012, the program invited researchers, students and community members to conduct studies on active and former quarry sites owned by Heidelberg Materials.

Early projects at sites such as Warrayure Conservation Offset in Victoria explored how quarries could become thriving ecosystems, rather than the abandoned landscapes. These initiatives looked at:
•    Grassland restoration for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot and Altona Skipper Butterfly
•    Artificial roost boxes to monitor and support local microbat populations
•    A biodiversity framework that balanced ecological restoration with quarry operations

These early studies changed the conversation around what post-mining land could be, demonstrating that sustainability and quarry rehabilitation can work hand in hand.

Building knowledge and community engagement

By 2014, the second edition of the Quarry Life Award expanded its reach across Australia, welcoming new entries from New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. Projects focused on community involvement and the importance of connecting quarries back to the local environment.

In Tweed Sands Quarry (NSW), participants developed low-cost rehabilitation methods that restored wetlands and improved bird habitats, proving that sustainable restoration was achievable at scale.

At the same time, universities universities contributed more scientific research, helping to advance understanding of soil health, native vegetation and water management in restored sites.

H2) Innovation through research and restoration
Through 2016 and 2018, the Quarry Life Award continued to evolve as a platform for collaboration between scientists, students and industry experts. Projects ranged from wild dog and dingo monitoring at Clarence Kables Quarry to seed enhancement technologies and arthropod research at Gaskell Sand Quarry in Western Australia.

These projects demonstrated how local quarries could become hubs of biodiversity conservation and species recovery, with practical outcomes that benefited both the environment and the industry.

In Victoria, community-led restoration programs engaged local schools and volunteers, inspiring a new generation to take part in nature-positive projects that bring quarries back to life.

Modern rehabilitation and digital innovation

By the fifth edition in 2021, digital technology and data analysis were becoming integral to sustainability efforts. Projects at Wollert Quarry used acoustic monitoring to track the endangered Growling Grass Frog, while community groups trialled bushfood plantings and native vegetation recovery to reconnect the site with nearby ecosystems.

In 2024, the program’s sixth edition brought together environmental science and real-world innovation. At Gaskell Sand Quarry, CSIRO’s NatureIQ platform introduced data-driven biodiversity monitoring. In Queensland, the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly project at Wolffdene and Nerang Quarries became a standout example of how quarry sites can directly contribute to species recovery and biodiversity conservation.

A legacy of sustainability and care

Over the past decade, the Quarry Life Award has grown into one of the world’s most respected environmental research competitions. With participation from more than 70 quarries across 16 countries, the program continues to inspire innovative thinking and long-term stewardship of natural environments.

For Heidelberg Materials, it represents more than a competition, it reflects the company’s ongoing mission to achieve sustainability through nature-positive rehabilitation and create opportunities for people and wildlife to coexist.

Every quarry has a story to tell, one of renewal, ownership, collaboration and care for the future.

Discover how Heidelberg Materials is driving sustainability through quarry rehabilitation and biodiversity conservation initiatives featured on the Heidelberg Materials Sustainability and Quarry Life Award global site.