Baralaba wins David v Goliath battle over CQ coal mine

The community is now calling on the Queensland Government to rule out any mining projects in the area.

Save the Dawson group members have called victory on a decade long battle over the Baralaba South coal mine after Liberty Mutual didn’t submit an environmental impact assessment for approval.

A decade-long David vs. Goliath battle by the Central Queensland community of Baralaba has been won after US-based insurer Liberty Mutual announced it would not be submitting an environmental impact assessment for a controversial coal mine.

The small farming community has challenged every attempt over the past 10 years to establish the Baralaba South open-cut coal mine on the banks of the Dawson River.

Liberty Mutual announced on Friday it would not be submitting the environmental assessment and it was "evaluating alternatives" for the proposal.

"As part of our investment processes, we've been evaluating alternatives for our Baralaba investment for some time and will not be submitting an environmental impact assessment for the South Mine at this stage," a Liberty Mutual spokeswoman said.

 

The site of the proposed Baralaba south coal mine.

The company did not say whether it would seek an extension of Friday's deadline for the environmental assessment.

Locals are now calling on the Queensland Government to rule out ever allowing a new mining proposal at Baralaba.

Baralaba grazier and Save the Dawson chairman Brett Coombe said after such a long battle, to secure the environment for generations ahead was fantastic.

"This is a win for the environment, the farmers, the graziers - we have a really good connection to the country we work and live on and we want to keep it the way it is," he said.

"We now have surety for the future - we know where we're going.

"We can look after the environment here and keep it going for generations ahead.

"This is the best news we could have hoped for."

Save the Dawson group member Paul Stephenson said the community did not give up the fight to stop the mine.

"This is a tribute to the dedicated work of our local community organisation and supporters around Australia who have helped us in this fight to protect our land, water, and future," he said.

"A decade-long battle has been won today.

"Liberty Mutual has made the right decision by deciding not to lodge an EIS for this strongly opposed, polluting coal project.

"The appropriate thing for Liberty Mutual to do now is to withdraw its application entirely, and relinquish the tenements."

 

The site of the proposed Baralaba south coal mine in flood, which community group Save the Dawson illustrates a potential environmental disaster if the mine is approved.

The proposal for a greenfield open-cut mine would have produced up to 5 million tonnes per annum of coal for 30 years.

Mr Stephenson said it was now time for the Queensland Government to quash the project.

"We'd then like to see the Palaszczuk Government permanently rule out any future projects that would destroy prime agricultural land and threaten the Dawson River like Baralaba South would have done," he said.

"This proposal, on prime agricultural land, 500 metres from a river that supplies drinking water to two Baralaba and Woorabinda was totally inappropriate.

"This mine would not have served anybody's best interests - not the community, our environment, or even the company itself.

"We need legislation that will protect Queensland communities from disastrous proposals like this."

 

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