Revealing maps show sun setting on mining in Ipswich

Pahlke hails certainty for residents and 'Armageddon lifting'

THE sun has almost set on mining in the Ipswich region.

Once the backbone industry of the city, along with the railways, the reduction in mining has coincided with a population boom in Ipswich which has the city growing at more than 3.5% and steaming towards 250,000 residents.

A report to the Ipswich City Council by the acting development planning manager called Mining Tenure Explanation and Historical Comparison revealed the significant decrease in all types of mining tenures across Ipswich from 2011 to 2017.

This relates to exploration permits (EPs), mineral development licences (MDLs) and mining leases (MLs). The report states this decrease means both less mining in the Ipswich local government area in future and less conflict between mining activities and the increasing residential population in future.

A map (displayed with this story) shows the decrease in permits, licences and leases over six years. MDLs have disappeared completely.

ABOVE AND BELOW: Maps from 2011 and 2017 show the way mining has diminished in Ipswich over a six-year-period. The green represents exploration permits, red stands for mining lease and blue for mineral development licence.

Planning boss Cr Andrew Antoniolli said mining has "always impacted on the amenity of the area".

"That dissuades development in some areas," he said.

"There are some mines to the north of Rosewood and in Willowbank that have been finished and rehabilitation has either commenced, is ongoing or is completed in those areas.

"That makes those areas bordering those old mine sites more appealing for future development.

"While Ipswich was built on mining, the industry created environmental and residential amenity challenges for our town planners and also for property developers and businesses investing in the city.

"In recent years, we've seen mining activity slow considerably and as a result we have experienced fewer land-use amenity conflicts. The lack of activity means council can continue to focus on growth and infrastructure as our population trends towards the next milestone mark of 250,000 people."

The council said mining leases still existed with Jeebropilly Collieries and Zedemar Holdings at Ebenezer and Willowbank and also with Rosewood's Oakleigh and New Oakleigh mines. Leases are current at Chuwar, Tivoli, Swanbank and Redbank Plains.

Cr David Pahlke has been calling for the extinguishment of MDLs and exploration permits in his region for years.

"For the first time, they have taken a hardcore look at mining in south-east Queensland, and I thank the current government for that," he said.

"I have been saying for a long time that mining is in its sunset period. All these leases and exploration permits that were granted a couple of years ago with no consultation have gone.

"A lot of them are out in my (Rosewood) area. This now gives certainty for the future. It is like Armageddon has been lifted. Our future is not in mining. It is in technology and the digital economy."