Fox Resources considers legal action over government’s Bundaberg coal mine rejection

A coal explorer whose ambition for a mine near Bundaberg has been thwarted by the state government is considering legal action to keep the project alive.

Fox Resources is considering legal action to keep its Bundaberg coal mine ambitions alive.

The bitter battle over plans for a coal mine in a region better known for its agricultural resources is far from over.

Perth-based Fox Resources says it’s considering all available options including legal action after the state government rejected the possibility of a new coal mine in the Bundaberg region because it’s “not in the public interest.”

Fox executive chairman Bruce Garlick says the ruling was a disappointment and only served to bolster the coal anti-development cohort.

Under Mineral Development Licence 304 Fox sought approval to drill five bore holes for metallurgical coal exploration purposes and conduct some technical studies on agricultural and residential land about 20km north of Bundaberg.

The company says it previously drilled 29 such bore holes, safely and without incident under its Exploration Permit Contract.

However, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington ruled out the chance of any new coal mine in the area.

She says in the assessment process, many significant community concerns were raised about the potential impacts of a future coal mine on the region’s agricultural industry, water resources, environmental values, liveability, and tourism industry.

Fox Resources executive chairman Bruce Garlick.

Fox says it reserves its right to consider all available options, including potential legal action, to protect its rights.

Garlick says Bundaberg will be denied an opportunity for new jobs and investment with a mine potentially generating around 200 local jobs and pump an estimated $45m annually into the local economy.

“The unprecedented decision to not allow the metallurgical coal resource to be further explored through an MDL will only bolster those who are opposed to any resource development in any part of Queensland,” he says.

“An MDL is not a mine and any proposal for a mine would require a separate, comprehensive environmental impact statement process with assessment by both the Queensland and Australian governments.”

Back to business

Over 50s lifestyle communities giant GemLife says it’s settled on the initial acquisition of developer Aliria for a headline price of $218m after listing on the Australian Securities Exchange two weeks ago.

At the time of the IPO the Gold Coast-based business – that started in a caravan park four decades ago – said headline price for Aliria was $270.3m.

However, that did not include a further four Aliria projects, which are the subject of options conditional contracts, expected to be acquired between late FY25 and FY31.

GemLife chief executive Adrian Puljich.

The agreement to acquire Aliria – a company founded in 2024 by Adrian Puljich, who also

established GemLife in 2015 as a joint venture with Thakral Capital – was entered into as part of the $750m IPO for GemLife.

The current acquisition brings GemLife’s total pipeline to 28 land lease communities and development sites, with a potential yield of 8711 homes.

The four Aliria sites that will come into the fold over the next six years will bring the company’s portfolio and pipeline to 9836 homesites in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

The company floated at $4.16 a share and on the first day finished 4.2 per cent higher at $4.33 with the value of the Puljich’s family’s shares was $433.9m, up $17.1m.

Since then shares have backtracked and on Wednesday closed at $4.05.

Originally published as Fox Resources considers legal action over government’s Bundaberg coal mine rejection