Mining company’s town to be wiped from map after 40 years

For four decades families have called this remote town home, but it’s likely they will soon be forced find somewhere new to live.

An entire town is set to be bulldozed after existing for four decades, forcing hundreds of locals to find new homes in the midst of a housing crisis.

The mining town of Glenden, southwest of Mackay in Central Queensland, is on track to be destroyed under a contractual obligation of Swiss multinational Glencore.

Despite having existed for 40 years and becoming home to an entire community, Glenden’s use had been exhausted, having originally been established for employees of the company’s Newlands coal mine.

The last of the coal was extracted last year and Glencore shifted into its rehabilitation phase for the town, which would involve its 670 strong population reduce to about 200 over the next five to six years.

At the rehabilitation’s completion, it would cease paying for the operation of the town, which currently costs the company millions every year.

Central Queensland’s Isaac Regional Council and locals have expressed staunch opposition to the demolition, arguing incoming mining giant QCoal should take over Glenden’s financials.

“This should be a straightforward transition in a mining town from one company to another,’’ Mayor Anne Baker said.

“Infrastructure is there for QCoal’s taking.’’

The town of Glenden will potentially be wiped out. Picture: Google Maps

QCoal has indicated its intention to instead build its own mining camp with beds for 450 people for its new $1.8 billion Byerwen coal mine, just 20km out of town.

More than 300 perfectly serviceable homes are set to be bulldozed.

The mining camp would cost less for QCoal to sustain than the town of Glenden, making it the financially safer option, but locals have argued the company should consider more than its bottom line.

In a series of videos campaigning Resources Minister Scott Stewart, locals begged for Glenden to be thrown a lifeline by the government, which is within its power to deny QCoal permission to build its own camp.

“Industry is still booming, but why aren’t we?” one local said in a “Save Glenden” video, shared to social media by Isaac Regional Council.

“The approval of a 450 bed mining camp in their lease is a nail in our coffin,” another local said.

Others argued the schools and homes of Glenden needed filling, and said they should be filled by workers coming in to work on the new QCoal mine.

No official decision had been reached yet though, Resources Minister Scott Stewart told Courier Mail.

“I will consider submissions from stakeholders before making any decision,” he said.

The mayor for Longreach, also in Central Queensland, argued mining companies had a responsibility to sustain communities.

Locals are furious at the prospect of their town being demolished. Picture: Isaac Regional Council

“We understand a mining company’s right to make a profit, but there has to be a commitment to community that goes with it,’’ Tony Rayner said.

“You don’t just destroy a town.’’

Current resident of Glenden, Melissa Payne, who moved to the area in 1982 with her dad to help build the town, described the situation “extremely frustrating”.

She had in November been forced to close her general store, which she operated for a decade, after the population of roughly 350 families shrunk to about 40.

“I’ve grown up here, I have raised my family here, I have done everything here in this town,” she told the publication.

Ms Payne described Glenden and its small community as an “amazing” safe place to raise a family.

She feared her daughter, Dakota, who died and was buried in Glenden about 26 years ago, would wind up as “a roadside grave in a cow paddock”.

Glencore told news.com.au it was open to handing over the funding responsibilities of Glenden to QCoal.

“Glencore indicated that we were happy to consider alternative proposals for the Glenden community services which were consistent with meeting and funding our statutory obligations,” a spokesperson said.

“We are of the view that Glenden requires an ‘anchor tenant’ who is willing to support the town. Glencore would welcome an agreement between QCoal and the Queensland Government which would see the community of Glenden continue.

“In the absence of another anchor tenant prepared to support Glenden, Glencore has statutory obligations to rehabilitate the town post mining. Glencore has no immediate plans to demolish housing at Glenden as we await the outcome of discussions between the local council, QCoal and the Queensland Government.”

Isaac Regional Council has been contacted by news.com.au for comment.