New Acland Stage 3 expansion now underway as ground work begins following 15 year approval battle

After more than a decade of court action and opposition, groundwork has begun on the contentious expansion of New Acland coal mine, which is touted to benefit workers and businesses more than $1 billion.

Ground work has begun on the controversial expansion of a coal mine west of Toowoomba, officially ending a 15 year legal battle against the project.

The final state government approval hurdle was cleared last month when Water Minister Glenn Butcher granted New Acland Stage 3 an associated water licence.

28/08/2022: Mine manager David O’Dwyer at the New Acland coal mine, happy and excited that the mine is now much closer to being reopened and expanded, outside Oakey, west of Toowoomba, QLD. The state government has announced the mothballed coal mine has been granted a mining lease for its expansion. Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

The mine’s general manager Dave O’Dwyer said the ground work on the expansion area signalled the start of the project which has been touted by the miners to provide some 600 jobs and an economic boost of more than a $1 billion to workers, contractors and local businesses over the lifespan of the Stage 3 mine.

“I was always confident the Queensland Government would approve the project, but it’s special to see workers on site and New Acland Stage 3 officially underway,” he said.

“There is a lot of hard work ahead of us and that starts with workers mapping out the area, surveying the mine site, hammering in key markers and using drones to capture aerials.

“The heavy machinery will move in early next year, but there is a lot of planning and essential work which needs to be completed first.”

27/10/2022: Newly re hired former New Acland mine worker Bodie Sherrington 33, wife Abby and their children Isla 3 and Monty 1, taking the rare opportunity to show his family some of the huge machinery while the mine is still shut down, ahead of its full reopening in the near future. Bodie is the mines Technical Services Superintendent, who lost his job when the mine closed, and is the first to be re hired back following the mines approval to operate. pic Lyndon Mechielsen

Mr O’Dwyer said New Hope Group received 1231 expressions of interest for jobs at the mine, with 667 coming from the Darling Downs, 1026 from Queensland and 229 from previous New Acland Mine workers.

“We need truck drivers, engineers, electricians, operators, administration staff and mechanics,” Mr O’Dwyer said.

“At the peak of construction, there will be close to 600 local workers on site at New Acland Mine.

“Throughout the life of the project, the permanent workforce will be approximately 400 full-time roles.

“Unlike a lot of other mines in Queensland, New Acland Mine does not engage fly-in, fly-out workers, with more than 90 per cent of our previous workforce living within 50km of the site.”

To register an expression of interest to work at New Acland Mine visit https://newhopegroup.com.au/current-expressions-of-interest/.