New Acland to start exporting coal in October 2023, almost two years after shutdown

New Acland Coal has cleared what it hopes will be its final regulatory test after a Queensland Department of Water review upheld its decision to give the mine its water licence. The next step is to start digging, much to the anger of green groups.

New Acland Coal is expected to start shipping coal by as early as October after it cleared what it hopes is the last regulatory hurdle in the approval process for its stage 3 expansion.

On Monday the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water finalised an internal review into the decision to grant the mine an associated water licence for its stage 3 expansion.

That review was called for by Lock the Gate and the Oakey Coal Action Alliance after they claimed inconsistencies in the approval process.

However, the state government department found the decision was appropriate.

Dave O'Dwyer General Manager and first 100 workers to come back to the New Acland Mine. Picture: Nev Madsen.

A spokesman for the mine’s owner, the New Hope Group, welcomed the decision.

“New Acland stage 3 is the most reviewed and scrutinised resources project in Queensland’s history,” he said.

“The exhaustive approvals process was overseen by multiple Queensland government ministers, countless hardworking public servants and most recently independent experts who evaluated every aspect of the project and found New Acland Mine stage 3 stacks up environmentally, socially and financially.

Maps of the proposed Stage Three expansion of the New Acland Coal Mine. The area is green shows the new coal pits. The town of Acland is in the centre.

“The Land Court process, the Co-ordinator General’s extensive consultation process, the separate independent assessments of the Queensland Department of Environment and Science and the Minister for Resources, the thorough examination by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water and most recently the independent, Internal Review has allowed everyone, including the mine’s objectors, to be heard.”

The mine received its associated water licence in late 2022 which prompted it to start rehiring staff who were laid off after its operations were suspended in November 2021.

About 20 caretaker staff remained at the site while the appeals process was finalised.

There are about 100 staff at the site with a further 500 needed to build the expansion and start removing coal.

“The independent, internal review outcome means groundworks and operations can now be fast-tracked with the first shipment of stage three coal likely to leave the site in October,” the New Hope Group spokesman said.

Oakey Coal Action Alliance secretary Paul King has vowed to fight on. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“Preparations are being finalised for heavy machinery to return to work, while the installation and upgrade of dozens of noise, dust and water monitoring stations have been completed.”

The stage three expansion will more than double the amount of land excavated by the operation.

It is a decision that has angered green groups with OCAA and the Lock the Gate vowing to fight on.

“This is a disappointing, but not unexpected, decision by the Queensland Palaszczuk Government. Queenslanders expect better from their government,” OCAA secretary Paul King said.

“We will be reviewing our options.

“Farmers and their allies are committed to fighting the New Acland stage 3.

“It speaks volumes about the government’s attitude to those who are trying to protect the water relied on by Queensland farmers that a media release was issued before applicants the Oakey Coal Action Alliance and Lock the Gate Alliance were informed of the decision.”