Peabody's Wilpinjong Continuation Project
Peabody Energy is proposing yet another major expansion of the Wilpinjong mine, adding two additional new disturbance areas known as Pit 9 and Pit 10. This mine expansion has been titled Wilpinjong Continuation Project and is now lodged with Planning as a new State Significant Development (SSD) project.
The scoping report documents are available on the Planning portal here.
This proposed ongoing expansion of opencut coal mining that will surround Wollar village is unacceptable with increased cumulative environmental impacts up to December 2038.
The project is proposing to extract an additional 70 MT coal and disturb an additional 550 ha of land including prime agricultural land. Cumulative impacts will include further loss of flows to Wollar Creek, more destruction of Aboriginal cultural heritage, more noise, dust, blasting and loss of important remnant threatened species habitat.
This new SSD project will require a more rigorous Environmental Impact Assessment and be determined by an Independent Planning Commission.
Gateway Certificate Application
Peabody has applied for approval to destroy prime agricultural land highly connected to groundwater (known as Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land – BSAL) that occurs within the planned expansion to the east of Wollar Village.
The cumulative loss of agricultural land due to coal mining in the Mudgee Region has not been assessed. This threatens future food security through increased impacts of climate change while reducing the area available for food production.
This same landscape sits within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone – the state’s first renewable energy zone (REZ). Unlike coal mining, renewable energy infrastructure can coexist with productive agriculture. Solar farms across NSW already run sheep beneath their panels, with farmers reporting improved pasture quality and a stable secondary income that doesn't depend on weather or commodity prices. Solar panels are also being trialled above vineyards in Victoria and Western Australia, with early research suggesting the shade may benefit grape quality in a warming climate. Wind and solar bring jobs and investment to regional communities (The REZ is expected to attract up to $25 billion in private investment and about 1,850 direct jobs) without permanently sterilising the land beneath its construction. Coal mining doesn't share the land like this. Once BSAL is mined, it cannot be recovered.
Handy links:
Take Action Now
Local Mines
