The largest new coal mine proposed in Australia
- Total emissions: 627 million tonnes CO2e.
- Coal Produced: 15-17 million tonnes of coal per annum.
- Mine Life: at least 2055.
Whitehaven Coal’s proposed Winchester South coal mine is in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland on Barada Barna Country. It is the largest proposed new coal mine in Australia. It is an entirely new or ‘greenfield’ coal mine, not an extension of an existing mine. Whitehaven is the largest coal mining company in Australia that only mines coal and no other minerals.
The project would mine 15 million tonnes of coal per annum on average, peaking at 17 million tonnes of coal per annum, until at least 2055, with a 30 year mine life (1). According to Whitehaven it would be responsible for 627 million tonnes CO2e(2) over the life of the mine, equivalent to more than Australia’s annual greenhouse gas pollution. Whitehaven claims around 60% of coal mined will be metallurgical coal and 40% will be thermal coal(3), but has a poor track record of accuracy on this and emissions estimates.
The project is located on the Issac River floodplain and would drain local groundwater at a rate of 280ML/year during the operation of the mine, dump polluted dam water into the Isaac river and will leave three permanent mine voids that could drain Queensland’s groundwater, forever. The mine will create a 8,387 hectare ‘disturbance area’, and require about 570 hectares of native vegetation to be cleared, including habitat for Koalas, Northern Quolls, Greater Gliders, Ghost Bats, Ornamental Snakes, the Squatter Pigeon and the Australian Painted Snipe. Approximately 170ha of Koala habitat will be destroyed, and 132ha of Greater Glider habitat.
The project was granted approvals by the Queensland government in February 2024, this decision is being challenged in the state Land Court by the Australian Conservation Foundation and Mackay Conservation Group, represented by the Environmental Defenders Office. The case is expected to be heard in July 2025. ACF and MCG are arguing the Court should recommend no mining lease or environmental authority be granted for the Winchester South project – due to its significant environmental and human rights impacts. Detailed information on the grounds of the legal challenge are here.
The project still requires Federal environmental approval under the EPBC Act and is currently undergoing assessment. EPBC referral documents here.
- The Revised EIS is proposing to mine an additional 43 MT of ROM coal and additional 14 MT of product coal.
- The Australia Institute, Coal Tracker
- 5.5.3 of Whitehaven’s Revised EIS, “Additional Information” document in the Revised EIS, 2022
