Maules Creek Continuation Project

The Maules Creek Continuation Project presents a significant opportunity to bolster the economic and social fabric of North West New South Wales. By extending the mine's operations until 2044, the project ensures the sustained employment of approximately 940 workers, with a substantial portion being locally based. This continuity not only secures livelihoods but also injects around $160 million annually into the regional economy through wages, alongside over $200 million spent with local businesses and suppliers .

Beyond its economic contributions, the project underscores a commitment to environmental stewardship. Whitehaven Coal plans to implement a revegetation program covering approximately 2,300 hectares of native woodland, aiming to enhance biodiversity in the region. Additionally, the proposed water pipeline between existing operations is designed to optimize water usage, reducing reliance on external water sources .

The continuation of the Maules Creek Mine is not merely about resource extraction; it's about sustaining communities, supporting local economies, and advancing environmental initiatives. Such a balanced approach ensures that the benefits of the project resonate well beyond its operational boundaries.

Whitehaven has a good reputation as a responsible operator.
Whitehaven is a well-run Australian company that contributes strongly to the communities in which it operates.
The Project supports continued state royalites, and regional jobs which pay income tax.
The Project supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander communities with both direct employment (>10% at Maules Creek coal mine) and indirectly through procurement and support of foundations such as the Clontarf Foundation.

I believe the Maules creek continuation to 2044 will be good for the region. Creating plenty of job opportunities and helping businesses and families thrive in the area.

We need not only continue this project indefinitely but to also use this coal ourselves. Government policy by all indicators seems to be intent on destroying our power grid and citizens’ ability to afford power.
Getting further in the way of mining will only expedite our own demise.

Supporting the project as it provides Job to 500+locals and excellent rehab and noise control.

I work for Whitehaven Coal and they provide excellent community support and have a proud history of environmental responsibility.

I am writing to express my strong support for the Maules Creek Continuation Project proposed by Whitehaven Coal. This project represents a critical opportunity to sustain and enhance the economic, social, and environmental contributions of the Maules Creek Coal Mine to the Narrabri region and broader New South Wales.

Economic and Employment Benefits
The continuation of operations until 2044 will secure approximately 940 ongoing jobs, with a peak workforce of over 1,000. Notably, 75% of the current workforce is locally based, and 14% identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, reflecting Whitehaven’s commitment to inclusive employment.

The mine contributes over $200 million annually to local businesses and suppliers, and $160 million in wages to its workforce. In FY24 alone, the mine delivered $168 million in royalties to the NSW Government. These funds are vital for public services, infrastructure, and community development.

Environmental Management and Rehabilitation
Whitehaven has demonstrated a proactive approach to environmental stewardship. The project includes the establishment of 2,300 hectares of native woodland through its Landscape Revegetation Zones, with 500–800 hectares to be planted in the first 3–5 years. This initiative will enhance biodiversity and contribute to long-term ecological resilience in the region.

The continuation project remains within existing mining tenements, avoiding new land disturbance, and proposes only a modest increase in production from 13 to 14 Mtpa to improve operational flexibility.

Infrastructure and Water Efficiency
The proposed water pipeline connecting Maules Creek to the Tarrawonga and Vickery mines will enable more efficient water use across Whitehaven’s operations, reducing external water demand and improving sustainability.

Community Commitment
Whitehaven continues to invest in local infrastructure, education, and community partnerships. The company’s Voluntary Planning Agreement with Narrabri Shire Council ensures that the social impacts of mining are mitigated and that local communities share in the benefits.

It is also important to consider the broader environmental implications of ceasing Australian coal exports. Australian coal is among the highest quality in the world, with a superior calorific value and lower impurity levels compared to many international alternatives. If Australia were to reduce its coal supply, importing nations would likely turn to lower-grade domestic or alternative sources, which produce higher emissions per unit of energy generated. In this context, continuing to supply high-efficiency Australian coal can help minimize global emissions, even as the world transitions to cleaner energy sources.

Conclusion
The Maules Creek Continuation Project is a well-considered, responsibly managed proposal that balances economic growth with environmental care and community benefit. I urge the Department of Planning and Environment to approve this project to ensure the continued prosperity of the Narrabri region and the broader NSW economy.

I am writing to express my strong support for the Maules Creek Continuation Project (MCCP), an extension of the currently approved Maules Creek Coal Mine, which I believe is vital to the future of our region.
Approval of the MCCP will enable the continuation of the substantial workforce at the Maules Creek Mine and support employment growth on-site to approximately 940 jobs. The wages earned by these employees are largely spent within the local community, supporting local businesses and helping to sustain shops, services, and community amenities. Approximately 70% of the workforce resides locally with their families, contributing to the long-term viability of our schools, retail stores, and healthcare services. In addition, ongoing work for contractors and service providers helps ensure that towns like Narrabri, Boggabri, and Gunnedah remain vibrant and economically active.
The Maules Creek Mine directly supports local communities by investing in essential facilities such as the Boggabri Hospital pharmacy storage upgrade, the Maules Creek Fairfax Public School community bus, and laptops for students at Boggabri Public School. The Mine considers these contributions critical to the local area, and without approval of the MCCP, this level of community support would likely diminish.
Currently, the Maules Creek Mine spends more than $200 million annually with local suppliers and businesses—an investment that is vital to the strength and resilience of our regional economy.
The Mine also plays a significant role in improving outcomes for the local Indigenous community, with around 14% of its workforce identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Furthermore, in FY24, the Maules Creek Mine contributed $168 million in royalties to the NSW Government, helping to fund essential public services such as roads, hospitals, and schools—bringing lasting benefits to communities across the state.
Whitehaven continues to provide meaningful support to the region. Over FY23 and FY24, the company invested more than $5.5 million in local, community-initiated projects.
For all these reasons, I strongly believe the MCCP should be approved without delay.

More jobs, sustainable economy and environmental management - very supportive

As a proud business owner in Boggabri, I want to express my full support for the opportunities that the mining industry, and in particular Whitehaven, has brought to our town. Over the years, small businesses like mine have faced some very challenging times. It’s been the continued support from Whitehaven, choosing to work with local businesses, that has helped many of us keep our doors open.
But their contribution goes beyond business. Whitehaven has consistently invested in our community, providing vital financial support for local events and infrastructure improvements. These efforts not only enhance the quality of life in Boggabri but also give our town a stronger sense of security and optimism for the future.
The employment opportunities created by Whitehaven have had a ripple effect across our region. With more families settling here and contractors spending within the community, there’s been a significant boost to the local economy. This kind of growth is essential for towns like ours — and it’s something we don’t take for granted.
I believe partnerships like this are crucial. When industry and community work together, we all benefit.

I fully support this great regional project that has already created thousands of regional jobs as well as contributed to the welfare state of NSW and Australia via the exorbitant royalties and taxes that these businesses are burdened with.
Without these wealth creating industries in our regions we are resigning ourselves and especially our regional areas (including the large indigenous populations that live locally) to a 2nd or 3rd world existence..... Get on board and fast track the approval for this project...NOW!

The NSW Government shouldn’t be approving a coal mine expansion now that will not even start until 2034 – it is locking in greenhouse gas emissions far into the future that we can’t afford. This project will clear over 500 hectares of key foraging habitat for the Swift Parrot, despite only 500 of them remaining in the wild, and will push the species closer to extinction. This is a key site for Swifties and must not be put at risk. The project will also clear a further 428 hectares of the beautiful Leard State Forest, resulting in over 46% of the State Forest having been cleared in total for three coal mines. Whitehaven Coal has an appalling compliance record. In the last 10 years, Whitehaven has been found guilty or investigated for breaches of the law on 35 occasions. This expansion poses a major risk to local water resources – it will suck down water beneath local creeks and the groundwater used by farmers to water their stock. Whitehaven has already been prosecuted for stealing water at the Maules Ck coal mine at the height of the last drought. NSW communities are already experiencing devastating impacts from global warming but this project will produce an extra 238 million tonnes of total greenhouse gas pollution. The direct emissions from the mining process itself, of over 3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, will completely undermine NSW achieving climate targets.

Fantastic local employment opportunity and income for the community.

The Leard Forest Precinct Environmental Trust manages the distribution of developer contributions made by the three mines in the Leard Forest Mining Industry Cluster, namely Boggabri Coal Mine, Maules Creek Coal Mine and Tarrawonga Coal Mine. The developer contribution of $100,000 per mine was paid to Narrabri Shire Council for environmental community projects through a Voluntary Planning Agreement in 2013. Subsequently the Trust was established from the Community Consultative Committees of the three mines, in lieu of a committee of Council, to manage the distribution of the funds for community environmental projects. Since the initial contributions from each mine there has been no further allocations to the Trust fund despite the development and operation of these mines being modified at various times, over the last ten years. Effectively the current value and capability of the funds held by the Trust (despite a provision by Narrabri Shire Council of 1.5% of the annual increased amount which Council receives from the mine for the saleable tonnes of coal) has been significantly eroded by the impact of inflation and the expenses of maintaining the fund since the initial allocation. Given that this proposal will extend the mine's life, the Trust believes that the Proponent should give consideration to providing an additional developer allocation to the funds managed by the Trust, commensurate with the environmental and community impact and the proposed extended life of the mine.
Michael J. Silver OAM
President
Leard Forest Precinct Environmental Trust Inc.

I support the business and its decision to apply for an extension as Whitehaven provides hundreds of jobs for the local community and invest a lot of money into the local economy

I am a local resident of Narrabri and I support the development application to extend the mine life of the Maules Creek coal mine to 2044 and the extension of the extraction area to support the extended mine life.

Whitehaven Coal is a large and important employer within the Narrabri Shire Council area and staff employed in the mine contribute significantly to the economic prosperity of Narrabri, Boggabri and Gunnedah and other surrounding areas. The direct benefits of having a major employer paying relatively high wages levels is a key component to the sustainability of our regional communities, and the indirect benefits from having large, ongoing industrial projects in the area is also very positive by maintaining and hopefully increasing population, services and community facilities over the life of the Major Project.

Whitehaven Coal provides good working conditions to their employees, spends locally where possible and supports many local businesses, sponsors local events and community groups and has a commitment to being responsible environmental operators. Their indigenous employment program is commendable and has many positive follow-on benefits with participants receiving training and technical knowledge and qualifications that may not have been available to these employees in this area otherwise.

The flow on effect to the operating standards of local contractors and businesses of meeting the safety standards required for mine-site operations has a notable ongoing benefit elsewhere within the local area. Safety standards are at a higher level overall in this area as a result, which in turn means those businesses and operators are working in other jobs (for example in the agricultural industry) at higher safety standards, reducing work related incidents and improving the workplace health and safety standards at these work locations too.

In addition, the mine site requirements of alcohol and drug-free operations with mandatory, ad hoc testing regime also means that individuals and their companies maintain stringent requirements, resulting in better health and safety overall and also in some cases, better domestic circumstances at home where employees do not consume illegal drugs or drink alcohol excessively when on work rosters.

During the drought, when the agricultural industry in this area were unable to sustain employment, many workers sought employment in the mines which kept local workers and their families residing in the area which was an important benefit to Narrabri. Many of these employees returned to the agricultural industry when favourable seasonal conditions and employment opportunities returned. If it hadn't been for their opportunity to work in the mining industry during this period, many of these experienced workers may have moved away for employment elsewhere and not returned.

As a local resident, I fully support this project continuing. This project is critical to the ongoing liveability of Narrabri and Boggabri and sustaining population and services of our regional community.

I support Maules Creek continuation for numerous reasons.
1. Acknowledging that coal will remain in the energy mix for decades to come, High quality Australian coal such as produced at Maules Creek, need to be supported. If these coals are not produced, meeting the worlds energy demands means that much more lower quality, dirtier coals from other countries will be mined and sold in place of these high quality Australian coals.

2. Continued benefits to the regional economy. Almost 1,000 jobs maintained; Annual royalties in the $100's millions maintained; Annual spend with local businesses also in the $100's millions

I 100% support Maules Creek to extend its life by another 10years.
This will help support the community and keep jobs secure for another 19year!

Maules creek Project has provided many of jobs for friends and family local to the area. i Support it to continue as its also provided a decent job where i have been able to learn multiple new skills and advance in skills while being able to stay local to my home town. I can see how my local town of Boggabri has been able to benefit of having this in our area

The continuation project of Maules Creek mine is important to support local jobs and small businesses in the surrounding residential areas. Closure of the mine would have significant implications on local residents, towns and small businesses.