MOD 3 - Pit 8 Extension

I am deeply concerned about the extension of this open cut mine:
- An additional 155 ha of biodiversity habitat and farming land is being disturbed. The cumulative impacts on native species and loss of habitat for species like the koala, large-eared pied bat and regent honeyeater (all threatened species which have millions of dollars spent to reverse declines)
- Permanent damage to Wollar Creek, altering flows and destroying groundwater systems.
- Ongoing social and health impacts to local communities including noise, dust, blasting, bright lights for 24 hours of mining per day
- Continued disturbance of Aboriginal cultural heritage and connection to country
I believe this project modification should be rejected.

The documents online at the planning website make it very difficult to refer to page number for the public to object to a particular part/point, because the page# on the original document and the pdf.doc are different. Also the sheer number and volume of documents we are expected to be reviewing and commenting on in BARELY a month is unbelievable .

Some of my key concerns are that this extension will be:
1. Permanently altering flows to Wollar Creek, as well as further impacts down the catchment and altering groundwater systems.
The mine proposes with future expansions to more than double the water discharge (the mines original license was for NIL RELEASE) into catchments which flow into The Goulburn River and then The Upper Hunter catchments.
There are already visual changes at our crossing on the Goulburn River such as the inability of She Oaks along the river to sprout, establish, grow to maturity and continue to hold the banks of the sandy riverbed secure because the river does not have a (in the past a seasonal and natural) dry period. The established She Oaks are becoming old and falling without new young trees establishing the river is at risk of having erosion issues with increased flows. The river has not had its dry period for many years since the flow has been already impacted by a number of coal mines. So the extra flow in the discharge outlets, creeks and river is a huge impact for the biodiversity in the vicinity which has not been addressed in the mines expansion proposal.
This expansion also further impacts the ability for our family to travel in and out of the property as we need to cross Goulburn River which is becoming more and more unpredictable due to already increased flows and also Wollar Creek to drive to any town (Wollar for mail, Mudgee for groceries, Gulgong for doctors, Dubbo and Orange for medical specialists). Eg. I was there recently (Sept 2025) and injured my hand and probably needed stitches tried, to cross the river to go to Gulgong and was unable to because the river was unpassable. There is no alternative option. This impact is becoming more regular and not likely to be reversible. Also ambulance access is becoming more restricted because of the increased flows.
2. Disturbing an additional 115ha that is a significant area of important biodiversity habitat values in White Box - Yellow Box - Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland and Derived Native Grasslands.
This will impact many locally threatened species such as
Eastern cave Bat and large-eared pied Bat, the proposal will remove critical breeding habitats for these species including known maternity sites, resulting in a SAII. Breeding boxes have not proved successful.
Regent honeyeater is also critically endangered and the proposed expansion will directly remove mapped areas of important habitat for the regent honeyeater. The regent honeyeater also uses she oaks for nesting and access to mistletoe unique to she oaks. This species is being visually monitored at a Goulburn River site. The water impacts are already evident on the She Oaks along the river, which indirectly impacts on the honeyeaters due to the river flows.
South-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoo is vulnerable and uses the she oaks.
Brown Treecreeper is vulnerable and lives in the Box Gum Woodland.
Diamond Firetail Finch is vulnerable and also resides in the Box Gum Woodland.
There is also the endangered Koala and Echidna in the area.
The extent of the impact from the direct loss of breeding habitat combined with the cumulative loss of similar habitats from past mining is unknown.
3. Bringing open cut mining operations eventually right up to the edge of Wollar Village. This means that the dust which is already constantly visible in the air, the noise and all the vibrations will be impossible to avoid or ignore when there are public events held in Wollar. There is still a functioning community around Wollar trying to survive and hold community events at the Community Hall and Recreation Ground which is difficult with the already existing 3 mines. Wilpinjong has stated the latest expansion is “modest” but it is NOT! It is encroachment focused towards the village of Wollar. Engagement with the community should continue throughout the exhibition, assessment, construction and operation of a project. The outcomes and findings of this engagement must be incorporated into the EIS.

4. The visual impact along the road between Ulan and Wollar the distance is approx. 25 km and has three mines causing a huge cumulative impact on the local area. This road is one access to the Goulburn River National Park. There is a significant usage of the Goulburn River National Parks in the area and these Australian and overseas visitors are all subject to the visuals of three mines and the extreme disregard of the local wildlife dead in the middle of the road. Fresh bodies daily are not only dangerous but abhorrent visually. There are kangaroos, wombats, goannas, bearded dragons, snakes etc. being killed daily on the roads which have been upgraded from small country single lane roads to highway.

The constant dust in the air is visible in the air along this road is also not a positive look either. Dust management on the mine site in windy conditions has been inadequate. Locally the air quality is poor when it has historically been extremely clean.
Seen as a whole there are mountains being moved down the railway line to Newcastle and exported to be burnt which will add to the global CO₂ emissions which is in no way a good thing. This October 2025 is already breaking records for THE HOTTEST on record. There are communities dissolving, devastating local populations of vulnerable and endangered fauna, as well as the destruction of endangered woodland and grasslands.

5. Generating additional millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at a time when the world is already overheating and impacted by increasingly violent extreme weather events. Governments should be saying NO to more emissions of this nature. While the area has already been zoned as a Renewable Energy Zone there shouldn’t be coal expansions given permission to keep making more impacts which will compromise the ability of the community rejuvenating the population and environment.

6. Extending social impacts and uncertainty while increasing biodiversity impacts under Federal environmental law.

7. Assessment of diesel emissions does not include emissions from trains.

8. Mod 3 is part of a larger project

9. Mod 3 is not substantially the same as current approved operations

10. The Social Impact Assessment fails to identify the cumulative impact of Wilpinjong Coal Mine on Wollar community or the vulnerability of remaining residents.

11. The cumulative impacts of the three large mines operating in the region has not been included in the assessment.

12. Identifies 7 positive social outcomes if the modification is not approved and only 3 negative.
The proposal for this extension will cause serious and irreversible impacts on the water, fauna, flora and biodiversity in general, as well as communities of humans.

Please accept this as my submission. I object to the Wilpinjong Coal Mine Mod 3 Pit 8 extension.

I am very surprised that we are still approving new areas to mine, be this a new mine or an “extension”, this must not be allowed to happen. We are in the midst of an existential crisis as there has been little progress on stopping or reversing the effects of climate change. There are floods, fires and extremely unusual “weather events” happening regularly. It is imperative that we stop approving mining expansions and new mines, we are on borrowed time and you just need to look around to see what the effects of a warming climate mean to our way of life. From 1965 to 1994 in Tennant Creek, there were an average of 130 days per year above 35C. That average rose to 142 days over the following three decades, and data also shows the days are taking longer to cool down. People living in these high temperatures have many health related problems which are a direct result of the high temperatures which are caused by a warming climate. We can no longer afford to ignore the damage being done by mining and gas exploration.

I object for many reasons some of which I have listed below.

Any expansion will result in releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions

This is the first stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project..

The mine is up to the boundary of Wollar Village

The proposed extension of mine disturbance will significantly impact two critically endangered ecological communities (CEEC) and eleven endangered fauna species.
* Endangered microbats: The new open cut area contains the highest density of the endangered Large-eared Pied Bat and Eastern Cave Bat in the region. Two rocky hills will be removed, which are at the centre of the hotspot. These are critical breeding habitats including known maternity sites, resulting in a Significant and Irreversible Impact (SAII).
* Box Gum Woodland CEEC: The assessment fails to adequately consider indirect impacts from the proposal on the Box Gum Woodland CEEC and understates the extent of impact. This community is identified as groundwater dependent. The potential impacts of the proposed groundwater drawdown is not considered or assessed.
* Regent Honeyeater: The proposed expansion will directly remove mapped areas of important habitat for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater. There are current records of breeding activity in the district that are not recognised in the assessment report.
* Koala: Impacts on landscape connectivity. Expansion of open-cut mining forms an extensive and hostile barrier between the locally significant conservation areas of Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve and Goulburn River National Park. It will remove the closest points of intact remnant vegetation on the valley floor currently forming stepping stones of habitat between these two reserves for a wide variety of woodland birds including the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater and mobile fauna like the Endangered Koala.

This expansion will affect an additional 155 ha: loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation.

It will permanently alter and degrade alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar Creek catchment.

There will be an increase in pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition, lighting and water contamination

Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life

This project will slow the transition to our clean energy future – competing with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar

This project is not required to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage for renewable energy projects in the Central West

There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more than public income generated through royalties and taxes.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my views on this project and to submit an objection to the project.

The area affected by this application has been special for my family since my late auntie Sue purchased a property nearby over forty years ago. It has been a place to visit as often as possible, and to gather when we can. Over the years we have seen the damage caused by coal mining in the region from a very personal perspective. Every walk down the river to The Drip is now a reminder of how close the mines are coming and the likely damage to the groundwater, the river and the natural environment. The view from our verandah now includes the bright glow of mining operations at night and we can hear the blasting. We see friends in the community having their homes and livelihoods threatened, and wildlife habitat lost.

The responsibility of owning a piece of Australian land is grave. It was not ceded, and we come from a colonial culture with a wilfully grotesque lack of understanding and regard for its deep importance and interconnection. The task of being stewards of this land is one I know my family approach seriously and contemplatively.

Repeatedly and throughout my entire life, I have witnessed the approach mining companies take to this same responsibility of stewardry. The wilful, sometimes gleeful disregard with which they ravage Australia's magisterial treasures - that is, the immense, environmentally integral, globally unique endemic biodiversity and unfathomably bountiful soil which are critical to all human survival, and the cultural heritage of the oldest human civilisations on this planet - to plunder the earth for rocks they can sell to foreign oligarchs, to make profits they can expatriate to foreign oligarchs.

On that basis the expansion of any mining project must be regarded with deep concern, because mining companies are, perhaps in principle, but certainly in practice, manifestly incapable of stewarding the land or safeguarding the untold natural wealth it already provides to Australia, to the environment, and to the local communities. Their intent and expectation is to be destructive and extractive, and the sole justification they provide is economic benefit. Yet I see that the supposed return from this project - not only to the residents and locals, but to the government and by extension the entire community, is $21m, pennies compared to the subsidies our Federal government expends on mining. I do not care about the economic benefits to mining capital largely owned offshore.

Moreover, I see that this mine itself is not mining critical minerals required for the expansion of renewable energy, but coal. It is hard to describe the foolishness of continuing to mine and burn coal in 2025 more evocaticely than the literal, unvarnished fact that we are bombing our own country to burn dinosaur bones - or sell them to someone else to burn - while our coastlines are ravaged by floods, algae blooms over seas, and our interior suffers vicious fires and droughts.

This mine expansion is an assault on the land that sustains us all, and I object.

Please accept this as my submission. I object to the Wilpinjong Coal Mine Mod 3 Pit 8 extension.

I am very suspicious of the motivations and pressures that result in continuing approvals of new areas to mine, and claims this new mine is an “extension”, this must not be allowed to proceed. We are in the midst of an existential crisis as there has been negligible progress on slowing, let alone reversing the trillions of dollars of damage from climate change. There are increasingly intense floods, fires and extremely unusual “weather events” happening regularly. It is imperative that we stop approving mining expansions and new mines, we are on borrowed time and you just need to look around to see what the effects of a warming climate mean to our way of life. From 1965 to 1994 in Tennant Creek, there were an average of 130 days per year above 35C. That average rose to 142 days over the following three decades, and data also shows the days are taking longer to cool down. People living in these high temperatures have many health related problems which are a direct result of the high temperatures which are caused by a warming climate. I moved to the mildest climate area in Australia deliberately, but even in the last decade warming has resulted in obvious changes and generally increasing peak temperatures, disturbingly sometimes higher than the Sydney region. We can no longer afford to ignore the damage being done by mining and gas exploration.

I object for many reasons some of which I have listed below.

Any expansion will result in releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions

This is the first stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project..

The mine is up to the boundary of Wollar Village.

The proposed extension of mine disturbance will significantly impact two critically endangered ecological communities (CEEC) and eleven endangered fauna species.

•Endangered microbats: The new open cut area contains the highest density of the endangered Large-eared Pied Bat and Eastern Cave Bat in the region. Two rocky hills will be removed, which are at the centre of the hotspot. These are critical breeding habitats including known maternity sites, resulting in a Significant and Irreversible Impact (SAII).
•Box Gum Woodland CEEC: The assessment fails to adequately consider indirect impacts from the proposal on the Box Gum Woodland CEEC and understates the extent of impact. This community is identified as groundwater dependent. The impact of the proposed groundwater drawdown is not considered or assessed.
•Regent Honeyeater: The proposed expansion will directly remove mapped areas of important habitat for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater. There are current records of breeding activity in the district that are not recognised in the assessment report.
•Koala: Impacts on landscape connectivity. Expansion of open-cut mining forms an extensive and hostile barrier between the locally significant conservation areas of Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve and Goulburn River National Park. It will remove the closest points of intact remnant vegetation on the valley floor currently forming stepping stones of habitat between these two reserves for a wide variety of woodland birds including the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater and mobile fauna like the Endangered Koala.

This expansion will affect an additional 155 ha: loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation.

It will permanently alter and degrade crucial alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar Creek catchment.

There will be an increase in pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition, lighting and water contamination

Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life.

This project will retard the transition to our clean energy future – competing with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar.

This project is not required to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage for renewable energy projects in the Central West.

There is no economic justification, unless offshored multinational profits are the priority, and
the increased climate change impacts will cost far more than the token public income generated through minimised royalties and taxes.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my views on this project and to submit an objection to the project.

The project’s purpose is to facilitate a much larger expansion in the near future that surrounds Wollar village and that will also negatively impact important conservation areas. Therefore the ‘modification’ proposal is not accurate and should be ASSESSED AS A NEW PROJECT.
This project will deliver negative ramifications that include climate impacts, water impacts, biodiversity impacts for 2 conservation nature reserves and its native wildlife including critically endangered threatened species, and social impacts affecting the Wollar community itself. This project will be responsible for the loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation.
Please read my attached document.

Thank you
Martin Derby

I am a local resident-landowner, residing approx. 7-8kms as the crow flies from WCPL (Wilpinjong Coal Pty Ltd), a local RFS Brigade member (CUMBO- Wollar station) and a member of local community committees.

I object to this project due to the following;

There have been many noise, dust, odour complaints made and logged with WCPL complaints line since pit 8 approval in 2018 from our residence and still are to this day. With this extension of this pit this will cause us directly more noise, more odour, more dust, more problems, no solution. As quoted in reports for pit 8, we would not hear WCPL operations, but we do.

This mine has affected my health and my well-being. Sleepless night due to the noise of their equipment, clanging through the night-morning when once we heard only nature. Reason why we moved here was to have some peace, quiet and for our well-being, being surrounded by nature. Sleep disruption is a major issue causing stress and being rundown due to lack of.

The odour-spontaneous combustion that escapes the mine and travels our direction, same time 8.30pm to 9pm and the same season-normally in summer, can be unbearable at times. Especially in warm summer nights-when you live off grid and cannot run an aircon, having to have your windows opens by no choice or even unable to stand outside is not pleasant. Been told numerous times that it is not from them, the odour is coming from us or wrongly noted on WCPL complaints records that the smell was noted as smoke and not odour. Many excuses have been given but no real explanation on how they are dealing with this matter and I’m afraid this will get worse if this extension is granted.

The stress of complaining, going through the process, not being heard, no proper explanation, nothing being done or being redirected is very frustrating.

The redirection of the road and the visual aspects of pit 8 extension is going to impact us highly– having to detour to the village for community activities and collecting mail, having to see the pit and all its glory, having to listen to their blasting, equipment all day and all night, having to smell the stench from their area.

2023- 2024 our road causeway was washed away. MWRC (Mid-Western Regional Council) were waiting on WCPL regarding their application for Mod 3 see scoping letter 2024-Mod 3 Pit 8 & Pit 3 extension, to see if they would get approval, the road including causeway would have to be re-routed. WCPL have changed their original plan and have presented another mod not the same as the scoping letter-Mod 3 pit 8 & pit 3 extension. The point is, we had to suffer the inconvenience of not having a fully repaired causeway, even to this day. Waiting on what WCPL were going to do on a public road we use daily, only to be currently told that they have changed their plans without no explanation. Now MWRC are responsible for the maintenance. There is only one way in and one way out public road to our properties and to the National Park campgrounds.

The safety issues for emergencies, coal trains going over and stopping on the tracks, blocking the throughfare to get to the main roads, which has happened many times. We were lucky there were no serious emergencies at those times. There will be more train activity, more noise, more emissions and more disruption, which is very concerning especially for safety issues and for emergency services to respond. Waiting for 30 minutes for the tracks to clear and not having another alternate road to take, is not good enough.

Visitors coming to camp at the camping site in the National Park will have to go through WCPL scenic route before getting to their destination. The river table would be disrupted, animal throughfare will be disrupted, meaning more roadkill, injured and displaced wildlife. WCPL has disrupted the area, and the area is trying to keep up, rejuvenate and adjust.

On a previous mine tour having witness animals stranded on a small island of land surrounded by mine pits was not a pretty sight to see, very sad really. I’ll hate to see more situations like this if this extension is approved. Living within and observing the wildlife and where they tend to go, you get a picture of their tracks, their safe stops, their safe havens, with this extension you can say goodbye to a lot more of the what’s left wildlife in this area. A local vet has quoted that a lot of koalas were admitted when WCPL started but we do not see the statistics for this or for the displaced, injured, and dead wildlife, that has been hidden from public view.

Local fauna and habitat will be removed and when replaced this will take a long time to mature and that is, if they mature. Some of these wildlife and fauna are on the Australian emblem that represent Australia, and this is very heart breaking to see that they are not being respected and looked after, only when it suits and when they become extinct.

SIMP (Social Impact Management Plan v4) would need reviewing as it is very misleading, there are some flaws in the document. WPCL have not communicated or engaged with the service in regard, which is mentioned a few times in the SIMP – Cooks Gap RFS is 44kms from the mine in Yarrawonga and is not Wollar’s local brigade. As of 2023 Wollar RFS local brigade is now called Cumbo and not Cooks Gap. All members of Cooks Gap RFS were notified of the circumstances and the changes. There seems to be a lack of communication and connection from WCPL to the community and to the service. If there had been engagement, the correct local RFS brigade name would have been used.

Not all landowners are associated with WCPL ‘Have a Chat’, CCC (Community Consultative Committee) or WPA (Wollar Progress Association) and do not get all information from the WCPL on what is happening within the area, only through word of mouth from locals that are left. In the past I was asked who lived in the area and told WCPL that the records they have, were not current and they would need to update these. This also is a lack of communication and administration on WPCL behalf. At least with other local projects the Landowners are given a monthly newsletter/information through their postal or email address and kept up to date.

Having been told that they plan to continue until 2034, not only for the extension of pit 8 but also for Pit 9 & 10 and future opportunity (pit 3 extension) is very concerning, especially when it was quoted on their reports that they were going to ramp down in 2025, that’s 9 more years of taking more coal out of the ground!! Making that more unbearable to be around the area and that’s including my property.
This does not seem WCPL is ramping down, it seems that WCPL are just eating the whole place out before they go. Getting all the bang of their licence, while they can.

What is happening with the zero emissions? are WCPL really doing their bit? If they were, then they will be slowing down in my view, not extending.

Non-existence of Wollar community, only a few landowners on the outskirts of Wollar. No shop, no petrol station, no proper postal, no health clinics nor public transport all taken away having to travel (if you are lucky to have and get a ride, very sparse with no community around) extra to get the essentials, postage and health care.
With the ramp down of the mine and no extensions, it would be a good gesture to allow the public to purchase what is left of the local properties and facilities from WCPL to rejuvenate Wollar village. Some of these services may possibly be reinstated if people start living back here, boasting up the morale of the community. Previous and currently there are people coming in from the city buying surrounding properties, unfortunately there are no properties in Wollar for sale.

I found this application process to be very rushed and not being able to fully comprehend due to the time limit, especially when trying to go through all WCPL Modification Application (27) reports, attachments, one attachment being 817 pages! How the information provided by WCPL hand-picked experts who compiled the reports, are all one sided. There is no second opinion to compare the differences or similarities of their findings, only their views.

Not enough time to go through the whole Modification Application, no resources, (second opinions) and no proper support-communication with WPCL to landowners and community of this extension and the modification of the previous modification in 2024, see scoping letter to department. No discussion, no feedback and no say on the reviewing of the reports provided for this application.

In the end there are many reasons why I object to WCPL modification pit 8 -Mod3 application. What I have provided in this submission is only the tip of the iceberg. I live here 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, this is my home, and I do not want it getting more impacted and destroyed. All this for the greed of coal, destruction, lining pockets of those that can benefit from it and of no real benefit to the local people or the environment. (Wollar and close surrounding exclude Mudgee and Gulgong which is not local and are the only ones benefiting and are not suffering, having to live this day in and day out)

There is only so much coal you can take out of the ground. The unnecessary emissions, the carnage and the time for the rehabilitation of those pits, if successful, is what we will have to put up with after WCPL have finished with it. That land will never be the same regardless of what they try and do, you have altered it for life. The beauty of this land, what is left of it and what it can and has provided, you can never get it back once you start destroying it. So please, no more taking and destroying what little we do have.

Thank you for taking the time to read my submission, once again for clarification ‘I OBJECT’ to this project.

I write in relation to development application from Peabody Energy Aust P/L for approval of Wilpinjong coal mine extension. Approval is sought under the Commonwealth EPBC Act 1999. We submit that this legislation is known to be 'broken' and 'not fit for purpose'. Therefore we ask that the approval process be suspended until the new Legislation is in force. We note that the new draft legislation was tabled 30 October 2024.
We further submit that this application be considered as a new project, rather than an extension. The current mine produces 16 MT of coal per year, while the new proposal would add another 25 MT to the production. The proposal also covers a much larger area and would come very close to Waller Village. The risk to that Village is greater than that presented by the existing mine and in our view, a separate mine application is required, because of the project's size, unique impacts and the severity of the environmental damages that we foresee.
We note the following impacts:
The destruction of woodland and forest cover leading to severe habitat loss for koalas, birds such as the Regent Honeyeater and Bat species.
The degradation of soil leading to soil infertility and the impossibility of full repair after mine closure.
The likely permanent impact on alluvial groundwater and surface flows in the catchment.
The social and health impacts on local inhabitants, who will lose much decision making and control of their local natural resources.
The growing impacts of climate change - heat, dryness of the land and increased fire risk.
The loss of opportunity for Wiradjuri people to develop and maintain cultural practices and engagements with the land and waterways.
We note that the costs of these impacts over time will annul the benefits to the NSW government in royalties.
We also comment that the Renewable Energy Zone Central West Orana would be impacted by competition for workforce resources. There is already an unfilled supply of workers for that important transmission project and the proposed new mine would further exacerbate this problem.
We therefore ask that you give considerations to these views. Although we are Sydney based community organisation we have ties with regional areas, and particularly with the area impacted by the Peabody proposal. For us it's an area that is important for its ecological services, its biodivesity and its community pride. It is an asset to NSW and should not be seen as a short term money pot for mining interests and government coffers. Instead it is an integral part of our great estate which we must value and protect for future generations.
B. Ayling

Northern Beaches Envirolink wishes to object to the modification as our objective is to see a sustainable future for us as humans and our natural environment implemented. As an additional 25 MT of greenhouse gas emissions would be released and important habitat of iconic animals like honeyeaters, koalas, and bats would be annihilated, this project counters both of our principle adjectives. Human nature is depended on averting global warming and habitat annhilation is directly involved in the proposal of this open cut Wilpinjong coal mine.

I fully support the modification proposal to continue the mining of coal from the Peabody Wilpinjong Site to 2033. In providing a great quality product Nationally for Australia & Internationally, they do so in Full Compliance & Respectively in Full Rehabilitation Of Our Land.
The Ongoing boost to the local economy and employment locally is a Testament to Core Values that Peabody Wilpinjong have continuously supported.
I fully support the mining extension application.

I have been a permanent full-time employee of Wilpinjong Coal Mine since 2009. I strongly support the project 100 percent. I have lived in Mudgee for the last 25 years, my wife is a sixth generation Mudgee local. The Mudgee region is a fantastic place to live. The Mudgee / Gulgong townships and the local economy have grown and prospered since mining has increased in the area. Peabody supports many local businesses and charities in the region and beyond. Having the privilege of being an employee of Peabody has given me the opportunity to provide for my family, also to increase my education, skill base and knowledge. I look forward to continuing my employment with Peabody in the future.

The fact that NSW Government is considering further investment in fossil fuel expansion is deplorable. We are seeing the impacts of fossil fuel-driven climate change on a more and more regular basis: extreme weather events, mass migration, mass-extinction, soil degradation, pollution, food insecurity. We need systemic leaders to use their institutional power to swiftly correct our course, not condone further damage. Stop being so short sighted. How will you explain this decision to your grandchildren? Be a responsible ancestor. I object for the following reasons:
1. Releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions
2. First stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project
3. Mining to the boundary of Wollar Village
4. Disturbing an additional 155 ha:
• loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation
• destroying more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala
5. Permanently altering and degrading alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar Creek catchment.
6. Increasing pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition
(spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination
7. Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life
8. Slowing the transition to clean energy future – competing with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar
9. This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage for renewable energy projects in the Central West
10. There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more than public income generated through royalties and taxes

The Peabody Energy Wilpinjong Coal Mine has approval to mine 16 MT/year to end of 2033. It is a
wholly open cut operation disturbing over 30km2 of farmland and high biodiversity values
between Goulburn River National Park and Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve.
The proposed mine expansion should not be assessed as a modification because it differs
substantially from the current approved mine. Its purpose is to facilitate a much larger
expansion in the near future that surrounds Wollar village.
This ‘modification’ proposal should be assessed as a new project.
Wollar community is preparing to rejuvenate and rebuild including a return of Aboriginal people
through successful land claims. The Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWOREZ)
starts at Wollar being the first approved REZ in NSW. Wollar is the starting point for the transition
to clean energy. There should be no more expansion of coal mining.
For more information go to: https://mdeg.org.au/mudgee-coal-alert and overleaf
Key points of objection:
1. 2. 3. 4. Releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions
First stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project
Mining to the boundary of Wollar Village
Disturbing an additional 155 ha:
• loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation
• destroying more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared
Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala
Permanently altering and degrading alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in
the Wollar Creek catchment.
Increasing pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition
(spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination
Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life
Slowing the transition to clean energy future – competing with the Central West
Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar
This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage
for renewable energy projects in the Central West
10. There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more
than public income generated through

Peabody Mine Wilpinjong Coal Mine Mod 3 – Pit 8 Extension
I am a resident of Bathurst in Central West NSW, with an abiding interest in transition to renewable energy, ending the use of fossil fuels, and improving water quality in the region.
I wish to register my strong opposition to the Peabody Mine Wilpinjong Coal Mine Mod 3 – Pit 8 Extension. I am very concerned that this project, with increased mining and consequent burning of coal, will exacerbate climate change. It would release an additional 25 MT of greenhouse gas emissions. Extending a coal mine is also not consistent with the State’s objective to deliver a 70% cut in emissions by 2035 compared to 2005 levels, to reach the goal of Net Zero by 2050 (1). It is vital that NSW, and indeed all states, stop mining fossil fuels and emphasise transition to renewables. The projected net public benefit of $21 million from this proposal would be insufficient to cover the increased costs from extreme weather events due to climate change.
In fact, this “modification” is the harbinger of a new project, rather than being an extension of the existing mine. The Pit 8 Extension area is outside the existing mining lease, and is adjacent to the much larger Wilpinjong Exploration Area. For this reason, this proposal should go to IPC to be assessed as a new project, rather than as an extension.
It is also at the edge of Wollar village, creating more pollution and stress for the remaining residents. This village, once beautiful but now fading, has continued to be bought up by Peabody Mines as families leave, driven out by the noise, light and dust pollution inherent in living cheek-by-jowl with a 24-hour coal-mining operation, as well as by the noxious fumes from spontaneous combustion of coal piles.
The existing mine was slated to close in 2033, and Bayswater Power Station, which uses coal from Wilpinjong and currently supplies 25% of NSW power, could close by 2030 to 2033. Further coal extraction would be unnecessary. Extending this mine will act to slow the transition to renewable energy, a retrograde step.
Due to the anticipated closure of Peabody Mine, some regeneration of the village had commenced, with families returning. If the mine “expansion” is approved, the death of the village is a likely outcome. Remaining residents would be likely to experience mental health difficulties due to the uncertainty about their future.
As Wollar is already at the edge of the first Renewable Energy Zone, approval of this “modification” would be an eccentric choice. Jobs are available locally in renewable energy, so need for jobs is not an argument that can be usefully made by the mine.
Quite apart from climate and social reasons to refuse this application, there are a multitude of other important reasons to deny it. Preservation of Indigenous cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for the Wiradyuri people is vitally important, yet 15 more sites would be destroyed by Modification 3. Biodiversity is critical, but open-cut mining destroys habitat corridors for koalas, and critical breeding habitat for endangered microbats and for the endangered Regent Honeyeater.
This modification would have significant impacts on Wollar Creek, shifting mining from Wilpinjong Creek. The importance of water to life is impossible to overstate, yet open-cut mining would destroy both groundwater and aquifers, in what is identified as a high-value groundwater system.
There are no benefits to the region or to the state if this project goes ahead, but there are many negatives, not least of which is the contribution the mine “extension” would make to global warming, and hence to increasing extreme weather events. I reiterate my belief that this modification should be assessed as a new project, as its effects are far more wide-ranging than would be anticipated in a modification.

1. https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/nsw-plans-and-progress/government-strategies-and-frameworks/reaching-net-zero-emissions/net-zero

I write to strongly object to the proposed Wilpinjong Coal Mine Mod 3 – Pit 8 Extension. This project poses unacceptable environmental, cultural, social and economic risks that far outweigh any purported benefits. The following key concerns outline why this project must not proceed.
1. Excessive Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The proposal would release over 25 million tonnes of additional greenhouse gas emissions, directly undermining both NSW and national commitments to reduce emissions and transition to a clean energy future. Approving this project would be inconsistent with the NSW Climate Change (Net Zero Future) targets and Australia’s international obligations under the Paris Agreement.
2. A Staged Expansion Misrepresented as a Minor Modification
This proposal represents the first stage of a much larger mine expansion and should therefore be assessed as a new project, not as a simple modification. Piecemeal assessment conceals the true cumulative impacts and misleads both decision-makers and the public. The entire development footprint and its long-term environmental and social effects must be considered together.
3. Mining to the Boundary of Wollar Village
Mining right up to the boundary of Wollar Village is unacceptable. It threatens residents’ health, safety, and amenity through increased dust, noise, blasting, and heavy vehicle traffic. This proximity will exacerbate the social decline already experienced in the Wollar community due to previous mining activity.
4. Destruction of Additional 155 Hectares of Land
The project would disturb an additional 155 hectares, resulting in:
Loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape of the Wiradjuri Nation, causing irreversible harm to cultural values and connection to Country;
Destruction of critical habitat for several nationally threatened species, including the Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater, and Koala.
5. Irreversible Damage to Water Resources
Mining operations will permanently alter and degrade alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows within the Wollar Creek catchment. This threatens local ecosystems, agricultural productivity, and the long-term viability of the region’s water security.
6. Increased Pollution and Health Risks
The proposal’s noise, dust, blasting, spontaneous coal combustion, lighting, and water contamination impacts have not been adequately assessed. These pollutants will further degrade air and water quality and contribute to serious health risks for nearby residents and wildlife.
7. Ongoing Social Impacts and Loss of Rural Amenity
The project will worsen social fragmentation, noise disturbance, and loss of amenity, further eroding the rural way of life that remains in Wollar. The cumulative social toll of decades of mining in this area must be recognised and halted.
8. Inconsistent with Clean Energy Transition
Approving another coal project directly slows the transition to a clean energy future and competes with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone, which begins at Wollar. Expanding coal mining in this location undermines significant public and private investments in renewable infrastructure and regional economic diversification.
9. Lack of Economic Justification
This project is not needed to provide regional employment. The Central West currently faces a major workforce shortage in renewable energy projects, meaning labour is already in demand elsewhere. Furthermore, the climate and environmental costs of this mine will far exceed any short-term public revenue from royalties and taxes.

Wilpinjong Coal Mine Mod 3 – Pit 8 Extension
I write to express my strong objection to this project, for the following reasons:
1. The contribution this mine would make to rising global temperatures and climate-related extreme weather events. If allowed to proceed this mine would release over 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. The government of NSW has committed to reducing climate pollution and commendably it has legislated targets and appointed a Net Zero Commission. There is evidence that the state is not on track to meet the targets however. This and other coal project proposals should not be allowed to proceed through the planning system because they are the most harmful of all proposals in relation to climate harms and they are not necessary nor in the public interest.

It is the state’s primary duty to protect its citizens from harm, and to use financial resources to assist people whose lives have been devastated by fires, floods and drought. The royalties from coal mining are already outstripped by the cost of disaster recovery, and recovery costs are expected to keep rising to an extraordinary $17 billion by 2050. This information has been available to the government for a year now, in the NSW Climate Change Adaptation Plan report of October 2024.
It is way past time for the Minns government to change its current policy of expanding the coal industry. Maintaining the policy is an affront to intergenerational equity and the state’s duty of care to its people.
2. The Peabody Energy Wilpinjong Coal Mine has approval to operate for a further 8 years. I have visited the area and seen it and the other coal mines that surround the village of Wollar, and I’m shocked that there are proposals to extend rather than phase out coal mining. Further destruction of land that was once farmland and supported a thriving community should not be permitted. What successive NSW governments have facilitated around Wollar is heartbreaking, and any proposal to extend the destruction should be rejected. A phasing out of coal mining would allow the Wollar community and the Mudgee region to further expand clean and productive industries that are not in stark conflict with the natural beauty, productive land and water resources of the area. The community deserves to be allowed to rebuild – the social impacts on the community are not consistent with the values and rights Australians should be able to expect. I have read about the social impacts in the 2024 report “Social Impact Assessment in NSW: Gaps and Recommendations” which I’m sure the Department’s officials have also read.
3. This mining proposal is not a modification of the existing mine, it is the beginning of what the company plans to be a major expansion of mining. It should be assessed as such.
4. This proposal conflicts with the objectives and development of the Orana Renewable Energy Zone and the transition to clean energy to replace fossil fuels and reduce the cost of energy. Urgent priority should be given to the development of renewables in close consultation with impacted communities to ensure a safe and just transition.
5. This project would continue the destruction of the habitat of threatened native species, including the Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala. It is therefore in conflict with the NSW government’s commitment to reverse the decline of biodiversity in this state, which followed the release of the NSW Biodiversity Outlook Report last year.
Please reject this project in the public interest.

Australia has signed the Paris agreement and to align with this should not be approving any new or expansion of fossil fuel industry.
The project falls outside the current mining lease and should be considered a new project.
Water is the basis of life. The proposal has not established a baseline nor way of measuring in the original proposal nor for this 'expansion'. Terrestrial Groundwater Dependant Ecosystems have not been adequately assessed. Predicted increased salinity in discharge water will affect downstream water quality. Drawdown and loss of ground water will negatively affect the local environment.

30/10/2025
Personal Submission to NSW Department of Planning
Regarding the proposed expansion of Peabody’s
Wilpinjong Coal Mine. Mod 3 – Pit 8 Extension
My name is Jenny Curtis, I am a frequent visitor to properties owned by friends in Kains Flat and on the Goulburn river.
I am concerned about the potential impacts of this expansion to the existing Wilpinjong coal mine in the vicinity of these previous and beautiful places. I am also gravely concerned for the future of the township of Wollar.
My key concerns are:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Bio diversity impacts to the region. Not only the mine site, also the Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve, Goulburn River National Park, surrounding bushland and farms. This disturbance is not a one off. But for the entire time of the mine’s operation. Dust, noise, lighting, de-watering and ground water disturbance will all impact negatively on the surrounding environment.
The modification assessment needs “new project” status, enabling a rigorous process including an Environmental Impact Statement and independent oversight.
Cumulative impacts of mining in the region needs to be considered. The two adjacent mines, Moolarben and Ulan are in the process of lodging substantial expansions to their operations.
Moorlaben with open cut 3 and underground 4 (approved). Ulan with modification 8. Aside
from these coal mines. Approval has been given to Bowdens lead, zinc and silver mine in nearby Lue. The Mudgee region is becoming an ever increasing mine site. Likely negative impacts to the Mudgee region tourism and liveability. The regions status as an inland tourism hotspot will be compromised as it becomes known as an ever expanding mine.
This coal expansion is contradictory to the commitments made by the NSW government to a renewable transition in the region, by way of the Orana Central West Renewable Energy Zone.
With region wide work force shortages, the mine expansion will be in direct competition with the renewable energy zone projects for skilled workers.7.

Additional emissions of 25mT are only multiplying this climate emergency. In economic terms any royalties generated by this expansion will be more than cancelled out through the remediation of future climate impacts to wider community.

Yours sincerely
Jenny Curtis
7 Lamb St
Lilyfield NSW

Key points of objection:
1. Releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions

Which is about the same amount that all transport in NSW emits per year (28 MT).
We are in a climate crisis where every tiny degree of warming counts. Every MT of emissions counts. With this additional emissions it will be impossible for NSW to meet its climate targets.

2. First stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project

The proposed mine expansion should not be assessed as a modification because it differs
substantially from the current approved mine. Its purpose is to facilitate a much larger
expansion in the near future that surrounds Wollar village.
This ‘modification’ proposal should be assessed as a new project.

3. Mining to the boundary of Wollar Village

4. Disturbing an additional 155 ha:

• loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation
Wilpinjong Mine area is significant for Aboriginal cultural heritage with over 1,000 sites recorded
over many years. There is ample evidence of continuous Wiradjuri occupation of the region with
spiritual connection to country. Mod 3 will cause the destruction of an additional 15 sites.

• destroying more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared
Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, critically endangered Regent Honeyeater and Koala

The proposed extension of mine disturbance will significantly impact two critically endangered
ecological communities (CEEC) and eleven endangered fauna species.

Endangered microbats: The new open cut area contains the highest density of the endangered
Large-eared Pied Bat and Eastern Cave Bat in the region. Two rocky hills will be removed, which
are at the centre of the hotspot. These are critical breeding habitats including known maternity
sites, resulting in a Significant and Irreversible Impact (SAII).
Box Gum Woodland CEEC: The assessment fails to adequately consider indirect impacts from
the proposal on the Box Gum Woodland CEEC and understates the extent of impact. This
community is identified as groundwater dependent. The potential impacts of the proposed
groundwater drawdown is not considered or assessed.

Regent Honeyeater critically endangered): The proposed expansion will directly remove mapped areas of important
habitat for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater. There are current records of breeding
activity in the district that are not recognised in the assessment report.
With fewer than 300 left in the wild as of 15 October 2025 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-16/critically-endangered-regent-honeyeaters-released-hunter-valley/105897506 every hectar of habitat destroyed for an unnecesary coal mine expansion is taking the Regent Honeyeater closer to extinction. Ones it's gone there is no way back

Koala: Impacts on landscape connectivity.
Expansion of open-cut mining forms an extensive and hostile barrier between the locally significant conservation areas of Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve and Goulburn River National Park. Will remove the closest points of intact remnant
vegetation on the valley floor currently forming stepping stones of habitat between these two reserves for a wide variety of woodland birds including the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater and mobile fauna like the Endangered Koala.

5. Permanently altering and degrading alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar Creek catchment.

The Mod 3 - Pit 8 extension will cause a groundwater drawdown of over 20m and loss of groundwater (base)flows to Wollar
Creek of over 21 million litres per year. No monitoring has been done within the area of mine expansion to establish a baseline or measure impacts from current mining operations in Pit 8.

3 Terrestrial Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) have not been adequately assessed including those within the boundary of Wollar Village that provide significant ecological and aesthetic values.

Wilpinjong Mine has a poor history of water management and modelling by intercepting more water than predicted. Increased salinity loads of up to 3.5 tonnes salt per day in mine discharge are a potential downstream water quality impact.

6. Increasing pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition (spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination.

7. Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life

The proposed new area will take open cut mining operations to the boundary of Wollar Village. Pollution from current mining has caused significant health and well-being impacts on the Wollar community forcing many people to sell up to Peabody Energy and leave the district. The depopulation directly attributed to mining has not been addressed. The Social Impact Management Plan for the current approval identifies that mining and workforce would start ramping down this year 2025. Remaining community members are preparing to rebuild and
reinvigorate the community. This proposed new expansion adds to future uncertainty and stress levels further threatening mental health and wellbeing. The Social Impact Assessment identified seven positive social outcomes if the proposal doesn’t go ahead and only two negatives.

8. Slowing the transition to clean energy future – competing with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar

9. This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage for renewable energy projects in the Central West

10. There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more than public income generated through royalties and taxes.

The proposal has been assessed to contribute $21 million of net public benefit. This would not cover the costs of current climate change generated extreme weather events. The additional greenhouse gas emissions will cause a greater public cost. There is no need for extended coal mining in the region to provide local jobs. Mining is competing for skilled labour urgently required in the construction, housing and renewable energy industries. There is a major labour shortage in the Central West with local workers needed for the CWO REZ construction.

The NSW Government has prioritised the Central West Future Jobs and Investment Authority to manage the transition away from coal mining. The Mudgee region has many opportunities to diversify the economy.

I object to this supposed "modification" to the Wilpinjong mine, which should really be assessed as a new mine because it is a substantial expansion, not like a variation of the existing approval. My reasons for objection are
1. no further approvals for mining more fossil fuels are acceptable: our planet's environment is already too stressed by recent increases in greenhouse gasses and cannot cope with emissions from even more mining, transporting and combustion of fossil fuels. Enough coal is already approved for extraction to enable people to transition to a more energy-efficient society using energy sources that involve mush lower emissions, particularly renewable energy. This proposal will result in release of 25 MT of Greenhouse gases - this is unacceptable.
2.approval of new or extended coal mines limits the incentive or pressure to move rapidly to improve energy efficiency and supply renewable energy, and results in capital and human resources going into coal mining which tends to reduce what is available for building renewable alternative energy sources. This is particularly an issue in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone where workers and other resources are needed. It will have a negative impact on jobs, increasing workforce shortages for other types of work as well as for renewable projects.
3. The mine will cause permanent changes to the local environment, both destroying some valuable aspects of the mine area and having off-site effects such as altering the groundwater. It will impact on threatened species, declining species and species that are becoming less common but are needed, for example as food for other species. Many impacts are cumulative with those of approved mines or other changes in the landscape, having an increasingly significant serious effect.
4. The air and noise pollution from the mine and from transport of the coal, and the likely water pollution, are unacceptable.
5. The mine is too close to the village of Wollar - no villages should be depopulated or made unhealthy or unbearable to live in. It also has adverse impacts on the way of life and quality of life of people in the surrounding rural area and along the transport routes used by the company for equipment, the workforce and the coal trains.
6. More Aboriginal heritage will be permanently destroyed - another cumulative impact that is now unacceptable.
7. The costs to NSW people, including to government, are unacceptable, particularly when a share of the costs of trying to cope with climate change are considered. Alternative revenue sources are needed, not royalties form coal mining. Refusing approval for developments such as this would signal to investors that they should put their money elsewhere. Taxes and other net benefits from alternative uses of capital could outweigh the small benefits and huge net costs of this proposal.
Thank you for considering this submission.
Kate Boyd