State Significant Development
Tarrawonga Coal Mine
Narrabri Shire
Current Status: Determination
Interact with the stages for their names
- SEARs
- Prepare EIS
- Exhibition
- Collate Submissions
- Assessment
- Recommendation
- Determination
Extension of open cut mining, increase of extraction rate from 2 to 3 million tonnes per annum and replacement of road haulage of coal with rail transport.
Consolidated Consent
Modifications
Archive
Application (4)
DGRs (1)
EA (45)
Submissions (1)
Agency Submissions (1)
Response to Submissions (3)
Recommendation (2)
Determination (2)
Approved Documents
Management Plans and Strategies (47)
Agreements (2)
Reports (4)
Independent Reviews and Audits (6)
Other Documents (1)
Note: Only documents approved by the Department after November 2019 will be published above. Any documents approved before this time can be viewed on the Applicant's website.
Complaints
Want to lodge a compliance complaint about this project?
Make a ComplaintEnforcements
Official Caution issued to Tarrawonga Coal Pty Ltd (MP11_0047) Narrabri Shire LGA
On 19 August 2022, the department issued an Official Caution to Tarrawonga Coal Pty Ltd (TCPL) for failure carry out the project generally in accordance with the Environmental Assessment. On 1 March 2022, a mulching contractor carrying out planned 2022 clearing activities at Tarrawonga Coal Mine was found to have cleared vegetation beyond the approved disturbance boundary and Mining Lease 1693 boundary, and encroached on Coal Lease 368 which is not held by TCPL. The department expects all proponents to adhere to the limits of their development consent which include approved disturbance limits. TCPL have since updated their Biodiversity Management Plan and Land Disturbance Protocols to include more stringent boundary marking protocols.
Inspections
19/03/2020
25/11/2020
16/2/2021
15/03/2022
12/10/2023
18/02/2025
Note: Only enforcements and inspections undertaken by the Department from March 2020 will be shown above.
Submissions
Robynne Picton
Object
Robynne Picton
Beth Williams
Object
Beth Williams
John Edwards
Object
John Edwards
Message
Attachments
Mark Ozinga
Comment
Mark Ozinga
Regina Fogarty
Comment
Regina Fogarty
Bruce Brown
Comment
Bruce Brown
Philip Spark
Object
Philip Spark
Message
Attachments
Phil Laird
Object
Phil Laird
Message
Please find attached the MCCC Submission re the Tarrawonga Coal Expansion.
There are 3 documents.
Main Report
Appendix 1 -10
Appendix 11
Rgds
Phil Laird
Attachments
Phil Laird
Object
Phil Laird
Message
Our previous upload attempt failed due to file size issues. I will attempt to load the files individually.
1st Main Report.
Rgds
Phil Laird
0428 712622
Attachments
Phil Laird
Object
Phil Laird
Message
Attachments
Naomi Hogan
Object
Naomi Hogan
Message
The Wilderness Society Newcastle
Opposition to the Tarrawonga Expansion
The Wilderness Society Newcastle is extremely concerned by the risks this open cut coal proposal poses to both surface water and ground water in the region. These serious water impacts, coupled with the destruction of 397 hectares of the biodiversity hotspot of Leard State Forest deems this project completely unacceptable.
The Environmental Assessment does not adequately address the long term and ground water recharge impacts of the removal of Goonbri Creek. Goonbri Creek is a major component of the groundwater recharge for the area of Barbers Lagoon and the township of Boggabri.
The project will result in serious surface water flow disturbance. Recent flood events have shown that overburden embankments has directed large volumes of mine water from within the project area onto the flood plain - leading to pollution events and significantly altered surface water flows.
The water planed to remain in the final open cut mine void will increase in toxicity over time and will be a threat to the native animals currently thriving in this rich bushland environment. In flooding events, this overflowing toxic water could pose wide ranging threats to surrounding farmland, bushland and downstream environments.
This project will encroach into Leard State Forest and completely adjoin the Boggabri open cut pit, not allowing critical corridors for the movements of the 396 native species and 34 threatened species that inhabit this forest.
We are concerned this Tarrawonga project has not been adequately assessed in terms of the cumulative impacts of this mining extension in conjunction with the proposed Boggabri and Maules Creek proposals. All three projects will have an absolutely destructive impact on the integrity of this biodiversity hotspot and the hydrological systems in action there.
The Wilderness Society Newcastle recommends the NSW Government:
1. Reject this open cut coal mining project due the serious impacts on ground and surface water, ecologically significant bushland and prime farming land and protect Leard State Forest as one of the most extensive and intact stands of Box Gum Woodland remaining in NSW.
2. Provide much more a detailed and broader scope hydrological assessment of the dewatering impacts of this mining proposal in conjunction with the neighbouring open cut coal mining proposals.
3. Halt the Tarrawonga mine at least 500 metres prior to Goonbri Creek and leave the creek in its current, natural and permanent location.
4. Mandate minimum wildlife corridor distances between open cut coal mines of at least 350 metres in line with the minimum needs for effective glider corridors.
Please see the attached document outlining the coal mining threats to Leard State Forest and our concerns regarding the cumulative impacts.
Thank you,
Naomi Hogan
The Wilderness Society Newcastle