The project will complement rehabilitation outcomes from previously mined areas and strengthens New Hope Group’s outstanding commitment to environmental sustainability and progressive rehabilitation practices.
Stretching through the mining operation, the Lagoon Creek Conservation Zone will see the vegetation corridor along Lagoon Creek widened to more than 100 metres.
New Acland Mine General Manager, Dave O’Dwyer said the Lagoon Creek Conservation Zone will enhance animal and plant biodiversity.
“The project will stretch from Peachey Maclagan Road to south of the Manning Vale West Pit and will take more than a decade to complete,” Mr O’Dwyer said.
“In total, more than 135 hectares of land alongside Lagoon Creek will be prioritised and planted with native vegetation, including eucalyptus, paper bark and other refuge trees, designed to significantly boost the local koala population.
“New Acland Mine is home to one of Australia’s most ambitious and practical land management programs.
“Established more than 17 years ago, the progressive rehabilitation program returns mined land to agricultural and conservation uses while contributing to the region’s agribusiness industry.
“To date, more than 740 hectares of land has been rehabilitated. Of this, 349 hectares has been formally ratified as progressively rehabilitated mined land by the Queensland Government.”
At the peak of construction, there will be approximately 600 local workers at New Acland Mine. Throughout the life of the project, the permanent workforce will be approximately 400 full-time roles, made up of Darling Downs locals.
Unlike a lot of other mines in Queensland, New Acland Mine does not engage fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers, with more than 90% of the current workforce living within 50km of the site.
Local workers, contractors and local businesses will benefit to the tune of $1 billion over the life of the New Acland Mine Stage 3 project.