Bimblebox Fact Sheet

The following information summarises in dot points the history of the nationally protected area, Bimblebox Nature Refuge, its regional significance, threatened species, species of conservation significance and biodiversity in general. It answers many questions and is useful for supporters writing submissions, the media, and anyone with an interest in Bimblebox.

Note that under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act Nature Refuges can be mined and offset to ‘compensate’ for the loss of significant ecological resources if economically viable coal reserves are found. Such mining contravenes the guidelines of the international Convention on Biological Diversity treaty which advises no mining of all IUCN Class I-VI Protected Areas, which includes Bimblebox, where such values would be impacted, or offsetting in such areas which are protected for perpetuity.

  • Relevant History
    • The 8000 hectare Glen Innes Station was bought for the explicit purpose of saving it from land clearing in 2000 by a group of concerned citizens and nearby landowners. Land clearing around Glen Innes continues.
    • The Federal Government wanted the property to be part of the National Reserve System of Protected Areas in recognition of its high conservation values, and they contributed two-thirds of the purchase price.
    • A perpetual Nature Refuge Agreement was signed with the Qld State Government in 2003 and Glen Innes Station became Bimblebox Nature Refuge. It includes an environmental conservation management plan.
    • In 2007 Waratah Coal became interested in developing a massive open cut and underground thermal coal mine on Bimblebox, and in 2008 exploratory drilling began.
    • In late 2013, the Galilee Coal Project (aka China First Mine) was approved by State and Federal Governments (approval is viable until 2073).
    • Since 2007, the daily workload on Bimblebox has been compounded by the struggle to save the property from mining. The owners were grateful to a handful of great passionate people who made their time available to help in the following:
      • writing letters to the scientists who had conducted research on Bimblebox asking for their support;
      • writing letters to and meeting with the Queensland Premier and relevant State and Federal ministers;
      • writing submissions to both Federal and State departments;
      • writing letters and articles to newspaper and journals;
      • conducting media interviews, launching petitions, making contact with many NGOs, distributing information posters and postcards, making contact with other affected landholders and interested organisations; participating in rallies; 
      • setting up a website, Facebook page and Twitter account;
      • commissioning the documentary ‘Bimblebox’ by Mike O’Connell, released nationally and internationally; speaking at many national screenings; later two 5-minute videos on Bimblebox, one by Tangible Media, narrated by Bob Brown and one by Wendy Rogers (see in About Bimblebox/Videos).
      • meeting with concerned people and landholders, attending mining information sessions, visiting the port development area of Abbot Point and Caley wetlands;
      • Birds Australia, botanists, ecologists, zoologists and other volunteers visited Bimblebox many times to help in the surveying and recording of species;
      • stalls to raise awareness and funds;
      • recording the damage from the exploration holes on the Nature Refuge and lodging a formal complaint with state environmental agency EHP;
      • engaging with Waratah ecologists, surveyors and hydrologists at the Nature Refuge (some were asked to leave);
      • epic work by Maureen Cooper, another nature refuge owner, included the editing, publishing and financing of the book ‘Bimblebox: A Nature Refuge under Siege‘ (2013). She donates the sales to the cause, and also raises funds for us by creating various fabric items related to the creatures and plants of Bimblebox, using applique and embroidery;
      • organising attendance and a stall at the 2014 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conference in Sydney;
      • artist Jill Sampson instigated annual artist camps at Bimblebox, culminating in exhibitions in many Australian art galleries. Another of her projects related to the 173 bird species, many of regional conservation signficance, found on Bimblebox.
    • In 2013, calling for proper scrutiny to be given to the ‘opening up’ of the Galilee Basin, Paola and other landowners objected in the Land Court in Brisbane to the Alpha Coal Project, the first of the 9 mega mines in the Galilee Basin to receive government approval, and located just twelve kilometres north of Bimblebox. In a landmark recommendation in April 2014, the approval was refused, or approved with additional conditions, but the decision was later overturned by the State.
    • The Bimblebox Alliance Inc (TBA) was founded in late 2014 to prevent the mining of Bimblebox and became the starting point to prevent the net loss of Queensland areas of high conservation and cultural values to the expansion of extractive industries and other threatening processes.
    • During the Queensland election in January 2015, we wrote to the candidates asking them to protect nature refuges from mining.
    • In late October 2019 a Notice of Entry was received for Waratah Coal to enter Bimblebox to change pegs as they were changing their mining area, and that they would be issuing public notices soon of application for a Mining Lease (ML) and Environmental Authority (EA). As they did.
    • Represented by the Environmental Defenders Office, The Bimblebox Alliance (TBA) lodged notice of objection to the Land Court by the due date of December 2nd.
    • On 20th December TBA was advised that the Dept. of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy had determined that Waratah Coal needed to re-apply, and the new deadline would be April 3rd, 2020.
    • Objections by TBA and Youth Verdict lodged in Land Court 3rd April, 2020.
    • Directions Hearing 19th June, 2020.
    • 7th August, 2020, President Kingham hears Waratah Coal’s application to have Human Rights objections struck out.
    • Directions hearing 28th August, 2020; Waratah Coal’s application re Human Rights  rejected.
    •  In April 2021, Waratah Coal advised that it had revised its mine plan and does not presently intend to undertake open cut mining on Bimblebox Nature Refuge.
      The proposal to underground mine beneath BNR has not changed.
    • 18th March 2022, after a wait for a decision on the question of jurisdiction, the Land Court ruled it can and should hear the application and objections based on the revised mine plan.
    • 18th March, 2022, in a landmark decision, the Land Court ruled it will take on country evidence from First Nations witnesses.
    • The  Qld Land Court hearing on our case against Waratah Coal started on 19th April 2022, commencing with a site visit to Bimblebox Nature Refuge, Cairns and to Erub and Poruma Islands.
    • On April 26, 2022, the Land Court sat in Brisbane to hear opening arguments in the case. The court heard evidence that Waratah’s underground mine would cause subsidence of the surface and likely impact hydrology and ecosystems.  The hearings continued for about 7 weeks.
    • On November 25th, 2022, President Fleur Kingham recommended refusal of both the EA and the ML
    • On April 3rd, 2023, DES accepted the recommendation of refusal of the EA.

Matters of State Significance

Under the Queensland Biodiversity Assessment and mapping Methodology to identify and assess the state’s biodiversity, Bimblebox Nature Refuge rates as State Significant for a number of environmental criteria:

  • Criteria B1 State level of Ecosystem Value 10.3.27a/ 10.3.28a 1.46 ha – High;
  • Criterion B2 Ecosystem sub-bioregion – Medium;
  • Criterion C Tract size – Very high (Has the largest continuous area of regional ecosystem 10.5.5 woodland);
  • Criterion E Condition – Very high;
  • Criterion F Ecosystem diversity – Medium;
  • Criterion G Context & connection (relationship to water, endangered ecosystems and physical connection between contiguous Remnant Units) – Medium;
  • Criterion I Special biodiversity values (overall rating for all sub-criteria) – State level of significance;
  • Criterion I(b) Wildlife refugia – Very high;
  • Criterion I(d) Concentration of taxa at the limits of their geographic ranges – High;
  • Criterion I(e) High species richness – High;
  • Criterion I(g) Area containing Regional Ecosystems with distinct variation in species composition – Very High;
  • Criterion I(i) High density of hollow-bearing trees that provide habitat for animals – Very High;
  • Criterion (k) Condition/threatening processes – Regional.

Reasons for regional significance

      • Located in the Desert Uplands, a Biodiversity Hotspot, but where less than 5% of the area is held in conservation reserves;
      • Bimblebox NR is one of only two Nature Refuges in the Jericho sub-bioregion of the Desert Uplands bioregion. The other NR is in the Carmichael mine tenement;
      • Is one of the largest tracts of intact remnant woodland (Poplar Box/Silver-leaf Iron Bark) in the Jericho sub-bioregion of the Desert Uplands;
      • On the eastern edge of the Desert Uplands bioregion, it is an important stepping stone between the Brigalow Belt and the Desert Uplands bioregion, where some species are at or near the end of their ranges.

Threatened species

      • A flock of Endangered (by EPBC listing) Black-throated Finch (Poephila cincta cincta) was sighted by a Birds Australia observer in May 2011. This is a highly significant record due to its southern extent. The last record at a similar latitude was in Rockhampton in 2004. The species’ range used to extend right down into NSW. Habitat clearing is cited as the main reason for its decline.
      • Squatter Pigeon – Vulnerable (EPBC), are recorded in the property.
      • There are also Near Threatened (EPA) listed species, e.g., Black-chinned Honeyeater, Black-necked Stork bird and Large-podded Tick-trefoil, a plant species.

Species of conservation significance regionally (EPA)

    • Twelve bird species which, significantly, comprise over 50% of bird species of conservation significance in the Desert Uplands.
    • Four mammal species: Common Dunnart, Spectacled Hare Wallaby, Rufous Bettong, Koala and Short-beaked Echidna (Special Least Concern).
    • At least one reptile, the Mulga Snake (Pseudechis australis).

Biodiversity more generally to date:

Fauna native species:  

  • 176 bird species;
  • 56 mammal species;
  • 83 reptile species;
  • 14 amphibian species.

Has one of the most diverse flora communities in the region, e.g.

  • 650 native plant species including 226 herbaceous species;
  • 73 grass species;
  • 22 wetland indicator plant species.

Unique management

    • A strong focus on biodiversity conservation in co-existence with cattle production;
    • Long-term science research projects being conducted on the property, notably from Queensland Herbarium;
    • The Australian government requires management of Bimblebox NR to an IUCN IV standard which is much higher and more costly than the Queensland IUCN VI classification of Bimblebox NR.