The Bimblebox Alliance is very pleased to note that the Department of Environment and Science has accepted the Queensland Land Court’s recommendation to refuse Waratah Coal Pty Ltd’s application for the Galilee Coal Mine Environmental Authority.
The Queensland Land Court found that this mine would have an unacceptable impact on the Bimblebox Nature Refuge.
Bimblebox is the first nature refuge ever to have taken the death sentence — open–cut first and underground mining later — to court and have it overturned.
The Land Court also recommended that the Mining Lease be refused. TBA calls on Resource Minister Stewart to also accept the Court’s recommendation and give us this last confirmation that we can trust the light we see at the end of the tunnel.
TBA President and Bimblebox co-owner Paola Cassoni said: “We feel we can now breathe freely, and get on with the job of the conservation of this precious example of the Desert Uplands bioregion.
“It has been a 15–year prolonged fight. Many people do not understand that in Queensland, nature refuges can be destroyed by mining if mine development is approved.
“We believe that inconsistency should be rectified in a way that genuinely guarantees nature refuge protection in perpetuity, as per our contracts with the state government.
“Fellow nature refuge landowners should not have to go through the same costly and stressful ordeal as we have.”
Listen to this great Interview on ABC Capricornia, April 4th, 2023, with TBA Secretary, Patricia Julien, on DES refusal of an EA for the Galilee Coal Project, as recommended by the Land Court.
So very pleased & relieved to hear this.
Thank you for keeping up the fight & providing sanctuary for our precious Aussie animals & plants.