Murray Watt: reject Glencore's Hail Creek expansion

Glencore's plans to extend their methane-monster Hail Creek coal mine have just been referred to our federal environmental laws. This is the expansion where we spotted 13 koalas in one night with our friends at Mackay Conservation Group and Lock the Gate.

Environment Minister Murray Watt needs to decide how this climate-wrecking project will be assessed under the EPBC Act. We have a chance to stop it before it's too late.

Public submissions are open until this Friday February 13 so it's critical to lodge as many submissions to reject Hail Creek as possible. We've made it easy to send your own right now using our template.

Urge Minister Murray Watt to reject Glencore’s Hail Creek expansion

Lodge a submission demonstrating why the 'clearly unacceptable' impacts of this coal mine expansion mean it must be rejected

We've provided a template submission and details on this page, but to make sure your submission has the most impact, we strongly recommend you edit and add personal details like where you're from, what's most important to you, and why you think this project should be rejected

To Senator Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water,
I welcome the opportunity to provide comment on the EPBC referral of Glencore's Hail Creek Coal Easter Margin Extension Project (EPBC 2025/10403)
I strongly urge you to reject this project on the grounds that it would have 'clearly unacceptable' impacts for its contribution to climate change, its clearing of critical koala habitat and its impacts on water resources. I have set out reasons why the project would be 'clearly unacceptable' on these three grounds below.
Former Environment Minister Sussan Ley rejected the Lotus Creek wind farm on the basis that it would have 'clearly unacceptable impacts' on koalas. This project was also located in Queensland and proposed to impact a similar area of habitat as Glencore's Hail Creek extension project. This decision shows that a 'clearly unacceptable' decision for impacts on koala habitat can be made.
Clearing 600 hectares of endangered koala habitat for a coal mine should be determined to be 'clearly unacceptable'. A 'clearly unacceptable' determination would be entirely consistent with the Albanese government's commitment to a policy of "no new extinctions" for Australian species.
If the project does proceed to the assessment stage it should be declared a 'controlled action' and be assessed with the highest levels of scrutiny that the EPBC Act can apply. It should have 'controlling provisions' of:
<ul>
<li>Listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 and 18A) due to its significant impacts on habitat for Koalas, Greater Gliders, Squatter Pigeon, Ornamental Snake and Australian Painted Snipe.</li>
<li>A water resource, in relation to unconventional gas development and large coal mining development (sections 24D and 24E), due to the impacts of groundwater drawdown and pollution of surface water from run off.</li>
<li>World Heritage properties (sections 12 and 15A), due to the impacts of water pollution entering the Great Barrier Reef Catchment and the link between greenhouse gas pollution from the project and climate change impacting the World Heritage properties like the Great Barrier Reef.</li>
<li>Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (sections 24B and 24C), due to the impacts of water pollution on entering the Great Barrier Reef Catchment and the link between greenhouse gas pollution from the project and climate change impacting the World Heritage properties like the Great Barrier Reef.</li>
</ul>
 Yours sincerely,

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This mine is already controversial

Hail Creek accounts for just 1% of national coal production, and yet it emits up to 20% of our national methane emissions from coal mining. Independent research has shown these emissions are likely grossly underestimated by up to eight times. This methane pollution fuels climate disasters, undermines Queensland and Australia's climate commitments, and puts our already threatened wildlife like koalas at risk

Glencore is asking Murray Watt for permission to

Bulldoze 600 hectares of habitat that expert Dr Bill Ellis called "a nationally significant koala population"
Mine an additional 29 million tonnes of thermal and metallurgical coal until 2040, adding more than 70 million tonnes of climate pollution to our atmosphere
Threaten already strained water resources. The existing mine released 2315 Olympic swimming pools of mine affected water into the Great Barrier Reef catchment last month.

Murray Watt has a decision to make

At the very least, it should mean declaring Glencore's expansion a 'controlled action' and requiring a full and proper assessment under the EPBC.

At best, that should mean rejecting it outright due to its "clearly unacceptable" impact on koalas, groundwater, and the Great Barrier Reef.

There is precedent to reject this expansion: former Environment Minister Sussan Ley rejected the Lotus Creek wind farm on the basis that it would have "clearly unacceptable impacts" on koalas. This project was also located in Queensland and was proposed to impact a similar area of habitat as what Glencore's Hail Creek extension project plans to impact. Minister Ley's decision shows that a "clearly unacceptable" decision for impacts on koala habitat can be made. The 13 koalas found at this site deserve to be protected.

Banner: Drone image of koala spotted at Hail Creek coal mine on 9 June 2025, courtesy of Lock The Gate

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