Moolarben Coal Project

Coal corporation Yancoal wants to expand its Moolarben coal mine near Mudgee, bulldozing 113 hectares of critical koala habitat. In February, the NSW Independent Planning Commission will decide whether to approve this dangerous expansion.

You can tell the IPC that you object to Moolarben’s coal expansion and protect Mudgee's precious koalas.

Make your submission today using our simple guide

Yancoal’s Moolarben coal mine is an existing thermal coal mine located in mid-Western NSW near Mudgee, on Wiradjuri Country.

The proposed expansion of Yancoal’s Moolarben coal mine would extend close to the edge of one of the oldest conservation reserves in NSW, the Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve, posing a serious threat to a healthy koala population and their critical habitat.

Coal Mine Proposal

Yancoal is proposing to extend the open cut mine, Moolarben OC3. This expansion will destroy 480 hectares of habitat that's critical to the survival of a resilient koala population near Mudgee and mine right up to 100m from the boundary of Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve.

Yancoal plans to extract an additional 30 million tonnes of thermal coal until 2034.

The expansion is projected to generate 64 million tonnes of climate pollution, equivalent to 58% of total annual emissions from all sources in NSW, significantly contributing to climate change—one of the greatest threats to koalas.

Koalas

Koalas have been recorded in Moolarben Coal Mine, including in the middle of one proposed pit, with evidence of breeding occurring in the area (pg. 338.)- see map.

This koala population has been recognised by the NSW Government as being resilient to the effects of climate change having “survived recent and historical temperature increases, drought and bushfires successfully.”
Yancoal admits the project poses a threat to habitat “critical to the survival” of a local koala population.
The project poses risks of increased mortality and physiological stress for koalas due to habitat fragmentation, stress, and vehicle strikes.
Clearing critical koala habitat would:
- fragment the landscape, making it more challenging for koalas to move and access food sources,
- increase the likelihood of vehicle strikes and
- disrupt breeding activities, further threatening the viability of the koala population in the area.
Koalas are facing a perilous situation nationwide from the dual threats of habitat destruction from land clearing and climate change.

Yancoal’s proposal would clear habitat critical for not just the koala, but also the critically endangered regent honeyeater and the endangered gang-gang cockatoo.

Politics

The 2020 Legislative Council inquiry into NSW koala populations and habitat concluded that, without action, koalas in New South Wales could be extinct by 2050.

The NSW Koala Strategy outlines the government’s long-term goal of doubling koala numbers in NSW by 2050..
The Minns Government should rule out expanding coal mines in habitat critical to the survival of koalas.