Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland (EnvA) has called on the Federal Environment Minister to reject the proposed Saraji Mine Grevillea Pit Continuation Project, warning the expansion would lock Central Queensland into decades more environmental destruction and climate pollution.
The proposal by BMA Alliance Coal Operations Pty Ltd would extend the life of the Saraji coal mine near Dysart until 2055 and clear approximately 220 hectares of additional land in an already heavily impacted region of the Bowen Basin.
In its submission, EnvA argues the project would further fragment and destroy habitat for threatened species including the koala, greater glider and ornamental snake, while also impacting endangered Brigalow and Poplar Box woodland communities.
“The Bowen Basin has already experienced extensive land clearing, with almost 80 per cent of native vegetation removed in parts of the Isaac region,” EnvA Director Dr Coral Rowston said.
“At some point we have to stop sacrificing threatened species habitat for mine expansions that extend fossil fuel extraction for another 30 years.”
EnvA said the project’s proposed biodiversity offset strategy fails to genuinely compensate for the destruction of threatened species habitat.
“The offset proposal does not replace what would be lost. It largely relies on managing existing habitat elsewhere rather than restoring or creating new habitat near the clearing.
“Offsets should never become a licence to continue clearing endangered ecosystems.”
The group also raised serious concerns about the project’s impacts on water resources and pollution risks within the Great Barrier Reef catchment.
Between January and March 2026, more than 2,000 megalitres of mine affected water — equivalent to over 860 Olympic-sized swimming pools — was released from the Saraji mine into surrounding waterways, including releases approved under Temporary Emission Licences during major rainfall events.
“The repeated use of Temporary Emission Licences shows these releases are no longer exceptional events — they are becoming a routine part of coal mine water management during extreme weather,” Dr Rowston said.
“With climate change increasing the intensity of heavy rainfall events, communities and waterways downstream will continue to carry the risk.”
EnvA also criticised the lack of detailed assessment of greenhouse gas emissions in the project documentation, despite the mine extension prolonging coal extraction until 2055.
“This project would generate decades of additional greenhouse gas emissions at a time when Australia is already experiencing worsening heatwaves, floods, bushfires and coral bleaching,” Dr Rowston said.
“The documentation fails to properly explain how these emissions would be reduced or how the project aligns with Australia’s climate commitments.”
EnvA further criticised the consultation process, noting the public was given just ten days to review more than twenty technical documents and hundreds of pages of material.
EnvA has recommended the project be refused under the EPBC Act, arguing the environmental costs far outweigh any claimed economic benefits.
EnvA - CQ 