Abandoned Queensland coalmine leaves farmer facing cleanup questions
The Bluff coalmine on a cattle farmer's central Queensland property has been abandoned, leaving unclear who will pay for rehabilitation.
The Bluff coalmine, carved into Trish Goodwin's cattle farm 175 kilometres west of Rockhampton, has been officially abandoned. Liquidators disclaimed the mining lease after the owner, Bowen Coking Coal, collapsed in July 2025.
The site failed to sell. Responsibility now falls to the Queensland government.
Goodwin faces unanswered questions. Who pays her compensation for lost land and road access?
Will the open cut mine be properly rehabilitated? Who stops methane gas seeping out?
Who prevents toxins leaching into waterways? The state introduced a financial provisioning scheme in 2019.
It requires miners to set aside money for cleanup costs. A mine Bluff's size would have needed about $10 million in surety.
The government's estimated rehabilitation cost is $12.3 million. However, the current Queensland government is reviewing those laws to "cut red tape", raising concerns this won't be the last such abandonment.
- 1,100 hectares
- Site size
- 12.3 million dollars
- Estimated cleanup cost
- 175 kilometres west
- Distance from Rockhampton
- About 10 million dollars
- Surety requirement for this mine size
Why it mattersAbandoned mines create long-term environmental and financial risks for farming communities and taxpayers if cleanup bonds are inadequate or removed.
AustraliaQueensland farmers face uncertainty over environmental damage and lost land access when mining companies collapse, with costs potentially shifting to government.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 5 d ago
