Despite taking their fight all the way to the United Nations, these farmers are facing a renewed battle against plans to build a mine near a major river system that flows to the Great Barrier Reef.
An international company has launched fresh plans to develop a mine in central Queensland that locals have fought against for more than a decade.For more than a decade, the tiny town of Baralaba has fought a David-versus-Goliath battle against major international companies and their plans to develop a coal mine near the Dawson River.But now a new company has lodged a plan locals fear will contaminate drinking water supplies and prime agricultural land.
He feared run-off from the mine would pollute the Dawson River and drinking water supplies, with coal mine dust on crops also a major concern.Baralaba Coal is proposing a new metallurgical coal mine south of Baralaba, about 115 kilometres west of Rockhampton.If approved, it would mine 2.5 million tonnes of coal per year for export and operate for 23 years — subject to several factors, including market conditions.
The company said it had also moved the project so it was predominantly off the flood plain, minimising the risk from flooding. "We've got farmers out working 18-hour days and then we're expected to do the work of government in critiquing, analysing and applying legislation," Mr Stephenson said.
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