Yarrabee Coal Mine Continuation project
Project overview
Current stage
Public notification of draft TOR.
Description
- Open-cut coal mine expansion of the existing Yarrabee Coal Mine.
Key features
- An additional disturbance area of 2,296 hectares, an approximate 50% increase in overall disturbance.
- Relocation and/or new water management infrastructure, explosive magazines, powerlines and internal haul roads required, and tailings capacity reviewed.
- Amendment to an existing diversion of Twelve Mile Creek.
- Existing infrastructure utilised with no major upgrades or changes planned for the coal handling and processing plant (CHPP), rejects disposal, mine infrastructure area (MIA) or water supply.
- Continued extraction rate of up to 4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) at an average rate of 3.8 Mtpa of run-of-mine coal.
- Improved final landform and associated land uses proposed for the site, minimising the number of residual voids and the extent of Non-Use Management Areas.
Proponent
- Yarrabee Coal Company Pty Ltd.
Location
- Approximately 40 km north-east of Blackwater.
Local government
- Central Highlands Regional Council.
Lifespan
- to 2070.
Jobs
- An increase of up to 60 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and contractors to a total of approximately 490 FTE (operational).
Commonwealth approval needed
- Unknown. In accordance with the proponent’s proposed approach, this EIS will not assess the potential impacts of the project on any possible controlling provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Environmental impact statement (EIS)
The process for the assessment of this project is as follows:
- Submission of draft TOR
- Public notification of draft TOR
- Final TOR issued—EIS in preparation
- Public notification of EIS
- Proponent responds to submissions
- EIS assessment report
The proponent has submitted a draft Terms of Reference (TOR) for the EIS.
Written comments
Written comments in relation to the draft TOR are invited from any person within the comment period opening on 21 November 2025 and closing on 16 January 2026. Comments can be made on the downloadable comments template.
Written comments should be sent to:
The Chief Executive
Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation
Attention: The EIS Coordinator (Yarrabee Coal Mine Continuation project)
GPO Box 2454
BRISBANE QLD 4001
or by email to eis@detsi.qld.gov.au
Privacy statement
The Department of the Environmental, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) is collecting the information provided in comments on the draft TOR for consideration in the EIS process. All comments (including names and addresses) will be provided to the proponent as required under section 44 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act), so that they may consider them and provide a response to DETSI. This consultation is a public process, and any comments you provide may be published (including online) and may be transmitted outside of Australia. You may wish to bear this in mind when providing your comments. Your information will not be disclosed by DETSI to any other parties unless authorised or required by law.
Notices and documents
Publicly available documents can be obtained by accessing the links below or by contacting Yarrabee Coal Company Pty. Ltd. on (07) 4983 8900 or emailing Yarrabee.Environment@yancoal.com.au or viewing further information at www.yancoal.com.au/our-sites/yarrabee/
Further information
For further information about the EIS process for the Yarrabee Coal Mine Continuation project, please contact the EIS Coordinator (Yarrabee Coal Mine Continuation project) on 13QGOV (13 74 68) or email eis@detsi.qld.gov.au