25 November 2022

Whitehaven welcomes public comment on Winchester South Project

The Queensland Government is asking for public feedback on the proposed Winchester South Project, a primarily metallurgical open-cut coal mine located 30km south-east of Moranbah, in the heart of the Bowen Basin.  

The project has been declared a Coordinated Project by the Queensland Government, recognising the potential strategic significance of the project locally, regionally and to the state of Queensland more broadly. If approved, the project would help fill the strong demand for metallurgical coal exports predicted for decades to come, as recently highlighted by QLD Treasury.* 

As part of the comprehensive State and Federal Government assessment process, Whitehaven has carefully studied potential impacts, incorporating feedback from a wide range of stakeholders.  

Following initial public feedback in 2021, Whitehaven has refined the project to further improve environmental and social outcomes, including fully abating Scope 2 emissions through the purchase of carbon neutral electricity. 

If approved, the mine will create around 500 jobs and will produce a primary metallurgical coal product to make steel and a secondary thermal coal product for energy generation. At full capacity, the mine is targeting run-of-mine (ROM) production of up to 17 million tonnes per annum to supply the international market for about 30 years.   

A coal processing plant and a rail loop will be built to connect with the existing Bowen Basin coal rail network. As the Bowen Basin is a well-established mining region, the site has direct access to key rail and port infrastructure, providing multiple coal export options.  

Whitehaven Coal Managing Director and CEO Paul Flynn encouraged stakeholders to have their say during the public notification period and show their support for the Project. 

“With an estimated 500 jobs, $254 million in additional wages, and $5.7 billion in supplier spend, Winchester South has the potential to significantly contribute to the Queensland economy and regional communities,” said Mr Flynn. 

“Australia’s largest trading partners in Asia are relying on projects like Winchester South for an ongoing supply of high-quality coal, to support both energy security and economic development.”  

“As some mines reach their end of life, Winchester South can help fill the strong expected demand for Queensland metallurgical coal, while also keeping jobs in the region.” 

Find out more about Winchester South here. We encourage all stakeholders to have their say on the Queensland Government website by 19 December 2022.

Winchester South – key benefits  

• 500 jobs during construction and operations  
• $254m in additional wages into the community (NPV terms)  
• $5.7bn to QLD suppliers (NPV terms)  
• 30-year mine life supplying international markets  
• $882m additional net economic benefit to QLD (NPV terms)  
• $696m in royalties to the QLD Government (NPV terms)  
• $1bn investment  
• Metallurgical coal for steelmaking and thermal coal for energy generation.  

* Source: Queensland’s Coal Industry and Long-Term Global Coal Demand, Queensland Treasury, November 2022

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