Post Mining Land Use

post Mining land use

A key priority is planning for post-mining land use, where the scale of change facing our region is significant:

  • According to coal industry modelling shared with our Member Councils, 12,000 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be impacted by two coal mine closures by 2030.
  • The expected global decline in coal demand will impact a further 20 coal mines, with no mining approvals currently granted beyond 2048.
  • The impacts across the Hunter are expected to affect close to 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Hunter region (FIJA Issues Paper, 2023).

The Hunter’s economic transformation presents a significant opportunity to create new industries, attract investment and support future jobs through the productive reuse of post-mining land.

The passing of the NSW Future Jobs and Investment Bill 2025 in the Lower House marks an important step in accelerating the Hunter’s economic transformation by supporting post-mining land use and creating the conditions to attract new industries, investment and jobs to the region.

Our Advocacy

We provided a submission and welcome this progress and acknowledge the NSW Government’s support for all recommendations arising from the Inquiry into the Beneficial and Productive Post-Mining Land Use. The timely implementation of these recommendations is essential to accelerate the reuse and redevelopment of mining lands, unlock investment opportunities and support long-term employment across the Hunter.

Mining royalties contribute more than $3 billion annually to the NSW Government, yet no direct funding is currently available to mining-impacted communities to plan for post-mining land use. Redirecting a portion of this revenue would help accelerate planning, attract new industries and investment, and create future employment opportunities across the Hunter.

We’re calling for the Federal and NSW Governments to work with Local Government to coordinate delivery, provide greater investment to support the Hunter region through this transformation, and strategically plan for post-mining land use opportunities.

Click the image to view the pdf.