Macfarlane said the Australian government’s approval, following the Queensland Government’s grant of the Environmental Authority for the project in 2019, was an important milestone for the AUS$1 billion project and a further confidence booster for Queensland’s COVID-19 recovery.
“Resource projects, like tourism, renewable energy and other major projects, go through comprehensive and transparent Queensland and Australian Government assessment and approval processes,” he said.
“The resources sector injected AUS$73 billion and supported 372 000 jobs across Queensland last financial year. COVID-19 is impacting all parts of our lives and our economy. The announcement today reinforces the role of the resources sector in Queensland’s recovery.”
The Olive Downs project includes:
- An opencast metallurgical coal mine.
- A coal handling and preparation plant.
- 18 km rail spur and on site rail loop.
- A raw water pipeline connecting to the Eungella pipeline network.
- Private access roads.
- An electricity transmission line.
- Wastewater and sewage treatment plants.
