The Bimblebox Alliance have successfully challenged Clive Palmers Galilee Coal Mine project, arguing it would cause irreversible environmental damage and unacceptable impacts to local agriculture.
The Galilee Coal Project proposed roughly 50% of the 8000-hectare Refuge undergo large-scale clearing for two open-cut coal pits and four underground mines. The proposed mines would produce 40 million tonnes per annum of thermal coal over a life of 25-30 years, generating around 2.9 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Bimblebox Nature Refuge is a private conservation reserve (located 500km west of Rockhampton) with one of the largest tracts of intact woodland in Queensland. It is habitat for the endangered Black-throated Finch, the vulnerable Squatter Pigeon and the Near Threatened Black-chinned Honey Eater and Black-necked Stork.
Bimblebox is the first nature refuge to have applications for a mining lease and environmental approval challenged in court, and have them overturned based on climate and human rights grounds. This hopefully sets a precedent.
The Department of Environment and Science recently issued a media release stating the Land Court ruling, and that the department has decided to refuse the environmental authority application for the Galilee Coal Mine.
The Green Outlaw 