+++News Flash+++CSG Company gets active in Toowoomba! See or PLANNED EVENTS page for more information. BLOCKADERS TO THE RESCUE!
+++News Flash+++Information on the outcome of our THE GREAT DEBATE on the 10th of March 2012 now available in the GALLERY on our website
+++News Flash+++ Proposed Legislation of a Buffer Zone around Communities cancelled! Watch this Space!
+++News Flash+++ Blackwood Coal, the driving force behind digging up Gowrie Junction and surroundings renamed to CUEASTA COAL! Watch this Space even closer!
The Toowoomba Coal Mine Action Group was established in response to news that a Exploration Permit for Coal (EPC 1979) has been approved for the area around Gowrie Junction and Kingsthorpe.
Google Earth View of EPC's surrounding Toowoomba
If this particular location was to be approved for mining it would have a huge bearing on Toowoomba and the surrounding districts. Toowoomba is a city of over 90,000 residents, over 125,000 if the surrounding districts are taken into account. This EPC is less than 10kms to the Toowoomba CBD, and less then 5kms to Highfields.
Current Coal Exploration permits around Toowoomba
The above image shows the EPC’s (exploration Permits for Coal) that have been APPROVED around Toowoomba. There is only ONE reason why coal mining companies apply for exploration rights, and that is to MINE THE COAL.
This web-site has been established to make it easier for people to find information about what is happening, to find related information about coal mining in general, and what it could mean to Toowoomba and the surrounding districts. Use the links at the top and right of this page to navigate through the various articles and sections of our website.
Toowoomba Coal Mine Action Group 
If this ever goes ahead ,it will be a crime against humanity
Agreed. Thats why we have to make sure it doesn’t happen.
these people have to be held accountable for the sheer volume of the general public they are putting at risk. my family and i have spent 20 yrs getting our home to were we want it only to have this destroy everything. TRC needs to be at the forefront in stopping this bull from happening!!!
I agree, but we can’t rely on TRC doing this for us. We have to do it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_effects_of_coal#Socioeconomic_effects
All you have to do is take a look and see that it’s not worth the damage to the land. we should be preserving not destroying.
Dont trust the State Government they have refused to change the legislation. Dont rely on the TRC they wont come out up front. Dont trust Blackwood they say that they are interested in an area 8-30 km east of Oakey, look out Meringandan and Highfields you are in and dont tell me that a company that big could make a mistake over the target area NO thats just a cover up. We the people must take direct action now to stop King Coal once and for all in this area
the major problem is that the Government makes too much money out of coal mines and that is all they see is the dollar value not the fact that they are killing our food supply……….
Why are our governments going in exactly the opposite direction to what we need and want? They are going back to the 19th century when we need to look forward to the 22nd and what we are bequeathing to following generations. This coal thing has to stop. Government has sold us down the drain for substantial payments – $300 000 000 for the Lockyer Valley; how much did they pocket for Toowoomba?
All our children are worth to the QLD State /fed gov is what the CHINESE DOLLAR
worth to them. Not the price we put our Children at. Their Future and wellbeing as well as our own . No MINING should take place 50 klm around a Regional city and 25 klm around a regional town there is plenty of room for all of us.
Tax the Open Cut Mines’ profits more, the closer they get to Citys and Towns. The closer to the suburbs they want to dig, the less profitable it will be. For example; an open-cut mine within 20km of Toowoomba’s suburbs would have a 100% tax on its profits – within 25km, 80% – within 30km 70% and so on. It could be called the “Preservation of Urban and Rural Communities (Open Cut Mining) Act”.
Yeah that is not a bad thought Tax higher the closer to civilisation and then still have a complete ban in a certain varsinity around these areas. The question has got to be if the governmnet is serious about looking after the environment why is there so much time and money being spent on an industry which is in complete contradiction to this notion. I believe current mining especially related to our own power stations should be investing in full blown alternative energy projects so that they are lured into making money this way.
Enter King Coal – exit Garden City. If its all about money, has the Government considered the demise of the tourist industry in Toowoomba?
If the law allows prime agricultural land,water systems inc Cooby Dam and health of large populations to be affected it needs to be changed.
It is beyond comprehension that anyone would countenance an open cut coal mine within 10kms of Toowoomba let alone 5kms of Highfields! The EPC 2359 should be rejected out of hand by the Minister and Premier forthwith. Will be at the meeting for sure on Sunday. Macca
We picked Gowrie Junction as our home 4 years ago – we have lived in Toowoomba over 5 years now. We moved here because we wanted to live in a clean environment with opportunities for a healthy lifestyle for us and our children and grandchildren. If this mining goes ahead, WE WILL NOT LIVE IN A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT! We must all voice our disgust and our complete disagreement with what is proposed by the Government and mining companies – NO, NO – we need to be a united voice in our total opposition!
There is an imminent threat to the Oakey township. The proposed Acland Coal mine Stage 3 expansion will bring it to just 5km from its northern boundary, if it is approved. EPC 1979 is to the east of Oakey, where the majority of the prevailing winds come from. We will be placed in a very bad situation if the people don’t start to speak out and oppose these mining/exploration projects. Oakey residents, you need to write to your local, State and Federal members. Tell them that this situation is unacceptable and you do not want to be poisoned from coal dust or have your environment polluted! Have your say!
All this is frightening. The potential loss of our valuable farming land, our water health and livelihoods for the almighty dollar is appalling. I am passing this information to as many people as I can.
A state and federal government that demands environmental management from land owners, yet allows unrestricted mining of coal ruining prime food production land; so they can sell coal to China (one of the biggest industrial polluters on the planet).
Environmental managment – bullshit !
People power now, until we win; don’t let up, this is going to be a long fight, and numbers count.
GET MAD- GET ACTIVE.
Has anyone organised and had approved a proper petition? This should be done through your local members (both State and Federal) and immediately. Genuine copies can then be forwarded to hundreds of folk willing to fill a sheet with signatures and return so that they can be presented to Parliament. This way the government will know that there are thousands (if not tens of thousands) of both city and country folk willing to take this to the polls.
Just forwarding emails may inform people but petitions will be effective. It needs to be done now!
“Keep The Land Alive !”
We in One Nation have been fighting this for years and no paper would listen. Please check our “Right to farm” and our “Charter of rights for rural Queensland”
Go to http://www.onenationqld.com.au
very sincerely
Ian j Nelson
Please go our link:
Click to access primind.pdf
Ian j Nelson
I watched the program hosted by Allan Jones that was held by the Oakey group on a-PAC. I grow up in the Surat Basin and have been surrounded by gas and oil exploration for years and thought i knew all there was to know. I like many of you feel there is a place for minning and exploration but at what cost. It would seem that our farming land, water and in some cases the air we breathe is not enough. When minning impacts individual, families, communities and towns something has to be done.
I was surprised that with the talk of holding ponds and the risk they pose to the environment that there has not been any comment from the powers to be regarding the murry darling basin. Surely following a weather event we experienced last summer with the server flooding someone should be concerned about effects the contaminates would and will have one the basin. Penny Wong has spent years bashing about plans to cut farmers water and save the basin, and now the very people she holds partly responsible for it ruin are trying fight the good fight and she in no where to be seen.
I thank you for the education you all have provided me and wish all the very best.
So what can we actually do to stop all of this?? Rather than all this talking we need action!
Informative on coal mining
The majority of these mining companies come from overseas. Our great nation was formed by men who fought to keep us free. Now these countries are coming in and raping this great land without any thought to the consequences of the health of our future generations and our weak governments are allowing this to happen. The quality of the coal is poor but this does not appear to matter. When this country is raped and of no use to anyone, these people will return to where they came without a thought of the damage sustained to our prime cropping areas and also the health of this countrie’s population. Governments should remember also that they are elected by the people to govern for the people which they have appeared to have overlooked. The people are fed up with their deceit.
Not enough people live in this area for the goverment to care (no votes). What we need to do is point out how it will affect others in Australia in particular the big cities (lots of votes). Eg
Gas minning will the chemicals go into the water supply. Of cause we in Toowoomba do not drink this water but it does flow into the Murry (great we have Melbourne listining that should get a good number of votes if pushed correctly)
Food supply is the other to hit eg what if there is a war one day (and prob will be over things like oil) with out the darling downs there will not be enough food for all and of cause who is going to miss out … Brisbane (that should get a few votes!)
I’ve recently moved to the Toowoomba region from Mackay. Grew up in Mackay, and watched it change as it was transformed from a farming center ( sugar cane mostly ) into a mining service town.
The last 10 years was the most dramatic as the mining took hold in the regional centers like Mornabah, Dysart. Watched my home town change, become less freindly as the highly paid miners moved into the district, the population double, and prices soared. In 2005 I was paying $160 per week rent. I bought a rural block with house for $225k. Sold it 4 years later for $400k, moved back into a rental, small house falling apart, for $420 per week. Wanted to buy another block of land, best I could find was 2 acres, vacant, in a flood zone, 40 minutes form town, for $160k. Realestate prices have gone through the room. Typical rents for a basic 3 bedroom house in Moranba are from $1300 to $2000 per week! http://www.mackayrentals.com.au. How is a non-miner supposed to survive? They dont, they, like me, leave the area. The town looses non-mining services, every day stuff like hair dressers, corner stores, etc, cant survive.
No mine last forever, 20 to 30 years is average. Have you ever heard of a mining town that prospered after the mine shut down? What happens to the kids?
The only people that gain from mining are the mining companies, the mine workers, and the land owners. The rest of the community goes down hill. I’ve seen it first hand. And I dont want to see it happen here.
Just bought 12 acres out near Linthorpe for the same price as that 2 acres near Mackay. Land and rent here is very cheap compared to Mackay. Dont let go of that!
Glenn
If you spend all your time complaining, and doing NOTHING you will get your Coal-Mine.
Blockade the BASTARDS at New Dope and the BASTARDS at Ambre CTL at Pittsworth..
These turds want you to winge and do nothing…
Generally I don’t read article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to check out and do so! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice article.
You say the people should tell politicians. There is only one way to make them listen and one opportunity in the next 3 years. It will happen next month. I think Alan Jones makes it perfectly clear in the speech he gave how to make the point. He also gives the most powerful explanation of the CSG mining problem I’ve ever encountered.
There have been a few comments made suggesting readers look at the web sites and policies of particular political parties. Its true some parties have policies that agree with what we stand for. But I cant stress enough how important it is that a movement like the Toowoomba Coal Mine Action Group does NOT associate itself with any political party. It will do nothing but divide us.
One Nation, or Bob Katters Australian party have many policies that we would agree with, but I can bet most of us would also disagree with some of their other policies. That causes division in the group, and means we could potentially turn away members. We dont need to be associated with any political party, be it left, right, green or other, and I think it would only damage the movement. No offence to those who posted links to party web sites, I think we would have more credibility if we stay politics free.
this is too allan jones.peter beaty anna bligh changed the qld constitution in 2002.with out a refferandom to the people.the NLP stood bye and let this happen.the labour party of qld distroyed all the original title deeds in qld.no one in qld owns there home or farm .all of qld is under lease.allen jones knew of this from my emails to him.and know one is takeing notice.devil if u do devil if u dont.