Take Action

Minister Watt must reject Glencore’s Hail Creek Coal Eastern Margin Extension Project

Glencore is pushing through a proposal for a super-polluting and habitat destroying coal mine expansion at its Hail Creek mine. Glencore’s coal expansion would increase the pace and impacts of climate change, having far reaching impacts that would be felt in communities and ecosystems from the Great Barrier Reef to the Australian Alps.

Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt claims he is committed to protecting our natural environment. Let’s hold Minister Watt to that commitment — this is his chance to show us that he means it.

Tell Minister Watt to reject the Hail Creek coal expansion.

Public submissions are open on this project until February 13. This is a key moment to have your say.

What is Glencore’s Hail Creek Coal Eastern Margin Extension Project?

Glencore’s Hail Creek Coal mine is located 120 km south west of Mackay on Widi country, near the town of Nebo in Central Queensland. If approved, the coal mine extension would be a very environmentally destructive project, proposing to:

Clear 600 hectares of high quality and irreplaceable koala habitat
Mine an additional 29 million tonnes of thermal and metallurgical coal
Extend the life of the mine by another three years until 2038
Pollute waterways that flow into the coral sea and Great Barrier Reef
Bulldoze bushland for new coal pits directly adjacent to the Homevale National Park
Exacerbate harmful climate impacts by releasing climate pollution into the atmosphere
Increase dangerous methane pollution from a mine well documented as a methane ‘super emitter’

What does this have to do with Protecting Our Winters?

Climate change, caused by the mining and burning of coal and gas, is the greatest threat to Australia’s environment, including the alpine regions POW is working to protect. Any extension of this mine would increase the pace and impacts of climate change, which is already impacting fragile and irreplaceable alpine ecosystems and communities.

One of the most urgent policy actions needed to protect our winters is stopping approvals for new coal mines – like the Hail Creek Eastern Margin Extension. Approving this project would accelerate damage to fragile ecosystems and communities already under threat.

How do I submit a comment?

Go to the Federal Department website by clicking here
Click on the ‘Make Comment’ button
Provide a title for your submission – here are some ideas:
- Minister Watt: Keep your promise, protect alpine regions from Glencore’s coal mine expansion
- Protect Our Alpine Future: Reject Glencore’s coal mine expansion
Add your name and email address
Click YES to: “Do you consider this a controlled action?”
Add your comments in the box provided explaining why this project should be rejected. We’ve included sample language and additional information below to help you write a comment.
Click all 3 of the declarations
Submit your comment before 13 February

— OR —

Submit your comment by sending an email to EPBC.Referrals@dcceew.gov.au AND Minister.watt@dcceew.gov.au

We’re tracking alpine community impact — let POW know you’ve submitted a comment by emailing elyse.kochman@protectourwinters.org.au

SAMPLE COMMENT SUBMISSION

Senator Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water,

I strongly urge you to determine that Glencore’s Hail Creek Coal Eastern Margin Extension Project would have ‘clearly unacceptable impacts’ and to reject it.

Any extension of this mine would increase the pace and impacts of climate change, which already threatens to destroy fragile and irreplaceable ecosystems and communities, including Australia’s alpine regions.

Allowing this extension project would lock in additional emissions at a time when protecting snow-dependent landscapes requires rapid reductions, not new development. It would be reckless to approve extensions to Glencore’s existing ‘super emitter’ coal mines, knowing the damage additional greenhouse gas emissions would have on Australia’s environment and communities.

I strongly urge you to determine that the Hail Creek Eastern Margin Extension Project would have ‘clearly unacceptable impacts’ and to reject the project in full.

Sincerely,

[INSERT NAME]

Additional information to help you write a comment:

Climate Impacts in the Australian Alps:
- Research shows the Australian Alps are already feeling the impacts of climate change: snow depth has already fallen by about 30% since the 1950s and the snow season is now 17-28% shorter than it used to be.
- On our current emissions track, the snow season could shrink by 44–55 days by 2050 and by the 2080s, snow could be hard to find in Australia.
Minister Watt’s Pledge:
- In a speech to Parliament on 4th Nov 2025, Minister Watt pledged to show environmental leadership and said that Australia has made “protecting and repairing nature a national priority”, including “safeguarding nature where it still thrives.”
Koala Habitat Loss:
- This project proposes to clear 600 hectares of high quality and irreplaceable koala habitat
Methane Super-Emitter:
- Hail Creek coal mine has been identified as one of Australia’s largest methane super-emitters, with the coal seams at Hail Creek containing very high levels of methane.
- Research found Hail Creek mine is responsible for roughly 20% of Australia’s coal-mining methane emissions while accounting for just 1% of national coal production.
In order to limit global warming below a 2C increase, no new coal mines or extensions can proceed.

What else can I do?

Share this page — encourage others to submit a comment
Get the next generation involved: have your kids record a video submission explaining why they want Minister Watt to protect the environment and their future!
Join the Protect Our Winters community and follow along for more opportunities to share your voice

Thank you to Lock the Gate and The Sunrise Project for providing resources.

Protect Our Alpine Future

Protect Our Alpine Future is a grassroots campaign to establish a clear link between the burning of coal and gas and the changes we are seeing in alpine regions. This campaign is a collective call for action to secure a safe alpine future for our mountains and communities through organised, visible pressure for change.

We need the mountains, and the mountains need our help.
It’s time to take back our alpine future.