Yancoal’s Rhondda Colliery in the New South Wales Hunter region is set to be given a new life as it enters the final stages of rehabilitation.
Rhondda Colliery first began underground and open-cut mining activities in the late 1800s before ceasing operations in 1971. The site has been operated by Yancoal since 2017.
Land rehabilitation was completed in 2008, which included site remediation and revegetation.
In September 2022, Northern Rhondda Colliery submitted its mining operations plan to determine if the rehabilitation completion criteria and obligation had been met for a significant portion of the Consolidated Coal Lease 774.
The NSW Resources Regulator assessed and approved the rehabilitation application, finalising the part lease relinquishment application for the construction of a recreational facility at the site.
The Black Rock Motor Sport Park recreational facility was approved in 2019, which is tipped to create more than 450 jobs during construction and 229 permanent roles.
With the relinquishment of the mining lease now being undertaken, handover to the Black Rock Motor Resort will soon take place.
Yancoal chief executive officer David Moult welcomed the site’s next phase of life.
“I am extremely pleased with this outcome at Rhondda. We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone, relinquishing formerly mined land after an extensive and successful rehabilitation program,” he said.
“Yancoal recognises that land rehabilitation and relinquishment is an important part of responsible mining.
“Ensuring that land can continue to be an asset for the benefit of local communities after mining has concluded will continue to be a key aspiration for Yancoal into the future.”
NSW Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said the rehabilitation will bring together communities, councils and private enterprise to create hundreds of jobs and new opportunities for the region.
“With hundreds of new jobs and tens of millions of dollars of economic activity, this project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” she said.
“Mining has long been a source of economic prosperity for NSW. As mines close, the government is committed to ensuring sites are rehabilitated safely, and the land put to new and productive use for the local community.”