Over $200,000 in post-graduate scholarships are available as Queensland aims to build on its reputation as an international leader in coal mine rehabilitation.
Currently, there are two scholarships up for grabs, offering $40,000 per year over three years to post-graduate students studying at Queensland University through the Coal Minesite Rehabilitation Trust.
The trust was first established in 2007 through a partnership between the Queensland Resources Council (QRC), Queensland Government and industry representatives.
“Queensland has an international reputation as a leader in mined land rehabilitation and innovative environmental practices across all of stages of mine development from design to closure,” QRC chief executive officer Janette Hewson said.
“These scholarships will build on the progress already made by industry by contributing to research that will lead to better environmental and community outcomes.
“We are now seeing current and former coal mines transforming to a range of productive post-mining land uses including agriculture, renewable energy infrastructure, native ecosystems and community development.”
QRC policy director of environment Leigh Stitz was a scholarship recipient in 2014. Stitz said the scholarship changed her life.
“I used the scholarship to research macro invertebrates, or water bugs, in ephemeral streams in Tropical Queensland which are good indicators of waterway health,” Stitz said.
“This helped provide a better understanding of the cumulative impacts of mining on waterways to improve rehabilitation practices.”
More information on the 2025 Coal Minesite Rehabilitation Scholarship positions is available here.