More than 200 new jobs will be created in Central Queensland with the government giving the green light to a new rail load-out facility to support Cockatoo Coal’s $313 million Baralaba Expansion project.
The expansion project began in May with approval for the new rail load-out facility being granted by the Queensland Coordinator-General today
The first part of the mine expansion will enable Cockatoo Coal to expand coal production from 700,000 tonnes a year to one million tonnes. This figure is expected to climb to 3.5 million tonnes per annum by 2015.
The new train load out facility will be located three kilometres east of Moura on the southern side of the Dawson Highway, adjacent to the existing main rail line.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney welcomed the announcement.
“Mining has been an integral part of Baralaba since the early 1900s and Cockatoo Coal’s expansion will help to deliver jobs and prosperity to the region for decades to come,” Mr Seeney said.
“Cockatoo Coal wrote to the Coordinator-General in June asking that he make an assessment under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 on conditions applied to the rail facility by the Banana Shire Council.”
“After a thorough assessment, the Coordinator-General has made amendments to ensure these conditions are reasonable and relevant.”
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