Nearly three decades after first proposing a coal mine in New South Wales’ Upper Hunter region, Bickham Coal has confirmed it is abandoning the controversial project.
The company told it will walk away from the site, ending a protracted battle that began in the late 1990s and sparked intense community division in the early 2000s across Scone, Blandford, and Murrurundi—an episode widely known as “coal versus foals.”
While proponents from the mining sector highlighted the potential economic benefits of the project, the local thoroughbred horse industry warned the development would threaten a billion-dollar industry and the region’s groundwater.
Bickham Coal’s proposal became the first greenfield coal project to be rejected by the NSW government in 2010. However, the company continued to renew its exploration licences until now.
The final remaining licence—granted in 1997 and set to expire on 28 May 2025—allowed the company to explore coal deposits up to 900 metres underground for a 25-year period.
In a written statement, Bickham Coal said it intends to cancel its last remaining exploration licence soon. “Although this licence expires on 28 May 2025, Bickham will seek to have it renewed only for the purpose of completing rehabilitation works as required by the department,” the company said, adding it hopes to complete this process as quickly as possible.
“Bickham has no intention of pursuing mining activity at the site,” the statement continued.
Interest in the site dates back to the 1997 licence, with public consultations beginning around 2002. The company claimed the proposed 36-million-tonne mine could have created nearly 400 jobs and generated $3.7 billion in revenue.
Earl Kelaher, the former mayor of the now-defunct Murrurundi Shire Council, recalled a hopeful time for the region. “It was encouraging—he [the mine owner] offered homes and permanent residency for workers, not fly-in-fly-out arrangements,” he said.
However, community opposition was fierce. Blandford farmer and stud owner Peter Haydon said he spent a decade resisting the mine. “It’s a fantastic outcome. The entire Pages River valley is protected, which benefits every stud along its path,” he said.
High-profile figures such as retail mogul Gerry Harvey and retired broadcaster Alan Jones also joined the campaign against the mine.
In 2010, then-premier Kristina Keneally rejected the application, citing risks to groundwater and the thoroughbred industry. Her decision marked the first time the NSW government had rejected a new mining development of this kind.
“It was a real community effort that led to this result,” said Mr Haydon.
But for Mr Kelaher, the project’s cancellation still feels like a missed opportunity. “We talked about how the mine void could have been converted into a water reservoir for Murrurundi—we’ve long struggled with water supply.”
Now, as the final chapter closes, Haydon says the community can finally celebrate.
