The Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue (the Dialogue) has wrapped up its 2025 program, completing a busy year of engagement, ongoing data reporting, and on-the-ground activities aimed at further enhancing transparency and strengthening community awareness of mining in the region.
Webinar Series
The Dialogue launched a new webinar series in 2025, designed to connect stakeholders directly with subject-matter experts on key issues.
The first session in April attracted nearly 30 online participants, featuring Zephyr Environmental’s Russ Francis, who explained air monitoring fundamentals and presented the 2024 Upper Hunter Air Quality results.
The second webinar, on mine rehabilitation drew a similar audience, with the NSW Resources Regulator outlining the rehabilitation framework and Glencore’s Liddell team showcasing the first NSW site to achieve rehabilitation certification under the updated closure criteria.
Mine Land Reuse Field Day
One of the highlights of 2025 was a Mine Land Reuse Field Day held at BHP Mt Arthur Coal.
The event brought together more than 40 representatives from government, industry, business and the community to explore rehabilitation areas, closure planning, and future land-use opportunities, including a potential pumped hydro project.
The day reinforced the region’s growing focus on workforce transition and sustainable post-mining pathways.
Environmental Project Reporting
The Dialogue continued its commitment to providing transparent and accessible environmental data, which has reported on air quality, water usage and rehabilitation progress of mines in the Upper Hunter for over a decade.
The 2024 Water Accounting Report showed that mining used just 2.6% of water from the Hunter River system, with most operational water sourced from onsite rainfall/runoff or deep aquifers.
The 2024 Air Quality Monitoring Update highlighted stable particulate matter trends consistent with statewide results and showed there was not a strong correlation between coal production and PM10 levels and highlighted strong correlations between rainfall and particulate matter concentration, which is similar to previous year’s results.
The Dialogue’s Rehabilitation Report found that 749 hectares were newly rehabilitated and 1,749 hectares were newly disturbed during 2024. The total area of disturbed land now under rehabilitation has risen to just over 15,000 hectares, which represents a 71% increase since reporting began in 2012 and means that around 35% of all disturbed land is currently in rehabilitation.
School & Teacher Mine Tours
The Dialogue’s school mine tours program continued in 2025, with more than 500 students from 15 Upper Hunter schools visiting eight mine sites across the region.
A major milestone this year was the delivery of the first teacher-only mine tours, with more than 80 educators, school leaders and support staff from Singleton High School participating in tours at Mt Owen Mine and Rix’s Creek. These tours gave teachers a rare, in-depth look at the modern mining industry from exploration and approvals through to operations, rehabilitation and closure planning.
Based on the success of these tours, the Dialogue is now planning a number of dedicated teacher tours for Muswellbrook High School in early 2026.
Youth Advisory Group
A major new initiative for 2025 was the establishment of the Dialogue Youth Advisory Group, made up of 10 young people aged 19 to 35 from across industry, students and the community.
The group has been meeting bi-monthly throughout 2025 with a focus on youth-driven initiatives across post mining land use options, employment and skills. The group is providing a space for youth voices to be integrated into the Dialogue’s priorities and work plan.
Looking Ahead
With the accelerating energy and economic transition and evolving community expectations, the Dialogues 2025 program aimed to respond proactively.
The Dialogue has expanded stakeholder participation, leveraged the existing evidence base, and continued to foster trusted, constructive engagement across the Upper Hunter.
For more information about the Dialogue check out its website: miningdialogue.com.au
