The Hunter region has enough final voids from current and past coal mining operations to fill an area the size of Sydney Harbour… but how much do you understand about those final voids and what would you like to see them transformed into?

Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle’s School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Science Dr Hedda Askland is undertaking research to find out what those living closest to coal mine’s actually think and understand about those final voids.

“In my past research, I have sought to understand the social impacts of mining particularly on the smaller villages that are bordering the bigger mines and as part of my work one of the things I have noticed is that people brought up final voids a lot.

“There was a lot of uncertainty about what they will be used for, people not knowing what would be happening to the hole that would be left when the mine closed and expressing concern about the environmental legacy the voids may leave.

“There’s a lack of knowledge in the community and a lack of knowing what these voids will become,” said Dr Askland.

Mining Voids and Just Transition: Reimagining Post-Mining Landscapes is the research project Dr Askland is undertaking with colleagues from the University of Newcastle. It’s a four-year project funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) which aims to understand how people think and feel about post-mining landscapes.

“We are starting to hear more, particularly about pumped hydro at Muswellbrook Coal and Mt Arthur, but how is that actually going to work? What will these proposals entail? It’s very hard for the community to get their head around it.

“People are concerned about the environmental legacy; they want to see positive environmental legacy being left.

“The main goal for us is to bring community voices into the conversation around final voids and post mining land use.

“I think there continues to be a big gap in the communication piece around it.”

Image credit: University of Newcastle