Confirmation of endangered greater gliders at controversial coal mine renews calls for Federal intervention and enforcement
Queensland Conservation Council
29 October 2025
Three endangered greater gliders at the site of a controversial coal mine in central Queensland were found by citizen scientists working with the Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) and assisted by Ghungalu Traditional Owners.
The Gemini coal project is currently under investigation by Federal government officials for illegally clearing bushland without approval under the EPBC Act, but QCC says the new evidence should prompt Environment Minister Murray Watt to use his powers to stop the clearing and properly assess the coal mine under federal environment law.
Documents obtained under FOI show the federal environment department wrote to the proponent of the Gemini coal mine in 2022 recommending the project be referred for assessment under national environment laws. Instead of making the company refer the project so a proper environmental assessment can be done, the coal company has ignored the department’s recommendation and begun clearing for the coal mine.
The peak body reported alleged unlawful clearing at the site to Minister Watt in July. His Department has said they don’t have the power to stop the clearing, but the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) says there are powers in the EPBC Act that the Minister appears not yet to have used.
Photos and footage for use:
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Drone Footage - of the cleared area
Queensland Conservation Coal and Gas Campaigner, Ms Charlie Cox, says:
“The evidence is mounting - Magnetic South’s Gemini coal mine poses a clear and unacceptable risk to greater glider habitat on Ghungalu country. Magnetic South has bulldozed habitat as if the law does not apply to them.
“Greater gliders can’t survive without old trees with large hollows. Environment Minister Murray Watt already has the power to intervene, to stop work at the site, to properly assess this new project, and to hold Magnetic South accountable, but is choosing not to use it.
“Minister Watt is proposing changes to environment laws while at the same time refusing to use powers he has under the existing laws to make sure the Gemini coal mine is properly assessed. His own department agreed that this coal mine needs to be assessed under our Environment laws, and yet he has done nothing to hold them accountable.
“If Minister Watt doesn't have the stomach to use the powers he has under the existing law, how can we trust that the proposed reforms to the EPBC will actually protect the environment and not just favour the interests of coal companies and developers?
“In the meantime, it seems to be left to the community to do the job of the environment department, investigating and documenting the threats to greater gliders posed by this unapproved and potentially illegal coal mine. The new evidence we’ve supplied the department should compel them to act to uphold the law and stop the destruction of habitat.
“Greater gliders are protected under our national environmental laws. Murray Watt’s office confirmed in writing to us that any clearing of glider habitat without approval carries hefty penalties, including millions of dollars in fines and even imprisonment.”
Environmental Defenders Office Managing Lawyer, Andrew Kwan says:
“Under section 70 of the Act, Minister Watt can require referral of the project to determine the need for assessment. He can also seek a court injunction to prevent activities which have, will have, or are likely to have a significant impact on Greater Gliders, under section 475 of the Act.”
Ghungulu Elder Pop Steven Kemp says:
“The Greater Glider is one of the most endangered species in Australia. These companies and the Environment Minister aren’t doing anything to protect them - they’re doing absolutely nothing.
“There are many other plant and animal species at the Gemini mine on Ghungulu Country that rely on the forests to survive that haven’t been found, yet the company is destroying their homes.”
Ghungalu Elder Nuinee Gungari says:
“While I was out at camp, two greater gliders visited me. I was sitting down to get into the tent and I heard the whoosh of the glider coming down. When I looked up the wings were out and it was magnificent. It happened again the next day. I believe the old people, my ancestors, were giving me a cultural sign that it was ok for me to be there, that I didn’t need to be afraid.”
Ghungulu Traditional Owner Suneilia Rebel-Lawson says:
“It’s hard to put into words how it felt to be looking for these gliders on my ancestors Country. I felt grounded to the land, trees and old people. It made me feel empowered and gave me a sense of pride knowing I had a little part in finding a Greater Glider on our Country, where the company said there wasn’t any. I would like to ask all the Ghungulu people, now that one of us has seen one, what are we going to do to save them?
“We’re doing our part to share this new information and to protect Country. Murray Watt says he can’t do anything, but we know he can. We know our cultural lore, and Watt needs to step up and do his job to hold Magnetic South accountable.”
Palm Tree Yiman-Ghungulu man Luke Lawson says:
“It’s hard to be introduced to a place that we’ve never had access to, which could change our people's direction for generations to come. There are countless health benefits that can come from being on that Country - mentally, physically and spiritually. It’s hard to contextualise the benefits because they’re so different to what the Western world experiences.”
Available for comment:
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Andrew Kwan, EDO Managing Lawyer. Please contact EDO Media Manager James Tremain - 0419 272 254
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Zhanae Dodd, nominated spokesperson of Ghungalu Elders - 0489 172 126
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Charlie Cox, QCC Coal and Gas Campaigner - 0434 671 986
Background:
QCC undertook ground spotlighting surveys to show there are in fact greater gliders in the area adjacent to where Magnetic South has cleared for their Gemini coal mine. This comes after QCC obtained satellite images in June 2025, cross-referenced with drone footage showing the proponent had cleared bushland for its proposed Gemini coal mine without referring the project for assessment under national environmental laws (EPBC Act). Since May 25th at least 600 hectares of remnant forest has been cleared in an area earmarked for an open cut coal pit.
The clearing is occurring despite the federal government expressing the view that the project is ‘unlikely to hold appropriate EPBC Act approval’ and informing Magnetic South that EPBC referral of the project is 'strongly recommended' and 'should they (Magnetic South) undertake an action without a decision under the EPBC Act, they carry all associated legal risks.' See page 1 and 9 of this FOI document package.
Correspondence from the Federal environment department to Magnetic South identified a number of matters of national environmental significance that could be impacted by the coal mine, including the endangered Greater Glider, Bridled Nail-tail Wallaby, Koala and water resources.
QCC alerted Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt about the potentially illegal clearing on June 20. DCCEEW confirmed they would investigate on July 16, however the clearing continued. The most recent satellite image shows up to 650 hectares has now been cleared. See satellite images showing the progressive clearing here. The satellite images represent the latitude, longitude of -23.70,149.26, the exact location of 'Mine A' from Magnetic South's Queensland government approval documents.
The Endangered greater glider has been recorded in areas earmarked for clearing for the mine and a recent CSIRO published study has identified the area surrounding the mine as 'the most important corridor for greater gliders in Queensland' because it provides an important link between national parks and state forests.
Ghungalu Traditional Owners say they have not been properly consulted about the coal mine and had set up camp on the site. They were enacting their right to culture under Section 28 of the Queensland Human Rights Act and say the coal mine threatens burial sites, sacred land and the living systems they come from. See here for video and messages from the camp.
Magnetic South is owned by one of the richest men in Queensland, billionaire Sam Chong. The proposed Gemini mine's location is wedged between the Taunton National Park and the Blackdown Tablelands national park, in an area of high biodiversity value. The mine has attracted controversy in the past due to the Queensland government’s decision not to require an Environmental Impact Statement and opposition from local graziers, as reported here by the Guardian in 2022.
Magnetic South appears to be acting on the assumption that it does not need to refer to the Gemini coal mine for assessment under the EPBC Act, because it is relying on a ‘particular manner’ decision from a previously proposed coal mine in the same area, known as the Dingo West coal mine. This mine was proposed by Bandana Energy and referred for EPBC assessment in 2010. The Dingo West project was approved under a ‘particular manner’ decision meaning the project would not require a full environmental assessment if it is conducted in a particular manner. Magnetic South purchased the tenements for Dingo West front Bandana Energy in 2015. It is relying on the 2010 particular manner decision for the Dingo West to argue the Gemini mine does not require referral and assessment under the EPBC Act, despite the fact that the two mines are significantly different in size and location.
The Gemini project proposes to disturb 1961 hectares of land whereas the Dingo West project would have disturbed 1021 hectares of land. The Dingo West project proposed to extract 0.7 and 1.25 million tonnes of coal a year, whereas the Gemini project proposed to extract 1.9 million tonnes of coal a year.
Species such as the koala and greater glider were not listed under the EPBC act at the time of the Dingo West particular manner decision and therefore the threats to these species were not considered. A detailed list of the differences between the two projects is here in this google doc.
Contact details:
Available for comment:
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Andrew Kwan, EDO Managing Lawyer. Please contact EDO Media Manager James Tremain - 0419 272 254
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Zhanae Dodd, nominated spokesperson of Ghungalu Elders - 0489 172 126
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Charlie Cox, QCC Coal and Gas Campaigner - 0434 671 986