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Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland

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Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland

EnvA-CQ is a group of people that care about our environment and are concerned about climate change. No bullying or trolling will be tolerated.

Please note that this is a page to keep the Central Queensland community informed about EnvA CQ's activities and actions. Any posts that are considered contrary to the intent of this group will be removed. We are an apolitical group and anything of a strong political opinion may be deleted.

19/06/2026

📢 PUBLIC CONCERNS MUST BE PROPERLY CONSIDERED

EnvA has written to Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt calling for a full and thorough assessment of public submissions on the proposed Peak Downs Mine Power Line Realignment Project.

Allowing a coal mining company to assess it’s own project is farcical! Public consultation should be more than a box-ticking exercise - it is essential in obtaining social support fo any project!

Environmental decisions must be based on a rigorous and independent assessment of environmental risks, cumulative impacts, and offset effectiveness.

We have asked the Department to take note of the issues raised by submitters before any decision is made on the project.

EnvA has called on the Federal Environment Minister to ensure public submissions on the proposed Peak Downs Mine Power Line Realignment Project are properly assessed.

13/06/2026

Queensland's environmental offsets system is failing to protect nature.

In a submission to the Queensland Government's review of the Environmental Offsets Framework, EnvA has called for a fundamental rethink of a system that increasingly allows developers to pay into an offset fund rather than secure real conservation outcomes on the ground.

More than 90% of offset obligations have been met through financial payments, yet over $129 million has accumulated in the offsets account while biodiversity continues to decline.

“Habitat destruction happens immediately. Any restoration benefits can take decades to occur—if they occur at all. Mature ecosystems, threatened species habitat and ecological connectivity simply cannot be replaced with a cheque”.

EnvA is calling on the Queensland Government to:
✔ Reduce reliance on financial settlement offsets
✔ Require proponents to secure direct offsets wherever possible
✔ Refuse developments where impacts cannot be adequately compensated
✔ Ensure offsets deliver genuine, measurable conservation gains
Queensland needs an offsets framework that protects biodiversity—not a "pay-to-destroy" system.

EnvA has urged the Queensland Government to undertake a fundamental review of its environmental offsets framework, warning the current system has become a “pay-to-destroy” model that is…

08/06/2026

❓Can biodiversity offsets really replace destroyed habitat ❓

EnvA has lodged a submission calling on the Federal Government to strengthen the proposed Environmental Offsets Standard and close loopholes that could allow continued destruction of nationally important environmental values.

We remain concerned that the draft standard allows a "pay-to-destroy" approach, where proponents may be able to rely on offset funds or indirect offsets instead of securing genuine habitat protection.

If suitable offsets cannot be identified and secured, the project should not be approved.

“Australia's biodiversity is continuing to decline. The new standards must prioritise avoiding environmental harm in the first place, not simply compensating for it after the fact.”

EnvA has urged the Federal Government to strengthen its proposed Environmental Offsets Standard, warning that weak offset rules could legitimise ongoing destruction of nationally important environm…

05/06/2026

Community groups appointed to help guide Australia’s koala recovery are speaking out - saying the process is no longer working.

Since being appointed in 2023, members of the National Koala Recovery Team’s Community Advisory Committee have had just three meetings, with no engagement for over 18 months.

There’s been little communication, no meaningful updates on progress, and no real opportunity to contribute — despite community groups having vital on-ground knowledge.

At a time when koalas are facing ongoing habitat loss, fragmentation and extreme weather, this lack of transparency and engagement is deeply concerning.

We’ve written to the Federal Environment Minister calling for:
✔️ Regular meetings and communication
✔️ Clear reporting on recovery actions
✔️ Genuine engagement with community expertise

Koala recovery needs more than a tick-box consultation process — it needs real collaboration and action.

Community advisors to Australia’s national koala recovery effort say the process is “failing to function”, citing a lack of meetings, poor communication, and little transparency on progress — despi…

01/06/2026

We recently wrote to the Queensland Environment Minister raising concerns about coal mine water releases into the Fitzroy Basin and calling for better transparency, stronger regulation, and an assessment of cumulative impacts.

The government's response defended the existing framework but failed to answer some of our key questions, including whether the cumulative impacts of dozens of coal mines releasing water into the catchment have been assessed in recent years.

We also raised concerns about public access to monitoring data and environmental reports, which remain difficult to obtain despite being collected by mining companies.

The Fitzroy Basin is the largest catchment flowing to the Great Barrier Reef. Communities deserve transparency, accountability and evidence-based decision-making when it comes to protecting our waterways.

We've written back seeking answers to the questions that remain unanswered. Read more in our latest news!

EnvA has criticised the Queensland Government’s response to concerns about coal mine water releases in the Fitzroy Basin, saying it failed to answer key questions about cumulative impacts, tr…

14/05/2026

Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland has called for the proposed Saraji Mine Grevillea Pit Continuation Project near Dysart to be refused under the EPBC Act.

Our submission raises serious concerns about:
• clearing of threatened species habitat including koala, greater glider and ornamental snake habitat,
• impacts to endangered Brigalow and Poplar Box woodland communities,
• ongoing pollution risks to waterways in the Great Barrier Reef catchment,
• cumulative groundwater impacts, and
• another 30 years of greenhouse gas emissions with no meaningful climate assessment provided.

EnvA believes this project would have clearly unacceptable impacts on protected matters and should be refused.

https://envacq.org/2026/05/14/enva-calls-for-rejection-of-saraji-mine-extension-over-threats-to-wildlife-water-and-climate/

EnvA has urged the Federal Environment Minister to refuse the proposed Saraji Mine Grevillea Pit Continuation Project, warning it would cause further destruction of threatened species habitat, incr…

11/05/2026

EnvA has called on the Federal Environment Minister to reject the proposed Blackwater Mine Northern Extension Project, warning it would lock in decades of additional coal production and greenhouse gas emissions until 2055.

The proposal would clear threatened species habitat, impact water resources and contribute to cumulative environmental damage in the Bowen Basin and Great Barrier Reef catchment.

EnvA says projects of this scale require the highest level of environmental scrutiny and should not be approved in the middle of a worsening climate crisis.

EnvA has urged the Federal Government to reject the proposed Blackwater Mine Northern Extension Project, warning the expansion would significantly impact threatened species, water resources and cli…

06/05/2026

The Federal Government has decided to let Queensland assess the proposed Corvus Coal Project — a nearly 5,000-hectare new mine with serious impacts on threatened species, water and climate.

We’re deeply concerned this hands too much control to the State, instead of ensuring a strong, independent national assessment.

At a time when habitat loss and climate impacts are accelerating, Australia needs robust environmental oversight — not shortcuts.

We’re calling on the Federal Government to step up and properly assess projects with significant national impacts until a new bilateral agreement is signed with Queensland.

EnvA has criticised the Federal Government’s decision to allow the Corvus Coal Project to be assessed under a Queensland-led process, warning it risks weakening national environmental protections f…

30/04/2026

😟 The Federal Environment Minister has waved through the Washpool Coking Coal “bulk sample” project - without the requirement for assessment under Australia’s environmental legislation - despite clear risks to threatened species and vital water resources.

This isn’t a small, standalone project. It’s the first step toward a much larger coal mine in Central Queensland.

Habitat for koalas, greater gliders and the critically endangered white-throated snapping turtle is at risk, along with waterways in the Fitzroy Basin that flow to the Great Barrier Reef.

Breaking projects into smaller pieces to avoid scrutiny undermines our national environment laws and keeps communities in the dark.
Projects with serious environmental risks should be properly assessed — not just waved through.

https://envacq.org/2026/04/30/federal-environment-minister-waves-through-coal-exploration-despite-risks-to-threatened-species-and-water/

EnvA has criticised the Federal Government’s decision to avoid a full assessment of the Washpool coal project, warning it ignores risks to threatened species, water resources and the cumulative imp…

27/04/2026

EnvA has written to the Queensland Environment Minister calling for improved transparency around coal mine water releases in the Fitzroy Basin — the largest catchment flowing to the Great Barrier Reef.

Coal mines are required to collect daily data on release volumes and water quality, but the information available to the public is limited. In many cases, the same data is displayed for days or weeks during a release, making it difficult to understand how much water is being discharged or how water quality is changing over time.

Important post-release monitoring reports are also not routinely published and can take months to obtain — despite these releases occurring in waterways used for recreation, fishing and tourism, and which ultimately flow to the Reef.

Greater transparency is essential so communities can understand the scale of releases and their potential impacts.

EnvA is calling for greater transparency around coal mine water releases in the Fitzroy Basin, warning that while mines collect daily monitoring data, the public often only sees static information …

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