The Queensland Government has granted approval for one of the most contentious planned mining developments in the state, which will see a series of mines dug in what is currently a significant natural refuge.

A project to construct a massive complex comprising six separate mines, processing facilities and a dedicated rail line in Queensland’s Galilee Basin has been given conditional approval by the State Government.

The $8.8 billion project is the work of Waratah Coal, one of magnate Clive Palmer’s subsidiary firms. It will include four underground mines, two open-cut works, associated coal handling and processing facilities and a 500 kilometre rail line to the Abbot Point coal terminal. The project is set to destroy part of the 8,000 hectare Bimblebox Nature Refuge, which has been a valuable source of life for native species, and research into bird migration.

Local Greenpeace Campaigner Louise Mathiesson says: “We're horrified that the Queensland Government has approved this monster coal mine in the Galilee Basin... it would bulldoze the Bimblebox Nature Refuge, suck up precious groundwater supplies that are vital for cattle grazing properties in the region, and emit more greenhouses gases than many small countries.”

The huge operation will now proceed to the next level of the approval process, with press from the mining company saying it would create 3,500 construction jobs and more than 2,000 operational positions if it is completed.

The Bimblebox Refuge - which will be partially destroyed by the mine if successful - has its own website dedicated to preserving the diverse habitat.