There are no current proposals for development of new coal mines within the Clarence‑Moreton bioregion. However, there was an attempt in 2013 by OGL Resources Limited to recommission the Ebenezer Mine (Figure 8) and purchase the Bremer View Coal Project (Mining Lease (ML) 4712). The Ebenezer Mine (ML 4712) operated from 1988 to 2003, producing more than 20 Mt of thermal coal (Miningoilgas, 2013). OGL planned to mine 13 Mt of coal over the next decade. However, in August 2013, OGL informed that an Asset Sale Agreement between OGL and Zedemar Holdings Pty Ltd for the acquisition of the Ebenezer Mine and Bremer View Coal Project has lapsed (ASX, 2013a).
Coal exploration wells, inferred coal resources and current coal exploration licences exist within the Clarence‑Moreton bioregion in both Queensland and NSW (Figure 7). Most historical coal exploration drilling has focused on the Walloon Coal Measures at the basin margin (Figure 7). Active coal exploration currently occurs in the south-western part of the Clarence‑Moreton bioregion, where Waratah Coal has recently drilled 15 exploration bores targeting the Nymboida Coal Measures within exploration licence (EL) 7186 and EL 6467. No resource estimates or additional information are publicly available from Waratah Coal. In Queensland, Cuesta Coal Limited has reported inferred thermal coal resources of greater than 50 Mt at the Amberley Deposit (Figure 5). These resources were identified within eight coal seams of the Walloon Coal Measures in Exploration Permit for Coal (EPC) 2127, following drilling of 14 open and three cored exploration wells (ASX, 2012).