A major milestone in Muswellbrook’s economic future has been reached with today’s public exhibition of the Mt Arthur Coal Mine Transformation Precinct Master Plan and Rezoning Proposal. Together with the Lake Macquarie Coal Complex Pilot, the proposal forms a blueprint for new employment and industry precincts that will drive economic growth across the Hunter region.
In a NSW first, the pilot projects demonstrate what is possible when Federal, State and Local governments and private enterprises work together to secure the Hunter’s future. The Master Plan alongside a State-led Rezoning Proposal will deliver on recommendations from the NSW Government Beneficial and Productive Post-Mining Land Use Parliamentary Inquiry, demonstrating how alternative post-mining land uses can deliver new opportunities through the coordinated relinquishment and redevelopment of former mining land.
The region welcomed Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator the Hon Tim Ayres; NSW Minister for the Hunter, the Hon Yasmin Catley MP; and NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon Paul Scully MP; and Clayton Barr MP, Member for Cessnock, as part of today’s announcement. Their attendance, alongside industry partners, demonstrates a strong commitment to Muswellbrook’s economic future and long-term prosperity.
The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), in collaboration with Muswellbrook Shire Council, BHP, and the Federal Government’s Net Zero Economy Authority (NZEA), has developed the Master Plan and State-led rezoning proposal for the Mt Arthur Coal Mine site. Now on public exhibition for 28 days, the Master Plan sets out a generational-scale opportunity to transform the land of one of NSW’s largest coal mines into a future-focused precinct.
With BHP’s mining operations ceasing in 2030, the project presents an opportunity to provide new employment-generating land uses for Muswellbrook and the Hunter Region, while supporting mining communities to secure their long-term economic future.
The proposal reimagines more than 5,400 hectares of strategically located land capable of hosting a range of new and emerging industries, alongside rehabilitated areas and existing agricultural activities, creating significant opportunities for long-term economic growth and employment.
The rezoning proposes applying the SP4 (Enterprise) zone to the site, to support a mix of employment-generating, commercial and industrial uses. It will also establish a State-assessed development pathway, helping streamline future approvals and attract new investment.
Key features of the draft Master Plan and rezoning proposal include:
- A total area of 5,400 hectares included in the transformation precinct.
- More than 950 hectares identified across two priority activation areas.
- Capacity to support approximately 5,900 future jobs.
Muswellbrook Shire Council Mayor Jeff Drayton said the plan represented a critical opportunity for the region.
“If we do nothing, at least 12,000 people in the Hunter will be without jobs in 2030. That’s the scale of what we’re facing, and it’s why Council proactively secured funding to progress this opportunity for our region,” Mayor Drayton said.
“Muswellbrook needs to unlock mining land to create new jobs. This rezoning removes one of the biggest barriers to attracting new industry and investment and responds to the community’s desire for mines to continue delivering economic benefits after closure.”
“Muswellbrook is repositioning as an industrial powerhouse—renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, transport and logistics—and the Mt Arthur site is at the heart of that future.”
“This is not the only project that will help drive investment and new industry to our region, but it is an important piece of the puzzle.”
The community is encouraged to review the draft Master Plan and Rezoning Proposal during the public exhibition period and provide feedback.
The Mt Arthur Coal Mine Transformation Precinct Master Plan and Rezoning Proposal will be on public exhibition until 11 August 2026.
DPHI will be leading community engagement sessions in Muswellbrook on the following dates:
Venue: Campbells Corner, 60-82 Bridge St, Muswellbrook NSW 2333
- Tuesday 28 July, 11am – 2pm
- Tuesday 28 July, 5pm – 7pm
- Wednesday 29 July, 11am – 2pm
For more information and to provide feedback, visit: https://www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/project/mt-arthur-coal-mine/
