12-08-2025
'Like something on the stockmarket': Mining company acquires Hunter village
Now, the handful of residents still living at Camberwell are rallying once again after the Bloomfield Group's acquisition of several strategic land and mining tenure assets from Yancoal last week.
They include mining company-owned dwellings at Camberwell, as well as land and associated mining tenure for the previously proposed Ashton South East Open Cut project at Camberwell.
Ashton Coal, a subsidiary of the Chinese-owned Yancoal, allowed the project's approval to lapse in October 2023.
Central to its decision was the insurmountable opposition from former Camberwell resident Wendy Bowman.
The NSW Court of Appeal ruled in 2015 that the mine could only proceed if Ms Bowman agreed to sell her land.
Ms Bowman died in August 2023 aged 89.
Bloomfield acquired her property for $9 million earlier this year.
A Bloomfield spokesman said the company would assess opportunities for the mining assets it had just acquired from Yancoal to complement its existing operations.
"Completion of the acquisition and any future development is subject to the usual regulatory process and approvals," he said.
The spokesman said the company had no plans to change the existing arrangements for the properties it had acquired in Camberwell.
Deidre Olofsson, a close friend of Ms Bowman, has lived in Camberwell for 39 years,
She said he had "no doubt" the South East Open Cut project would be revived.
"We are not stupid; they paid $9 million for Wendy's place and it is not worth anything near that," she said.
Ms Olofsson, who has recently invested in upgrading her property, said she feared pressure would increase on the village's residents to get out.
"Our village has been traded like something on the stock market. It's disgraceful," she said.
"We have fought so hard to save this village and now it's all on again. They are destroying people's mental health and we have no recourse."
Bloomfield's agreement with Yancoal also includes the area of the Donaldson open-cut and Abel underground mines, located east of Maitland and adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Bloomfield Colliery.
Under the agreement, The Bloomfield Group will assume responsibility for the rehabilitation of both the Donaldson and Abel mine sites.
The agreement also includes land, dwellings, and associated mining tenure in the Upper Hunter, adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Rix's Creek Mine.
The arrangement involves the balanced exchange of particular assets and obligations and does not include a cash payment.
Bloomfield Group chief executive Brett Lewis said the acquisition aligns with the company's strategy of investing to ensure stability for existing operations, while also creating business options and growth opportunities.
"While we will assess opportunities for the acquired mining assets to complement our existing operations, this acquisition is about more than simply continuing mining," Mr Lewis said.
"It's about making responsible decisions for our people and the community through improved rehabilitation outcomes, regional development opportunities, and the potential for more diverse future land uses."
"Securing land adjacent to our existing Rix's Creek Mine operations gives us the flexibility to better plan for future infrastructure, such as the proposed highway relocation to support our Rix's Creek North Continuation Project."
Now, the handful of residents still living at Camberwell are rallying once again after the Bloomfield Group's acquisition of several strategic land and mining tenure assets from Yancoal last week.
They include mining company-owned dwellings at Camberwell, as well as land and associated mining tenure for the previously proposed Ashton South East Open Cut project at Camberwell.
Ashton Coal, a subsidiary of the Chinese-owned Yancoal, allowed the project's approval to lapse in October 2023.
Central to its decision was the insurmountable opposition from former Camberwell resident Wendy Bowman.
The NSW Court of Appeal ruled in 2015 that the mine could only proceed if Ms Bowman agreed to sell her land.
Ms Bowman died in August 2023 aged 89.
Bloomfield acquired her property for $9 million earlier this year.
A Bloomfield spokesman said the company would assess opportunities for the mining assets it had just acquired from Yancoal to complement its existing operations.
"Completion of the acquisition and any future development is subject to the usual regulatory process and approvals," he said.
The spokesman said the company had no plans to change the existing arrangements for the properties it had acquired in Camberwell.
Deidre Olofsson, a close friend of Ms Bowman, has lived in Camberwell for 39 years,
She said he had "no doubt" the South East Open Cut project would be revived.
"We are not stupid; they paid $9 million for Wendy's place and it is not worth anything near that," she said.
Ms Olofsson, who has recently invested in upgrading her property, said she feared pressure would increase on the village's residents to get out.
"Our village has been traded like something on the stock market. It's disgraceful," she said.
"We have fought so hard to save this village and now it's all on again. They are destroying people's mental health and we have no recourse."
Bloomfield's agreement with Yancoal also includes the area of the Donaldson open-cut and Abel underground mines, located east of Maitland and adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Bloomfield Colliery.
Under the agreement, The Bloomfield Group will assume responsibility for the rehabilitation of both the Donaldson and Abel mine sites.
The agreement also includes land, dwellings, and associated mining tenure in the Upper Hunter, adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Rix's Creek Mine.
The arrangement involves the balanced exchange of particular assets and obligations and does not include a cash payment.
Bloomfield Group chief executive Brett Lewis said the acquisition aligns with the company's strategy of investing to ensure stability for existing operations, while also creating business options and growth opportunities.
"While we will assess opportunities for the acquired mining assets to complement our existing operations, this acquisition is about more than simply continuing mining," Mr Lewis said.
"It's about making responsible decisions for our people and the community through improved rehabilitation outcomes, regional development opportunities, and the potential for more diverse future land uses."
"Securing land adjacent to our existing Rix's Creek Mine operations gives us the flexibility to better plan for future infrastructure, such as the proposed highway relocation to support our Rix's Creek North Continuation Project."
Now, the handful of residents still living at Camberwell are rallying once again after the Bloomfield Group's acquisition of several strategic land and mining tenure assets from Yancoal last week.
They include mining company-owned dwellings at Camberwell, as well as land and associated mining tenure for the previously proposed Ashton South East Open Cut project at Camberwell.
Ashton Coal, a subsidiary of the Chinese-owned Yancoal, allowed the project's approval to lapse in October 2023.
Central to its decision was the insurmountable opposition from former Camberwell resident Wendy Bowman.
The NSW Court of Appeal ruled in 2015 that the mine could only proceed if Ms Bowman agreed to sell her land.
Ms Bowman died in August 2023 aged 89.
Bloomfield acquired her property for $9 million earlier this year.
A Bloomfield spokesman said the company would assess opportunities for the mining assets it had just acquired from Yancoal to complement its existing operations.
"Completion of the acquisition and any future development is subject to the usual regulatory process and approvals," he said.
The spokesman said the company had no plans to change the existing arrangements for the properties it had acquired in Camberwell.
Deidre Olofsson, a close friend of Ms Bowman, has lived in Camberwell for 39 years,
She said he had "no doubt" the South East Open Cut project would be revived.
"We are not stupid; they paid $9 million for Wendy's place and it is not worth anything near that," she said.
Ms Olofsson, who has recently invested in upgrading her property, said she feared pressure would increase on the village's residents to get out.
"Our village has been traded like something on the stock market. It's disgraceful," she said.
"We have fought so hard to save this village and now it's all on again. They are destroying people's mental health and we have no recourse."
Bloomfield's agreement with Yancoal also includes the area of the Donaldson open-cut and Abel underground mines, located east of Maitland and adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Bloomfield Colliery.
Under the agreement, The Bloomfield Group will assume responsibility for the rehabilitation of both the Donaldson and Abel mine sites.
The agreement also includes land, dwellings, and associated mining tenure in the Upper Hunter, adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Rix's Creek Mine.
The arrangement involves the balanced exchange of particular assets and obligations and does not include a cash payment.
Bloomfield Group chief executive Brett Lewis said the acquisition aligns with the company's strategy of investing to ensure stability for existing operations, while also creating business options and growth opportunities.
"While we will assess opportunities for the acquired mining assets to complement our existing operations, this acquisition is about more than simply continuing mining," Mr Lewis said.
"It's about making responsible decisions for our people and the community through improved rehabilitation outcomes, regional development opportunities, and the potential for more diverse future land uses."
"Securing land adjacent to our existing Rix's Creek Mine operations gives us the flexibility to better plan for future infrastructure, such as the proposed highway relocation to support our Rix's Creek North Continuation Project."
Now, the handful of residents still living at Camberwell are rallying once again after the Bloomfield Group's acquisition of several strategic land and mining tenure assets from Yancoal last week.
They include mining company-owned dwellings at Camberwell, as well as land and associated mining tenure for the previously proposed Ashton South East Open Cut project at Camberwell.
Ashton Coal, a subsidiary of the Chinese-owned Yancoal, allowed the project's approval to lapse in October 2023.
Central to its decision was the insurmountable opposition from former Camberwell resident Wendy Bowman.
The NSW Court of Appeal ruled in 2015 that the mine could only proceed if Ms Bowman agreed to sell her land.
Ms Bowman died in August 2023 aged 89.
Bloomfield acquired her property for $9 million earlier this year.
A Bloomfield spokesman said the company would assess opportunities for the mining assets it had just acquired from Yancoal to complement its existing operations.
"Completion of the acquisition and any future development is subject to the usual regulatory process and approvals," he said.
The spokesman said the company had no plans to change the existing arrangements for the properties it had acquired in Camberwell.
Deidre Olofsson, a close friend of Ms Bowman, has lived in Camberwell for 39 years,
She said he had "no doubt" the South East Open Cut project would be revived.
"We are not stupid; they paid $9 million for Wendy's place and it is not worth anything near that," she said.
Ms Olofsson, who has recently invested in upgrading her property, said she feared pressure would increase on the village's residents to get out.
"Our village has been traded like something on the stock market. It's disgraceful," she said.
"We have fought so hard to save this village and now it's all on again. They are destroying people's mental health and we have no recourse."
Bloomfield's agreement with Yancoal also includes the area of the Donaldson open-cut and Abel underground mines, located east of Maitland and adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Bloomfield Colliery.
Under the agreement, The Bloomfield Group will assume responsibility for the rehabilitation of both the Donaldson and Abel mine sites.
The agreement also includes land, dwellings, and associated mining tenure in the Upper Hunter, adjacent to The Bloomfield Group's Rix's Creek Mine.
The arrangement involves the balanced exchange of particular assets and obligations and does not include a cash payment.
Bloomfield Group chief executive Brett Lewis said the acquisition aligns with the company's strategy of investing to ensure stability for existing operations, while also creating business options and growth opportunities.
"While we will assess opportunities for the acquired mining assets to complement our existing operations, this acquisition is about more than simply continuing mining," Mr Lewis said.
"It's about making responsible decisions for our people and the community through improved rehabilitation outcomes, regional development opportunities, and the potential for more diverse future land uses."
"Securing land adjacent to our existing Rix's Creek Mine operations gives us the flexibility to better plan for future infrastructure, such as the proposed highway relocation to support our Rix's Creek North Continuation Project."
