EPBC Act Part 7-9 decisions published, 24/03/2025 to 30/03/2025

Administered by Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Legislation au C2025G00236 In force Gazette

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DEPARTMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

EPBC Act Part 7-9 decisions published, 24/03/2025 to 30/03/2025

For further information see the referrals list at https://epbcpublicportal.environment.gov.au/all-referrals/

and type the reference number in the Filter by Referral Number box

actions determined as requiring approval (EPBC Act s.75)

Reference	Title	Controlling Provisions	Date
2024/09957	Tasmanian Advanced Minerals Pty Ltd / Mining / Blackwater Silica Mine, Blackwater Road Temma / Tasmania / Blackwater – Silica Mine Extension	Listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 & 18A)	21/03/2025
2024/10016	Western Australian Planning Commission / Residential Development / Lot 810 and Lot 811 off Beechboro Road North, Whiteman (access to Ballajura Train Station) / Western Australia / Ballajura Station Precinct Structure Plan Project	Listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 & 18A)	21/03/2025
2024/10013	Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Pty Ltd / Energy Generation and Supply (renewable) / 608 Bowmans Creek Road, Bowmans Creek NSW 2330 / New South Wales / Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Stage 2	Listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 & 18A) Listed migratory species (sections 20 & 20A)	24/03/2025
2024/10075	Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture Pty Ltd / Mining / Murchison Highway, Renison Bell, Tasmania, 7469. / Tasmania / Renison Tailings Retreatment Project (Rentails Project)	Listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 & 18A)	24/03/2025

actions determined as NOT requiring approval (EPBC Act s.75)

Reference	Title	Date
2024/09816*	Telstra Limited / Telecommunications / TWWHA Reserve, Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park & Southwest National Park, Crown Land, Southwest Tas 7139 / Tasmania / Radiocommunications Facilities as part of the Tasmanian Government Radio Network Project- TasGRN	25/03/2025
2024/10067	Trent Kelly / Residential Development / The corner of Carlie Jane Drive and Cohen Way, Thrumster. Formally described as Lot 31 DP1298370, Lot 67 DP1274051 & Lot 383 DP1241368. / New South Wales / Sovereign Hills Precinct 3	26/03/2025

* Actions which are not controlled actions provided they are undertaken in a particular manner. Further information on provision and manner specified is available from https://epbcpublicportal.environment.gov.au/all-referrals/

Assessment Approach (EPBC Act s.87)

Reference	Title	Assessment Approach	Date
2024/09957	Tasmanian Advanced Minerals Pty Ltd / Mining / Blackwater Silica Mine, Blackwater Road Temma / Tasmania / Blackwater – Silica Mine Extension	Preliminary Documentation	21/03/2025
2024/10016	Western Australian Planning Commission / Residential Development / Lot 810 and Lot 811 off Beechboro Road North, Whiteman (access to Ballajura Train Station) / Western Australia / Ballajura Station Precinct Structure Plan Project	Preliminary Documentation	21/03/2025
2024/10075	Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture Pty Ltd / Mining / Murchison Highway, Renison Bell, Tasmania, 7469. / Tasmania / Renison Tailings Retreatment Project (Rentails Project)	Public Environment Report	24/03/2025

DECISION ON APPROVAL (EPBC Act s.133)

Reference	Title	Approval Decision	Date
2019/8610	Consolidated Minerals Pty Ltd / Mining / 26 mining leases (M), 17 general purpose leases (G) and one miscellaneous licence / Western Australia / Woodie Continued Operations Project, East Pilbara, WA	Approved with conditions	24/03/2025
2024/09990	Nadia Wyatt / Agriculture and Forestry / 2451 Pooncarie Road Wentworth / New South Wales / Bellevue Estate Irrigation Expansion Project	Approved with conditions	26/03/2025

OUTCOME OF REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF S75(1) DECISION (EPBC Act s.78C)

Reference	Title	Reconsideration Decision	Date
2019/8595	Invocare Australia Pty Limited / Commercial Development / Block 1, Section 3, Symonston, ACT / Australian Capital Territory / South Canberra Memorial Park	Not a controlled action	20/03/2025

variation of conditions of approval (EPBC Act s.143)

Reference	Title	Date
2018/8385	D.E Baker & J.A Baker / Tourism and Recreation / Lot 2 on RP82146 / Queensland / Turtle Sands Caravan Park Redevelopment, Bundaberg, Qld	21/03/2025
2019/8453	Water Corporation / Water Management and Use / Marmion Avenue, Alkimos, WA / Western Australia / Alkimos Seawater Desalination	24/03/2025
2021/9071	Gilmour Space Technologies Pty Ltd / Transport - Air and Space / north-eastern corner of the Abbot Point State Development Area / Queensland / Bowen Orbital Spaceport	24/03/2025
2019/8569	APA VTS Australia (Operations) Pty Limited / Mining / between Plumpton and Wollert / Victoria / Western Outer Ring Main (WORM) – High pressure gas transmission pipeline	25/03/2025
2020/8702	Wollongong Coal Limited / Mining / 7 Princes Hwy, Corrimal / New South Wales / Russell Vale Colliery Revised Underground Expansion Project	25/03/2025
2012/6324	Batchfire Resources / Mining / 20km north of Biloela / Queensland / Boundary Hill South Lease Extension	26/03/2025
2013/6732	Gunnedah Shire Council / Water Management and Use / Gunnedah / New South Wales / Reconstruction of the Blackjack Creek Riparian Corridor/Channel	26/03/2025
2016/7846	Sytka Pty Ltd / Residential Development / Lot 9006 Reilly Road, Harrisdale / Western Australia / Residential development and bushfire protection within part Lot 9006 Reilly Road, Harrisdale, WA	26/03/2025

NOTICE OF EXTENSION OF TIME (EPBC Act s.130(4))

Reference	Title	Extended to	Date
2018/8335	WOODSIDE ENERGY LTD. / Mining / De Wit Location: Lot 199, 197, 379, 380, 655, 195, 151, 204 / Western Australia / North West Shelf Project Extension, Carnarvon Basin, WA	31/05/2025	24/03/2025
2021/9124	Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications / Commonwealth / Kingston Pier, Kingston and the Old Cascade Quarry, Cascade. / Norfolk Island / Kingston Pier Channel Construction Project	7/04/2025	27/03/2025
2024/10031	DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE / Commonwealth / HMAS Stirling, Garden Island / Western Australia / Submarine Rotational Force – West, Priority Infrastructure Works	15/05/2025	27/03/2025

Some public notifications on the Internet and in the Gazette relating to the processing of referrals for approval under Chapter 4 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 may occasionally be missed in processing by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water or may not meet timeframes for notification. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has implemented systems and ongoing quality assurance procedures to minimise any risk of missing a notification within the required timeframe. Where a missed notification is identified the practice will be to notify these even though the timeframe for notification has lapsed. This will ensure that the history of notifications for each referral is available to the public. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water regrets any inconvenience that may be caused by a missed notification. Please note that late notifications have not affected subsequent processing of referrals or assessments and they do not affect decisions made.

Overview

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) was enacted to provide for the protection of the environment, particularly matters of national environmental significance. It was introduced to address the gap in comprehensive environmental legislation that could manage impacts on the environment, particularly those of national and international significance. The Act is administered by the Australian Parliament and its policy objective is to promote the conservation of biodiversity and the ecologically sustainable use of natural resources. The Act aims to safeguard Australia's unique flora and fauna, natural ecosystems, and heritage places by regulating actions that may have a significant impact on the environment. The EPBC Act provides a framework for assessing and approving projects that may affect the environment, ensuring that potential environmental impacts are considered and managed appropriately.

Scope and Application

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) applies to a wide range of activities that may impact on matters of national environmental significance, including listed threatened species and communities, listed migratory species, world heritage properties, and the marine environment. The Act applies to both individuals and corporations, and encompasses various industries such as mining, residential development, energy generation, and telecommunications. The geographic reach of the Act is national, with the Commonwealth having jurisdiction over matters that transcend state and territory boundaries. The Act's application can be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, such as regulations and codes of practice. While the Act applies broadly, certain actions may be exempt or subject to exclusions if they meet specific criteria or thresholds outlined in the legislation. The Act also provides for the variation of conditions of approval for actions that have already been authorised, allowing for adjustments in response to changing circumstances or new information.

Key Provisions

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) outlines several key provisions for environmental protection and biodiversity conservation in Australia. Section 75 of the EPBC Act requires that certain actions be approved by the Minister before they can proceed. For instance, actions such as mining, residential development, and energy generation may require ministerial approval if they impact listed threatened species, communities, or migratory species, as outlined in sections 18, 18A, 20, and 20A of the Act. In contrast, Section 75 also specifies that some actions do not require approval, provided they adhere to specific provisions outlined in the EPBC Act. The Act further mandates assessment approaches, including preliminary documentation and public environment reports, to evaluate the potential impacts of proposed actions on the environment (Section 87). The EPBC Act imposes obligations on entities proposing actions that may impact the environment. These entities must provide necessary documentation and information to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, which assesses the potential environmental impacts. If the action is deemed to have significant environmental consequences, the Minister may impose conditions on the approval to mitigate these impacts. Additionally, entities must comply with any conditions set by the Minister and ensure that their actions do not harm listed threatened species, communities, or migratory species. In the event of a breach of these obligations, the Minister may take enforcement action, including imposing fines or other penalties. The Act also includes provisions for the reconsideration of decisions under Section 75(1) (Section 78C), allowing entities to challenge decisions that their actions do not require approval. Furthermore, Section 133 of the EPBC Act allows the Minister to approve actions with conditions to protect the environment. Variations to the conditions of approval can be made under Section 143, ensuring that the conditions remain relevant and effective. Should an entity fail to comply with the conditions of approval, they may face civil or criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. The Act also provides for extensions of time under Section 130(4) to allow for more comprehensive assessments when necessary.

Area of Law: Environmental Law
Instrument: Gazette Notice
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Reporting & Disclosure Obligations; Offence Provisions

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.

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