Mt Kembla Mine rehabilitation and memorial pathway: A case study of effective stakeholder engagement to ensure successful final land use planning and environmentally and socially sensitive project outcomes

This project represents an innovative approach to mine rehabilitation and beneficial final land use of a degraded mine site where social, environmental and economic values are strengthened in the outcomes. A multi-stage project known as the 'Mt Kembla Mine Memorial Pathway' has been planned and developed along a section of the original train haulage route from the historic Mt Kembla and Nebo Collierty sites to the Port Kembla steelworks. A major aim for the site was to sympathetically commemorate Australia's most significant mine disaster. In 1902 a total of 96 miners lost their lives when a gas explosion occurred within a mine portal situation above the small coal mining village of Mt Kembla in the foothills of the Illawarra Escarpment, just west of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. Community engagement played an integral role in the planning and development. An inclusive approach was undertaken whereby community needs, ideas and concerns were incorporate directly into the concept site layout designs and a final preferred landform design. Community members are now able to tangibly recognise their input into the design in Stage 1 and will see many of their ideas eventuate as Stage 2 construction is completed. This project serves as a working and innovative example of how an ex-mine site can achieve beneficial outcomes for multiple parties whilst responsibly maintaining and fostering important community values.