Government announces Transformation Precinct and Master Plan for Mt Arthur Coal

The vision for the Mt Arthur Coal site is that it delivers a positive legacy from BHP mining in the Hunter Valley.  

A big step forward in that vision has been delivered in July through the NSW’s Government’s announcement of the Mt Arthur Coal Mine Transformation Precinct Master Plan and rezoning proposal for the site. 

The Master Plan proposes Mt Arthur Coal  mine land to be rezoned to allow for uses in addition to mining, a key step in enabling a range of future uses of the site's infrastructure once BHP stops mining. 

The proposal has the potential to: 

• rezone around 5,400 hectares of BHP land – the Mt Arthur Coal mining footprint and a portion of land near Muswellbrook township; and 

• prioritise around 950 hectares of land within the footprint for ‘early activation’.  

This update recognises the opportunity that the Mt Arthur Coal site represents after BHP stops mining, which is to enable uses of land and infrastructure to generate long-term jobs and economic prosperity for the region post 2030. In fact, the Government's conceptual studies indicate up to 4,890 jobs could be enabled through the Master Plan.  

The proposed Mt Arthur Coal Mine Transformation Precinct Master Plan and rezoning proposal will be placed on public exhibition for 28 days by the NSW Government. The exhibition period commences on 14 July 2026 and will close 11 August 2026. 

For more information on how we're thinking about future land-use opportunities once BHP finishes mining, visit the Powering what’s next Hub which has been updated with a series of new videos about our progress.