eNews 21 January 2020 - Coal Workforce Increase
FROM THE DESK OF CHDC'S BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ATTRACTION MANAGER
The recently-released Bowen Basin population report, 2019 provides summary estimates of the fly-in/fly-out, drive-in/drive-out (FIFO/DIDO) populations of local government areas in each region as at June last year. Compiled by the Queensland Government Statistician's Office (QGSO), the report contains some key information for the Central Highlands.
• In total, the size of the Bowen Basin's coal industry workforce was around 37,000 persons in the June quarter 2019 - an increase of about 1,500 persons or 4% from the June quarter 2018 (DNRME, 2019b). The majority of these 37,000 workers were engaged at existing operations, with only a small proportion (1%) at new or reopened coal mines. Two coal mines opened, one coal mine closed, and one coal project commenced construction in 2018-19:
- Carabella Resources' Bluff Coal Project, a 1.2 million tonne per annum (Mtpa) PCI coal mine 20 km east of Blackwater, commenced operations (Bluff PCI Management, 2019a; Bluff PCI Management, 2019b). Construction of the mine began in 2018, with first coal shipped in mid-2019.
- Gregory-Crinum, a hard-coking coal mine 60km north east of Emerald, reopened after being placed in care and maintenance by previous owners. Sojitz Coal Mining finalised the acquisition of the mine from
BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) in March 2019 (BHP, 2019). Works to bring the mine back into production were underway in June 2019 (Australian Mining Review, 2019).
• The Central Highlands (R) had the largest full-time equivalent (FTE) population (33,075 persons) of the LGAs, with 4,375 non-resident workers on-shift accounting for 13% of the total FTE.
• The non-resident population of Central Highlands (R) is dispersed across Bluff (265 or 98% of its FTE population), Blackwater (1,765 or 27% of its FTE population), Tieri (300 or 27% of its FTE population), Capella (45 or 5% of its FTE population), Emerald (550 or 4% of its FTE population), Springsure (20 or 2% of its FTE population).
• The proportion of vacant and available hotel/motel rooms in the Central Highlands (R) also increased substantially to 40% in June 2019 (from 31% in June 2018), after strong demand from both resource industry workers and other guests led to low availability the previous year.
• The total capacity of worker accommodation villages (WAVs) in the Bowen Basin in June 2019 was estimated at 28,065 beds, an increase of 985 beds or 4% from June 2018. This represents the second consecutive year of growth in WAV bed capacity in the region, following an increase of 875 beds (or 3%) in 2017-18. Growth in capacity in 2018-19 was largely due to a combination of new camps, reopened camps and expansions at existing camps, to meet the needs of new projects and existing operations.
• In the Bowen Basin in June 2019, there were more WAV beds located in town (14,395 beds) than in rural areas (13,665 beds). However, there was strong activity in rural areas, the total capacity of WAVs in rural areas increased by 1,010 beds in 2018-19. Capacity in town reduced by 25 beds over this period, resulting in a net increase of 985 beds
Note in the image further below the Workforce Accommodation approved but Not Started in the recent Central Highlands Development Register.
Contact CHDC Business and Investment Attraction Manager Peter Dowling E: pdowling@chdc.com.au or T: (07) 4982 4386 or M: 0427 000 285.
Contact CHDC Business and Investment Attraction Manager Peter Dowling E: pdowling@chdc.com.au or T: (07) 4982 4386 or M: 0427 000 285.