An environmental lawyer says the Queensland government was “bullied” over alleged illegal mining in the state's south.

New Hope Group and the Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES) recently reached an agreement for the company to rehabilitate more than 100 hectares of land.

The deal came after investigations into “alleged unauthorised disturbances” in an area known as West Pit, at its New Acland Coal Mine near Oakey.

The company was reportedly allowed to apply for the rehabilitation agreement as an alternative to enforcement action.

Queensland barrister Chris McGrath has been part of numerous cases involving the New Acland mine and says that in this case, it was already required to rehabilitate the mine site. 

“I think this is an incredible outcome for New Hope and they have succeeded in … bullying the Queensland government into effectively taking no action for a major breach of our state's environmental laws,” he said.

“It's nothing. It's like saying; ‘I'm going to obey the speed limit’, and saying that that's a good thing.”

Mining at the New Acland site ceased in November, 2021, after the supply of coal was exhausted.

Meanwhile, more than 280 workers have been made redundant from the mine since 2019. There are now just 20 staff remaining on-site for care and maintenance.

New Hope Group has applied for new approvals from the Queensland government for the ‘stage three’ expansion of the mine.

“The huge benefit that the miner achieves from this deal with the Queensland government is that effectively it doesn't get a black mark against its name that might stop its stage three approvals being granted,” Mr McGrath said.

“So, it is a big deal.”