Court overturns cultural heritage block on McPhillamys $1B mine
- On Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Federal Court Justice James Stellios overturned an Aboriginal heritage protection order that stalled the $1.3 billion McPhillamys Gold Project near Blayney, NSW, ruling the declaration invalid.
- Former Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek issued the 2024 order to protect the Belubula River headwaters based on a 'blue banded bee' Dreaming story, forcing Regis Resources to withdraw its feasibility study and write off $192 million.
- The Federal Court found the original decision lacked procedural fairness; Stellios noted the assessment 'constituted a new application' requiring consultation, sending the proposal to Environment Minister Murray Watt for redetermination.
- Managing Director Jim Beyer called the ruling 'significant and welcome,' stating the company is 'eager to move forward' after two years of lost time, having unveiled an engineering shift using a 'filter cake' solution.
- Written submissions on costs are due by October 27, 2026, while Regis remains 'committed' to developing the site into a significant mining hub with a final investment decision targeted for early 2028.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Regis wins McPhillamys court challenge
Image: SPF/shutterstock.comRegis Resources has secured a significant legal victory for its McPhillamys gold project in New South Wales, after the Federal Court declared invalid a Commonwealth heritage protection declaration that had stalled its development. According to the ABC, the October 14 ruling returns the matter to federal Environment Minister Murray Watt for redetermination, giving Regis a […] Australian Mining.
Federal Court rules protection order invalid on procedural grounds, sends disputed mining project back to government for reconsideration
Court overturns cultural heritage block on McPhillamys $1B mine
Save (0) Please login to bookmark Close Username or Email Address Password Remember Me A judge has held that the former environment minister’s finding that part of the McPhillamy’s gold mine was heritage protected was invalid. Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article. Already a subscriber? Username or Email Address Password Remember Me Lost your password?
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