‘Lost opportunity’<\/p>\n
State member for Upper Hunter, the Nationals’ Dave Layzell, said the decision was a “lost opportunity” for the government to use the extension as a bargaining chip.<\/p>\n
“It’s a dreadful situation \u2026 we want to make sure that we’re getting our local operators and contractors paid,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Why should we give you an extension if you’re going to behave in this manner?”![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8b5cae4fd6b3768fe39161d846e1c549.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Dave Layzell says the extension is encouraging for the mining sector, but the approval could have been used as a bargaining chip to see debts repaid. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
Mr Layzell said there could be “many, many millions” of dollars made from the site in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There’s a huge amount of coal still at Dartbrook and it’s important that as part of their social obligation to mine into the future, they look after the people of the present,” he said.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0dacda9ecdaf85e951a067b2217aab76.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
The coal washer facility on the Dartbrook underground coal mine site near Aberdeen. (ABC Upper Hunter: Jake Lapham)<\/p>\n
Over the course of the six-year extension, Dartbrook will be able to extract an additional 36 million tonnes of coal.<\/p>\n
The ABC has contacted NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully seeking an explanation as to why the extension has been granted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A local operator, who told the ABC he was out of pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars but did not wish to be named, said he was “disgusted” and “flabbergasted” by the decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“All the bad news around and then they get granted an extension for six years,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It leaves a dirty taste in your mouth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Who would work for a place like that ever again?”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mayor welcomes news<\/p>\n
The mine’s current licence was due to expire at the end of 2027, but the extension means it can now be operated until at least 2033.<\/p>\n
Muswellbrook Shire Mayor Jeff Drayton said the extension could be a saviour as sale negotiations continued.<\/p>\n
“An extension through to 2033 will make it much more saleable \u2026 hopefully they can sell it, and they can start production again, and start employing people,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ABC understands there are two interested parties and that a sale may be imminent.<\/p>\n
Cr Drayton has been vocal in withdrawing council’s support for the project if creditors were not repaid.<\/p>\n
“It’s hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to small, local businesses and that’s enough to send them to the wall,” he said.<\/p>\n
“So hopefully we’ll get a considerable amount of that money back.”<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7cffc26bde321c30dd4de835a56bfe00.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Jeff Drayton has said this could help sell the mine. (ABC News: Jake Lapham)<\/p>\n
The mine’s receivers, FTI Consulting, said the sales process for Dartbrook was continuing and that they “expect to be able to provide an update on that process soon”.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The company said the approval of the extension application was “welcome news”.<\/p>\n
The Dartbrook mine currently has about 150,000 tonnes of coal stockpiled.<\/p>\n
It sat empty until the end of last year, when the Tetra-Australian Pacific Coal joint venture got it up and running.<\/p>\n
But less than a year later, the mine collapsed into insolvency.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Potential conflicts of interest<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the ABC reported the mine called in external investigators after a whistleblower raised concerns about “a number of related parties \u2026 benefiting as preferred suppliers”.<\/p>\n