Land Stewardship Approach

As the owner of over 17,000 ha of land, Kestrel is strongly focussed on sustainable land stewardship. Achieving our ESG Strategy goal of a Legacy Worth Leaving, means we need to manage the land today to ensure we are not decreasing or limiting its future productivity.

We acknowledge that these opportunities are not only related to productive agricultural lands, but also extends to the ecological and biodiversity values that are maintained along waterways and in remnant vegetation, and to the heritage values and connection to country that have been established over centuries by the Traditional Owners.

As an underground mine, Kestrel has the benefit of not needing to clear vegetation or dig through the soil and overburden layers in order to access the coal seam. We have drifts to access the coal, and all development and mining works then occur underground. The only vegetation clearing that occurs is for surface infrastructure, which equates to approximately 4% of our land surface. This means the remaining land is accessible for commercial grazing purposes. We are mining below, while cattle graze above us.

As responsible land managers, we recognise the importance of establishing partnerships with other parties that hold an interest in what we are doing both on and below the land. Through transparency and regular engagement, we have established good relationships with the Traditional Owners of the land, our agricultural land managers, our neighbours and our local communities. By listening to the concerns and aspirations of these stakeholders, Kestrel aims to develop a post mining land use that will blend into the regional landscape and provide opportunities for economically sustainable land use long after our operations have ceased.

2022 Outcomes

Kestrel mine operates on land that has a long history of agricultural productivity, and this is largely maintained through our existing lease with Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), who operate the lease as a fully separate and productive cattle property. Small areas of land may temporarily be removed from production for minor subsidence repairs or surface infrastructure installations.

Kestrel in 2022 completed a range of studies over our mining tenements, including currently approved Mining Leases (MLs) and Mineral Development Licence (MDL) 182. A portion of MDL182 has been identified as a potential mine extension area and given the project name Kestrel West. The mine extension is proposed not to significantly increase production rates, but predominantly to extend the existing life of the mine. Studies for Kestrel West included:

„ Terrestrial ecology and Biodiversity

„ Surface water values and Creek Geomorphology

„ Groundwater, including modelling, Bore Census, water quality, aquifer connectivity and resource assessment

„ Soils and Land Suitability

„ Commencement of air, noise, light and vibration assessments

„ Subsidence modelling

„ Detailed mine planning and mine engineering design works, including resource definition

Outcomes from these studies will be utilised in 2023 to commence the required Queensland and Commonwealth environmental approval processes.

Targeted surveys were also completed to confirm the extent and condition of the native Bluegrass communities, including the endangered Queensland King Bluegrass community (Dichanthium queenslandicum), which are known to occur onsite. The survey reports confirm native Bluegrass communities within the Study Area cover 1,107 ha and maintains significant values, including supporting the Endangered King bluegrass species and representing the Endangered Natural Grasslands of the Queensland Central Highlands and the northern Fitzroy Basin Threatened Ecological Community (TEC). In 2023 Kestrel will investigate opportunities to improve or extend existing native grassland communities within our mining tenements.

Kestrel’s Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP) was granted an extension by the Department of Environment and Science (DES) to allow for additional studies to be undertaken to develop the final landform and rehabilitation plan for the Co-Disposal Facility. The studies will provide detailed land cover design modelling, and include the necessary technical assessments of geotechnical and geochemical stability, to ensure the rehabilitated Co-disposal Facility at mine closure will address all regulator and community expectations, for a safe, stable, non-polluting and selfsustaining post mining land use. Kestrel’s PRCP is due for submission to DES in September 2023.

A Soil and Land Suitability Assessment (SLSA) was completed in 2022 for the Kestrel West Project area. The SLSA documents the nature and distribution of major soil types in the area. In addition, the SLSA assesses the land suitability for a range of potential land uses. Approximately 65% of the 7,710ha survey area is suitable for the highest levels of broadacre agricultural production.

Kestrel is one of the few mining operations in Queensland that have achieved certified rehabilitation, with 571ha currently being certified. Given the history of rehabilitation at Kestrel over 30 years, we are confident of our rehabilitation methods. In 2022 we identified additional land we believe is ready to be certified as fully rehabilitated. Kestrel plans to formally commence this process with DES in 2023.

In 2022, Kestrel also sought approval for a Regional Interests Development Approval (RIDA) for a single panel addition to our current RIDA approval. Completion of the RIDA approval is due in 2023.

The Year Ahead

In 2023, Kestrel propose to:

„ Commence formal Queensland and Commonwealth environmental approval processes for the Kestrel West project area.

„ Complete final landform and rehabilitation planning for the Codisposal Facility.

„ Submit the Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP).

„ Commence the process to increase the area of certified rehabilitation with DES.

„ Continue to collaborate with our agricultural land stakeholders on vegetation management strategies, and optimisation of cattle grazing conditions.

„ Set the framework for a holistic land management strategy.

Cultural Heritage Land Management

Approach

The protection of heritage values is everyone’s responsibility. This responsibility is conveyed to all employees and contractors during site inductions, with more specific training and risk assessments undertaken with relevant personnel interacting with cultural heritage areas. Kestrel’s Indigenous Peoples and Heritage Policy specifically requires that we “expect awareness, understanding and respect of Indigenous people rights, cultures, values and heritage to be embedded across our workforce and activities.”

Before undertaking any land disturbance at Kestrel, a Ground Disturbance Permit is required, that specifically identifies Cultural Heritage management requirements. This includes checking locations against mapped areas of Cultural Heritage significance, and undertaking surveys and clearance works as appropriate under the Cultural Heritage Investigation & Management Agreement (CHIMA) and in consultation with WK. With this approach, we have, and continue to undertake extensive cultural heritage surveys, and to build awareness through our workforce, protect significant areas with restricted access, strictly control our ground activities and clearly demarcate heritage areas.

Kestrel and WK’s agreed CHIMA outlines our commitment to heritage protection and how Kestrel and WK work together. Above all, we value our relationship with WK, and we work together to achieve our mutual aspirations.

While Indigenous Cultural Heritage land management is the predominant focus on site, Kestrel also recognises that understanding and protecting the heritage values since European settlement helps us to understand our local history.

2022 Outcomes

There was a total of 7 Cultural Heritage Survey events in 2022, conducted over 270ha and 191 ‘person’ days. These surveys identified 200 culturally significant artefacts, salvaging 164 of these and contributing $650,000 into cultural heritage investment. 2022 also saw the commencement of targeted cultural heritage investigations relating to Policeman’s Lagoon. Late in 2021, WK were successful in applying for a “Caring for Country Grant” through the DES Looking after Country Grant Program. The project was titled “The Cultural Landscape of Policeman’s Lagoon, Western Kangoulu Country”, with the purpose of the study to provide opportunities for WK people to manage their country through participation in and knowledge gained from archaeological investigation of ancestral camp sites at Policeman’s Lagoon. Kestrel supported WK in the application and also committed to funding any shortfall in the grant, and provide additional support through involvement of Everick Heritage Consultants, contracted to Kestrel. Outcomes of the study were provided to all parties late in 2022.

Raising awareness of WK’s cultural heritage both within Kestrel and further afield, is a shared goal. Therefore in partnership with WK, Kestrel undertook a project to ensure the WK people and cultural heritage values were clearly and immediately acknowledged at the North and South Kestrel Entrances, with the WK greeting of “Wadda Moolie”, the WK symbol and a range of culturally relevant artefacts and information arranged at both receptions.

To assist communicating these values further afield, Kestrel, the Everick Foundation and WK collaborated to develop a brochure that highlights a range of WK cultural artefacts and their uses.

In 2022, WK finalised development of a 3-stage Heritage and Indigenous Cultural Awareness training program, and Kestrel implemented this program across the company. See Spotlight for full details on this training program.

Development and implementation of the Heritage Management System (HMS) was a commitment for 2022 that, while not fully achieved, did progress to a final agreed scope between Kestrel and WK. This work will progress across a number of stages, with Stage 1 to commence early in 2023. A pleasing result for 2022 saw no reportable incidents to cultural heritage areas.

A specific element of the HMS that has already commenced development by Kestrel is the proposed Scarred Tree Management Plan (STMP). An outline of the STMP was presented at the Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee (CHCC) in November 2022 and was well received by the WK representatives. It is proposed that Kestrel will work with WK to ensure the STMP is developed in coordination with the HMS.

The Year Ahead

In 2023, Kestrel propose to:

„ Work with WK to undertake cultural heritage surveys over land areas required for drilling, seismic survey, infrastructure development and additional baseline works for Kestrel West.

„ Continue with the current program of providing generic and Kestrel specific inductions for WK personnel to increase capacity for future mine site projects.

„ Contract WK business to develop Stage 1 of the HMS, incorporating the current draft plan for STMP.

„ Undertake detailed monitoring and assessment works for Policeman’s Lagoon.

„ Implement the Scarred Tree Management Plan.

SPOTLIGHT Indigenous Heritage and Cultural Awareness Program

In 2022, Kestrel asked the WK people to help develop a range of cultural awareness training packages, that would be incorporated into Kestrel’s standard induction and then expanded into targeted training programs. The training programs were developed into three (3) streams.

Aware

All workers entering the Kestrel site are shown a cultural awareness video that introduces the Western Kangoulu people as the Traditional Owners of Kestrel mine land, including a Welcome to Country by WK Elders. The video identifies Indigenous cultural heritage values that may be present within the Mining Leases, and every person’s duty of care around protecting Indigenous cultural heritage.

With the exception of Kestrel’s CEO introduction, all words and images throughout the video were developed and voiced by WK representatives. The video was rolled out across the mine site and Brisbane office in mid2022 and is now used in all ongoing induction programs.

Connect

Where people are working within the Mining Lease area and beyond the Administration, CHPP or Underground operations, both Kestrel and the WK felt there was an increased potential to encounter cultural heritage artefacts in the field, and therefore a higher level of cultural awareness was required.

People working in the field needed to CONNECT their increased understanding of cultural heritage values with the impact their actions could have on them. In 2022, 55 people working at Kestrel were taken through the CONNECT program, a 3-hour training package led by experience WK representatives and including a field visit to show cultural artefacts as they may be found in-situ.

Represent

Executive and senior management, contract managers, key superintendents and cultural heritage contacts have the highest level of responsibility at Kestrel to ensure that they are leading by example, particularly in relation to our values around We Are Respectful and We Are One. These people REPRESENT by showing respect to the Traditional Owners of the land, and awareness of the cultural heritage values that remain in place over the land.

A REPRESENT session was held in late 2022 and was attended by 21 people, including Kestrel’s CEO and the majority of the executive and senior management teams. The session was run by senior WK representatives and attended by a number of WK Elders who provided stories and context behind many of the cultural heritage values at Kestrel. Run over more than 6 hours, the training included a field visit and a visual display of a wide range of cultural heritage artefacts. The level of communication and sharing of information was extremely open and honest, and everybody who attended the session confirmed their commitment to protect the cultural heritage values that remain over the Kestrel Mine.