Declared mines

What is a declared mine?

The Mine Land Rehabilitation Authority monitors the progress of rehabilitation planning for declared mines in Victoria.

A declared mine is a mine that has geotechnical, hydrogeological, water quality or hydrological factors that may be deemed to pose significant risk of harm to the community, environment and infrastructure.

Declared mines in Victoria

There are currently three declared mines in Victoria, all of which are located in the Latrobe Valley. This region is the centre of Victoria’s energy industry and is responsible for more than 80 per cent of the electrical power supplied to the state.

Loy Yang, Yallourn and Hazelwood mines have historically provided brown coal (also called lignite) to thermal power stations, which convert heat into electricity.

Mine	Mining lease	Mining lease area
Loy Yang	MIN5189	4,560Ha
Yallourn	MIN5003, MIN5216, MIN5304	5,595Ha
Hazelwood	MIN5004	3,320Ha

For more information about declared mines, view our fact sheets.

Loy Yang

Located to the south of Traralgon within the Latrobe Valley, Loy Yang is Victoria’s largest open cut brown coal mine and is owned by AGL Energy. Coal is mined to depth of more than 200m. The mine has an annual coal output of approximately 28 million tonnes. Loy Yang’s mining operations are presently scheduled to cease in 2048 when the two power stations cease operations.

Photo credit: Loy Yang Aerial Photograph, (ca:1980s) – supplied by AGL Energy.

Yallourn

Located to the east of Moe and at the intersection of the Morwell and Latrobe rivers, Yallourn mine is the oldest of the three open cut coal mines and will have produced 1.3 billion tonnes when operations cease. It is also the shallowest with the mining depth less than 90m. Currently, the mine produces 18 million tonnes of brown coal annually to supply Yallourn Power Station, owned by Energy Australia. The power station is presently scheduled to stop generating in 2032. The mine is expected to cease operations at the same date.

Photo credit: J.P. Campbell (ca.1920-ca. 1940). Yallourn Power Station H2009.18/989. Pictures Collection, State Library Victoria.

Hazelwood

Located to the south of Morwell, Morwell open cut mine ceased operations in March 2017 with the closure of Hazelwood power station by its owner, ENGIE. Planning for final rehabilitation of the 120 metre deep mine is underway with significant earthworks and bucket-wheel excavation activities focused on the safe, stable and sustainable rehabilitation of the site. Work is also underway to remove mining infrastructure and decommission the former 1542MW power station.

Photo credit: Hazelwood Stacks (year – unknown) – supplied by ENGIE Australia.

What is a declared mine?

Declared mines in Victoria

Loy Yang

Yallourn

Hazelwood

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