Australia’s deepest and most technically
Australia’s deepest and technically advanced diamond drilling program is planned for the CSA Mine. ▪ File photo
Cobar Shire Councillors have supported the construction of a temporary exploration camp to ensure a $50-60 million project at the CSA Mine will go ahead.
In a report tabled at last Thursday’s Ordinary Council Meeting, councillors were advised Harmony CSA Mine’s new project will be Australia’s deepest and most technically advanced diamond drilling program, targeting extensions of the CSA resource at depths of approximately 2.3km to 2.7km below surface.
The program will be undertaken from surface using three diamond drill rigs over a period of 24 to 36 months, commencing in early May 2026.
The objective of the program is to materially expand the QTS Deeps resource base and extend the operational life of the CSA Mine.
Successful outcomes will directly inform Harmony’s future investment decisions and support long-term employment, local procurement, and economic stability for the Cobar community.
The project will require approximately 43 personnel onsite at any one time to ensure safe and efficient execution.
The report to Council advised that without a fit-for-purpose accommodation solution, there is a material risk that the project will be delayed or unable to proceed.
Councillors were put on the spot at the meeting when they were called on to vote on the agenda item as an urgent matter.
(They were only appraised of Harmony/CSA Mine’s QTS Deeps Directional Diamond Drilling Project and the urgent need for Council to support a temporary camp, immediately prior to the meeting.)
Councillors were told the project is currently under assessment by the Resources Regulator, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
While the Mineral Exploration proposal does not require development consent from Council, as it is assessed under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), and would permit a temporary exploration camp, if it is essential to the project, is of an appropriate scale, and, being temporary, will be decommissioned and removed at the end of the project, the Resources Regulator however has called for Harmony CSA Mine to obtain an endorsement for the project from Council.
Councillors were advised that Council’s endorsement would be a critical component of the Resources Regulator progressing their approvals.
As the Resources Regulator required a response by April 28, 2026, the compressed timeframe was the reason Councillors were requested to vote on the item at last week’s meeting.
This project represents a significant strategic investment in the CSA Mine and the broader Cobar region, with Harmony committing approximately A$50-60 million to the program, demonstrating strong confidence in the long-term future of the operation.
Long serving councillor, Cr Bob Sinclair, said in all his time serving on Council, there’s never been a motion of this sort that’s been put to Council that they were called to make an immediate decision upon.
Cr Sinclair said while he acknowledged that housing and accommodation in Cobar was at a crisis point, and he understood the urgency of the motion, he would have liked a few days to consider the information prior to making his decision on the matter.
Cr Michael Prince said he thought the project needed to go ahead.
“Everyone knows where we are at with the housing situation,” Cr Prince said.
“It’s going to have to go ahead whether we do it today, tomorrow, or next Wednesday, because there’s no other options available in the short term for them to start.
“I don’t think it’s going to affect the town as such. If they’re willing to use whatever they can use in Cobar, in that camp, as in the sewage removal, and get the food from IGA, etc etc, I think it’s just a win-win situation.”
Cr Chris Deighton said he was “50-50” on the matter and would like more time to consider the motion before making his decision.
Cr Miranda Fry commented that “it’s the inevitable that needs to happen”.
Cr Fry said it needs to be acknowledged that Council was not provided with ample time and that more consultation would have been welcomed prior to being called upon to make a decision.
She queried if a Memorandum of Understanding MOU could be created to ensure local businesses would be supported in the creation of the temporary exploration camp.
Cr Deighton warned that supporting the temporary camp for the CSA Mine would look like they were “doing a backflip” after Council had six months earlier knocked back a mining accommodation camp for the Endeavor Mine.
Cr Lillian Simpson commented that the two matters were different—CSA Mine’s application was for a temporary exploration camp while Endeavor’s was for a permanent camp for the mine’s employees.
Cr Peter Florance said he doesn’t think it matters what mining company is making the application.
“We all have a vested interest in the mining in this town,” Cr Florance said.
“I think regardless of whether CSA had put this in yesterday or two months ago, this was a project we would have to do.
“We know we can’t get housing at that level in this town at this rate.”
The motion was put to the meeting with eight councillors voting in favour of supporting Harmony CSA Mine’s application to the Resources Regulator.
