The long‑dormant Badgebup Gold Mine near Katanning is preparing to roar back to life, with operators forecasting billions of dollars in gold extraction over the next decade. But while the project promises major economic activity, residents in one of Western Australia’s most productive farming regions worry the revival could damage the environment and disrupt the agricultural workforce that underpins the local economy.
The Shire of Katanning, about 280 kilometres south of Perth, is home to the largest sheep saleyard in the Southern Hemisphere and the state’s biggest sheep and lamb co‑operative, WAMMCO making it the heart of WA’s sheep industry. The return of large‑scale mining just outside town is expected to bring hundreds of workers and a new industrial footprint to the rural community.
The open‑pit mine originally shut down in the late 1990s due to falling gold prices. Rising global demand and new ownership have now paved the way for its revival. Australian miner Ausgold acquired the site in 2010 and later established the Katanning Gold Project (KPG). Executive chairman John Dorward said final financing and environmental approvals are still pending, but the project is poised to reopen later this year.
Dorward said the mine is planning to produce around 140,000 ounces of gold per year, signalling a significant commercial return.
Local concerns remain focused on environmental impacts, land use pressures and the potential draw of labour away from agriculture a sector already facing workforce shortages. The mine’s restart represents a major shift for a region long defined by farming, now preparing to balance its agricultural identity with a new era of resource extraction.
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