North West Protection Advocacy (NWPA) has lodged an Internal Review Application against the Queensland Government’s approval of the Ironbark gas expansion project under Environmental Authority EPPG00968013. Our original submission can be read here.
The approval allows:
- 46 additional gas wells;
- hydraulic fracture stimulation (“fracking”) of 37 wells;
- additional gas infrastructure;
- and disposal of drilling waste across 146 sites.
After reviewing the approval documents, scientific literature and government reports, NWPA believes the decision raises serious concerns about groundwater, human health, biodiversity, cumulative impacts and the long-term future of agricultural communities.
The similarities between the Narrabri Gas Project and the previously shelved Ironbark project are relevant for those in NSW opposing Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project given the threat to water and cumulative impact concerns.
Why We Are Concerned
This proposal is not happening in isolation. Queensland’s gas fields have already expanded dramatically over the last two decades. Thousands of coal seam gas wells now operate across the farming and forested regions of south-west Queensland and fracking is on the increase.
Government reports already acknowledge major cumulative groundwater impacts from these developments. Despite this, approvals continue to be granted incrementally — one amendment at a time — rather than through a full regional assessment of long-term impacts.
NWPA believes this “piecemeal” approach hides the true scale of industrial expansion and fails to properly assess the combined effects on communities, groundwater systems and ecosystems.
Groundwater Risks
Groundwater is one of the biggest concerns. Hydraulic fracture stimulation (fracking) involves injecting fluids underground at high pressure to fracture rock formations and release gas. While industry and regulators say these activities are controlled, there is still uncertainty about:
- long-term well integrity;
- underground fracture behaviour;
- contaminant movement;
- and cumulative pressure impacts on groundwater systems.
Queensland’s own Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment (OGIA) has documented widespread cumulative groundwater impacts linked to resource extraction in the Surat Basin.
NWPA believes the approval conditions do not go far enough to protect groundwater or address long-term uncertainty. We are calling for:
- expanded groundwater monitoring;
- independent testing;
- methane monitoring;
- long-term post-closure monitoring;
- and stronger protections for residents and landholders.
Human Health Has Not Been Properly Assessed
One of the most serious concerns is the lack of a comprehensive Human Health Impact Study.
The approval allows additional fracking activity, yet there appears to be:
- no comprehensive independent human health study or assessment;
- no continuous air monitoring;
- no real-time public reporting of emissions;
- and no clear framework for investigating health complaints.
Scientific studies from Australia and overseas have raised concerns about exposure to:
- methane;
- volatile organic compounds (VOCs);
- BTEX chemicals;
- dust and fine particles;
- and other pollutants associated with unconventional gas development.
Research has linked these exposures to possible respiratory, cardiovascular and mental health impacts. NWPA is calling for:
- independent health studies;
- continuous air quality monitoring;
- public reporting of emissions;
- and stronger setbacks from homes and farms.
Lessons From Queensland’s Gas Industry
Importantly, many of these concerns are now being acknowledged by Queensland researchers themselves. Recent academic work from Queensland universities has identified:
- failures in cumulative impact management;
- poor transparency;
- fragmented regulation;
- and lack of meaningful participation for host farmers.
A recent paper described Queensland’s “coexistence” framework between agriculture and gas as “performative rather than participatory”. Another Queensland study found that regulatory systems were not keeping pace with the rapid expansion of the gas industry.
These are not fringe opinions, they arise from mainstream academic and policy research examining Queensland’s own experience with coal seam gas development.
Psychosocial and Farming Impacts
The debate is not only about pollution. Research increasingly shows that unconventional gas development can also create:
- chronic stress;
- uncertainty;
- workplace disruption;
- financial strain;
- and loss of control for farming families hosting gas infrastructure.
Many landholders feel excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect their properties and livelihoods.
NWPA believes these impacts deserve proper recognition within environmental approvals.
Drilling Waste Concerns
The project also includes disposal of drilling waste and residual drilling muds. This is a cheap and nasty method of waste disposal and has also been proposed for the Pilliga Forest in NSW.
Scientific studies have identified concerns about contaminants that may be present in drilling waste, including:
- heavy metals;
- hydrocarbons;
- salts;
- and other potentially harmful substances.
NWPA is concerned that current conditions do not provide enough independent testing, long-term soil monitoring or groundwater protections.
The Precautionary Principle Matters
A key issue in this review is the precautionary principle. In simple terms, this principle says that where there is a risk of serious or irreversible harm, lack of complete scientific certainty should not be used as a reason to delay protective action.
NWPA believes Queensland regulators are relying too heavily on “adaptive management” — approving projects first and managing problems later if they appear. Once groundwater systems are contaminated or ecosystems are damaged, the impacts may be difficult or impossible to reverse.
What NWPA Is Seeking
NWPA’s Internal Review Application asks the Queensland Government to either:
- revoke the approval;
- or significantly strengthen the conditions attached to it.
The review also raises broader concerns about whether Queensland’s current gas approval system is adequately protecting rural communities and future generations.
Why This Matters
This issue goes beyond one project and with fracking on the increase in Queensland NWPA believes communities deserve transparent decision-making, independent science and precautionary environmental protections. As gas expansion continues across rural Australia, these conversations are becoming more important than ever.