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Galilee Basin State Development Area

Declared in June 2014, the 105,996-hectare Galilee Basin State Development Area (SDA) comprises two 500-metre wide corridors from the Galilee Basin to the Port of Abbot Point.

The Galilee Basin is a 247,000 square kilometre thermal coal basin in central Queensland. It is located about 200 kilometres west of the Bowen Basin, extending north past Hughenden, south to Charleville and west beyond Winton and Middleton.

The Galilee Basin SDA will support the development of the Galilee Basin and provide an efficient way to transport coal to the Port of Abbot Point- one rail corridor is designed to service the central Galilee Basin and a second corridor will service the southern Galilee Basin.

The SDA enables a coordinated approach to developing multi-user common rail corridors whilst minimising impacts on landholders and the environment.

The exact timeframe for development of the rail corridors is dependent on investment decisions made by private sector rail proponents.

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Benefits of the Galilee Basin SDA

The Galilee Basin SDA and its associated development scheme:

  • protects the geographic area where new rail infrastructure could be located
  • controls development in an efficient way that considers existing industry and surrounding development
  • provides proponents seeking to export coal from the Galilee Basin with potential access to rail infrastructure
  • provides guidance and development certainty to industry
  • minimises impacts on landholders and other stakeholders through the development of multi-user common rail corridors
  • ensures development recognises and manages impacts to social, cultural and environmental values.
  • The Galilee Basin State Development Area Development Scheme (PDF icon 2.8 MB) is a regulatory document that controls planning and development within the Galilee Basin SDA.

    The development scheme was approved by the Governor in Council in October 2015.

    The development scheme contains a development assessment framework for making, assessing and deciding applications and requests relating to development within the Galilee Basin SDA. The most common is an SDA application for a material change of use (MCU). SDA applications for an MCU in the Galilee Basin SDA may be assessable or self-assessable, where the development can meet the self-assessable criteria.

    The development scheme for the Galilee Basin SDA is supported by a public consultation policy (PDF icon 65 KB) that provides information on matters the Coordinator-General may consider when determining whether public consultation of an SDA application is required.

  • The Galilee Basin SDA regulation map (PDF icon 2.4 MB) defines the boundary of the declared Galilee Basin SDA.

    The Galilee Basin SDA development precinct map (PDF icon 2.6 MB) forms part of the development scheme and identifies the precincts within the Galilee Basin SDA.

    The Galilee Basin SDA has two precincts:

    • a Rail Corridor Precinct to accommodate rail infrastructure and associated activities
    • a Mining Services Precinct to accommodate uses that support resource activities and related development in the Galilee Basin.

    The preferred development intent and a table which identifies regulated development in each precinct is outlined in the development scheme.

    Detailed maps of the Galilee Basin SDA:

  • Since being declared, the Galilee Basin SDA has been amended. View previous versions of the development scheme:

    Previous versions of Galilee Basin SDA maps:

    Detailed maps of the Galilee Basin SDA (June 2014):

  • The landholder relationship guide (PDF icon 71 KB) sets out the state's expectations for the interactions between proponents of projects within an SDA and persons occupying land, or holding interests in land.

  • The Coordinator-General recognises that landholders could have questions about the Galilee Basin SDA, including land use and potential land acquisition processes. A Landholder Liaison Manager has been nominated for this purpose.

    The Coordinator-General invites landholders to contact the Landholder Liaison Manager who will answer queries confidentially. You can contact the Landholder Liaison Manage at any time on 1800 001 048 or via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Further information

For further information on the Galilee Basin SDA, contact the Office of the Coordinator-General on 1800 001 048 or via sdainfo@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au

Last updated: 05 Nov 2021