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The Lake Macquarie Mines Grouting Fund promotes development in Lake Macquarie while effectively mitigating the risks associated with mine subsidence. Funded by the Australian Government, the initiative operates by providing financial assistance to projects when grouting costs exceed a specified cap.
We are seeking feedback from the community on the Lake Macquarie Mines Grouting Fund and draft Lake Macquarie Mines Grouting Fund Guideline(PDF, 6MB).
View the documentation and have your say by 22 April 2025.
The fund is a non-competitive, demand-driven form of financial assistance, which aims to reduce the financial risks of mine subsidence. It provides financial assistance when the cost of mine grouting goes over a set cap.
The main objective of the fund is to give developers confidence when working in areas with mine subsidence risks. This helps them make better investment choices and encourages regional growth.
You can find information about how the fund works in the draft Lake Macquarie Mines Grouting Fund Guideline(PDF, 6MB).
Council has consulted industry experts to help set up and manage the fund. This includes working with a geotechnical specialist to decide on capped rates for different parts of the city.
The capped rates vary because of the different risks and uncertainties in fixing mine subsidence in certain areas. Higher grouting costs can be due to factors like the depth and complexity of the mine, the accuracy of old mining maps, and the age and stability of the mine.
Funding for the Lake Macquarie Mines Grouting fund is provided by the Australian Government. The Australian Government contribution is split into two stages:
The fund works alongside SANSW processes and approvals and doesn't replace the need for project approvals.
To get funding, applicants must provide a mine grouting plan approved by SANSW before starting work. After completing the work, they must also provide a SANSW-endorsed verification plan before Council can consider any claims.
The fund will monitor the grouting work and costs to ensure they match the approved plan. It's the applicant's responsibility to get the necessary project approvals and complete the work according to those approvals.
Council will hire an independent expert to review each fund application. The expert will check if the work and costs match the approved mine grouting plans and are reasonable.
The expert will also supervise the grouting work to ensure it follows the SANSW-approved plan and agreement.
At the end of the project, the expert will review the SANSW-endorsed verification plan and recommend to Council whether to approve the fund claim.
Applicants still need to hire their own technical experts to prepare a mine grouting plan, get approvals, do the grouting work, and complete a verification plan.
We will advertise applications for financial assistance on Council’s Lake Macquarie Mines Grouting Fund webpage.
We will accept applications at any time, subject to available funding, through our website.
The fund will assess projects that meet the criteria when the developer applies.
If a project meets the criteria and the developer includes all required information, the assessment should take four weeks.
The fund approval lasts for the term specified in the funding deed executed between Council and the successful applicant. The funding term will be determined on a case-by-case basis during the assessment process.
No. Proponents of projects can decide if they want to apply to participate in the fund.
Usually, the developer's contractor will do the work, and the developer's technical consultant will check it according to the SANSW approval.
The contractor must be qualified, experienced in grouting, and able to do the work efficiently and to the required standards.
Council's appointed expert will monitor the project, inspect the site, and report on key milestones. Council's only role is to provide financial assistance to eligible projects under the fund's terms. Council is not responsible for any specific development matters and does not accept liability for project developments.
The fund will contribute to the approved grouting costs once SANSW has verified the completed work, and the verification plan has been reviewed by the Council-appointed expert.
The fund will be reviewed every two years. The next scheduled review will be March 2027.