Business
8 October, 2026
Let’s get back to work: Hannan
Member for Wollondilly Judy Hannan is hoping Tahmoor Colliery will continue to support local families well into the future.
Member for Wollondilly Judy Hannan is hoping Tahmoor Colliery will continue to support local families well into the future.
Mrs Hannan welcomed the completion of the colliery’s sale this week and said it would provide the local community with renewed confidence moving forward.
She said the sale of the colliery to the GEAR M Consortium (GM3) was an “important milestone” for local mine workers, their families and the wider Wollondilly community.
Around 150 workers have already returned to the mine, with the new owners working towards bringing more employees back as operations ramp up over the coming months.
“For our community, this has always been about people - securing local jobs, giving families greater certainty and supporting the many local businesses that rely directly and indirectly on Tahmoor Colliery,” Mrs Hannan said.
She said the colliery’s top priority must now be a “safe and sustainable return to full operations” and to get as many local workers as possible “back on the job”.
Mrs Hannan said ‘considerable’ work had been required prior to settlement, including securing the necessary finances, progressing regulatory requirements, ensuring appropriate safety and rehabilitation arrangements, settling outstanding royalties and preparing for the recruitment and return of workers.
The NSW Resources Regulator will continue its oversight as activity increases to ensure the mine meets its safety and rehabilitation obligations.
Mrs Hannan thanked those people who had worked “persistently” towards the sale of the colliery, including the new owners, the NSW Government including Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssis MLC, the Mining and Energy Union, the liquidators and mine management.
In particular, she thanked the colliery workers who had shown “enormous patience” throughout the process.
As reported by The Southern Wire, Wollondilly mayor Matt Gould said finalisation of the sale was a time for the community to draw a line under Sanjeev Gupta’s “catastrophic” ownership of the colliery.
Cr Gould said the colliery had always been strong and viable, and past problems haven’t been with the mine but with “the ownership”.
He said finalisation of the sale to GM3 would end two years’ uncertainty for workers, their families, contractors and local businesses.
Minister Houssis said a condition of the sale had been the requirement for GFG to pay all outstanding royalties.
“This is an important outcome for taxpayers and clears the way for a fresh start under the new mine operator,” she said.
GM3 is planning to restart longwall operations at the colliery in December.
Recruitment and onboarding of operational employees will be carried out in stages in preparation for the restart, with the workforce expected to grow to more than 580 employees.
GM3 chief executive officer Peter Baker said the consortium was pleased to start rebuilding the workforce after what had been a ‘difficult’ period for workers, their families and the broader community.
“There is still quite a bit of work to do between now and the mine’s longwall start,” Mr Baker said.
“Over the coming months we will increase activity across the site, testing equipment, onboarding staff and making sure the mine itself is ready for a safe return to production.
“We are very fortunate to have the knowledge and expertise of many of Tahmoor’s existing staff,” Mr Baker said.
“Their expertise will be invaluable as we move through the restart process and position the mine for long-term success.”
Mr Baker said GM3’s goal was to build a sustainable operation “that provides stable employment and continues to deliver economic benefits for the region and the community for many years to come”.
GM3 also operates the Appin and Dendrobium mines.
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