Tractor protest in Mudgee as Bowdens mine faces fresh assessment

Opponents of the proposed A$1 billion Bowdens silver and lead mine drove tractors through Mudgee on 14 October 2026 as the NSW Independent Planning Commission began hearings to reconsider the development.

The commission approved the project in April 2023, but the NSW Court of Appeal declared that approval void in August 2024. The court found the commission should have considered environmental effects associated with a proposed 13-kilometre transmission line.

After the ruling, the state government changed legislation to permit separate assessments of off-site infrastructure associated with state significant projects. The transmission infrastructure is excluded from the current reassessment, while the original mine application remains unchanged.

The proposed site is about 2 kilometres from Lue village and its primary school. Lue sheep and cattle farmer Tom Combes, who joined the protest, said the mine would destroy residents' health, lifestyle and amenity. He is among 97 people scheduled to address the hearings.

Silver Mines Limited managing director Jo Batershill argued that the project's case had strengthened since 2023, citing benefits for the regional economy, strategic minerals objectives and the renewable energy transition. The company also pointed to a survey it commissioned in August 2026 that found 84 per cent of respondents in the surrounding region viewed the proposal positively or neutrally.

Three new commissioners were appointed in September. The IPC said its earlier decision would not influence their assessment. Strong community interest prompted it to extend the hearings from two days to three, with a determination expected by 9 December.