DBCT P/L – actively working to protect and care for our environment
Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal and our environment
We all have a responsibility to protect and preserve our environment. We understand the importance of handling the environment with care.
To meet our environmental responsibilities, DBCT P/L are committed to:
Protecting and enhancing the environment in which we operate.
Minimising our potential impact on the surrounding environment, including our local communities.
Operating sustainably, as part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, to help achieve long-term positive outcomes for future generations worldwide.
Supporting local environmental organisations such as Mackay Healthy Rivers to Reef, National Schools Tree Day, Turtle Conservation Mackay Islands Marine Debris Clean Up, supported by Reef Catchments, and Sarina Landcare.
Monitoring how the terminal manages dust, noise, water, waste, land and sustainability
Complying with regular auditing and monitoring of our Environmental Management ISO14001 certification, to make sure we continue to meet the standards of this internationally-respected environmental management framework.
Dust
Dust is a common irritant in all our homes. Most of us are happy to ignore it, but at DBCT P/L it’s always on our minds! Coal dust can be a significant health hazard and we are committed to minimizing its impact on the surrounding environment. We actively manage dust throughout the entire coal chain, to keep your local area as clean as possible.
Noise
Noise from industry can significantly affect community wellbeing. We understand our responsibility to reduce our impact on the local area, and we are committed to minimizing any disturbance to your daily life. DBCT P/L implements several measures to reduce operational sounds, while constantly monitoring their efficiency. That way we can report back to the local community and modify our levels as required.
Water
Water is a precious resource, particularly in Australia. As the driest inhabited continent, it is especially important that we prioritise conservation efforts, or future generations will pay the price. At DBCT P/L we have taken steps to ensure water is used efficiently onsite as well as to protect the water around the terminal. Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal also recently undertook a Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) to improve our water management capabilities onsite.
Waste
We recognise our role in supporting the local area, but also our responsibility to the wider global community. We strive to operate as sustainably as possible, which means minimising our impact on the environment. We understand how vital it is to conserve natural resources and avoid contamination and pollution of our planet, and an important aspect of this is how we deal with waste. At DBCT P/L we recycle or reuse materials wherever we can, and are always looking for ways to improve our environmental efficiency.
Land
As you may have gathered, we love our local area. Our region is one of the most beautiful in Australia, and we take pride in the landscape and natural environment. At DBCT P/L we make every effort to conserve the integrity of our land and offset the impact of industry through vegetation management. This comprises of Weed Management and Revegetation. By investing in techniques to protect our local ecosystems, we are giving Queensland’s native plants and animals a second chance to thrive.
Featured
Environmental Initiatives
Earth Hour
DBCT switches off for Earth Hour! Saturday 22 March 2025, at 8.30pm.
Thank you to our Operations, Maintenance, Environmental, and Control Systems teams who ensure Earth Hour happens each year!
Watch the video to see as non-essential power was turned off, for a great cause.
Find out more about Earth Hour - and be sure to join in, in 2026! Earth Hour : Home
National tree day
National Tree Day is Australia’s largest tree planting and nature care event held annually. DBCT P/L participated in two activities to celebrate National Tree Day in 2025.
National Schools Tree Planting Day (part of the broader National Tree Day celebration) gives young Australians a hands-on opportunity to reconnect with nature, enhance local biodiversity, and learn the importance of environmental stewardship.
DBCT P/L is proud to annually play an active role in National Schools Tree Planting Day 2025, joining teachers, educators, students, and local volunteers to plant saplings. In 2025, the planting day was held at Wheeler Drive, Glenella. DBCT P/L’s Safety, Risk, and Environment Team volunteered to assist with the planting, and brought refreshments and healthy snacks for all attendees.
DBCT P/L continues to support Mackay Regional Council (MRC) and Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association (SLCMA) towards the revegetation of the Louisa Creek Reserve.
Since the project to rehabilitate and enhance the Louisa Creek Reserve began in 2007, significant areas have been transformed from thickets of invasive weeds to vigorous new native plantings to create and restore these important coastal habitats.
Louisa Creek Reserve is registered with the Land for Wildlife Program and is a valuable section of coastal habitat, The MRC and SLCMA teams work tirelessly to maintain this area to ensure our tree planting efforts establish long term resilient habitat and DBCT P/L look forward to continuing to help enhance this area into the future.
BEach Clean Ups
In 2025, DBCT P/L celebrated 10 years of beach clean-ups along the beautiful local beaches surrounding the terminal! What started a decade ago as a small team initiative has grown into a well-supported event.
Each quarter, DBCT P/L employees and contractors come together to roll up their sleeves, pick up rubbish, and help keep our beaches clean and safe for everyone, people and wildlife alike.
Over the past 10 years, volunteers have collected everything from plastic bottles and fishing gear to old bits of metal and timber, helping to protect marine life and keep our coastline looking its best. DBCT P/L’s partnership with the Tangaroa Blue Foundation through Reef Clean (an Australian Government Reef Trust program) has continued to provide valuable data to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative.
DBCT P/L is incredibly proud of the difference this long-running initiative has made, and grateful to everyone who’s joined in along the way. DBCT P/L have collected an overall total of 4.8 tonnes of rubbish and debris over 95 beach clean ups. Here’s to the next decade of caring for our coast and keeping our beaches beautiful.
In addition to our beach clean ups, we have participated and supported the Cape Palmerston Clean ups with Tangaroa Blue, and participated and supported Reef Catchment’s Turtle Conservation Mackay Islands Marine Debris Clean Up.
Recycling Week
Each year, DBCT P/L encourages workers to bring in good quality items they have at home that are surplus to their needs so that can be donated to Central State School’s Swap Room. Items must be suitable for a family with primary school aged children.
The Central State School Swap Room is designed to help families struggling with the cost of living by providing a money-free way for students and their families to access items they may need. DBCT P/L began the relationship with Central State School when they provided a washing machine and dryer to the school to assist families who were having issues accessing washing facilities.