The Yancoal Board met yesterday and decided to transition its Cessnock Austar mine from “care & maintenance” to permanent closure.
The Austar mine is last coal mine in Cessnock a once rich and vibrant mining town, which once employed 10,000 people.
An important chapter in our economic and social history is now closing. It’s very sad.
Joel fitzgibbon
Cessnock is a prime example of what happens to a town once the coal mines close, the once bustling main street is now in a state of decline and the few retail shops and cafes that remain struggle to make ends meet.
The people of the town of Cessnock are now forced to work in minimum wage hospitality/tourism jobs or travel out of town to provide for their family. Many people sadly remain unemployed or underemployed.
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