Weaving, hydrogen power and a fog machine were among the ideas architecture students designed for a future of the BHP's Mt Arthur coal mine site near Muswellbrook.
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Displayed on a series of panels in the Donald Horne building's STEM innovation lab, the designs were officially launched at an event last Wednesday.
This event showcased projects by Master of Architecture Students from University of Newcastle, envisioning sustainable future for mining sites in the Hunter Valley.
Its aim was to spark discussions about the possibilities for sites transitioning from extractive, industrial uses. Focused on Mount Arthur mine's closure, the exhibition and panel discussion aimed to prompt collaborative dialogue on shaping the region's future
The vibrant 'reimaginings' visualise a future for mines and associated extracted landscapes, grappling with the scale and depth of these sites and the ambitions of their surrounding communities.
At the launch a panel discussion was held between researchers, industry leaders and academics.
On the panel was mining engineer Liz Watts, head of transition at BHP's Mt Arthur Coal, who is also undertaking a PhD, funded by the Australian Government Research Training Program scholarship titled 'Barriers to sustainable development outcomes in mine closure'.
She said mine closures and the transition would involve a massive shift.
"This involves more than simply planting trees and shifting a landscape so it was great to see some of the 'blue sky' thinking from the masters students on what the future vision for mines could be," she said.
"I believe there will be solutions to any of the problems associated with the transition."
Of particular interest was the fact none of the students' designs involved water parks or lakes for the final voids. It has been suggested that the Upper Hunter could develop a series of such 'lakes' as a way to utilise the voids that are left post open cut mining.
Associate Professor of Architecture at the UON Sam Spurr said the idea of lakes was not possible in the region due to the porous soils and therefore the students did not include them in their designs.
The other major difference between the Upper Hunter and other areas such as the Lusatian Lake District in Germany, a former lignite mining wasteland, has been transformed into a chain of artificial lakes is the depth of the Upper Hunter voids.
In the Germany voids had a depth of between 40-50 metres, whereas in the Upper Hunter the depths are far greater in some cases 300m.