Robson Civil Projects has been celebrated for its record-breaking rehabilitation and land management work at BHP’s Mt Arthur Coal Mine in New South Wales.
Robson Civil Projects was last year named the winner in the Engineering Success of the Year category at the 2025 Australian Mining Prospect Awards in recognition of its outstanding work on the Mt Arthur Coal Mine (MAC) rehabilitation and land management program.
The award celebrates a project that has delivered significant engineering outcomes on a mine site, and Robson’s work at MAC represents one of the most ambitious progressive rehabilitation initiatives undertaken in New South Wales.
Since 2022, the company has reshaped, revegetated and restored 297 hectares of land, including a record 145 hectares in the 2023–24 financial year (FY24), the largest single-year achievement in the mine’s history.
Robson’s scope of work under this rehabilitation and land management contract has been extensive. It includes bulk earthworks, drainage construction, weed and pest management, topsoil amelioration, and biodiversity restoration, with more than 14,000 seedlings planted in FY25 alone, contributing to measurable environmental benefits such as improved soil health and carbon sequestration. The project also incorporated the installation of 48 fauna habitats.
Central to the project’s success has been the application of advanced engineering and technology. Robson has deployed geofluvial landform design, precision bulk push analysis, and GPS-enabled machinery to meet strict slope and drainage tolerances.
Despite the scale of operations, logging more than 65,000 work hours, the project has maintained an exemplary safety record with zero reportable injuries.
Robson Civil Projects divisional manager – construction Michael Hanson spoke to Australian Mining about the award and the company’s work in NSW.
“Robson is a civil contractor that’s engaged in the mining sector in the Hunter Valley as well as Mudgee and the Central West,” Hanson said.
“We’ve been engaged in the rehab at MAC for three and a half years now, and ongoing. With MAC’s scheduled closure in 2030, it has been very busy times.
“We started in the mining space doing infrastructure such as access roads and tailings dams, and now a large part of our work in the Hunter Valley is for rehabilitation. With our work at MAC, rehab maintenance goes hand-in-hand with the rehab construction, so that’s been a new element that we’ve incorporated into our scope of works.”
Hanson, who joined Robson in 2014, brings more than 30 years’ experience in civil construction, delivering large-scale infrastructure projects for government agencies and private developers.
Appointed divisional manager for the Newcastle and Hunter Valley region in 2024, he has leveraged his expertise across roadworks, subdivisions, bridge construction, mining, and water and wastewater infrastructure to guide project teams and ensure works are delivered on time, on budget, safely, and to the highest quality and environmental standards.
Robson’s contribution to BHP’s Mt Arthur Coal Mine demonstrates how civil contracting can successfully evolve into the rehabilitation space, delivering sustainable, non-polluting post-mining landscapes that benefit the environment and the community. The company’s approach and commitment to safety, environmental stewardship and technical excellence set a benchmark for progressive mine rehabilitation.
This award recognises not only Robson’s engineering expertise but also its strategic approach to land management, biodiversity restoration, and sustainable mining practices, reinforcing the company’s position as a leading civil contractor in the Hunter Valley and across the NSW mining sector.
The Engineering Success of the Year was proudly sponsored by Pump Industry.