The closure of our Anglesea power station and mine presents a once in a generation opportunity to create outcomes of significant value to Anglesea and the region beyond.
With landholdings framed by the Great Otway National Park, Anglesea Heath, Anglesea River and the Anglesea township, our land incorporates 143 hectares of freehold land and 787 hectares of unreserved leased Crown Land, following the early surrender of more than 6.510 hectares of leased land in 2017.
In parallel with rehabilitation and remediation activities, and underpinned by broad community consultation, we are planning for the future use of the former mine and power station site.
The process to develop these plans began with establishing guiding principles developed with the community and key stakeholders.
At every stage of consultation, we published a community engagement report outlining the feedback received and how the feedback shaped the plans.
We continue to regularly communicate with the community and key stakeholders about our activities at the former mine and power station site, including opportunities to engage.
Read the latest Community Updates
Active development of this project was paused in mid-2024. Read the most recent update from Eden Project in this community update.
In May 2019, Alcoa and Eden Project, a UK-based educational and environmental charity and social enterprise, commenced community consultation to gain feedback on a concept for a world class eco-tourism attraction within the former mine site.
Eden Project Anglesea proposed to fuse science and wonder to immerse visitors in the elements of fire, air, earth and water, while making a significant and lasting contribution to the region for generations to come.
Set within the landscape of the Anglesea Heath, it showcased a vision to transform the area into a destination for immersive education and experiences which celebrated the local ecology and told a story of sustainability.
Furthermore, Eden’s concept amplified the region’s prized environmental and cultural attributes including the scenic Great Ocean Road and the Great Otway National Park - one of the richest and most biodiverse areas in the State.
The concept was projected to create more than 1,300 new jobs, generate AU$350M for the regional economy in its first 10 years of operation and attract 750,000 visitors per annum.
Eden Project and Alcoa were delighted in the community’s interest for the Eden Project Anglesea concept, which bought to life the guiding principles developed with the Anglesea community to shape transformation of the former mine site.
More than 800 people attended initial community engagement sessions in 2019 with thousands more engaging online.
While we continued our work on the mine water filling strategy, Eden Project had been looking at ways to deliver an Eden Project for Anglesea in a phased manner up until the project was paused in mid-2024.
Eden Project Anglesea concept and community engagement reports