The Queensland Government has opened 18 new areas for resource exploration as part of efforts to secure future supplies of energy and critical minerals.
The competitive tender process covers petroleum, gas, coal and vanadium prospects across several resource-rich regions, including the Bowen/Surat and Cooper/Eromanga basins.
Queensland minister for natural resources and Mines Dale Last said exploration remained the starting point for new resource developments.
“Exploration is where every major project begins and without it, there is no pipeline of future supply,” Last said.
According to the State Government, the release includes 12 petroleum and gas areas spanning more than 7,000 square kilometres, four coal areas covering approximately 235 square kilometres, and two vanadium areas totalling around 269 square kilometres near Julia Creek.
The vanadium tenures sit within a region believed to contain one of the largest known deposits of the mineral globally, highlighting the state’s push to support emerging critical minerals supply chains alongside traditional resources.
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Last said the latest tender release forms part of the Queensland Government’s strategy to strengthen long-term energy security while supporting regional jobs and economic growth.
“This release is part of a broader plan to ensure Queensland continues building its pipeline of petroleum, gas, coal and mineral projects, delivering long-term energy security and economic growth,” Last said.
“By applying domestic market supply conditions to key gas areas and unlocking new highly prospective ground, we’re strengthening energy security and supporting regional jobs.”
Four of the petroleum and gas exploration areas will be offered with an Australian Market Supply Condition. The measure requires any gas produced from those tenures to be supplied to the domestic market, a move aimed at helping stabilise energy prices for Australian households and businesses.
The announcement follows recent preferred tender appointments for petroleum and gas exploration in the Cooper/Eromanga basins and the Taroom Trough, which the government said would bring more than $100 million in new exploration activity into regional Queensland.
Last said the state’s latest land release sends a clear signal to investors.
“We’re sending a clear message that Queensland is open for business and serious about securing long-term energy supply for Australian households and businesses,” he said.
“From the emerging potential of the Taroom Trough to new vanadium opportunities near Julia Creek, Queensland is positioning itself at the forefront of the next generation of resource development. We will continue to ensure areas are made available for exploration with a new expression of interest process for industry anticipated to open later in the year.”
The government sayid the exploration opportunities are intended to help position Queensland at the forefront of future resource development while supporting regional economies.