Mineral Sands Agricultural Land Restoration Working Group
The Mineral Sands Agricultural Land Restoration Working Group is an independent advisory body. It will provide Resources Victoria with practical, evidence-based advice on restoring agricultural land after mineral sands mining in northwest Victoria. The focus is on returning land to its pre-mining productivity.
In 2026–27 , the Working Group will help develop guidance on agricultural land restoration. This will include advice on research, monitoring and rehabilitation practices. This work will improve transparency and help build community confidence in rehabilitation outcomes.
The Working Group includes senior representatives from government, agriculture, industry and regional organisations. Professor Mohan Yellishetty (Monash University) chairs the Working Group.
Working group members and observers
Members include:
- Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF)
- Minerals Council of Australia, Victorian Division (MCA Vic)
- Yarriambiack Shire Council (YSC)
- Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC)
- Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (WCMA)
- Mallee Catchment Management Authority (MCMA)
- Agriculture Victoria (AgVic)
- Monash University
Observer:
- Resources Victoria
The Working Group will seek input from subject matter experts, community representatives and industry stakeholders. This will help include a wide range of views, practical experience and technical expertise.
Summary of meetings and key discussion topics
Meeting 15 June 2026, Microsoft Teams
- The first meeting set the Working Group's purpose, role and priorities.
- Members discussed possible topics and priorities for future meetings. They also discussed the proposed scope of the guidance.
- A schedule for future meetings will be developed.
Meeting 15 July 2026, Microsoft Teams
- Wimmera Catchment Management Authority CEO David Brennan shared insights from his experience in regulation, land management and community engagement.
- Members discussed the need for robust evidence, ongoing monitoring and stakeholder engagement to inform agricultural land restoration outcomes and build community confidence.
- Members also considered how baseline data, long-term monitoring, field trials and new technologies can support agricultural land restoration. These tools can improve transparency and build trust with regulators, landholders and communities.
- Members considered ways to measure rehabilitation outcomes. These included indicators, benchmarks and control sites. These could help assess soil health, land capability, farm productivity and long-term business viability.
- Resources Victoria’s Regulatory Operations team outlined rehabilitation planning requirements across the life of a mine. Members discussed the need to plan early, set clear goals and collect baseline data. They also considered stakeholder views, monitoring, field trials, continuous improvement and clear closure criteria.
- Members discussed the importance of understanding community expectations regarding future land use, agricultural productivity and rehabilitation outcomes. The importance of transparency, ongoing engagement and accessible information was highlighted.