Talison Lithium Greenbushes Mine Expansion Plan Risks Changing the South West of Western Australia and Not for the Better

Talison Lithium is pushing for a major expansion of the Greenbushes mine — one that threatens to irreversibly change the South West’s ecosystems, water security and rural communities. This is not an isolated proposal. It forms part of a long-term expansion pathway involving IGO Limited and Venus Metals, who hold exploration licences and farmland east of the mine, including areas near Dalgarup. The scale of this transformation is massive, not just local — and the environmental cost will be permanent.

This region is a recognised biodiversity hotspot. Forest clearing, increased dust, haulage and water use will place extreme pressure on species found nowhere else on Earth. Talison’s access to unregulated water near newly acquired farmland, dam expansion across the highway, and use of reticulated scheme water for its camp raise major concerns about future water flows and regional supply. The Dalgarup Forest, directly in the path of potential future operations, requires immediate protection.

Talison initially sought approval without any formal environmental review. A Public Environmental Review (PER) was only triggered after strong public pressure and community submissions. Now that a PER is underway, it must be independently overseen, transparently conducted and expanded in scope to reflect the true scale of what is unfolding.

We call for a pause on further approvals, full public release of environmental impact data, independent review of water access and biodiversity offsets, and immediate protection of the Dalgarup Forest. Once the South West is industrialised, it cannot be undone.

Please sign and share — and join our Facebook group Bridgetown/Greenbushes Watchdog for updates, background and ways to help. This decision affects the future life of the region.