THEYRE calling it Alf-Alpha now, because the tiny town west of Emerald, population 350, is going to sprout and swell its ranks to 2000 residents on the back of two multi-billion coal mines.
Ten blocks of land being offered for sale in March are just a taste of things to come, with the Barcaldine Regional Council sweetening the deal by offering a 10 per cent incentive rebate if the buyer builds a home within 18 months of settlement.
BRC Mayor Rob Chandler reckons the land will sell like hotcakes.
Just because of the mining activity around Alpha and its real and its going to happen, we will be a whole new mineral province in Queensland and were going to have a couple of the biggest coal mines in Australia with the potential to produce 90-100 mega tonnes a year its big stuff, big numbers, he told the Central Queensland News.
Those big numbers are simply mind-boggling.
Hancock Prospecting is on the cusp of beginning a 12-month feasibility study into its planned $15 billion operation which includes two coal mines in the Galilee Basin and a rail corridor through to Abbot Point.
The Alpha open cut mine is expected to produce 30 million tonnes of quality thermal coal a year.
The same tonnage will come from Kevins Corner, with both mines returning export earnings of $5 billion annually when they come on line in 2013.
Waratah Coals $7.5 billion China First Project will produce 40 million tonnes for export annually over its proposed 25-year life span.
At an estimated $US82 a tonne, it will earn $3.55 billion a year.
Both projects are being fast-tracked through government channels.
Mayor Chandler admits council is on a steep learning curve as it attempts to map out the future framework for Alpha.
It has enlisted the help of the State Governments Department of Infrastructure and Planning as it starts to wade through issues such as available land, a reliable power supply, medical services and the need to increase police and emergency services numbers.
Cr Chandler said council had made it clear after 96 years, a new hospital was needed; and the Alpha aerodrome would have to be upgraded to cope with any plans to fly in and fly out the mines workforces.
We spent most of our previous old council days talking about cats and dogs and whether good old Scooter really was a dangerous dog or not, quipped Cr Chandler.
Its a bit hard to get your head around the numbers theyre talking now, but weve had good support from the DIP and with their help were going to get straight into a town plan for Alpha and make sure we get it right.
If the town is going to go from 350 to 1500-2000 people then we need some serious planning.
Weve had good support from the mining companies and I think its going to get down to some serious negotiations as to how we take Alpha forward and whos going to partner whom.
It has to be a solid partnership between the BRC, state and federal governments, Waratah and Hancock.
Cr Chandler admits hes excited about the role Alpha is going to play in the gargantuan Waratah and Hancock developments, but also acknowledges there is a mood of apprehension about what the future holds.
The BRC will follow up with two more land releases, with timing dependent on the reaction to stage one sales.
It is exciting. Theres not a day goes past that Im not thinking about it and the best way to go, Cr Chandler said.
Its a big task for council and all the services that need to go with it because were talking about an Alpha that wont be like Alpha is today.
This is going to change the look of Alpha forever, but we need to learn from the mistakes in other areas like the Bowen and Surat basins, and try and get it as right as we possibly can for the residents.
