The Northern Jarrah Forest once blanketed the whole of the Darling Range. The large interconnected areas of mature forest have unique conservation importance; they are also greatly valued by WA’s large and growing bushwalking community; traversed by the Bibbulmun Track and providing many other walk opportunities close to Perth.
Increasing scrutiny and public alarm over Alcoa’s existing bauxite strip-mining operations in the Darling Range and the company’s plans for extensive mine expansions led to a Public Environmental Review (PER) process. That drew a massive public response in 2025, including 59,000 submissions to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), plus ongoing campaigns against the mining. HikeWest’s August 2025 submission to the EPA focused in particular on the destructive environmental impacts of the mining upon the future of bushwalking across the region; a significant social concern given that bushwalking today ranks as one of WA’s most popular recreational activities, with an important role in helping to keep our community active and healthy.
Despite the PER process and the widespread community concern, the following recent developments heighten concern for the future protection and survival of this unique forest:
- Environmental exemptions – The State Government will continue to provide Alcoa with special exemptions – first introduced in 2023 – to allow the mining operations to continue with minimal constraints while the EPA is still assessing the impact of the current operations and despite identified environmental risks; suspected breaches of a previous exemption order; and a financial penalty for unauthorised clearing. Note, HikeWest and conservation groups have objected to the exemptions via recent letters to the Minister for the Environment and the State Premier.
- Alcoa plan to control most of WA’s bauxite mining – Alcoa recently announced it plans to buy South32’s bauxite and aluminium assets including the Worsley Alumina operations near Boddington. If the transaction is approved Alcoa’s increased leased areas will total around 10,000 sq km, effectively encompassing almost the entire Northern Jarrah Forest of the Darling Range. The company will be able to pursue new efficiencies in supplying mined ore to its nearest refineries, so increasing the likelihood of future mining expansion into the southern forested region of its existing lease.
- New critical mineral development incentive – With support from the USA and Australian governments, Alcoa is considering the feasibility of the near-term development of a gallium plant to be co-located at Alcoa’s Wagerup alumina refinery. As the gallium would be extracted from the bauxite, the project can only proceed if large-scale bauxite mining continues in the Darling Range.
The EPA will make recommendations to the state government following the current environmental review process, after miner Alcoa has fully responded to the public feedback, and following a three-week public appeal period.
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