Woodlawn Eco Precinct

Our guiding principles

Minimising our impact

Waste is transported to Tarago via rail to Australia’s most advanced landfill. Gas from our landfill is captured and used to produce energy while reducing greenhouse emissions at the same time.

A renewable hub

Our site is home to green energy, with a working wind farm (operated by Ibedrola) that feeds the local grid and a solar farm that powers portions of our site operations.

Protecting biodiversity

We take our responsibility for protecting and preserving local wildlife, land and waterways seriously. As a zero discharge site, all materials coming on to site are managed responsibly to achieve no environmental harm.

Safety is our priority

We proudly boast an industry leading safety record at Woodlawn, implementing onsite mental health first aiders and safety cultural programs that improve psychological safety, safety awareness, and avoided work injuries.

Supporting community

Local people, local heroes

80% of our workforce live locally. We are proud to be one of the region's largest employers. The local team are invested in doing a great job and serve the needs not only of their own community, but NSW.

Supporting public spaces

Since 2004 we have proudly contributed over $15m to local community projects through the Veolia Mulwaree Trust. This independent charity supports community projects in Tarago, Goulburn and surrounding regions.

Part of the farming community

We operate a sheep and cattle farm at our property adjacent to the eco-precinct, which produces high quality merino wool, lambs, and cattle for sale into the local and export markets. Our onsite barramundi farm also raises juvenile barramundi to maturity for sale to local restaurants as a sought-after delicacy!

Environmental compliance

Our compliance obligations

Veolia takes environmental compliance extremely seriously and works closely with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to resolve any matters that arise. Read Veolia's commitment to environmental compliance.

The Woodlawn Eco Precinct operates within a highly complex regulatory environment, with over 750 environmental obligations. This can include anything from reporting requirements, to water and leachate management onsite, as well as traffic management and pollution control.

Our regulations reflect the site’s scale, technical operations and world class standards for environmental governance. We transparently manage and monitor our compliance obligations, cooperating with regulators and communicating with the local community. A full list of our statutory approvals can be found below.

The Woodlawn Eco Precinct holds three Environmental Protection Licences (EPLs), issued by NSW EPA:

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Woodlawn Biorector - EPL11436 (812.23 KB)

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Woodlawn MBT - EPL20476 (570.11 KB)

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Crisps Creek IMF - EPL11455 (200.26 KB)

Project approvals

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Woodlawn – Tonnage Expansion Approval (1.17 MB)

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Woodlawn MP 10_0012 MOD 1 Notice of Modification (603.81 KB)

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Woodlawn MP 10_0012 MOD 2 Notice of Modification (1.21 MB)

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Woodlawn MP 10_0012 MOD 3 Notice of Modification (140.47 KB)

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Woodlawn MP 10_0012 MOD 4 Notice of Modification (69.27 KB)

Development consents

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Woodlawn – Conditions of Consent (161.06 KB)

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Woodlawn DA 31-02-99 MOD 1 Notice of Modification (521.06 KB)

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Woodlawn DA 31-02-99 MOD 2 Notice of Modification (592.19 KB)

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Woodlawn DA 31-02-99 MOD 3 Notice of Modification (806.48 KB)

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Woodlawn MBT AWT Ministers Approval (581.5 KB)

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Woodlawn MBT MP 06_0239 MOD 1 Notice of Modification (1.93 MB)

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Woodlawn MBT MP 06_0239 MOD 2 Notice of Modification (1.08 MB)

Odour management

Odour management for a landfill of this scale and complexity is challenging. When managing odour, we need to consider a number of factors: the volume and composition of waste received, waste coverings, gas extraction, as well as varying weather conditions. To manage this we have extensive actions in place to manage leachate from the landfill and capture landfill gas using world best technology.

We proudly work alongside the Regulator to find and implement the best solutions that minimise impact on the community.

Breaches of our operating conditions are managed by the EPA and made public here.

2026

2024

2023

2022

Veolia Woodlawn Monthly Newsletter - September 2022
Veolia Woodlawn Monthly Newsletter - June 2022
Veolia Woodlawn Monthly Newsletter - May 2022
Veolia Woodlawn Monthly Newsletter - March 2022

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

Our commitment to community

As members of the community in which we work and live, maintaining strong bonds is foundational to our operations. We strive to keep neighbouring communities updated through our Tarago Times community newsletters, and work closely with our dedicated Community Liaison Committee (CLC) to listen to community feedback. View the CLC members list here.

Share your feedback

Select your type of feedback

Date and time of odour observation

Location of odour

City/Town

ZIP/Postal Code

Submit a question(s)

Please enter your question. This will be raised in the next CLC meeting.

Please provide your feedback below

Please enter your comments here. They will be passed onto the site team

Odour Intensity

Please describe the smell of the odour

Please describe if possible

Contact Details

First Name

Surname

Phone number

Any other comments?

Action

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Read all the disclaimer.

Contact our team

To provide feedback or talk to a member of the team please call 1800 241 750 during business hours.

You can also email us at [email protected] or complete the feedback form.

Monitoring and reporting

To ensure we’re upholding safe and compliant operations, we have in place detailed Environmental Management Plans and rigorous monitoring standards. Conditions such as air and water quality are closely monitored across the precinct, and these results are made publicly available, per our licensing agreement.

All monitoring reports are published on our Environmental Reports page.

Woodlawn Landfill Environmental Management Plan

MBT Operational Environmental Management Plan

Pollution Incident Response Management Plan

Update on Woodlawn Hydrogeological Risk Assessment

Woodlawn Annual Environmental Performance Reports

Woodlawn Eco-Precinct Annual Environmental Management Reports

Woodlawn Bioreactor Environmental Audit Reports

Woodlawn MBT Environmental Audit Reports

Overview of the Clean‑up Notice and Investigation Objectives

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued Clean‑up Notice 3516137 to Veolia following the identification of landfill leachate in groundwater within the Woodlawn mine void (old workings). EPA sampling undertaken in 2024 and 2025 detected a range of chemical indicators that are characteristic of mature landfill leachate, including elevated ammonia, organic compounds, PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and specific isotopic signatures. These findings indicate that leachate from the Woodlawn Bioreactor has migrated into surrounding underground mine workings.

The Clean‑up Notice requires Veolia to undertake a comprehensive investigation program to understand the extent of leachate migration, assess potential risks, and identify appropriate management and remediation actions. The investigation will:

Determine the nature and extent of leachate impacts in the mine void, groundwater, and any connected systems
Identify migration pathways, including geological structures or historical mine features
Assess risks to human health and the environment, including workers in the Woodlawn Underground Mine
Develop an updated conceptual site model describing sources, pathways, and receptors
Provide evidence‑based recommendations for remediation, monitoring, and prevention
Maintain transparent communication with key stakeholders, including Develop Global Ltd, adjacent landowners, the EPA, and the local community

This work forms part of Veolia’s commitment to environmental protection, regulatory compliance, and ongoing transparency throughout the investigation and clean‑up process. Veolia will provide updates as they come available via the Community Liaison Committee presentations (which are published on our website here) and Tarago Times newsletters.

Contact Information for Enquiries

Veolia welcomes questions and feedback from community members, stakeholders, and interested parties.

For enquiries related to the Clean‑up Notice, investigation activities, or project updates, please contact:

Phone: 1800 241 750

Email: [email protected]

Online: Enquiry form available on the Veolia Woodlawn website

Community members may also raise questions through the Community Liaison Committee (CLC), which receives regular project updates.

Project Timeline -

Project Activity

Due date

Status

Engagement of Qualified Experts

Veolia engaged an independent EPA‑accredited site auditor to oversee the investigation program.

26 June 2026

Complete

Submission of Stakeholder Engagement Plan

A Stakeholder Engagement Plan was submitted to the EPA, outlining how Veolia will communicate with relevant stakeholders throughout the investigation.

01 July 2026

Complete

Preparation of the Sampling and Analysis Quality Plan (SAQP)

The SAQP sets out the investigation design, data gaps, sampling locations, access requirements, and assessment criteria.

11 September 2026

SAQP was submitted to the site auditor by the due date

Submission of SAQP and Auditor Advice to EPA

The final SAQP and interim audit advice will be submitted to the EPA.

27 November 2026

In progress

Completion of SAQP Investigations

Field investigations, sampling, hydrogeological assessments, and mine‑access activities will be carried out in accordance with the SAQP.

Late 2026-2027

TBA

Preparation of the Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) report

The DSI will confirm the extent of leachate impacts, update the conceptual site model, assess risks, and outline recommended remediation and management actions.

DSI to be submitted to site auditor by 1 January 2027

TBA

Submission of DSI and Auditor Advice to EPA

The final DSI and interim audit advice will be submitted to the EPA for review.

04 February 2027

TBA

Note that as independent parties are involved, including the EPA accredited contaminated land auditor, extensions of time may be requested and this table is subject to change accordingly.

Environmental plans, assessments and reports

Surface water and groundwater reports

Depositional dust reports

Odour reports

Monthly gas extraction reports

Other gas monitoring reports

As part of our commitment to the community and New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA), Veolia has established an ambient air quality monitoring surveillance system designed to provide real-time feedback on the presence of hydrogen sulphide (H2S). H2S is a colourless but odorous gas (with a rotten egg-like smell) that would be readily detectable by the majority of the Australian population at very low concentration levels. To understand how good the human nose is at detecting H2S, Veolia received advice from a leading odour consulting company that indicated that the lowest detection threshold on record in Australia has been as low as 3 parts per billion (ppb) or 0.003 parts per million (ppm). With this in mind, it is important to understand that many sources can release H2S, which can include human-made (anthropogenic) or natural (from the environment). It is interesting to note that the human body is also a regular contributor of H2S release in the environment and that it is an essential material in many industrial processes.

To provide the community with feedback on the ambient H2S levels in the local area, Veolia has installed multiple AcrulogTM units to regularly monitor the presence and concentration levels. The Acrulog units are sourced from an Australian company that specialises in portable wireless environmental gas data loggers. The Acrulog units set up in the local community are highly specialised instruments designed to specifically target and measure H2S within a measurement range of 0-2,000 ppb or 0-2 ppm. The effectiveness of these units at targeting H2S at this very low range has meant that it is regularly adopted by government authorities, consultants, and private industries as an environmental management tool.

To obtain a better understanding as to how low these concentration levels are in practice, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicates that the time-weighted average (TWA) over 8 hours (that is, the average time an individual will spend at work) for H2S in an occupational setting is 10,000 ppb or 10 ppm. This is 3,334 times above the lowest detection limit by the human nose of an average person in Australia (3 ppb or 0.003 ppm). By comparison, the short-term exposure limit (STEL) – the acceptable concentration level of H2S exposure in an occupational setting for 15 minutes - is 15,000 ppb or 15 ppm. In other words, your nose is very good at picking up H2S at very low levels and well below the accepted limits published NIOSH. Based on these accepted limits and the current state of knowledge, any H2S levels reported below the NIOSH values are not expected to result in a dose-response relationship that can lead to a physical human health impact risk – that is, values below these limits would be considered a safe place to work in an occupational setting. With this in mind, the installed Acrulog units can detect H2S levels that are significantly below the safe work limits established by NIOSH, making them highly-sensitive instruments.

Given that there are many human-made and natural sources of H2S (such as vehicle transport, decaying vegetative matter, septic tanks, sewage, and aged garbage), a positive detection and concentration reading from the Acrulog units does not necessarily mean that our operations at the Woodlawn Eco-Precinct are the source. To establish this connection, Veolia would require additional data, contextualisation, and the investigation and guidance of experts to establish such a connection. Therefore, the feedback provided by the Acrulog units should be regarded as a tool to create an enhanced level of community awareness of H2S levels in the local area. Veolia hopes this real-time ambient air quality monitoring surveillance system feedback page for H2S is beneficial to the community.

Locations

Veolia Eco-Precinct (Point 9)

Tarago Recreation Area (Point 71)

Tarago Showground (Point 72)

NOTE: Please be advised of the following matters related to the monitoring network:

* Be advised that H2S reported results of 0 refers to a potential reading below the limit of reporting, which means below the detectable level of 3ppb.

* In order for live data from our monitoring network to be accessed, an integration method is used which changes the data from digital to analogue back to digital in order for it to be transferred. As a result it is expected that the results will often be reported as decimals.

Tarago Community Ambient Air Composition Analysis Report

Routine monitoring reports

For media and press enquiries please follow the link below:

Get in Touch

Woodlawn Eco Precinct

Our guiding principles

Minimising our impact

A renewable hub

Protecting biodiversity

Safety is our priority

Local people, local heroes

Supporting public spaces

Part of the farming community

Our compliance obligations

Odour management

Our commitment to community

Share your feedback

Contact Details

Action

Contact our team

Monitoring and reporting

Overview of the Clean‑up Notice and Investigation Objectives

Contact Information for Enquiries

Project Timeline -

Environmental plans, assessments and reports

Locations

Routine monitoring reports

For media and press enquiries please follow the link below:

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Woodlawn Eco Precinct

Our guiding principles

Minimising our impact

A renewable hub

Protecting biodiversity

Safety is our priority

Local people, local heroes

Supporting public spaces

Part of the farming community

Our compliance obligations

Odour management

CLC Meeting Minutes & Updates

Tarago Times: Community Newsletters

Complaints Registers

Our commitment to community

Share your feedback

Contact Details

Action

Contact our team

Monitoring and reporting

Management Plans & Assessments

Performance & Management Reports

Environmental Audit Reports

Odour Audit Reports

Clean Up Notice Detailed Site Investigation update

Overview of the Clean‑up Notice and Investigation Objectives

Contact Information for Enquiries

Project Timeline -

Environmental plans, assessments and reports

Water Monitoring

Air Monitoring

H2S Monitoring

Locations

Routine monitoring reports

For media and press enquiries please follow the link below: