GM3 has been recognised at the 2026 NSW Mining Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) Awards, receiving the Environmental Excellence Award for their Thermal Drones and Threatened Species Project at Dendrobium Mine.
The awards recognise projects undertaken by NSW mining companies and industry partners, with winners chosen across four categories: Health Excellence, Safety Excellence, Environmental Excellence and Community Excellence.
Delivered in partnership with Symbio Wildlife Park, the University of Wollongong, Conservation Partners and government agencies, the project used night-time thermal drone surveys to map koala and southern greater glider populations across the Illawarra Escarpment surrounding Dendrobium Mine.
The project has provided valuable new insights, confirming stable koala populations in areas where they were once thought to be locally extinct, while adding important knowledge to guide future conservation efforts.
General Manager of Dendrobium Mine Simon Thomas accepted the award on behalf of the team.
“We are incredibly proud to be recognised for a project that has brought together innovation, science and a genuine commitment to protecting the environment.” Mr Thomas said.
“I’d like to acknowledge our Environment and Community teams at Dendrobium. Their passion, curiosity and willingness to challenge conventional thinking turned an idea into something that is making a real difference.”
The project demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when industry, researchers, conservation experts and government agencies work together to better understand and protect our unique local wildlife.
GM3 has also recently announced a 3-year partnership extension with Symbio Wildlife Park, contributing a further $450,000 to help continue delivering large-scale conservation projects across the Illawarra Escarpment and Plateau.
The new investment will support the Mount Kembla Integrated Threatened Species and Habitat Recovery Program. Led by the Symbio Conservation Foundation, the program brings together researchers, government agencies, local schools, Traditional Owners and community organisations.
It includes a suite of science-based conservation activities aimed at better understanding and protecting biodiversity in the Illawarra, with a significant portion of this work to be undertaken on GM3-owned land that has already been mined underground.