The nature and management of rehabilitated pastures on open-cut coal minesin central Queensland

A significant proportion of current and past rehabilitation efforts on open -cut coal mines in central Queensland involve the sowing of a number of imp roved pasture grasses and legumes. This provides a rapid surface cover for erosion control and the basis: for grazing as a potential land use after mi ning has ceased. Grazing of the pastures has not occurred to date, and they possess some notable differences from those on the surrounding pastoral co untry. Some features of these pastures are discussed in this overview of re habilitated pastures, including their construction, composition and perform ance. Surface stability, rather than productivity, is the over-riding issue in the establishment and maintenance of these systems. Studies demonstrati ng the capacity of the reconstructed pastures to support grazing have recen tly commenced, but it is suggested that more active management of rehabilit ated pastures (than occurs in nearby pastoral enterprises) is required afte r the establishment phase.