“Cadia goldmine pollution allegations lead to class action against Newmont”, 17 March 2026

A class action brought by a central west New South Wales community against one of the world's largest goldminers has commenced in the NSW Supreme Court.

A first directions hearing for the case brought by landowners living around the Cadia gold mine near Orange was held today. 

They allege the Newmont-owned mine has contaminated the air, water and soil due to pollution leaving the site…

The group's barrister, Christopher Withers SC, told the court that the class action had 2,000 members who live within a 17-kilometre radius of the mine site.

He said the alleged contamination came from mine fluids that escaped the site from 2024 and mine dust from about 2019…

Cadia's lawyer, Catherine Gleeson SC, told the court that while the defence may not dispute that the tailings dam wall collapsed, but that "the consequences of what happened are likely to be in dispute"…

Justice Richard Cavanagh has adjourned the matter for a further directions hearing on July 16, and told the court that a hearing date would likely be set down for the second half of 2027…

In a statement, Newmont told the ABC it took its legal and regulatory obligations seriously and was committed to environmental stewardship. 

"Newmont Cadia is defending class action proceedings filed in the Supreme Court of NSW. As the matter is now part of a formal court process, it is not appropriate to comment further at this time."