Mine expansion sends Qld town packing ...

From ABC News:

Reporter: Francene Norton

ELEANOR HALL: In western Queensland where the small coal town of Ackland is set to close down. But in an unusual twist, this is not because business at the mine which was once the town's life-blood is slowing, but because the mine is expanding right across the town.

From Ackland, Francene Norton reports.

FRANCENE NORTON: It's a garage sale with a difference. Ackland on Queensland's Darling Downs is holding a closing town sale as residents pack up and leave.

Kath Greenhalgh has lived in Ackland for more than 30 years, but her family has decided to move out before the nearby coal mine moves in.

KATH GREENHALGH: Most people don't want to leave, but because the mine is moving closer to the town… next year they'll be mining about a kilometre-and-a-half east of our town and we have the prevailing winds come from the east, so we're going to have the wind and the noise, the dust and everything else.

FRANCENE NORTON: Coal mining helped establish Ackland in 1913. More than 100 people used to live there, but less than a dozen now call it home.

KATH GREENHALGH: Some of them are a bit sad about it, but most of them, yes most of them are philosophical. A few of them… a couple of them are a bit bitter about the way things have turned out, but yes, the majority of us are, "oh well, I suppose it has to be."

See - Acland mine expands.