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At Fosterville Gold Mine we strongly believe in engaging with – and contributing towards – the communities within which we operate, while at the same time ensuring that we minimise any potential impact to the environment as a result of our operations.

Here's a quick photographic snapshot of interesting information and facts about our approach to community and environmental responsibility. 

Members of the Day Services Team: Kayla, Jayden, Nick, Wendy, Gary and Rhianne. At Fosterville Gold Mine we are committed to making our work environment more inclusive and respectful, so that everyone feels safe, valued and supported regardless of their background, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.

On Thursday 13 June 2024, we were pleased to host the Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters, to be part of our Mates in Mining accreditation celebration with us. The MATES in Mining program is a pivotal initiative aimed at reducing the high rates of suicide and improving mental health among workers in the mining industry. Fosterville Gold Mine’s comprehensive training efforts ensure that their workforce is not only aware of mental health issues but also empowered to take action in supporting their colleagues.

Machine operator, Richard, at work underground. We take great pride in our employees and the contributions they make to the mine; as well as the various roles they play outside of work hours, to make our community a better place. That's why safety is our number one priority. Each day we remind our 800 staff ... "Everyone, every day. Think safe. Work safe. Home safe!"

Deepcore Drilling team members Heath, Mat and Brandon work on site with the Fosterville Gold Mine Exploration team. We currently engage over 647 Victorian businesses to provide a wide range of services to the mine, to the value of around $168mil each year.

Residents and visitors in and around Fosterville are now enjoying improved 4G mobile coverage and connectivity, with the recent construction of a new Telstra mobile base station, which was made possible after a $2.5mil investment from Agnico Eagle Australia and is part of the Commonwealth Government's Regional Connectivity Program (RCP), funded in partnership between Agnico Eagle Australia, Telstra and the Victorian and Federal governments. The Fosterville site is the first of seven new 4G and 5G-ready mobile base stations being built in 2024, with construction of additional sites and transmission links at Axedale, Goornong, Knowsley, Colbinabbin, Toolleen Sports Club and Heathcote Raceway.

Central Victoria is set to benefit from a historic agreement between DJAARA (the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation) and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (Agnico Eagle) operator of the Fosterville Gold Mine (FGM), which was signed in April 2024. The agreement, Bakaru Wayaparrangu, which means ‘in the middle, we all meet’ in Dja Dja Wurrung language, follows seven years of negotiations and represents the first agreement in Victoria between Traditional Owners and an active mining operation. Bakaru Wayaparrangu acknowledges Dja Dja Wurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which FGM operates, and aims to build a harmonious, long-term relationship based on trust, mutual respect, and transparency. 

Fosterville Gold Mine maintains a proactive grants, sponsorships and donations program which supports a wide range of organisations – such as schools, community events, sporting clubs, emergency services, social services, community groups and more – to make the Greater Bendigo region a vibrant and caring community in which to live. Over the past 10 years Fosterville Gold Mine has invested over $2 million back into the community through its various social responsibility programs.

We were thrilled to support the Goornong Primary School with the funds needed to complete their new Outdoor Learning Space. We have supported multiple similar projects for schools in the vicinity of Fosterville Gold Mine over the years, and will continue to do so while we remain operational.

As part of the Agnico Eagle Australia Community Partnerships Program, we supported nine rural CFA's in the region to make upgrades to their facilities and equipment through the CFA Bushfire Readiness Grants Program. Our Vice President, Ion Hann is pictured here at the launch of the Strathfieldsaye CFA's new appliance bay.

As part of our commitment to sustainability, and the conditions of our mining licence, we conduct ongoing progressive rehabilitation of the land upon which we operate. An example of this commitment is the Rehe's Pit which was backfilled with 110,000 cubic metres of fill in 2021, covered in top soil and then replanted with 1,200 native plant species and 3kg of native seed. To complete this rehabilitation project, FGM engaged the Traditional Owners of the land, the Dja Dja Wurrung. To date, the mine has carried out more than 100 rehabilitation projects on site and will continue to do so.

We love telling people what we do, whether it be primary or secondary school kids, university students or anyone else who is interested! During 2023 alone, we hosted 15 group tours of the mine, presented workshops at six schools, shared with countless people who visited our stands at the 17 events we attended and/or sponsored; not to mention our annual Open Day which saw over 1,500 members of the public join us on site for the day.

Environment and Community Advisor, Natasha van Leeuwen, presents to Grade 3/4 students from Axedale Primary School, who toured the mine to learn more about the mining operations and our extensive environmental rehabilitation program.

Fosterville Gold Mine's participation in the Bendigo Easter Festival Gala Parade in 2023, which is just one of the many events that the mine sponsors and participates in each year! Mining currently contributes over 10% to Greater Bendigo's economy. That's $1.7 billion per annum, making it the 3rd largest economic contributor to the Greater Bendigo region.

Sam, Ashlea, Ziggy and Winter at our Open Day in March 2023.

Imagine seeing a platypus in Axe Creek! That's one of the potential outcomes of the Axe Creek Protection Project which involves removing weeds, replacing native vegetation and reintroducing native fish back inot the ecosystem along 25km of the creek all the way to Campaspe River. Agnico Eagle's Community Partnership Program is the main sponsor of this project, working alongside the Strathfieldsaye District Community Enterprise and Bushco Land Management.

In 2024 Fosterville Gold Mine outlined a new approach to how we engage with our closest neighbours. This framework, called the ‘Good Neighbour Guide’, is being developed in collaboration with our neighbours and we anticipate the process to take the majority of 2024. Its aim is to provide certainty and guidance to our neighbours, on how Fosterville Gold Mine will effectively manage the impacts of our operation.