Past siting process for a national radioactive waste management facility

Find out how we assessed and shortlisted sites including Napandee in South Australia.

About the process

The Commonwealth Government led a 7 year siting process following the National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012.

The facility was intended to both: 

The site selection process included:

  • voluntary nomination
  • public and community consultation
  • technical assessments. 

We assessed more than 40 sites across Australia. Shortlisted sites included:

  • Napandee near Kimba in South Australia
  • Lyndhurst
  • Wallerberdina. 

Napandee site timeline

  • Call for voluntary site nominations (March 2015)

    The government called for site nominations for the NRWM facility. 

  • Siting process (2015 - 2021)

    The Commonwealth Government led a 7 year site selection process. Napandee, Lyndhurst and Wallerberdina were shortlisted. 

  • Site declared (November 2021)

    The former minister declared Napandee in South Australia as the site. 

  • Site declaration challenge filed in Federal Court (December 2021)

    The Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation (BDAC), representing the Traditional Owners, filed for judicial review of the site declaration. 

  • Napandee is no longer the declared site for the facility (18 July 2023)

    The Federal Court set aside the declaration.

  • Government announced they would not pursue shortlisted sites (10 August 2023)

    The Minister for Resources confirmed the government would no longer consider Napandee or the other shortlisted Lyndhurst and Wallerberdina sites.

Site activities and related information

Site characterisation activities

Read more

Factors we considered in the siting process

Read more

National radioactive waste management facility consultative committees

Read more

Facility land requirements

Read more

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