About 100 farmers have launched a blockade to stop the drilling of a coal seam gas exploration well at a property near Spring Ridge on the Liverpool Plains in north-western New South Wales. Picture: Tim Duddy Source: Supplied
ABOUT 100 farmers have blockaded a property in northern NSW to prevent exploratory coal seam gas drilling, with plans to stay there for up to eight months.
The farmers parked vehicles across the entrance to the property about nine kilometres from Spring Ridge on the Liverpool Plains this morning.
They are protesting against gas giant Santos's alleged plans to begin drilling CSG exploration wells in advance of a major report into the area's coal, gas and water resources, due out next year.
Tim Duddy, a seventh-generation local farmer and spokesman for the Caroona Coal Action Group that organised the blockade, said the protesters were ready to do "whatever it takes".
"We have no problem with exploration but we do have a problem with drilling because drilling is bringing saline water to the surface only hundreds of metres from our flood plains and our aquifer structures," Mr Duddy said.
The Australian
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