Not quite The Castle: Why Miners Have a Right to What’s Under Your Land

Farmers have been shocked to find coal seam exploration companies can enter their property. kate ausburn

All over Australia, landowners are fighting to keep mining companies off their property.

From the Darling Downs to the Liverpool Plains, farmers have been locking out coal seam gas extraction companies. In Victoria, exploratory licences have been granted to the Queensland based mining company, Mantle Mining Pty Ltd, to investigate private land situated in and around the rural Victorian areas of Bacchus Marsh, Darley, Myrniong and Ballan.

Landowners are worried about the effects that exploratory drilling may have upon their the land as well as the possibility that an open cut coal mine may be developed.

Who owns the minerals under your land?

This article looks primarily at Victorian legislation covering mining and property rights. However, similar legislation exists in most other states.

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