More than 600 farmers and residents gathered in Narrabri last night to hear Wyoming Rancher, John Fenton, describe the devastating impacts of unconventional gas mining on his water, his farming business and his family.
This followed a protest action in the Pilliga earlier in the afternoon where several hundred farmers gathered to oppose the fast-track for the Narrabri coal seam gas project announced last week by Deputy Premier, Andrew Stoner.
"The farmers of north-west NSW sent a very strong message yesterday - our water resources are too precious to risk and we will stand up to protect our region from dangerous coal seam gas mining," said north west cotton farmer Jeff Carolan.
"Last night we heard how drilling for unconventional gas in Wyoming poisoned water supplies and ruined the health of farming families and communities.
"We are not prepared to accept those impacts in our region and that's why we voted last night on a resolution to oppose the Narrabri CSG project," he said.
"The announcement of the fast track of the Narrabri Gas Project by the NSW Government last week was a slap in the face for farmers already grappling with a severe drought" said Phil Herbert, a farmer from the Gunnedah region.
"We feel that we have been treated with contempt by the political parties who have been elected to represent us.
"We are demanding that the National Party and all levels of government reconsider their approach to this issue and that they urgently adopt a new policy that accepts farmers concerns and puts a stop to CSG mining in NSW" he said.