Guitar and heart strings will be pulled tomorrow (Jan 23) evening as a host of musicians come together to support farmers battling against the might of the coal mining industry.

Federal Environment Minister Melissa Price’s decision on Friday (Jan 18) to give the go ahead to the Wallarah 2 Coal Mine will harm residents of the Central Coast and threatened wildlife, according to Lock the Gate Alliance. 

A new television advertisement starring Hunter Valley locals begins screening in the region tomorrow (Jan 22), highlighting the need to protect farmland from destructive coal mining.

The NSW Government has allowed mining company Shenhua to alter its development approval for the controversial Watermark open cut coal mine in the Liverpool Plains, near Gunnedah, which will enable work on site to begin without key management plans being approved.

Community groups are celebrating the news this week that Blue Energy gas permits in the Wide Bay Burnett region have expired and will not be renewed.

The Department of Natural Resources and Mines has informed Lock the Gate Alliance this week that the two Blue Energy gas permits that were due for renewal on the 31^st December have expired, and will not be renewed.