A groundswell of community concern over water and farming will be be vented at a public hearing for Whitehaven’s proposed Vickery coal mine expansion in Boggabri and Gunnedah next week.

Lock the Gate Alliance is calling on the Queensland Government to prosecute BHP to the full extent of the law, after it was revealed the mining giant likely polluted creeks surrounding its Saraji coal mine in Central Queensland.

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.