JUST one issue dominated north-east NSW, and the coal seam gas (CSG) backlash may have delivered two Nationals heartland seats to the Greens.
High school teacher and solicitor Tamara Smith capitalised on a CSG opposition to claim the seat of Ballina for the Greens, following a massive 31 per cent swing away from the Nationals.
However, the Australian Electoral Commission is yet to declare the result.
Next door, the seat of Lismore is still too close to call but Greens candidate Adam Guise is for the first time neck and neck with long-serving former stock agent Thomas George.
Yesterday, as pre-poll and postal vote counting continued, the gap narrowed - at one stage there was just 100 votes difference - but analysts are tipping Lismore will end up Green.
The Nationals said few farmers walked out on them, rather it has been the influx of "lifestylers" and "seachangers" to the region that effected the swing.
That has been hotly contested by both Greens candidates, and indeed the results at country booths across the region support their claims of farmer backlash.
In the Lismore electorate, Tenterfield appears to be the only area where there has not been a swing against the Nats.
Mr Guise pointed to dairying hub Goolmangar, just outside Lismore, where the Nats polled 68pc at the last election in 2011 and just 35pc on Saturday.
The Goolmangar area has always been won hands down by the Nationals. It was also the first community in the region which declared itself "gasfield free".
"Goolmangar was the litmus test, showing the extent to which farmers have turned against the Nats," Mr Guise said.
"This electorate has seen former Nats hierarchy walk out on the party over CSG."
Ms Smith said "the size of the swing speaks for itself: If not farmers (turning away), then who?".
She said her first priority would be to secure the Coalition's promise of a gas-free Northern Rivers, then "move onto securing the same for the rest of the state".
But both Ms Smith and Mr Guise said the Greenwash was not just about CSG, listing privatisation of TAFE, the ICAC corruption findings and the decline of social services in the bush as contributing factors.
Both politicians promoted themselves at protests during the campaign.
They're not jumping to farmers' defence to protect farms from trespass and surveillance.
Any laws advocating less transparency in what goes on in primary production won't be supported by the Greens, Mr Guise said.
"Community support won't come from hiding and covering up what is happening on a small number of farms, it will come from robustly prosecuting the offenders," he said.
"We don't support any attempt to stifle political expression.
"Instead, we need to give farmers the support they need to uphold animal welfare standards. From that, there will be no need for protesters to target farms and shine the spotlight on farming activities.
"If farmers are getting similar levels of support from the government on animal welfare that they have with agriculture extension, there is a lot of work to be done."
The Greens said the party gained an average swing of 3.6pc on the North Coast and Mid North Coast, including 10pc in Lismore, and swings to the Greens in six out of the seven seats in this region.
The party said it also gained an average swing of 1.98pc in the Central West, North West and Far West, including 4.2pc in Northern Tablelands, and no swings against the Greens in seats in the state's north.