AN impromptu protest against coal seam gas sprung up on a farm near Coonamble on Monday afternoon, when two APA contractors were allegedly caught trespassing on a property.
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One witness told The Leader the pair were caught walking on the land by a neighbour, who pulled over.
“Word spread quickly and all of a sudden there were upwards of 70 people there and 30 to 40 cars,” he said.
“There is a big ‘no trespassing’ sign on the gate they would’ve climbed over. And right next to that is a biosecurity sign with the landowner’s number on, which they could have called.
“There was just no regard for the law. It was pretty disappointing but not unexpected.
“I’m not sure how the cops got involved but they were just there to make sure everything was amicable.”
The pair told the group they had a court order to access the land, but left after they failed to reproduce it, the protester said.
The region’s farmers have been on “high alert” ever since APA announced its intention to build a pipeline through the area to connect with the proposed Narrabri Gas Project.
Jamieson Murphy
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
