Thirty residents gathered at a Coal Seam Gas information evening at the USMC last Tuesday.
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Staunch anti-coal seam gas exploration advocate, Col Hamilton, offered residents the opportunity to view the documentary "A Fractured Country", and listen to speakers in the anti-coal seam gas movement.
Speakers from renowned Lock the Gate Alliance, The Great Artesian Basin Protection Basin Protection Group and a Gilgandra farmer attended.
The speakers explained the many examples of water supplies being contaminated with toxic chemicals and heavy metals in southern Queensland and the Pilliga region.
Anne Kennedy from the Great Artesian Protection Group said stock were contaminated by leaking CSG wells.
"The gas field in Queensland is the main recharge zone for the Great Artesian Basin which is the lifeblood of over 23 per cent of Australia and this CSG industry could destroy it forever. It just doesn't make sense," she said.
Mr Hamilton said now was the ideal time to explain to the community what the impacts on having a CSG industry could be, while the applications were frozen.
"While I was disappointed with the low numbers that came to the evening, I was encouraged by the support for a 'community survey' to take to council to try to prevent CSG mining from coming to our shire," he said.
Mr Hamilton said more is planned for community surveys over the coming months along with more screenings of "A Fractured Country''.
