Liverpool Plains and Gunnedah Councils consult gas experts on policies

"Mainly because it's almost a unique combination of incredible groundwater resources topped off with incredibly good soils," he said.

The professor provided a groundwater resources update for Gunnedah and Liverpool Plains Councils on Wednesday, July 19, and Thursday, July 20, respectively, noting their underground aquifer systems, from which water is extracted for both farming and mining, are interconnected.

This means if water is pumped out of coal seams to generate gas, or to support open cast coal, there will be a direct connection back to farmers, he said.

"When the farmer's are pumping from what they think is an unconsolidated resource, it would appear that they're actually pumping a fair bit of water out of the coal seams as well," Professor Acworth said.

"There is a fundamental fallacy built into the groundwater models which hasn't been recognised until very recently."

Professor Acworth was among those that helped overturn the Shenhua Watermark coal project in the Liverpool Plains in 2021, on the basis it would damage the agricultural food bowl and rich water aquifers.

Coalition deputy premier John Barilaro at the time then promised to prohibit mining in the Liverpool Plains.

In 2022, gas company Santos took steps towards expanding the Narrabri Gas Project into the Liverpool Plains and announced plans to conduct seismic surveys in the area. Two petroleum exploration licences (PELs) were re approved by the coalition state government earlier that year.

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According to energy analyst Bruce Robertson, who also presented to Gunnedah Council on Wednesday, the project hasn't delivered for the people of Narrabri, or the people of Gunnedah, and gas was leaving the energy system.

"Gas is yesterday's fuel, and we should be looking forward now, not backwards," he said.

"Is it worth running the risk [to agriculture]? The answer's no, because gas will be a short lived industry."

Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey said council had been reviewing its policy towards gas extraction since the coalition state government released the Future of Gas Statement in 2021.

"I think it's an opportunity through consultation from members of our community to put forward an alternate view than the one that the state government has," he said.

The 2021 coalition state government's position was supportive of the Narrabri Gas Project, stating gas has a future in regional NSW.

Gunnedah's current policy is to support developments approved by the tiers of government that don't conflict with Gunnedah's positions.

Liverpool Plains mayor Doug Hawkins said his council was opposed to the PELs, but was not in opposition to the Narrabri Gas Pipeline, providing the company looked to put the route on public ground or stock routes, and negotiated with private land holders.

"We're trying to encourage value-added industries to our agricultural area," he said.

"We are an agricultural region, and we do protect that agricultural land and the water table."

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