Farmer did not get questions answered at Bush Summit in Tamworth

"Throughout the day we were sending in questions about the impact that Santos [coal seam gas mining] will have on water resources in the Liverpool Plains," Ms Nankivell said.

"So we were sending in questions [via the Qr code]... and [I felt] they were completely ignored. It was very frustrating."

It is understood that the community were invited to submit questions to those on the panel but due to the volume received there was not enough time to answer all.

Santos' James Murphy attended the summit on Friday, August 11, at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) headlined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

NSW Premier Chris Minns was also in attendance.

Mr Murphy spoke during the panel that focused on renewable energy, alongside Transgrid's Craig Stallan, Squadron Energy CEO Jason Willoughby, Australian Energy Council's Sarah McNamara and Nationals' MP Barnaby Joyce.

Ms Nankivell, a beef, canola, wheat and dry land cotton farmer, has about 2,800 hectares of land in the Oxley Basin at Blackville.

One of the questions Ms Nankivell wanted answered was about the mining giant's plans to protect the aquifers underlying the Liverpool Plains.

In 2022, gas company Santos had a limited number of Petroleum Exploration Licences (PELs) renewed in the Gunnedah Basin by the NSW government.

This year, Santos is expected to start "conducting activities" in the Kahlua area within PEL 1, located about 20 kilometres west of Gunnedah. It will include restarting four existing pilot wells in the area.

Santos is expected to notify nearby landholders before the works commence.

The Leader has contacted Santos for comment.

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University of New South Wales (UNSW) Emeritus Professor Ian Acworth, a hydro geologist with about 30 years' experience researching coal seam gas in the Liverpool Plains, spoke with council members from Gunnedah and Liverpool Plains in July.

Professor Acworth said the biggest concern for farmers is if Santos mines in the eastern area of the Liverpool Plains where coal seam gas sits about 100 to 150 metres underground, and in direct contact with aquifers.

"So if they pump water from those shallower coal seams, they will have a direct impact upon the aquifers," Professor Acworth said.

"So any farmers that have got bores into the aquifers in that area" will have their water supply impacted, he said.

Professor Acworth said if Santos mined for coal seam to the east of Gunnedah, where the town's main water supply is sourced, it wouldn't have as much of an impact because the aquifer would be partially restored with water from the Namoi River.

"But I also doubt whether Santos would actually try and take coal seam gas from so close to Gunnedah because there would be a huge objection," Professor Acworth said.

Coal seam gas mining "is a bit like taking the top off a soda bottle.

"The gas rushes out to start off with but then dies down quite quickly.

"So they would have all this infrastructure and pipeline and all the rest of it installed basically for about 10 or 15 years and then it would be of no use. But the farmland would have been severely impacted.

"So do we want food for 100 years or gas for 10 or 15 years? That's the question that could be posed".

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect James Murphy as representing Santos and Craig Stallan on behalf of Transgrid. It is understood that community members were invited to submit questions to those on the panel, but due to the volume received there was not enough time to answer all of them.

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