FARMERS have stepped up the fight against coal seam gas mining, as companies look to increase exploration in the State's largest agricultural producing region, Gippsland.
The issue has been described as the biggest since native title with mining companies now having gained exploration licences for more than 350,000 hectares of Gippsland.
Strzelecki beef producer Ray Boys has farmed on his property for 12 years and believes CSG mining is a huge threat to the farming industry.
Mr Boys, who is part of the CSG Free Poowong community group, says water contamination is one of the most serious issues associated with mining.
"Mining companies can drill within 100 metres of any water reserve or dam and CSG mining uses large amounts of water," Mr Boys said.
"The casing of the wells is filled with concrete but this is corroded overtime by the gas and other chemicals contained in the coal seam.
"Eventually the gas will migrate up along the casing and into the aquifer and ground water, infusing this hitherto reliably pure water with hydrocarbon, heavy metal and radioactive contamination.
"Mining companies have a proven history of underground water contamination, so why would we take this risk?"
Each CSG well uses an average of 20,000 litres of water a day, according to the CSIRO.
Underground water contamination is just one of the issues farmers have with liveability, health, land values, soil contamination and fire risk also on their list of concerns.
Friends of the Earth community campaigner and Lock The Gate Victoria co-ordinator Ursula Alquier said mining companies have offered no community consultation and have no interest in protecting Gippsland's clean underground water tables.
"We will not give large multi-national companies permission to put at risk everything that is precious to us in Gippsland," Ms Alquier said.
"Mining applications are on farmer's land before they know it so we are encouraging all farmers to put up the national Lock The Gate signs.
"The risks associated with coal and CSG mining are far too great and what we stand to lose is far too important."
Ms Alquier said there were serious fire risks associated with CSG mining, which the companies did not bring to light.
"Fugitive emissions are a constant feature of CSG fields," Ms Alquier said.
"Methane and other combustible hydrocarbons escape from the other exit points such as cracks in the earth and in rivers.
"The flaring must continue at all time, even on total fire ban days. How do local CFA members feel about being called out to a CSG fire?"
Lakes Oil chairman Rob Annells said contamination of the water table was not an issue as their particular company worked well below the table.
"We drill well below the water table, with drilling being as shallow as 1200 m and as deep as 2500m," Mr Annells said.
He also said fire was not an issue.
"Our flares do not have to be flaring all the time and we actually have the get authority from the CFA to have them flaring on a total fire ban day," Mr Annells said.
When it comes to community consultation, Lakes Oil said they were legally obliged to personally contact landholders.
"We spend a lot of time with the community on a consultation and we feel like we have a good relationship with people," Mr Annells said. 0
"We personally contact landholders within 1.5 kilometres of where we are drilling or testing by phone or in person.
"We also contact landholders who are within five kilometres of where we are drilling or testing by mail.
"I feel that the majority of people in Seaspray understand what we are doing and we are always happy to talk to people."
