Vines v mines

Farmers and grapegrowers across the Hunter will take to the streets of Sydney next month as part of a rally opposing coal seam gas exploration in the vineyards. Residents, farmers and grapegrowers from Broke, Bulga, Fordwich, Belford, Lovedale and Pokolbin will join the march to Parliament House on May 1 to put a stop to coal seam gas mining in the valley, reports The Maitland Mercury. “If the coal seam gas exploration continues then it could change the whole of the Hunter Valley grape industry,” Broke grapegrower and member of the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance Graeme Gibson said.