Xstrata plans put region's farms at risk

DON Lethbridge fears there won't be any farms around Taroom and Wandoan, with Xstrata looking to expand its Wandoan coal project further west with a third stage.

Mr Lethbridge said he was concerned for the future of not only his farm, but his parents and brother Rob's properties as well.

“Anyone with an ounce of good country is losing their places,” Mr Lethbridge said. “There won't be many farmers left.”

He said he hadn't been contacted by Xstrata that there was a lease application on the properties and he only found out when another landholder emailed him a link to a website with government maps.

“It was a rude shock to find out someone might go and take the land off you where you'd lived your life.”

One of the family's properties, ‘Kev' appeared to be covered totally and another, ‘Yo Yo', partially, with a third ‘Cadellia' maybe affected slightly on one boundary. He said the family was questioning how they could continue operating.

Mr Lethbridge said fencing and water systems needed work done on them, as well as a lot of other work.

“Why would you put in new fences only to have the mine come tear it up?”

He said he would like more information on what the application lease meant for the properties.

“My brother and I have been cattle people all our lives,” he said.

Back in August, an Xstrata spokesperson said the company contacted landholders about plans for a new Mining Lease Application (MLA) in the area west of the current Wandoan Coal project boundaries.

“Xstrata Coal will progress the pre-feasibility planning of the next stage of development for these areas, once a number of new MLAs are lodged with the Queensland Government,” the spokesperson said.

Xstrata did not answer calls or emails from Central Telegraph on Mr Lethbridge's concerns.