Lightning Ridge opal miners are casting their eyes over neighbouring land that surrounds laid-out mine fields as they look for new opportunities, revealing a turf war in the town.
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And now the nation knows all about it after their story was aired on ABC TV’s The 7.30 Report last night.
The opal miners are pushing for the right to place a peg on grazing land that farmers have vetoed.
Walgett Shire mayor Ian Woodcock said the turf war had been going on for a few years and it was about time it came to a head.
“There’s been a lot of sniping back and forth,” he said.
Under the Western Lands Act, farmers only have a right to what’s on top of the ground - not what’s underneath it.
“Under law ... they have no rights to what’s under the ground,” Mr Woodcock said.
However, the miners have obligations once they get a farmer’s permission and stake a claim.
“They (miners) must rehabilitate the land when they’ve finished,” Mr Woodcock added.
The mayor said there were inspectors on the ground “all the time” making sure miners were doing the right thing.
He also said it was better for the town if mining exploration was allowed.
“It’s what the town is is all about,” he said.
“If they don’t have an income then they can’t live - their existence comes from mining.”
Secretary manager of the Lightning Ridge Miners Association (LMRA) Maxine O’Brien said the national attention to the miners’ plight was welcomed.
“It brings attention to our national gem stones,” she said.
Ms O’Brien said the mines were run by small individual miners, not large corporations.
“It’s good for the region if people can diversify,” she said.
“It’s pretty bloody good for a regional outback town to be able to go between agriculture, tourism and opals.”