**4. Activism and the rise of unlikely alliances**

Becoming 'politicised' as Bryce suggests above, is for some an entirely new position in which they find themselves. Many have never protested before, nor felt compelled to stand up and resist the actions of government, until now. In Narrabri shire, unlikely alliances between farmers, environmentalists and concerned others have formed to respond against what people see as undesirable and unsustainable land use practices being imposed upon them. Many perceive that actions taken by industry and inaction by government has allowed social and environmental injustices to be imposed by the State upon communities [6].

coexistence). This recognition seemed to figure in many conversations with local people who suggested that land use change had been forced upon them and the long-term economic benefits of this was not immediately apparent. For example, as Carl, a retired famer suggests:

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*If the farming industry kind of grows, it evolves slowly over the years… but these industries that we've got coming in now, have been forced upon us. It's not something that the community really has had* 

In terms of the influence of CSG on farming land, what many farmers expressed concern

*As far as the coal seam gas is concerned, there's no doubt regardless of what the mining companies or gas companies say, you've got fields and you've got gas bores in them and they've got roads and pipes and everything. It completely changes the farming programme. Of course, it's a 'no-no' as far as* 

In relation to the exporting of coal from the region, Olivier, a local councillor noted that there also seemed to be competition for rail infrastructure occurring and that this was also causing

*…That's another thing, coal has taken precedence over wheat being moved, and in the middle of a harvest, shifting wheat in a hurry is a big thing. [It's] on a single line track; you can only get x amount of cartage on some trains. So, it's a big thing. The shipping of coal is competing against the shipping of* 

In terms of the sustainability of this situation and the changes the community has had to weather, comments from Caitlin, a large producer, re-echo the idea of the urban/rural divide: *[I have to ask] - Are we the guinea pigs? Are our families second class citizens? I have heard that the NSW government has bought back CSG licences in the Sydney Basin citing protection of community and protection of water resources as the reason behind this. Why are the residents of Sydney's health protected but we out here in the Narrabri shire neglected? Aren't we deserving of the same protections?* In terms of visions for the future, almost all of the visions discussed by participants remained firmly situated in agriculture. This was connected with the fact that farmers today, as mentioned above, see themselves very much as stewards caring for the land. In their mind therefore, in terms of temporality, agriculture has proved it is a stalwart that can be maintained

*The bottom line is, agriculture will be here in a hundred years' time. Mining won't be, but agriculture will only be here if we do it sustainably. We've got to be very careful; we can't just keep raping and pillaging and plundering the country from an agricultural perspective. We've got to stop using chemical fertilisers, and we've got to genuinely start to look at the biological renewal of our soil. 90% of the growers I deal with agree with that sentiment… We're very fortunate in this region, we're one of the few regions in the country… [where] we're blessed with a beautiful mix of an ideal climate, soils and clean water resources, and we can grow two crops a year here. Very, very few places in the country can* 

*The guiding principle that we run our business by, [is] that we are effectively borrowing this land from our children, whether that be our own children or just future generations, and we're very mindful of that. With any borrowing, comes interest, and in terms of the interest in this particular case, whilst we own that land in a legal sense, we're borrowing it, and the interest we have to pay is to return that land,* 

*or pass that on to the next generation, in a better way than we found it.*

about was the footprint of operations. As Malcolm, a large farmer in the Shire notes:

*any input into at all.*

*irrigated land [is] concerned.*

*wheat or grain out here.*

long into the future [2, 6]. As Caitlin, notes further:

disputes locally:

*do that.*

Responding to the perceived absence of protection by government, farmers and environmental groups have been drawn together through their experience of what has been framed as 'an antagonistic other', that is, an external force embedded in extractive activities that threatens their individual and collective well-being [2, 6]. On one side of the argument, farmers are concerned that minerals and gas extraction may adversely affect their agricultural pursuits through negative impacts on the environment and, subsequently, impact the lifestyles and well-being of their local communities, local amenity and sense of place ([6], p. 112). On the other side, environmental groups and concerned others are anxious to promote sustainable development, to reduce the human footprint on nature, and to promote alternative and clean energy sources [6]. While traditionally, these values have been quite divergent, in the face of a common antagonist, a sense of collective identity has emerged underpinned by an evolved notion of stewardship, of caring for the land and conserving the environment for future generations [2, 6, 31]. Thus, an interplay between the informal and formal political spaces has emerged. Exemplifying the growing relationship between farmers and those they see as 'likeminded others', Dana a farmer's wife, explains how farming activists, through their association with "greenies" have acquired a sense of support and legitimisation in their opposition to CSG operators seeking access to their land:

*Right now, all [farmers] perceive is that: "you're going to take away my life, full stop. So, I don't want to hear what you've got to say. You're going to destroy everything I've worked for. I've got every greenie up a tree who's going to back me up, so whatever you've got to say, I don't care".*

Comments like these, help explain how shared common values have become a springboard for collaboration and under this banner, how historical differences have been able to be set aside.

#### **4.1. Temporality and alternate visions of the future**

The idea of temporality was referred to many times throughout this research particularly in regard to extractive industries. This issue is important because it is connected with changing social relationships with the material world and as such, it is also reflects ongoing power struggles. Mines and extractive industries are being understood as more than spatial features of the landscape and as such, are intertwined with and against past memories, present experiences and future visions. It is only when these temporal factors are compared, however, against different land use visions such as those we find in Narrabri shire, that we begin to acknowledge how perceptions and understandings of temporal dimensions can become grounds for contestation and dispute.

Recent research conducted by Chen and Randall ([36], p. 17) suggests that while the shortterm economic benefits of extractive industries are generally orders of magnitude greater than those of agriculture, in regards to the long-term economic net benefits from agriculture, these tend to exceed those of CSG extraction and/or mixed use (i.e. agriculture and CSG coexistence). This recognition seemed to figure in many conversations with local people who suggested that land use change had been forced upon them and the long-term economic benefits of this was not immediately apparent. For example, as Carl, a retired famer suggests:

resist the actions of government, until now. In Narrabri shire, unlikely alliances between farmers, environmentalists and concerned others have formed to respond against what people see as undesirable and unsustainable land use practices being imposed upon them. Many perceive that actions taken by industry and inaction by government has allowed social and

Responding to the perceived absence of protection by government, farmers and environmental groups have been drawn together through their experience of what has been framed as 'an antagonistic other', that is, an external force embedded in extractive activities that threatens their individual and collective well-being [2, 6]. On one side of the argument, farmers are concerned that minerals and gas extraction may adversely affect their agricultural pursuits through negative impacts on the environment and, subsequently, impact the lifestyles and well-being of their local communities, local amenity and sense of place ([6], p. 112). On the other side, environmental groups and concerned others are anxious to promote sustainable development, to reduce the human footprint on nature, and to promote alternative and clean energy sources [6]. While traditionally, these values have been quite divergent, in the face of a common antagonist, a sense of collective identity has emerged underpinned by an evolved notion of stewardship, of caring for the land and conserving the environment for future generations [2, 6, 31]. Thus, an interplay between the informal and formal political spaces has emerged. Exemplifying the growing relationship between farmers and those they see as 'likeminded others', Dana a farmer's wife, explains how farming activists, through their association with "greenies" have acquired a sense of support and legitimisation in their opposition

*Right now, all [farmers] perceive is that: "you're going to take away my life, full stop. So, I don't want to hear what you've got to say. You're going to destroy everything I've worked for. I've got every greenie* 

Comments like these, help explain how shared common values have become a springboard for collaboration and under this banner, how historical differences have been able to be set aside.

The idea of temporality was referred to many times throughout this research particularly in regard to extractive industries. This issue is important because it is connected with changing social relationships with the material world and as such, it is also reflects ongoing power struggles. Mines and extractive industries are being understood as more than spatial features of the landscape and as such, are intertwined with and against past memories, present experiences and future visions. It is only when these temporal factors are compared, however, against different land use visions such as those we find in Narrabri shire, that we begin to acknowledge how perceptions and understandings of temporal dimensions can become

Recent research conducted by Chen and Randall ([36], p. 17) suggests that while the shortterm economic benefits of extractive industries are generally orders of magnitude greater than those of agriculture, in regards to the long-term economic net benefits from agriculture, these tend to exceed those of CSG extraction and/or mixed use (i.e. agriculture and CSG

*up a tree who's going to back me up, so whatever you've got to say, I don't care".*

environmental injustices to be imposed by the State upon communities [6].

to CSG operators seeking access to their land:

298 Land Use - Assessing the Past, Envisioning the Future

**4.1. Temporality and alternate visions of the future**

grounds for contestation and dispute.

*If the farming industry kind of grows, it evolves slowly over the years… but these industries that we've got coming in now, have been forced upon us. It's not something that the community really has had any input into at all.*

In terms of the influence of CSG on farming land, what many farmers expressed concern about was the footprint of operations. As Malcolm, a large farmer in the Shire notes:

*As far as the coal seam gas is concerned, there's no doubt regardless of what the mining companies or gas companies say, you've got fields and you've got gas bores in them and they've got roads and pipes and everything. It completely changes the farming programme. Of course, it's a 'no-no' as far as irrigated land [is] concerned.*

In relation to the exporting of coal from the region, Olivier, a local councillor noted that there also seemed to be competition for rail infrastructure occurring and that this was also causing disputes locally:

*…That's another thing, coal has taken precedence over wheat being moved, and in the middle of a harvest, shifting wheat in a hurry is a big thing. [It's] on a single line track; you can only get x amount of cartage on some trains. So, it's a big thing. The shipping of coal is competing against the shipping of wheat or grain out here.*

In terms of the sustainability of this situation and the changes the community has had to weather, comments from Caitlin, a large producer, re-echo the idea of the urban/rural divide:

*[I have to ask] - Are we the guinea pigs? Are our families second class citizens? I have heard that the NSW government has bought back CSG licences in the Sydney Basin citing protection of community and protection of water resources as the reason behind this. Why are the residents of Sydney's health protected but we out here in the Narrabri shire neglected? Aren't we deserving of the same protections?*

In terms of visions for the future, almost all of the visions discussed by participants remained firmly situated in agriculture. This was connected with the fact that farmers today, as mentioned above, see themselves very much as stewards caring for the land. In their mind therefore, in terms of temporality, agriculture has proved it is a stalwart that can be maintained long into the future [2, 6]. As Caitlin, notes further:

*The bottom line is, agriculture will be here in a hundred years' time. Mining won't be, but agriculture will only be here if we do it sustainably. We've got to be very careful; we can't just keep raping and pillaging and plundering the country from an agricultural perspective. We've got to stop using chemical fertilisers, and we've got to genuinely start to look at the biological renewal of our soil. 90% of the growers I deal with agree with that sentiment… We're very fortunate in this region, we're one of the few regions in the country… [where] we're blessed with a beautiful mix of an ideal climate, soils and clean water resources, and we can grow two crops a year here. Very, very few places in the country can do that.*

*The guiding principle that we run our business by, [is] that we are effectively borrowing this land from our children, whether that be our own children or just future generations, and we're very mindful of that. With any borrowing, comes interest, and in terms of the interest in this particular case, whilst we own that land in a legal sense, we're borrowing it, and the interest we have to pay is to return that land, or pass that on to the next generation, in a better way than we found it.*

#### Echoing this and the future of agriculture, Keith, a local farmer notes:

*The thing is we've been in agriculture for six generations. The last thing I'm ever going to do is to be turned onto another industry that has no future. Even if it had a 30-year future here, that's not the sort of future that you can then hand over to your grandchildren and their children.*

to engage with their concerns and to offer them a valuable stake in the decisions made. Only

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The author wishes to sincerely thank all of the residents of Narrabri shire who participated in this research project. This research received ethics clearance from the University of Newcastle's Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval No. H-2015-0193) before recruitment of participants took place. All quotations from participants used throughout the chapter

Many thanks also to Olivier Rey-Lescure, cartographer at the University of Newcastle, who

[1] Lane M, Robinson C, Taylor B. Introduction. In: Lane M, Robinson C, Taylor B, editors. Contested Country—Local and Regional Natural Resources Management in Australia.

[2] Askland HH, Askew M, Hanley J, Sherval M, Farrugia D, Threadgold S, Coffey J. Local Attitudes to Changing Land Use—Narrabri Shire [Report]. Newcastle: The University of

[3] NSW Government Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Strategic regional land use plan—Upper hunter [Internet]. 2012. Available from: http://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/

[4] NSW Government Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Strategic regional land use plan–New England north west [Internet]. 2012. Available from: http://www.

Newcastle and the NSW Department of Primary Industries; 2016. 118p

default/files/initiatives/upperhunterslup\_sd\_v01.pdf [Accessed: 2018-04-12]

are with permission; though the participants have been de-identified.

then, might there be a real chance for 'co-existence'.

provided mapping assistance for this chapter.

No potential conflict of interest is reported by the author.

Address all correspondence to: meg.sherval@newcastle.edu.au

1st ed. Collingwood: CSIRO Publishing; 2009. pp. 1-13

The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia

**Acknowledgements**

**Conflict of interest**

**Author details**

Meg Sherval

**References**

As researchers Langridge et al. ([37], p. 4) suggest overall though, while there is public support nationally for agriculture, it is science and technology that will assist farmers in changing the face of farming and ensuring its long term sustainability. In their opinion ([37], p. 1), 'agriculture today is a very sophisticated and highly technical industry, and in Australia it has been one of our most innovative and efficient industries "which has allowed us to meet 'our moral commitment to food security in the region". To ensure that this continues to happen, they suggest that a combination of old knowledge and new is needed and that modern farmers, will need for example:

*the traditional knowledge of cropping systems, fertiliser regimes, field pathology and so on but will also need to know techniques for assessing crop health based on analysis of the light reflected from crops and captured on images generated from drones or satellites. In the future, farmers will also be capturing data from even more diverse sources, linking this to genetic information and predictive climate models and using the result to help them decide when to sow their crops, when to apply fertilisers, how to protect crops from disease and when to harvest ([37], p. 4).*

Preparing for this brave new world, is deemed essential as 'food security is inextricably linked to the political stability of our region "and that of others globally ([37], p. 2).
