Hunter Valley growers continue to make as much noise as they can over the development of coal seam gas projects beneath the wine region, but are increasingly concerned that their message is falling on deaf ears. According to Andrew Margan, President of the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association, the industry is under threat because the previous NSW government favoured mining over viticulture. He argues ‘I think we’re at a tipping point now in terms of our roads and ability for people to move up the valley to where all this mining is going on and all of this needs to be taken into calculation.’ The Greens have called for new legislation to protect the Hunter’s vineyard area and the historic village of Wollombi. Margan says the government has promised ‘protection and certainty over our future’.
