COROWA residents say they are concerned at the impact coal seam gas mining would have on their town.
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Last month Corowa Council placed a moratorium on coal seam exploration and seismic testing on all land under its care and control.
But the NSW Department of Trade and Investment is still considering a 2012 application by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council for exploration within the shire.
About 160 residents, business people and councillors attended a forum at the Corowa Golf Club to discuss the controversial technology on Thursday night.
About 90 per cent of attendees at the Corowa District Landcare meeting said they were opposed to coal seam gas exploration.
Keynote speaker Gavin Mudd, a senior lecturer at Monash University, said coal seam gas exploration was already having a negative impact on the environment.
“The impact is wide-ranging and can be quite significant,” he said.
“There are many examples of real issues in Queensland.
“Groundwater bores are now spewing out gas instead of groundwater and the studies by industry and government are very poor.”
Dr Mudd said it was hard to say if the technology would cause similar problems in Corowa.
Mayor Fred Longmire, who attended the meeting, said he was not aware of any opposition to coal seam gas in the town.
“People haven’t approached me in that regard,” he said.
A statement from NSW Aboriginal Land Council chief executive officer Lesley Turner was read out at the meeting.
He said there would be strict controls on the exploration if the 2012 application was approved.
“We intend to take a measured approach to resource exploration, underpinned by good research and science, robust risk management thorough consultation, and respect for everyone’s rights,” he said.
