BULGA residents will hand NSW Premier Mike Baird a time capsule on Tuesday when he "walks the lands" of the Upper Hunter after an election commitment to become an expert on the impact of coal mining on communities.
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But Peter Brown, Ron and Janet Fenwick, Craig Shaw, Bev Smiles and others want to remind Mr Baird there are more mines in the Upper Hunter than just the controversial Mount Thorley-Warkworth and Drayton mines that are part of this visit. . They expect the Premier to honour his commitment to take a "personal interest" in how coal mining is affecting them.
Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association vice-president John Krey, who will present Mr Baird with a time capsule of the things that will be lost if the Mount Thorley-Warkworth extension goes ahead, agrees.
"This is the start of honouring the commitment Mr Baird made before the election, but it's by no means the end," Mr Krey said. "He hasn't discharged his commitment just by meeting with us."
Mr Baird and Planning Minister Rob Stokes will visit the Drayton South mine site and Woodlands stud on Tuesday morning, and then Mount Thorley Warkworth mine and Bulga.
Peter Brown, who has Mangoola, Mount Arthur and Bengalla mines three kilometres from his Muswellbrook home, invited Mr Baird for a sleepover after the Premier made his commitment to become an expert on mine issues to Alan Jones on March 12.
A sleepover would allow the Premier to "get a real feel for the problems we face", Mr Brown wrote in his invitation to Mr Baird. "It would be enlightening for you, and it might allow you to fully appreciate the dilemma that is the alleged co-existence [or not] of mining and community."
Bylong Valley Protection Alliance invited Mr Baird to have a cup of tea with residents who battled to save The Drip gorge, fought the corrupted Mt Penny mine, and watched the destruction of small communities because of Ulan, Moolarben and Wilpinjong mines.
"In Bylong we face the potential destruction of strategic agricultural land, along with very serious water impacts," alliance secretary Craig Shaw wrote to the Premier. "We have already seen considerable negative impacts on the community and what was a significant thoroughbred stud."
