"It's unacceptable that it could be allowed in this location and it's impact is likely to be far-reaching," resident Cain James said.

THE PROPOSAL

Company DART Energy plans to drill four natural gas wells in Fullerton Cove to test the commercial viability of coal-seam gas extraction.

While the company has assured residents it will not use the controversial technique of fracking the community has yelled a collective no and jumped on board with the Lock the Gate campaign.

THE CAMPAIGN

The group held its own meeting of 120 people to discuss the impact of the wells and members attended DART's community information session.

More than 15 residents met with the Examiner to explain their campaign.

"Drillers visiting the area was the first indication of the company's interest," group spokesman Lindsay Clout said.

"They drilled an exploratory hole and told us it would be 10 years before any kind of extraction and now less than 18 months has passed and they are back.

"Our suspicion is growing."

DART's RESPONSE

A DART spokesman admitted "we could have done things better" and assured future communication.

The group's main issues are damage to ground water and the water table, proximity to the river, house prices and losing their lifestyle.

But a spokesman for DART said there will be no impact on the water table or the lifestyle of residents whose land is not being used in the drilling.

As for house prices he said, "we don't control the property market".

Resident and fisherman David Woodward said the entire cove often floods and when the water recedes it takes everything into the river with it.

He said if the pilot gas wells were flooded it would directly endanger the marine life and the farmland which relies on underground streams for spear point irrigation.

"They are expecting bristling fields of infrastructure and wells sitting everywhere across the ground which is not the case," the DART spokesman said.

"The issue here is perception."

TO JOIN

The campaign group is urging others who feel strongly about gas extraction to get involved by contacting nocsgfullertoncove@y7mail.com.