A BELANGLO Forest resident has demanded that coal exploration drilling on land he leases from Forests NSW is stopped immediately.
Rob Matthews said he pays rates to council and "rent" to Forests NSW on the 550-acre block which he has for grazing purposes.
The company contracted by Hume Coal to carry out the drilling, Highland Drilling, stopped its work and left the site partially rehabilitated after being contacted by Mr Matthews.
Mr Matthews said the contract he had with Forests NSW included a clause stating "if the Land or any part of the Land is required for any forestry, mining or other public purpose Forests NSW reserves the right, upon giving you not less than one month's notice in writing, to cancel the Permit or reduce the area of the Land".
He also said that a document he has from the Valuer General stated that he was the lessee of the property.
"There's some confusion because I'm paying council rates based on the Valuer General's rating as leased land, yet I was not given a month's written notice."
However, Forests NSW's Tony Scherl said the contract was an Occupation Permit and not a lease.
"The conditions Mr Matthews are referring to are not applicable in this case because we're not actually modifying the lease," he said. "He does have a permit over a forest area but it's still State Forest.
"He's got certain rights and obligations on that area but they don't really extend to the activity that he's claimed at the moment."
Hume Coal's Dane Stewart said the company contacted Mr Mathews a week before operations commenced to inform him of its intention to drill on the property.
"Under Hume Coal's Occupation Permit for Belanglo State Forest, Hume Coal is not required to notify pastoral leaseholders of planned exploration activities before they occur," he said.
"However, as a matter of best practice and to keep the community up to date about planned activities in the area, maps and plans of our intention to undertake drilling activities in the area were provided to impacted parties about five months ago.
"A phone call was also placed to the holder of the permit a week before operations commenced."
He said Hume Coal had consent from Forests NSW to access land, including leased land, within the forest for exploration drilling.
Southern Highlands Coal Action Group coordinator Tim Frost said Hume Coal's actions were "outrageous".
"It's typical of their high-handed bully-boy tactics, move in and ride rough-shot over other people's rights," he said.
Mr Stewart said Hume Coal notified Forests NSW to ensure compliance after it was contacted by Mr Mathews.
"One drill hole and remediation works were completed on Monday. Total rehabilitation of the site will be completed in a timely manner once Forests NSW provided guidance on this issue," Mr Stewart said.
Hume Coal holds an Exploration Authorisation covering 115 km2 in the Southern Highlands that includes an area within the Belanglo State Forest.
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