TWO Southern Highlands villages have declared themselves coal free.
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More than 250 residents and visitors to the shire turned out in force on the weekend to support Berrima and Medway residents as they declared their communities as coal free.
This follows a survey conducted by Battle for Berrima volunteers in November and December last year.
From the contacted and surveyed households, 90.3 per cent of Berrima households and 86.1 per cent of Medway households wanted the community to be coal free.
On Saturday morning in Berrima, hundreds joined the declaration including Mayor Larry Whipper and Councillors Ian Scandrett and Holly Campbell.
The coal free declarations were handed to Cr Whipper, who said they would be formally presented to council.
Battle for Berrima president Jock Pharey said the results of the survey demonstrated the "extraordinary" strength of feeling and depth of opposition to coal mining and exploration in the Southern Highlands.
"While these coal free community declarations have no legal standing, they leave absolutely no uncertainty as to the democratic view of households in Berrima and Medway to future coal mining development such as the Hume Coal proposal," Mr Pharey said.
"The results send a clear message to those political decision makers, who will consider the Hume Coal proposal, that the communities they represent are firmly opposed to the development of new coal mines in the Southern Highlands.
"The real power of our street by street survey of Berrima and Medway is that we have been able to give these communities a voice and the opportunity to say whether or not they want coal mining and exploration to be a part of their futures."
However, Hume Coal project director Greig Duncan said Berrima and Medway's coal-free declaration was "unachieveable".
"How can a community declare itself coal free when the steel in the cars they drive, and the cement in the slab upon which the houses are built, all required coal to produce?" Mr Duncan said.
"The declaration made by Battle for Berrima over the weekend flies in the face of history, so richly celebrated in its 185th anniversary.
"Both villages have a strong mining history, with coal being the sole reason the village of Medway exists today."
Mr Duncan said coal extraction and agriculture co-existed in the Southern Highlands since the mid-1800s and would continue in the future.
"The company looks forward to further consultation with the communities of Berrima and Medway," he said.
For details on the Hume Coal project visit www.humecoal.com.au/ and for details about Battle for Berrima go to www.battleforberrima. com.au/
