Dormant gas exploration licences emerge as next frontier in New South Wales gas battle

About a decade ago, a coal seam gas company went door knocking in the New South Wales Upper Hunter.

What happened next would drive a wedge through Anne Bishop’s family.

A close relative signed a contract with the gas company to allow exploratory drilling on their farm near Bunnan.

Ms Bishop, who lives on a neighbouring block, vehemently opposed gas.

“Well of course, it’s a betrayal and it didn’t do anything that was good for family relationships,” she said.

Most of the wells have since been decommissioned but community tension over gas still simmers.

Now, it threatens to bubble to the surface once again.

Energised by the approval of the Narrabri Gas Project, and the federal government’s so-called gas fired…