“The coal seam gas companies are silently marching on,” Baerami Creek farm manager Rowan Smith said.

“We need to be vigilant right now and stop them. Once they get in the door it is terribly difficult.

“We’ve seen what’s happened in Queensland.”

Energy companies want to access private land in Baerami Creek, Widden Valley, Kerrabee and Sandy Hollow for coal seam gas exploration.

It is believed Planet Gas has started exploratory drilling in Kerrabee.

Two public meetings in Baerami earlier this year attracted more than 200 people and a local submission to the current NSW parliamentary inquiry on coal seam gas was signed by 180 residents in opposition.

A meeting to form a committee to oversee the fight against coal seam gas in the area will be held at Baerami Hall on December 3 at 2pm.

“If community members have been approached or have signed up we want to hear how they have been treated,” Mr Smith said.

“It has caused division in the community when it’s thought some people have signed up for drilling in their areas, when they may not have signed up.

“The rumours go round.”

There is a growing movement of opposition to coal seam gas exploration in NSW.

Wybong, Merriwa, Bunnan and Bylong Valley residents have already formed action groups that share information.

The inquiry into coal seam gas has received 1000 submissions including ones from Upper Hunter Shire Council, Upper Hunter Waterkeepers Alliance, and Wollombi Valley Against Gas Extraction, Save Bunnan Inc and Wybong Action Group, and the Hunter Valley Wine Association.

In its submission, the Bylong Valley Protection Alliance calls for a precautionary approach, land use planning, landowners to have more say and a detailed water study in each catchment prior to exploration.

Representatives of AGL Energy, Santos, the NSW Farmers Association, Lock the Gate Alliance, and Doctors for the Environment Australia addressed a hearing of the inquiry in Sydney yesterday.

The report is due in April.