PLANS to expand Wambo North underground coalmine, 15 kilometres west of Singleton, have met opposition. The owner of a neighbouring property, Ron Fenwick, objects and the Aboriginal group, Plains Clans of the Wonnarua People, is expected to do likewise. Plains Clans spokesman Scott Franks said: “At this stage we have registered an interest in the proposal because it’s an extremely important area which contains ceremonial sites known as Bora grounds. “We want to see details of the expansion and what the company has in place in terms of archeological assessment and protection of artefacts,” he said. A fact sheet, produced by Wambo’s parent company Peabody Energy, said the expansion would result in the extraction of two million tonnes of coal over two years. It would come from land owned by Wambo Coal and one private landowner and the workings would minimise impacts to Wollombi Brook and associated underground water sources, the sheet said. A public notice by Wambo Coal published in The Singleton Argus said the proposal involved three longwall panels additional to three currently approved longwall panels. The development approval process includes an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment that may involve Wambo Coal seeking a permit to move or destroy Aboriginal objects, the notice said. Wambo spokeswoman Jennifer Morgans said company officials believed they had a good dialogue with Mr Fenwick and were drilling exploration sites on his property with his agreement. Ms Morgans said officials also believed they had “a very healthy relationship” with indigenous representatives and prided themselves on their transparent approach to community consultation. Mr Fenwick said: “I’m very much opposed to this expansion. “Wambo is not drilling on my property under agreement with me and it will not be drilling here. “Coal mining has destroyed the creek running through my property and the underground aquifers and caused serious subsidence problems that have to be addressed before I’ll consider further discussions.”