More than 500 people – the majority on horseback - took to the streets of Scone, Australia’s Horse Capital today. Their message to the State Government and to Bickham Coal Company was clear:  this mine poses too great a risk to high-value agriculture in the district.

A large group of leading thoroughbred horse studs were represented at today’s rally. The Upper Hunter represents the world’s second largest thoroughbred breeding ground. It supplies not only 30% of all Australian thoroughbred foals born in Australia each year, 71.6% of yearlings sold at Australian yearling sales,  75% of Australian stallion service fees, but also in excess of 1000 local jobs. Familiar faces were spotted from studs including Arrowfield, Vinery, Darley, Bellerive, Cressfield, Willow Tree, Yarraman Park, Coolmore, Murulla, Turangga, Kia-Ora, Invermien, and Middlebrook.

The Scone area is also home to the Australian Stockhorse Society, and hosts every equine pursuit from team penning, camp drafting, polocrosse, polo, dressage, and eventing, to showjumping, rodeo, show hack, pony club, and other breeds.

A number of regional identities were called upon to address the crowd from the steps of the newly completed Upper Hunter Shire Council headquarters. Local landowner Peter Haydon dismounted from his Australian Stockhorse to speak. Haydon detailed an expansive list of risks posed by the Bickham mine and made a passionate plea for the community to draft submissions to the Department of Planning by the closing date of 4 December.  

Well known bush poet and Scone resident Greg  Scott recited a poem he had written specifically for the occasion whilst Martin Rush, Mayor of neighbouring shire Muswellbrook, raised loud applause from the crowd when he stated that a small mine such as Bickham should not interfere with longstanding agricultural industries.

John Messara AM, Principal of one of Australia’s largest horse studs Arrowfield, also spoke. He referred to the ‘precautionary principle’ needing to be invoked in the case of Bickham’s application for this mine, and called “for ongoing balance in the State Government’s approach to planning for the region”.   

The 37 degree temperature saw Australian equestrian rider Nikki Richardson - who led today’s parade - shed her Olympic jacket, but themood amongst the crowd remained infectious.

“This isn’t an anti mining rally per se,” commented one of the day’s organisers and 9th generation local Peter White. “It's anti THIS particular mine. Bickham proposes to build its mine 150m from the Pages River. Although much of this water system flows underground, the Pages River is the most historic tributary of the Hunter River which underpins our Horse Capital.  This region has a proven longevity beyond the 25 years of this limited resource mine. We must protect our living water,” added White.