Keith Muir was presenting the Colong Foundation’s submission to this week’s public hearing by the Planning Assessment Commission into Centennial Coal’s bid for an extension of operations at Springvale Colliery.

A succession of environmental lobbyists made submissions to the commission, mostly based on just two issues — the hanging swamps on the Newnes Plateau and claims that mine water discharges would contaminate Sydney’s water supply where the Coxs River empties into Warragamba Dam at the foot of the Blue Mountains.

Mr Muir claimed that out of town environmental groups ‘know more about the Newnes Plateau than the locals do’.

He said that as far back as 1932 there had been a report recommending that the Blue Mountains National Park should embrace the entire Newnes Plateau.

This never happened and in 2005 Mr Muir was the author of a report calling for a Gardens of Stone State Conservation area to include Newnes Plateau.

He said that unlike a National Park a State Conservation Area would allow for ‘appropriately regulated underground mining’.

“Conservation groups have been trying for 80 years to protect this area,” he told the three PAC commissioners.

“We are very serious about the protection of this area.”

Then addressing the capacity audience at the Workmens Club Mr Muir added that ‘…we argue that we know it (the plateau) better than you do without doubt.

“We are not anti you. We are wanting to work with you. 

"The swamps have been around for 18,000 years.

"We’d like to see them last for another 18,000 years.”

Chairman of the PAC hearing Brian Gilligan at this stage reminded Mr Muir that ‘..you are here to make a submission to the Planning Assessment Commission, not to a public meeting’.

The PAC is to present its report to the Minister at the end of June.