Before he took off from Tamworth Airport for a tour over some of the most productive black soil the country has to offer, he admitted that balance, to maintain food supply through untainted agriculture, was extremely important.

“It’s very important to get the balance right,” he said.

Mr Crean had flown in from a carbon tax forum yesterday morning in Lismore.

He was keen to have a look from the air, with federal member for New England Tony Windsor by his side, at exactly what and where the exploration leases were in this area.

Coal miners BHP Billiton and Shenhua Watermark have taken out massive exploration leases over much of the land in the Namoi Valley, leaving landholders extremely nervous about their future and creating uncertainty in their minds.

Now, with coal seam gas exploration companies and fracking (hydraulic fracturing) in the mix – particularly in the Pilliga scrub near Narrabri – the level of angst has reached fever pitch.

They’re worried the fracking process could pierce aquifers and forever taint the crucial water supply, rendering agricultural land useless.

Mr Windsor last month formulated an amendment to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to take water into account and to overlay federal leglisation onto the state-based process.

The amendment was due to be introduced into parliament late last month, but was held up because of drafting requirements.

It will now be introduced on Monday.

“What the bill does is add water to the legislation,” Mr Windsor said.

“It’s about creating a process where the risks are assessed – and they aren’t under the current state-based process.”

Yesterday’s visit by Mr Crean was an opportunity to “eyeball the landscape and talk to the farmers”, Mr Windsor said.

“We’ve discussed a number of these issues in Canberra, particularly groundwater systems and overland flows.

“What I want the minister to look at ... is how the catchment works.

“I think it’s important to see this from the air ... it’s important to see what the competing land-use concept involves.

“Here, the issue is different (from other areas without aquifers): it’s the impact of development on the water table.

“It’s important to start with the facts, (to) look at the balance to ensure that agriculture is not affected but that (mining and gas exploration is also allowed to happen).”