Warrick Jordan appeared in a Tamworth court yesterday over four charges – including two for trespassing – received more than a year ago after a protest at a CSG exploration site in the Pilliga State Forest, formerly run by mining company Eastern Star Gas – now Santos.

Mr Jordan pleaded guilty to risk safety of self and was fined $550 yesterday, but pleaded not guilty to the other three charges.

He said it was a balanced outcome but it won’t stop him from taking part in future protests.

On July 5 last year, Mr Jordan went to the Pilliga State Forest with a group of 20 local members for a “peaceful” protest.

He scaled the gas rig, set up a hammock and attached an anti-CSG banner to the front – and stayed there for about eight hours. Over that time police said he would be rescued if he did not volunteer to climb down.

Mr Warrick thought he eventually made his point and came down about 4pm, only to be arrested and charged.

Solicitor Sue Higginson, from the Environmental Defender’s Office, argued the technicalities involved in determining what land was legally classed as trespassing on, when it was a public forest.

“Mr Jordan had an honest and reasonable belief that he was allowed on that land – he had an entitlement to be on those lands and not be excluded from the area,” Ms Higginson said.

Magistrate McPherson said he got over the line in relation to the honest and reasonable factor, but there was difficulty in establishing a reason for remaining there.

“Clearly he wanted to test whether it was inclosed land or not – clearly he lost,” Magistrate McPherson said.

The prosecution argued Mr Jordan knew the land was inclosed and was therefore not able to be entered legally.

Ultimately, the trespass charges were dismissed and the other charge of failing to leave an area on being requested by an authorised officer was withdrawn.

Outside court, Mr Jordan was relieved his journey through the legal system had ended but said it contrasted sharply with the treatment of CSG companies that breach environmental laws.

“It seems there is a double standard at play which sees protestears feel the full brunt of the law while coal seam gas companies pollute our environment with impunity,” he said. 

In the same court yesterday, fellow environmental activist Carmel Flint of the Northern Inland Council for the Environment appeared for a brief mention for trespass charges she received in April.

Ms Flint faces two charges – entering inclosed land without lawful excuse and remaining on inclosed land without lawful excuse – after chaining herself to a buldozer for seven hours at a mining site near Boggabri on April 11.

She said she had been protesting to bring awareness to three open-cut coal mines in the district.

Ms Flint yesterday said her charges had not deterred her protest action intentions.

“The issue is not going away and the Gunnedah Basin is going full tilt ahead to becoming the next Hunter,” she said.