Ben Solity from the group Front Line Action on Coal spent 13 hours suspended from a bridge over the Namoi River in protest at Whitehaven Coal’s operations.

It is claimed the stunt, which included the unfurling of a flag reading “Whitehaven Coal – No Water, No Future”, held up a coal train leaving the Maules Creek mine.

“Australians do not want coal for Christmas and Whitehaven are trying to sneak it into their stockings whilst everyone is distracted,” Mr Solity said.

“Farmers need water to continue to put food on our tables, so why are companies like Whitehaven allowed to take it with preference over farmers?”

Police attended the scene about 9am but it was a further seven hours until a specialist police rescue unit arrived to assess the situation.

Witnesses said about 4.30pm police attempted to reach the logistics consultant using equipment supplied by Whitehaven Coal.

But the 31-year-old mainstay of the burgeoning anti-coal movement then locked himself to the bridge and it took until about 7.30pm before he was cut free and arrested.

In the past fortnight Whitehaven Coal has begun railing coal from the $767 million coalmine in the Leard State Forest, near Boggabri, to Newcastle for export.

The protest-plagued project will see up to 13 million tonnes of thermal and coking coal extracted each year during the three-decade life of the mine.

About 600 workers were employed during the year-long construction phase and a workforce of up to 450 people will be needed once the mine hits peak production.

Mr Solity was charged and bailed to appear in Narrabri Local Court on February 26.