All your correspondents were concerned about the environment and all in a very positive way. All your readers would have sympathy with the young mother who fears for her young daughter's future in the forthcoming climate crisis. This is the same crisis that scientists and environmentalists have been warning us about for over twenty years.

It is just scandalous that the politicians, who make the decisions, and the voters who continue to re-elect them, have chosen to ignore the experts and the convinced, and allowed fossil fuel fired pollution to cause this climate change.

Another letter to catch my eye was the one from Jan Hahn, who made the claim that turbines could be a tourist attraction. At least the native animals and sheep are not disturbed by the turbines she saw in other parts of the country. So, all in all Jan appears to be a true environmentalist. I remember her from twenty years ago when she represented the Dungowan rugby league team when attempting to use the local recreation reserve for their games.

Unfortunately this would have necessitated the removal of six large gum trees and I was on the other side that opposed their removal. I joined John and Glenys Bundy of the Landcare Group and the Adult Equestrian Club, while The Cowboys had Peter Draper and the hotel publican, Kevin Smith, who donated 100 native trees.

However the Landcare group said "seedlings in tubes " could not replace the wildlife habitat the existing trees provided. In the end it seems the cowboys got their ground, most of the trees were saved, but the equestrians could only use their area when the rugby league weren't playing, and had to disband.

I offer two adages, let nature be and it's an ill wind that does nobody any good!

Ron Webster, Tamworth

Perhaps there needed a question mark after tourist attraction? A large one at that.

I know the author of this piece personally and I can't believe she shows no respect to new people or 'imports' as she calls us, who aren't 3rd or 4th generation Nundle locals, yet have raised their children and supported this community over decades.

I am proudly one of the so called 'outspoken minority' she refers to but let me assure you, I by no means represent the minority.

We the outspoken have been chosen by our Hills Of Gold Preservation Group Inc community, the largest community group in Nundle's history, to represent the views and knowledge of the overwhelming majority of Nundle/Hanging Rock residents, business owners and landholders who oppose this development in this location.

It's so funny how quick people forget what's been done over the last 10-20 years to improve the opportunities and lifestyle for all who live in Nundle and Hanging Rock.

If we, the majority did not question or raise concerns in the pursuit of rejection of this development by a Sydney-based developer, history would ask, why not? So many people once admired the spirit, the commitment and the drive behind our villages and our community, yet people like Jan, so easily forget.

John Krsulja, President of Hills Of Gold Preservation Group Inc.

I am sorry to read Jan Hahn's letter, "Windfarms can be a tourist attraction".

Looking at the Visit NSW tourism website there is only one wind farm listed, Crookwell.

As a Nundle business owner, for two decades, this is not what visitors want for Nundle and Hanging Rock. We are encouraged to oppose the proposed wind farm and protect the semi-wild landscape that people from more built up areas appreciate.

Having travelled extensively in rural UK last year, thankfully picturesque destinations such as Exmoor, The Lakes District, and the Scottish Highlands have been spared wind turbines, instead found in landscapes already compromised; industrial areas off motorways, and offshore of heavily developed coastlines.

Ben Halls Gap Nature Reserve is a scientific reference park and its management plan prioritises restricting public access to protect threatened plants and animals. It is not part of Nundle's tourism future.

Hills of Gold Preservation Inc is the largest community group at Nundle by far. A fundraising event sold out with more than 100 guests. The majority of Nundle and Hanging Rock residents signed a petition opposing wind turbines within sight or hearing of homes and work places. Signatories include descendants of European and indigenous "old original residents."

A proponent representative stated there is no other wind farm on a site like the proposed project area. As more favourable wind farm locations are developed, more compromised sites are prospected.

Just because man and machine can conquer these less suitable locations, it doesn't mean they should.

Megan Trousdale,

Nundle

Now isn't the time Mr Barilaro.

John Barilaro's letter in the Leader on April 24, 2020, was the first negation of the "we're all in this together" attitude the state and federal governments have fostered for the last few weeks.

He has attempted to stop the criticisms of past and present governments for allowing Australia to get dependent on foreign sources for all types of goods by blaming environmentalists for years of drought. Great politician's weaseling! His line of "rising in the streets with pitchforks" reminds me of Trump's call for people to break social distancing to protest state government health policies.

Our dependence on foreign goods is purely in the hands of governments for not legislating that all government departments/bodies must source their purchases from Australian manufactures, poor negotiation of trade treaties, and the Australian companies and consumers for caring more about price than anything else.

Leaders need to lead responsibly and not shift the blame for a drought to people who had little to do with the Murray Darling Plan that was negotiated mainly by government departments and has been plagued with problems brought on by those same governments. Those governments, some of whose conservative members still deny climate change which may just have been a factor in the drought.

Lead, don't weasel.

Tony Gibson, Tamworth