The luscious green valley towns are now surrounded by 20-storey steel 'dragmine' cranes, which are steadily flattening the mountains and dropping the rubble into the valleys. Over 469 valley streams have been buried. The state environment department is keen on the process. Things do grow back and flatter land is more useful for building and farming. But the townsfolk who are threatened with losing their homes are fed-up with the bullying. There have even been 'fly rock incidents' with rubble blasted into homes. James Weakly's lilting southern twang snaps as he watches other townsfolk selling-up and getting out: "The only way they're gonna get us out is with a bulldozer. Period." But with another valuable coal seam beneath their homes it may well come to that.

Produced by ABC Australia