A Hunter Valley farmer has won a prestigious international prize for grassroots environmentalism.
Wendy Bowman, 83, has been awarded the 2017 Goldman Environmental Prize for stopping a mining company from taking her family farm at Camberwell, north-west of Singleton.
In December 2014, Mrs Bowman won a legal victory against Chinese-owned Yancoal, that halted the development of a 315ha coal mine that would have consumed her farm.
Yancoal lost its appeal against the decision in November 2015.
Mrs Bowman’s actions will keep an estimated 16.5 million tonnes of coal in the ground and protect neighbouring farms and the environment.
Mrs Bowman has fought to protect agricultural land from mining and the associated health impacts for nearly three decades.
She is the first Australian to receive the prize since 2003, and is one of six global recipients of the prize that recognises achievement to protect environment and communities.
This woman has made millions selling her land to the mines and now she won’t sell the last of her land and she is a hero , what a joke.