At a community meeting held in the village on Tuesday, farmers and residents came up with a simple slogan, “Dump Cobb – Not Waste”, to express their feelings.

Around 120 people packed into the Royal Hall to express their anger and ask for help in fighting the proposal. 

Among those who attended the meeting were Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, Nat Wasley from the Beyond Nuclear Initiative, and Bathurst Community Climate Action Network president Tracey Carpenter. 

Before the official start of the meeting, resident Nick Harvey said he was as right wing as they come, and Senator Rhiannon was representing the Greens, but he was willing to co-operate with anyone to stop the nuclear waste dump going ahead. 

“I spoke to the Member for Calare yesterday morning and he is plugging the government line that this nuclear waste is harmless,” Mr Harvey said.

“The problem is politicians lie. Who’s to say once it is established they won’t bring in even more toxic waste. I know everyone here is against it.”

Mr Harvey said he feared leaked radioactive material would run straight into the Turon River and from there into the Macquarie.

He also asked how deep the waste would be buried and was told, by Ms Wasley, that radioactive medical waste was typically placed in a shallow, unlined trench which was then capped.

The more dangerous waste, she said, would be contained in dry matter and placed in a shed above ground. 

Another resident said he had been involved in the transport of toxic waste in the past.

“Once the boffins aren’t around, companies take short cuts that would horrify most people,” he said. 

Retired barrister Stephen Wilson said the disposal of nuclear waste was the basis of a billion dollar industry.

“If you want to understand this, follow the money,” he said.

Local sheep breeder Geoff Rayner, whose property is across the road from the site, said nobody had contacted him.

“It’s very slack that no-one let us know when we are directly affected,” he said.

“I get a feeling there is more to this than we know, and John Cobb is about as useful as pockets on a singlet.”

Mr Rayner said signs stating restricted access had already gone up around the perimeter of the shortlisted property.

“What has been done that we don’t know about?” he asked.

“There are a lot of questions to be asked – but I don’t think we are going to like the answers.”