Anti-gas campaigner Tony Pickard took the photos last month, which he said also revealed four unlined wastewater ponds, contrary to NSW Government statements, but Santos says the sites have already been identified in its own reporting and will be part of extensive and ongoing rehabilitation of the area.

After complaints by fellow anti gas campaigner and Liverpool Plains farmer David Quince, the NSW Government responded in a letter dated September 24, stating that there was only one “unlined storage pond within Santos operated areas in the Pilliga”.

Mr Pickard however said he took the photos on September 26, showing four unlined coal seam gas ponds in the Pilliga, located at gas wells Bibblewindi 16, Bibblewindi 17 and two at Bibblewindi 27H.

Santos Manager of Community and Government Relations Sam Crafter however, says the photos are of disused and temporary coal seam gas wastewater sumps.

“These sumps are lined and used to hold test bore water for a very short period and only during the drilling stage,” Mr Crafter said.

“The water is then transported to a wastewater management facility. The water in the holes is  storm water, not coal seam gas well water.

“What people can see in the photos are sumps that are years old and waiting to be filled in as part of our planned rehabilitation of the area.”

Northern Inland Council for the Environment spokeswoman, Carmel Flint, said the photos raised serious questions about the so-called investigation the NSW Government has been conducting of coal seam gas in the Pilliga

“Why didn’t it identify four wastewater ponds without liners and several other ponds with poor fencing that were acting as toxic death traps for wildlife?,”she said.

“Coal seam gas water in the Pilliga has been shown to contain high levels of heavy metals, salt and petrochemicals, the wildlife skeletons found last week show that it is toxic to wildlife and it is undoubtedly a threat to soils and pristine water resources.”

Again, Mr Crafter took exception to what he said were incorrect statements about coal seam gas water.

“The water from coal seam gas wells is highly saline, but not toxic,” Mr Crafter said.

“It has, like all water in the forest, be it agricultural bores or run-off, small levels of a range of chemicals, all within relevent water quality guidelines.

‘The Wilderness Society’s own soil tests showed similar levels of these metals in soil samples taken throughout the Pilliga as were found in testing at the Bibblewindi site.”

Wilderness Society campaigner Naomi Hogan, however said the ponds were toxic death traps for native wildlife.

“Our Pilliga Forest, a place of outstanding conservation significance, now risks being turned into a toxic death trap for some of our most iconic animal species such as the koala and the emu,” Ms Hogan said.

“There is no way of denying that coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga is killing native animals, killing trees, destroying soil and polluting waterways.”

Mr Crafter said the pond where the bones were found was recently drained as part of the rehabilitation process and had not yet been identified.

““Wherever water storage is taking place there is always a risk of animals drowning. We closely monitor, record and report all animal deaths,” he said.

“The bones in the photos appear to have been under the water surface probably for some time in a pond that has recently been drained.

“One key measure to reduce animal deaths is improved fencing around facilities, which we are doing as part of our announced rehabilitation program.”

Mr Quince however, said Santos had 12 months to clean up the mess left by Eastern Star Gas.

“It is obvious from our inspections in the Pilliga that there is still a great big mess and that after almost 12 months of ownership by Santos nothing much has changed,” Mr Quince said.

“As a farmer, I think it shows a reckless indifference to soil structure and productivity to store wastewater without any liners.

“The NSW Government has promised over and over again to crack down on environmental breaches but this latest incident in the Pilliga shows that they haven’t even got a clue what is going on out on the ground”.

Mr Crafter however said there was no “latest breach” and the photos were another attempt at mis-information, just days before work is due to start on refilling the sumps.

“An external contractor is scheduled to commence works on October 7 and be completed by the end of December, weather permitting,” he said.

“Remediation includes removal and disposal of storm water, waste and liners, and backfill and compaction of these ponds.

“Whilst much of the rehabilitation work is underway, more is to come. We are determined to bring best-practice operations to the Pilliga as we intend to operate in the area for many years. We’re taking the time to do it properly.”