Darryl and Stephanie King stand to lose more than half of their picturesque Arabian Hunter horse stud to the proposed Hunter Gas Pipeline.
The couple, who were forced out of Bulga because of the coal industry's expansion, now face a new battle with energy giant Santos.
"They (Santos) came around one day when I was in town. They said we will give you $2500 if you let us survey your property but my wife said we are not interested, thanks," Mr King said.
Preliminary maps show the pipeline needs to cross the couple's 125 acre Westbrook property. The first route would go through the back paddock before hitting the property's waterhole, which is also the deepest water source in the area.
It's a prospect that Mr King warns could be disastrous for the underground water network.
"If they crack the waterbed what happens to the people downstream? It's not just just the creek, it's also springs that feed into it. Those springs basically kept us going during the drought."
The second option goes through a woodland that provides shelter to the horses and is home to several bird species, including eagles.
Either way, the pipeline's construction would see a four lane highway carved through the land. While they would be financially compensated, the King's estimate they would lose about 80 acres of productive land.
There is also the issue of easements which are needed to allow access to the pipeline.
"We have rock underneath us so I would imagine they would be blasting and drilling all the way through our paddocks," Mr King said.
"It's not not only the construction , it's going to take years for anything to come back."
The Kings have lived on the property for 26 years.
Mr King said he was disappointed that their existence was once again being threatened by the fossil fuel industry.
"We left Bulga after five years of fighting with the mine over a buffer zone," he said.
"When we were looking for another property we went to the coal board to make sure they weren't coming in our direction. Now this thing has popped its ugly head up."
Santos has previously said that it was seeking to work with landholders to obtain access and discuss compensation agreements before it applied for a pipeline licence.
There have been recent moves to ensure that as much of pipeline travels across public land as possible.
National Party state Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell and federal Labor Hunter Dan Repacholi have urged landowners to speak with Santos.
The MPs argued that consultation with Santos was essential in order to get the best outcome possible.
A NSW Labor spokesman confirmed the party supported the Narrabri gas project and the associated Hunter Gas Pipeline.
"However, community consultation is a key aspect of any proposal. The community needs to have their say and be listened to regarding these projects," he said.
'The Authority to Survey should only be used as an absolute last resort.
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