"Like someone had ripped my heart out". That is how farmer Peter Graham described the moment he found out the NSW government had suspended a coal seam gas drilling licence on his land.
Mr Graham has an agreement with Metgasco to allow the mining company to put a exploratory gas well on his 283ha farm at Bentley in northern NSW.
The operation came undone on Thursday when Energy and Resources Minister Anthony Roberts suspended Metgasco's approval to construct a gas well at the Bentley site due to insufficient community consultation.
Mr Graham, a former Lismore councillor, said he heard the news at 6.30am on the radio.
"What it means, who knows?" he told AAP.
"Is it just a short-term suspension, is it indefinitely, I have no idea.
"It's just a matter of we need to find out some more detail."
Metgasco's plans to put a well on Mr Graham's property sparked fierce opposition in the community.
In February, the Bentley blockade set up camp near Mr Graham's property, which he doesn't live on, and blocked access to gates on the property.
Mr Graham said his biggest concern was whether the protest activity would continue.
"Knowing that things were progressing very soon and that police were coming next week ... we thought our gates would be cleared and in the next couple of weeks, we would be allowed to go in and sell some cattle," he said.
Up to 7000 protesters were rumoured to be flocking to the blockade over the weekend ahead of a massive police presence next week.
Before the suspension, it was expected Metgasco would move its drill equipment to Mr Graham's property next week.
NSW Police have now cancelled their operation.
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