Emotional farmers say they are fighting for their survival

About a dozen farm families have told similar emotion-charged stories to a public hearing into an proposed open cut mine at the Cannie Ridge, near Lalbert.

These farmers have spent the past few days at Swan Hill telling a government-appointed panel they feel abandoned by governments and their local municipal councils.

They say they fear for their future after four, five and sometimes six generations of loving their land.

After more than a century since their families first settled the choice cropping country, they claim the arrival of VHM Ltd's proposed mineral sands/rare earths mine may force them to leave.

Nola Bennett, with a family farm neighbouring the proposed mine, said local farmers felt helpless and there is a "very real possibility seven farm families will have to leave their land".

The farmers collectively said they objected to the noise, traffic and dust a mine would bring.

The Bennett, Pola, Cunning, Fox and Kennedy families were among those who said they believed their rights have been ignored.

Local farmer Craige Kennedy is the spokesman for local farmers under the Mine Free Mallee Farms banner and said VHM is proposing to build an industrial scale processing facility next to farms where people live and work.

"We knew we had to get independent second opinions on the Environment Effects Statement and its very technical data and set about finding experts.

"Whilst we are told the Environment Effects Statement process is supposed to be informal and without the need for legal representation, VHM have been represented by an international law firm with a team of legal professionals," he said.

"MFMF saw the need to protect our members and experts through the process by engaging a solicitor and barrister."

Mr Kennedy said this has come at a huge financial cost to their group.

"There is also the significant cost on members health and wellbeing with the stress this process has caused."

Mr Kennedy said after hearing evidence from MFMF experts, a common theme arises - with incomplete, inaccurate, unreliable and untested methods and models adopted by VHM to produce the EES for the proposed mine.

Hearings began in Melbourne on March 25 and finish in Swan Hill tomorrow (Wednesday) before returning to Melbourne to conclude on April 30.

ASX-listed VHM says it is gearing up to begin construction of the mine later this year once it has the necessary approvals.

It has already bought the necessary freehold land from willing sellers for its initial mine which covers about 1534 hectares (3791 acres).

Farmer Tony Fox said the Goschen area was not the barren and lifeless area as has been suggested by some during the hearings.

His property was adjacent to the haulage road from the proposed mine to the Ultima rail terminal.

"This is my paradise," he said.

"We feel we have been ignored."

He said his farm sent grain and hay overseas to buyers who valued his farm's clean and green credentials.

Nola and Gordon Bennett said their family had been growing food on the Cannie Ridge for 130 years and wanted to continue.

They said VHM Ltd had offered to buy their land and they had refused.

"This project has caused awful division in our local community," Mrs Bennett said.

Doug, Kerrie and Kristy Cunning said the mine's plans was causing ongoing stress and anxiety to the local community.

"Mining should not take precedence over productive agriculture," Kerrie Cunning said.

"Farming is not just a job to us, it's our life," Kristy Cunning said.

Local farmers say the Cannie Ridge contains some of the most fertile cropping country in the southern Mallee.

John Fogarty said he worried the district's agriculture would become "tainted" as being in a mine area.

The three-member Inquiry and Advisory Committee is scheduled to provide its recommendations to the Victoria government within 40 days of the end of the hearings.

VHM's flagship Goschen project will mean 20-25 years of round-the-clock mining to open cut five million tonnes of mineral sands every year.

After that a positive ministerial assessment for Goschen would allow VHM to apply for its relevant permits and mining licence (already under way), so the company can make its final investment decision.