The rural New South Wales town of White Cliffs could be “decimated” due to excessive red tape surrounding native title claims which have hampered the mining industry.

White Cliffs is home to Australia first commercial opal field which has fuelled tourism and growth since the 1880s.

However, town is on the brink as 134 opal mining requests and freehold ability for dugouts - underground dwellings - have not yet been processed proceed due to a pending 2015 native title determination.

While the local Barkandji people agreed to an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with the NSW government, the Commonwealth government has failed to sign off on the determination to allow mining continue.

White Cliffs Miners’ Association President Troy Karkoe said it was not the native title claim itself

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