A WALLUMBILLA man is searching for answers after being contacted by a gas company to do seismic testing on his property, which is less than 1km out of town.

Cooladdi owner Wayne Melby is worried about a Santos map that shows 5km of seismic line going through his house, shed and dams on the 52-hectare property.

Equally worrying for Wayne is the prospect of coal seam gas wells on his property and the implications for the town.

"The real bone of contention is how close they are coming to town and what rights of recall do we have," Wayne said.

"It is less than one kilometre from the town boundary to my block boundary.

"I've worked in the industry myself, so there should be an exclusion zone around the town."

Wayne said he was working in Roma when Santos brought him a map showing what they intended to do to his property.

"When I asked them how close they can come to a residence, they couldn't give me an answer," he said.

"It's all verbal and you get four different people giving you four different answers.

"I'm not a radical by any means and I don't hug trees but I just don't know where to go or how to move to get any information out of them."

Santos LNG spokesman Mitch Grayson said an Entry Notice has been delivered to some landholders in the Wallumbilla area.

"Santos GLNG does not conduct seismic testing through buildings and have not proposed to do so," Mr Grayson said.

"The nature of seismic activity means that this is not possible.

"An Entry Notice has been delivered to some landholders in the Wallumbilla area where we would like to conduct seismic surveys to give us a better understanding of what resources exist under the ground.

"The Entry Notice is the first step of the process and is where we meet with property owners to outline our potential activities, including seismic surveys.

"During this meeting, all activities are explained and the proposed seismic lines are adjusted or removed in consultation with the landholder to avoid anything of significance.

"If we want to go ahead with these activities we are then required to negotiate a Compensation and Conduct Agreement (CCA) with landholders that includes compensation amounts and access rules set by landholders including no-go areas, time of access and any specific restoration arrangements.

"At every point in the process Santos GLNG liaises closely with landholders before any work begins."

Towns like Wallumbilla will be effected by new State government regional planning with the Maranoa Regional Council having a say on CSG operations in the town.

A spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources and Mines said statutory regional planning will allow for buffer zones known as 'priority living areas' to be designated around towns with more than 200 people.

"Local government will have a say on what are appropriate resource activities that can occur within these areas and that could encompass CSG operations.

"Until statutory regional plans are finalised for regions of Queensland, the existing Restricted Area gazettal applies.

"This prohibits resource developments within two kilometres of towns with a population of more than 1000 people."

The Department of State Development Infrastructure and Planning are currently rolling out statutory regional plans on the Darling Downs and in Central Queensland with other regions to follow.

The Western Star has contacted the DSDIP and the Maranoa Regional Council and will keep readers abreast of developments as they unfold.