AN on again-off again visit by The Nationals MPs to the site of the Caroona mining blockade erupted into furore yesterday after delegation members allegedly accused landholder Tim Duddy of colluding with The Greens in a political stunt.

Mr Duddy’s property has been blockaded by friends and neighbours intent on stopping BHP exploration teams from entering the farm since 7am on Monday.

Member for Barwon Kevin Humphries subsequently denied the claim after being questioned about the very public disagreement by The Leader.

Mr Humphries had visited the protest site in the company of Andrew Fraser, the deputy leader of the NSW Nationals and Rick Colless, deputy opposition whip and a Nationals MLC.

Mr Fraser also said he did not believe the blockade was a political stunt when questioned about Mr Duddy’s claims yesterday.

When The Leader arrived at the Duddy property about 12.20pm yesterday Mr Duddy was engaged in heated discussions with Mr Colless, Mr Humphries and Mr Fraser.

Mr Duddy subsequently said The Nationals had been accusing him of drawing them into a

“political stunt”. This is a claim he has repeatedly strongly denied.

“This is the worst thing that has happened to our family in 150 years,” Mr Duddy said.

“We are not getting any joy out of the district blocking us in. This (The Nationals’accusation) is just rude.

“It was suggested to us we had done a plant with the Greens ... we had set them up in regard to coming with an injunction against them

on the way.

“Their words were that ‘we may have been ambushed by the Greens’. The fact of the matter is BHP raised the injunction

against us.”

Mr Duddy, who said that as far as The Nationals were concerned it was all about them.

He said yesterday the strongest support the Caroona landholders had received to date had been from local independents and the Greens.

Visiting Nationals members told The Leader they were on site to support the farmers and called for a full agricultural study.

The Nationals and residents have both argued BHP has been able to exploit an inadequate planning process in gaining the mining licence for black soil territory.