Geoff Wise, regional director for the Department of Natural Resources said this opportunity is targeted at people who have received invitations to apply for Western Lands Leases and need assistance with lodging their applications or who wish to gain some clarification on the details of the application process.

"We are working on a 'section by section process' of assisting residents in gaining a ‘bankable' title on their land, that secure leases for a term of 20 years and cost less than a mineral claim," he said.

To ensure residents have a title to their claim beyond 2009, they will need to get a Western Lands Lease before January 2009.

"There are other advantages in converting to a Western Lands Lease. For those who have taken a five-year claim the Department of Primary Industries, Mineral Resources has offered to refund residential mineral claims for the unused years, backdated to include a full refund for the current year."

Lightning Ridge Miners Association manager Maxine O'Brien said the move to Western Lands leases was a positive one.

"This gives the miners more security, especially if they're not mining the claim they live on," she said.

DNR staff will be at the Department of Primary Industries, Mineral Resources Offices from 1pm-5pm on Wednesday November 2 and 9am-1pm on Thursday November 3.