A top environmental journalist from London's Guardian newspaper was heading to Denniston this morning to see the site of the proposed Bathurst coalmine.
Jonathan Watts is the Guardian's Asia environment correspondent, and author of the book When a Billion Chinese Jump, a critical look at China's unregulated growth.
Mr Watts has been in New Zealand promoting his book, and was today accompanied by Forest and Bird on his visit to Denniston.
The site has become a battleground between environmentalists and major Australian coalminer Bathurst.
Mr Watts said New Zealand's clean, green image may be under threat.