Thousands of people have protested in NSW against coal seam gas (CSG) mining.

The two largest protests were held in Sydney and the north coast town of Murwillumbah.

Saturday’s rallies were part of a national week of action against coal and CSG, organised by the national Lock The Gate alliance.

They come after the NSW Minister for Resources, Chris Hartcher, offered last month to renew 22 CSG exploration licences.

Jacinta Green of the Stop CSG Sydney group said CSG production was underway at Camden in Sydney’s southwest and a new well has been drilled next to the Nepean River.

She said by renewing CSG licences across Sydney suburbs and in drinking water catchments, the NSW government has allowed the mining industry to endanger precious water resources.