In the Land and Environment Court sitting in Singleton yesterday, Ian and Robyn Moore agreed to an order from Justice Peter Biscoe to allow NuCoal’s three-bore hole exploration program on their farm for the development of the controversial Doyles Creek mine.

The Moores have blocked the company’s exploration access since it applied under the Mining Act in 2010 and their action was supported by environmental campaigners, anti-coal and anti-coal seam gas protesters and farmers.

After the order was issued, an emotional Ian Moore told the Newcastle Herald access would be given but not through any signed agreement with a coal company.

‘‘It was a court order,’’ Mr Moore said.

Mr Moore is legally blind and part of he and his wife’s opposition to the exploration was that the bore drilling would interfere with his visual memory of the property and his farming activities.

Justice Biscoe congratulated the family and the company on ‘‘resolving’’ their differences but Robyn Moore said outside the court she would not describe yesterday’s result as a resolution.

Mr Moore said large costs were ahead if they continued the action.

The family’s legal representative, Peter Long, said water was the Moore’s ‘‘big concern’’.

‘‘Our [water] expert said they [the company] couldn’t drill there [on the alluvials] and their expert agreed,’’ he said.

Two of the three proposed bore holes would have explored aquifers that were the source of the Moore’s water supplies.

A NuCoal spokesman said drilling could start before Christmas and described the order as a ‘‘victory for common sense.’’

Supporters gathered outside the court, and their loud chants lead Sandra Duggan, SC, representing the miner, to ask Justice Biscoe to stop proceedings until ‘‘the rabble’’ quietened down.