Gas company Linc Energy has been charged with five counts of wilfully and unlawfully causing environmental harm in a trial that enters its second day today.

The trial, which is being heard in the District Court in Brisbane, will investigate alleged contamination at Linc Energy’s Hopeland underground coal gasification plant in Queensland’s Western Downs region.

Judge Michael Shanahan has described the case as ‘unusual’ as the defendant corporation is currently in liquidation.