Gomeroi Traditional Owners recently protested outside NSW Parliament House, bringing a sacred flame from Pilliga to Sydney to demonstrate there is "no consent for Santos' Narrabri Gas Project".

Materials made a journey of hundreds of kilometres from the Pilliga on Gomeroi Country for the event, which involved a symbolic smoking ceremony, speeches and singing.

The demonstrators called on the NSW government to "respect Gomeroi Traditional Owners' unwavering opposition to the Narrabri Gas Project".

Gomeroi Traditional Owner Karra Kinchela said the NSW government "needs to understand that Gomeroi people have not and will never give Santos permission to destroy our country with its poisonous gas project".

"We never agreed to it, and we remain totally against it. The Minns government needs to respect the rights of Traditional Owners to free, prior and informed consent. It must immediately ditch its support for the Narrabri Gas Project."

Traditional Owners said the Narrabri Gas Project would involve the drilling of at least 850 coal seam gas wells in the sacred Pilliga Forest and surrounding farmland.

The project was originally approved by the Morrison government late in 2020, with then environment minister Sussan Ley, now Liberal leader, giving the green light despite Gomeroi opposition.

In March 2022, Gomeroi people voted overwhelmingly against the project, 162 to two, with four abstentions.

In March, 2024, the Federal Court ruled the National Native Title Tribunal should have considered evidence on the environmental impacts of the project near Narrabri, 520km northwest of Sydney, before issuing approval, noting climate change was not adequately assessed in light of a Native Title claim by Traditional Owners - the Gomeroi people - in 2011.

The recent protest at Parliament was organised in collaboration with NSW Unions and Lock the Gate Alliance.

Unions NSW assistant secretary Vanessa Seagrove said the union movement "stands strong in its support for Gomeroi Traditional Owners and their fight to protect the Pilliga from Santos' Narrabri Gas Project".

"It's time the Gomeroi were listened to. Regardless of the final outcome in the Native Title Tribunal in coming weeks, the clear lack of consent from Gomeroi people means the Narrabri Gas Project should not proceed."

A Santos spokesperson told National Indigenous Times the company had "no comment at this stage".