Gomeroi traditional owners in north-west New South Wales have filed an appeal against the National Native Title Tribunal's "gut-wrenching" decision to permit the contentious Narrabri Gas Project.
The tribunal ruled shortly before Christmas that the project could go ahead, over the objections of the Gomeroi people, and found the public benefit of the project outweighed any environmental concerns.
Santos has argued the project will secure the NSW energy supply and has committed that all gas from Narrabri will go towards the domestic market.
An appeal was filed in the Federal Court late on Friday.
Gomeroi woman Sue-Ellen Tighe said the decision to appeal was "fantastic" as many people were "gut-wrenched" by the Tribunal's original decision.
"This news is a bit more of a ray of hope for us," Ms Tighe said.
"I have more faith in the Federal Court system than I have in the National Native Title Tribunal."
She said Gomeroi people were largely sceptical of claims the project would lead to a reduction in electricity prices.
"Has that ever proven to be the case in the past where [fossil fuel companies] have made these claims?" Ms Tighe said.
Santos said in a statement it respected the appeal process, but wouldn't comment further on matters before the court.
Pipeline progress
Meanwhile, the company has had a small win in the battle to build a pipeline to get gas from the Narrabri Project to the domestic market.
NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean has signed off on the company's Authority to Survey for the proposed Hunter Gas Pipeline.
It will allow Santos to conduct surveys and testing on affected properties even if landholders do not consent.
The decision has angered many property owners along the proposed route from Narrabri to Newcastle, through the Liverpool Plains and Upper Hunter.
Singleton region landholder Anne McGowan from the Hunter Gas Landholder Rights Alliance said finding out about the decision through media reporting represented "total disrespect for the landholders" by the NSW government.
She said the alliance made a range of suggestions to the government to protect landholder rights.
"None of that has been done," Ms McGowan said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said the decision was made after consultation and a review of landholder submissions.
"The Hunter Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd is expected to behave in a respectful and responsible manner, and use their rights of access... only as a last resort," a spokesperson said.
A Santos spokesperson said the company would work with landholders to obtain access and compensation agreements before it applied for a pipeline licence.
