Adrian Burragubba and his family were taking four of his grandchildren to the Doongmabulla Springs to perform ceremony in August last year when they were interrupted by employees of the nearby Carmichael coalmine. “Bravus employees spotted us on the road and turned around and followed us and drove up really fast and blocked our right to get into the springs,” he told NITV.
Some Traditional Owners wanted to do a deal with the mining company, others, including Mr Burragubba, were vehemently opposed. In order to break ground, Adani needed an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with W&J people.  Between 2012 and March 2016, Traditional Owners met three times and voted against an ILUA. But in May 2016 another meeting was convened in Maryborough, where a vote of 294 to one was recorded in favour of the land use agreement.