Write a submission about the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline. Submissions do not have to be long. A couple of paragraphs on the topics you care about will suffice. Please don’t copy and paste. Then it will be considered a form letter.
Submissions close 18 December 2025.
Create an account with NSW Planning Portal
Background information
Choose a place to write your submission
How to write a submission in 3 Steps
Submission Guide
Create an account with NSW Planning Portal
All submissions must be made online through the NSW Planning Portal – Narrabri Lateral Pipeline. Here you will also find all the documentation about the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline from the proponent Santos, government agencies and eventually public submissions for or against the Pipeline.
To lodge a submission you have to set up an account but once you have one, it’s easy to make lots of submissions. Writing submissions is a great way to learn about projects.
At the top of the NSW Planning Portal – Narrabri Lateral Pipeline click on
If you already have an account, log in. Click on Forgot password? if you need to, and follow the prompts.
If you don’t have an account, scroll down to Create an account.
An email will be sent to you, so you have to go out and come back in again to log into your new account with your email address and password.
A list of projects on exhibition appears. Scroll down to pages 5 or 6 to Narrabri Lateral Pipeline and click the blue make a submission button.
Once in you can fill out your details and when asked What is your view of the project? tick I object to the project.
If you need help making a submission, visit help and resources or call Service NSW on 1300 305 695 from 9.00 – 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Recorded message – Press #1 NSW Planning support and other planning matters. Hold for next available agent. You may have a long wait!
Background Information
Where is the proposed Narrabri Lateral Pipeline?
- Gamilaraay, Gamilaroi and Gomeroi Countries.
- The Pilliga, NSW is the largest remnant semi-arid woodland in the state.
- Located 20km south of Narrabri NSW, ends about 5.5km southeast of Baan Baa.
What is the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline?
- Underground high pressure 50cm diameter steel natural gas (methane) transmission pipeline buried in a trench at a depth of 45cm to 90cm depending on ground conditions and land use.
- Connects the Narrabri Gas Project (an approved but not built 850-well coal seam gas field), to the approved Hunter Gas Pipeline but sixty six per cent of landholders along this route have not agreed to host the pipeline. Premier Minns has threatened to compulsorily acquire private land if necessary to get the pipeline through.
- The Lateral Pipeline route clears a 30m wide, approximately 55km long corridor plus access tracks, turnaround points, and hardstands for materials through Pilliga State forests and farmlands.
- The construction disturbance footprint is an area of about 212 ha, excluding areas approved for disturbance for the Narrabri Gas Project and the Hunter Gas Pipeline.
- The government has declared the pipeline to be Critical State Infrastructure and it needs approval by the state Planning Minister, Paul Scully and the federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt.
Compare maps of Condamine State Forest and farmland before and after coal seam gas.
Choose where to write your submission
Use one of the following options to write your submission:
1. Planning Portal – type in the comments section or
2. Mobile phone’s notes app
Type or use voice-to-text app, then highlight your note (long press on one word, then move highlight across your whole submission). Copy to your phone’s clipboard to ensure your hard work isn’t lost if the connection times out. Paste in the comments section of the Planning Portal or
3. Word processing program
Save the document as a PDF and attach in the Planning Portal.
How to write a submission in 3 Steps
Submissions do not have to be long. A couple of paragraphs on the topics you care about will suffice. Please don’t copy and paste. Then it will be considered a form letter.
1. What’s your reason for writing a submission?
- Who are you? – tax payer, parent, grandparent, qualifications?
- Do you have a connection or experience with the issue?
- What’s your emotional response to it?
2. Why do you object to the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline?
- Read the background information above
- Choose points on one or more of the following topics and put them in your own words – water, cultural heritage, emissions, wildlife, other. See Submission Guide below
- Put your priority first.
3. How do you envisage the future?
- Share your thoughts on the world you would like to live in.
- Thank NSW Planning for the opportunity to write a submission.
Submission Guide
Choose points on the following topics and put them in your own words.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Natural gas (methane) is a potent greenhouse gas.
- Methane leaks into the atmosphere during extraction, processing, and transportation, contributing to climate change.
- The cumulative greenhouse gas impacts from the Narrabri Gas Project, Narrabri Lateral Pipeline, forestry operations, and other proposed or existing developments were not adequately considered in the assessment process.
Wildlife Impacts – Habitat Loss, Fragmentation, Stress
- Pilliga Forest is a wildlife refuge and a recognised national biodiversity hotspot.
- A 12 day scientific survey of 5,000sqkm of The Pilliga from 22 September 2025 uncovered 900 species of plants, 50 reptiles, at least 15 frogs, and 18 bat species, including threatened species. https://australian.museum/blog/amri-news/first-nations-biodiversity-treasures-pilliga/
- Fifty listed threatened fauna species have the potential to be impacted including 26 listed under the federal Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act (e.g. koala, swift parrot, and Pilliga mouse).
- 168 hectares of native vegetation disturbed during construction in three threatened ecological communities.
- Clearing forests isolates wildlife from their known access to food, water and breeding.
- Increased vehicle movements, construction noise from 6am- 6pm, and dust disrupt wildlife habits.
- Wildlife will be more vulnerable to predators and stress.
- Stressed wildlife have compromised immunity to disease and infection, and have poor reproductive health.
Water
- The Great Artesian Basin, other aquifers, and a large number of creeks and waterways flowing into the Namoi and the Murray Darling Basin, have not been adequately considered in the assessments.
- Local farmers are concerned about contamination and changes to drainage of local water resources.
- A leak during construction or operation could contaminate the critical recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin and other aquifers.
- Six watercourse crossings are proposed to be constructed using horizonal directional drilling methods while a further 33 watercourse crossings are proposed using standard trenching construction.
- Burying the pipeline under creeks will impact their flow and therefore the water table. These creeks only flow on the surface during floods. The rest of the time the water flow is hidden below in a bed of sand.
- Clearing land for the pipeline and access roads, could increase erosion and the runoff of sediments into nearby streams and waterways.
Cultural Heritage
- Pilliga forest is important to Gamilaraay, Gamilaroi and Gomeroi people culturally and spiritually.
- Gomeroi people identify Bohena Creek as significant due to its connection to their creation stories and men’s ceremonial activities. In May 2025, the National Native Title Tribunal imposed a condition on Santos to not undertake any future ground or surface disturbing work for the Narrabri Gas Project on or within 500 metres Bohena Creek. This condition should apply to the Lateral Pipeline too.
- Climate change is already affecting the Pilliga and their cultural practices.
- If water levels drop due to more droughts caused by climate change, Traditional Custodians can’t exercise their cultural obligations to maintain sources of water including chains of sandstone pools throughout the Pilliga forest. If the pools dry out, and the sandstone collapses, that affects that water source and the flow of water.
- The pipeline and associated infrastructure will divide up the cultural landscape and block access for Gomeroi people.
- A common theme in a lot of First Nation stories is that actions have consequences.
Other
- The world’s largest insurance company, Allianz, has refused to insure properties with gas infrastructure. Owners will be unable to mortgage their properties.
- During decommissioning the pipeline would be left in place to minimise land disturbance!!