A case management hearing has been scheduled for the NSW Federal Court on March 5.

The court will hear from all the PFAS class actions including Katherine, Oakey (Qld) and Williamtown (NSW).

Hundreds of Katherine residents have signed up for the class action claiming their property values have fallen dramatically because of the continuing leakage of PFAS chemicals from the Tindal RAAF Base.

The basis of the legal action is that "contamination by PFAS has negatively impacted business and land values in Katherine".

The chemicals were contained in fire foaming foams used mainly in training at the base from 1988 to 2004.

Special measures, including ongoing water restrictions, are being used to guarantee residents have access to safe drinking water once contamination was discovered in ground water leaking directly under the town and into the Katherine River, when even eating local fish is restricted.

More reading:

Katherine's grim PFAS timeline

The Senate has recommended the Federal Government consider buy-backs of contaminated properties but no action has been taken.

The Katherine legal action has been taken by Shine Lawyers.

Shine Lawyers’ special counsel (Class Actions) Joshua Aylward said the case management hearing was another preliminary court airing of the case.

“A roundtable discussion has been set down for March 13 in Sydney. On this date, parties will conference with the judge regarding the trial timetable and trial logistics,” Mr Aylward said.

The trial is still set to begin on August 12 in Sydney with court time booked until December 20.

“It’s important to let property owners in Katherine know, that they can still register their interest in the class action,” Mr Aylward said.

“The court is likely to order a mediation in the Katherine class action before trial.”

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