Around 30 Katherinites have protested outside a resources conferences in Katherine, saying they want to be included in the conversation about the region's future.
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The protestors were a part of the newly formed Protect Big Rivers group, with spokesperson and local veterinarian Samantha Phelan saying they wanted the opportunity to have their voices heard at the event.
Ms Phelan said around 30 people turned up to protest as conference delegates walked in on Wednesday.
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"[We were] asking them who they represented and who had bought their tickets," she said.
She said the conference was not accessible to members of the community given the price of the ticket, which was just under $2200.
"It really was simply a demonstration that we were concerned about water security, we were concerned about biodiversity in the region, and that we were concerned about climate," she said.
"I represent a legitimate group from Katherine, I'm the spokesperson for them. I asked for entry and was denied.
"We aim to become a true stakeholder in the future of Katherine and the Big Rivers region."
The group were particularly concerned about a keynote speech from Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration called "The potential of the Katherine & Barkly region for the oil and gas sector."
"The pressure on this region now to to roll over and hand over to gas is huge," Ms Phelan said.
"It is just a demonstration, a continuous demonstration that they [gas companies] have no social licence [in the region]."
The conference also featured speeches on a range of topics including mineral development, mining, supply chain mapping and renewable energy.
The organisers of the conference have been contacted for comment.
