Annual Climate 'Protestival' Descends on Newcastle
Thousands of climate activists have begun their annual pilgrimage to Newcastle, New South Wales, transforming the city's harbour into a vibrant scene of protest and direct action. The gathering, organised by the group Rising Tide, represents what participants describe as a national mobilisation for Australians deeply frustrated by governmental inaction on the climate crisis.
A Flotilla of Defiance and Police Warnings
On Friday, 28 November 2025, hundreds of people established camp at Foreshore Park in preparation for a planned blockade of the world's largest coal port. Organisers anticipate the crowd will swell to an impressive 7,000 people over the weekend as protesters arrive from across the nation.
The centrepiece of the action is a flotilla of kayaks and sailboats attempting to block shipping lanes. However, participants face a significant legal hurdle: the New South Wales state government has imposed an exclusion zone over most of the harbour, effective from Friday until 7am Monday. Anyone entering this zone risks arrest.
NSW police have adopted a 'zero-tolerance approach' to the protest. The state’s police minister, Yasmin Catley, issued a stark warning, stating that breaching the exclusion zone constitutes a deliberate decision to endanger lives. "Your actions carry consequences including arrest and very real risks to your life," she said.
This warning comes with precedent. During last year's blockade, 173 protesters were arrested, with 133 charged. While four were later found not guilty, court proceedings for the remaining 129 are still ongoing.
Demands for a Fossil-Free Future
The protesters are united behind three core demands:
- An immediate end to all new coal developments.
- A fair and just transition for workers and communities currently dependent on fossil fuels.
- The implementation of a 78% tax on fossil fuel export profits, a figure inspired by Norway's tax regime for its oil and gas sector.
Alexa Stuart, a 22-year-old organiser who has been campaigning for climate action since she was 15, explained the motivation behind the blockade. "I think people are terrified about the impacts of climate change and we’re already starting to feel those impacts," she said. "They’re angry our government isn’t doing more and is still continuing to approve new coal and gas projects."
The event, dubbed a 'protestival', blends civil disobedience with community and culture. Alongside the flotilla, the gathering features a Saturday night waterfront concert, workshops, and panel discussions. Stuart describes it as a vital opportunity for people of all ages to unite. "It’s powerful that we’re all here together calling for the same thing – action on the climate science," she stated, highlighting how the event counters feelings of helplessness.
This sentiment is shared across generations. June Norman, an 85-year-old great-grandmother from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, has attended the blockade for the past three years. "I’m here because I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren and I’m really concerned about their future," she said. "I think I’ve grown up in this beautiful country during the best years of Australia’s life and what am I leaving for them? Therefore I need to do everything I can to protect their future."
The protest occurs against a backdrop of recent political decisions that organisers see as failures. Stuart criticised the Albanese government for pushing through new national environment laws that included no measures to limit new coal and gas projects. She accused the state government of being "more interested in silencing peaceful protesters on climate change than acting in line with the climate science." The goal of the flotilla, she asserts, is to draw urgent attention to this policy failure at both state and federal levels.
