Pine Gap: Traditional Owners demand to return of sacred lands

On 20 July in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in the Northern Territory of Australia, around 500 people joined a peaceful rally and march on the road to Pine Gap.

Read full media release below

Pine Gap is a joint US/Australian military facility that has operated as a major military intelligence base for the United States since the 1970s. Located South-West of Mparntwe, it is known as Kuyunba by Arrernte Apmereke-artweye Traditional Custodians.

Pine Gap has been the subject of major nationwide protests, including an historic large-scale women’s protest in 1983, where around 800 women camped outside of the facility. Other protests have continued, particularly in times of war or increased US conflicts.

The Peace Convergence at Pine Gap in 2026 continues to draw attention to the ways the facility entangle Australia in US war fighting, including nuclear war planning, and risk making Australia a target for retaliatory attacks.

Organisers today shared a statement from Arrernte Apmereke-artweye Traditional Custodians, Felicity, Wyonna and Jacquita Hayes, who said:

“We want people to support us to close down Pine Gap. We want them to know it’s a sacred site. We don’t want to be feeling guilty all the time when bad things are happening overseas to little ones. We’re not the ones controlling that facility, but we feel guilty that it’s coming from our land.”

The Nuclear Truth Project stands in solidarity with the Traditional Owners of these lands who are demanding the closure of Pine Gap, and an end to war fighting from their sacred country.

All photos: Jesse Boylan

MEDIA RELEASE:
Letter delivered to Pine Gap by Traditional Owners and hundreds of their allies to demand to return of sacred lands

Monday 20 July 2026
Mparntwe Alice Springs, Arrernte Country

Early this morning a convoy of 100 cars and buses drove to Pine Gap and 500 people from across the country gathered outside the gates of the military facility.

A delegation featuring the Hayes family (Traditional Owners for the site), Barb Shaw, David Shoebridge, and Nour Salman negotiated their way through police lines to present a letter to a Pine Gap representative stating the Hayes family’s demands:

  1. Return of Kuyunba (the land where Pine Gap sits)
  2. The closure of Pine Gap
  3. Compensation for the years Kuyunba has been occupied
  4. Compensation to the families in Gaza for the lives lost there due to the activities at Pine Gap

The delegation returned and addressed the rally. Felicity Hayes said, “We want our Apmere (land) back... My country is a sacred place… for me and my families and for everybody in Australia so today I wanted to tell them that we don’t want Pine Gap to ever exist on our land. Shut it down. Close it down and give our land back.”

Shoebridge, who will table the letter at Parliament, noted that the AFP representatives “didn’t know what to do with the culture and the strength and the history of the Hayes Family... you could see in that moment, that moment of exchange, who was going to resist and win this struggle. It’ll be First Nations People, it’ll be Arrernte People.”

Nour Salman, a Palestinian woman and advocate, said: “The reason we are here today with First Nations communities is to know that their land is theirs, but also that there is data being transferred directly from this base to the US and...filtered over to Israel for genocidal purposes.”

Remah Naji, a Palestinian activist, vowed to the Hayes family that “until your land is back, we will stand with you, behind you, led and guided by the First Nations people of this country… because I would also like my land back. Fully. I would like my land back as well and I would also like freedom for the Palestinian people, from the river to the sea.”

Two nurses from the Nurses and Midwives Federation read a statement of support from the MUA: “As the world moves closer than ever to catastrophic warfare, this convergence is a timely reminder that the fight for peace is everyone's business. Unions have a critical role to play and we stand with you.”

Felicity Hayes finished with “Shame on Australia and shame on America. Shut it down. It’s causing a lot of sadness. Give our land back.”

Email: media.closepinegap@proton.me

Folder for 18-19 July convergence photos/videos

Folder for 20 July rally photos/videos