“Cowardly and Draconian”: NSW Gov attempts to stop the People’s Blockade of Newcastle Coal Port with “Marine Exclusion Zone”
24 Nov 2025
The NSW Government has announced a “Marine Exclusion Zone” to come into effect over the weekend of Rising Tide’s People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port. The exclusion zone will come into effect from 7:00am Friday 28 November and last until 7:00am Monday 1 December and will be enforced 100m off Horseshoe Beach, Newcastle.
No unauthorised vessels or people other than commercial vessels approved by the harbour master or Port Authority of NSW are allowed to enter the zone. The zone will be patrolled by police and maritime vessels, and anyone who enters the exclusion zone could be charged under the Marine Safety Act 1998, s.18B, and receive a maximum penalty of $1,100.
The Marine Exclusion Zone notice can be found here.
The 2025 People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port is expected to see thousands of people from around Australia stage a blockade of the Newcastle coal port, calling on the Australian Government to stop approving new coal and gas projects, and heavily tax coal corporations to fund a fair and just transition for workers and communities.
Transport for NSW attempted to introduce a similar marine exclusion zone for the 2024 People’s Blockade, but it was overturned at the 11th hour in the supreme court following a challenge by Rising Tide. This year, Transport for NSW have used a different section of the Marine Safety Act and Rising Tide have confirmed that they will not be challenging the exclusion zone in the supreme court.
Rising Tide spokesperson, Zack Schofield:
”This is a cowardly and draconian attempt to silence protest by a government deeply and profoundly uninterested in its responsibility to the next generation. Every time the government attempts to repress peaceful climate protestors, they send a clear message that they would rather protect corporate profit than listen to the people and act to protect our planet and future.
“The NSW Government tried this same cowardly attempt to shut down our protest last year, but again, it will not deter us.
“We are expecting thousands of people to join us at the 2025 People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port because when governments won't stand up to the greedy coal billionaires the people will. We are taking urgent action because the problem is urgent. Right now, Australians are facing increasing floods, bushfires, heatwaves, and rising sea levels are already washing away communities in the Torres Strait.
“It is still completely legal to join our flotilla just off Horseshoe Beach, and against the wishes of multinational coal corporations we will have a powerful presence in the world’s largest coal port.”
Media contact: Zack Schofield, 0427 449 696
Background info:
The 2024 People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port saw 7,000 people gather in Newcastle for a week-long protest calling for an end to new coal and gas projects and increased funding to support workers during the transition away from coal. It culminated in the largest single act of civil disobedience for climate action in Australia’s history and attracted international media attention, with 170 people getting arrested for blockading the Newcastle coal port.
The 2025 People’s Blockade will be taking place in Newcastle, NSW, from Thursday 27 November - Monday 2 December. Organisers are expecting it to be the biggest yet.
