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At the heart of their resistance is Doongmabulla Springs, a sacred site which they believe was created by the rainbow serpent Mundagudda – a powerful ancestral being in many ancient Aboriginal creation stories, often associated with water, creation and the land.

"There have been no breaches of our groundwater conditions and the Doongmabulla Springs complex is not at risk from any of the mining we are doing now or are authorised to do in the future," it said in a statement to the BBC.

Queensland's Environment Minister, Andrew Powell, told the BBC: "We are committed to protecting the cultural and environmental values of the springs by taking appropriate enforcement action."

The Doongmabulla Springs are connected to a bigger underground water system that helps keep the dry land alive.

That review, which is part of the evidence being examined in an ongoing court case, concluded that Adani's models were not "fit for the purpose" of assessing the impact of the mine on the springs.