'Climate catastrophe': court battle over coal mine plan

But the company behind the proposed Queensland mine on Monday defended the major project, claiming it would generate hundreds of jobs and provide critical raw materials for renewable energy infrastructure.

Several dozen people gathered on Monday to object to Whitehaven Coal's Winchester South open-cut mine, comparing it with a 1960s proposal to dredge up the Great Barrier Reef to produce fertiliser.

The Land Court in Brisbane on Monday began hearing an objection against Whitehaven Coal's proposal that would extract 17 million tonnes of coal a year from the Bowen Basin.

Whitehaven estimated 11 million annual tonnes would be metallurgical coal required to fuel blast furnaces for steel production while the remainder would be thermal coal for electricity generation.

Australian Conservation Foundation's Adam Beeson compared the proposed mine with reef dredging and oil drilling, ideas blocked by the courts decades ago as he addressed protesters outside.

Some dressed as koalas and others carried a four-metre-wide glider puppet as activists sang songs and chanted before the opening of the case in Brisbane.

"What really is the difference between excavating coral and digging up coal, increasing the global temperature which causes coral bleaching and coral death?" the foundation's general counsel Mr Beeson said.

He said his foundation along with the Mackay Conservation Group would tell the court the mine's return was "not worth this impact".

Mackay Conservation Group climate campaigner Imogen Lindenberg said Winchester South could be the nation's biggest new coal mine.

"If this mine goes ahead, it will create more pollution than Australia produces in one year," she said.

"We are already living in a time of climate catastrophe. 

"Many folks' homes have been flooded, there are bushfires - it's not just us, it's all the beautiful threatened species."

Mr Beeson said the hearing was due to run for eight weeks and would hear from 30 witnesses before making a recommendation about the mine to the Queensland government.

Land Court Member Nicholas Loos will preside over the matter.

Barrister Saul Holt KC, acting for Whitehaven, told Mr Loos in his opening address the Winchester South project would bring significant economic benefits.

He said the mine had widespread community support and would bring $696 million in state royalties and 500 new jobs during construction and operations.

"It's the right project, in the right place, by the right miner at the right time," he said.

Winchester South would support manufacturing that was vital for Australia's transition to renewable energy, Mr Holt told Mr Loos.

He said the mine would produce metallurgical coal, a "irreplaceable component" in steel manufacturing.

"Steel, in turn, is a critical component for building the kind of renewable energy infrastructure Queensland, Australia and the world needs if net zero (emissions) targets are to be met," Mr Holt said.

He told Mr Loos there was no viable alternative to using Winchester South's type of coal in the production of wind turbines, solar panels, hydroelectric dams and electric vehicles.

Australian Associated Press