In the middle of the Federal Government's planned "gas-led recovery", the future of the Beetaloo Basin is in doubt because traditional owners have decided they want to take over the power to negotiate with gas companies.
The local land council, which had been negotiating on behalf of the traditional owners, has been asked to withdraw from talks with the gas companies.
The Beetaloo Basin is an enormous shale gas resource 400 kilometres south of Darwin, which this month was named as one of five "strategic" gas basins that the Federal Government wants to help fund the development of.