Environmental activist group Rising Tide has vowed to proceed with a scheduled national climate conference this long weekend after Scouts NSW cancelled the group's booking for its Glenrock facility.
The group, whose members have participated in several high profile climate protests in recent times, said it booked the scout camp several months ago.
About 200 people from across Australia are expected to attend Camp for Climate Action between April 14-17.
More 26 speakers including academics, professionals, and First Nations Cultural Custodians are scheduled to address the conference. They include Australia Institute economist Richard Denniss, SAPNA (South Asian Climate Solidarity)co-founder Dr Ruchira Talukdar, Greenpeace Australia Pacific program director Kate Smolski and Pacific Regional Director of 350.org Joseph-Zane Sikulu.
Events include a plenary with First Nations Custodians on Indigenous justice, workshops on how to win climate jobs and a nonviolent protest action at Newcastle's coal port.
However, Scouts NSW advised the group on Monday that it had cancelled the booking. It coincided with a news report about the event by a Sydney-based media organisation.
"The booking was made under a different name to that of the organisation promoting the event. Scouts NSW was also concerned that its facility may have been used to launch an activity that could have been illegal," Scouts NSW said in a statement.
Rising Tide said on Monday afternoon that the initial booking was made several months ago by Climate Momentum Education, a training branch of the group. It was soon changed to Rising Tide because the training group did not have public liability insurance.
The group was searching for an alternative location to hold the conference on Monday afternoon.
"Our conference will definitely proceed, even if it must be at a new location, but it may unfortunately mean that some of our eldest and youngest participants are excluded due to a lack of dormitory accommodation. Our volunteers have been working for months to make this an inclusive and inspiring gathering, so we will do our best to proceed under these difficult circumstances," Rising Tide member Zack Schofield said.
Rising Tide member and former Young Novocastrian of the Year, Alexa Stuart said: "It's shameful that institutions like the Telegraph seek to undermine the democratic right to peaceful protest we enjoy in this country, and it's troubling that Scouts NSW has been implicated in this political attack."
Ten Rising Tide members stormed the electorate office of former Premier Dominic Perrottet in March.
Four people were arrested and charged with trespassing.
To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.
