By Rachel Clun
Two Greens MPs have been arrested in central Queensland and charged with trespass, following a protest against the Adani mine.
NSW state MPs Jeremy Buckingham and Dawn Walker were taking part in a blockade of the Carmichael coal mine rail construction site at Belyando when they were arrested on Wednesday morning.
Protesters chanted "Stop Adani" while police asked them all for identification.
The protest started about 4.30am Queensland time, and the upper house MPs were arrested two hours later.
NSW Greens upper house MPs Jeremy Buckingham and Dawn Walker are arrested in central Queensland on Wednesday following an anti-Adani protest.
In total, 17 people were arrested and charged with trespass and failing to comply with police direction, a Queensland Police spokeswoman said.
Filmed just after their arrest, Mr Buckingham was unapologetic.
"We're proud to stand with these activists who've put their bodies on the line and the climate before the profits of crazy, climate-destroying coal mines," he said.
"We're out here, getting arrested, saying 'no' to Adani."
NSW Greens upper house MPs Jeremy Buckingham and Dawn Walker protest against the Adani mine in central Queensland on Wednesday.
Ms Walker said she was "proud" to stand with traditional owners in a protest they had travelled for days to get to.
The MPs have been in Queensland for five days so far, and were travelling on to Townsville to inspect coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.
Greens MPs Jeremy Buckingham and Dawn Walker and protesters confront Queensland Police during an anti-Adani protest on Wednesday.
Mr Buckingham said the Wednesday morning protests and arrests were part of a "long campaign" against the "climate destroying behemoth", and more politicians from the party including leader Richard Di Natale and former Greens leader Bob Brown were expected to travel to Adani sites to disrupt work.
"There will be more actions that are designed to slow down and stop work on the Adani work sites, those will involve community members from across Australia and Greens MPs," he told Fairfax Media.
Seventeen people were charged with trespass and failing to comply with police after the protest at the mine site.
"This is the Franklin Dam moment in the battle to save our climate."
He said more MPs would most likely be arrested in their ongoing protest against the Carmichael mine.
"I and other Greens MPs are going to ramp up into ongoing civil disobedience," he said.
"Climate activists are committed, we are going to harass and disrupt this project till it stops."
Adani's $22 billion Carmichael coal mine would become Australia's largest on completion.
The company hopes to start shipping coal by March 2020.
On Tuesday, the Chinese embassy said the project would not be funded by Chinese banks.