Traditional owners of land near Alice Springs earmarked for a national nuclear waste dump have called for the Prime Minister and Science Minister to visit the area and meet with them.

The Athenge Lhere group are traditional owners of the Mount Everard site, which is north of Alice Springs.

It is one of three sites in the Northern Territory being considered by the Federal Government for the dump.

Kathleen Martin Williams, who is one of the traditional owners, says a visit may help the ministers understand the community's reservations.

"I'd like Johnny Howard and his sidekicks, especially that [Education Minister] Brendan Nelson, to come here take off their shoes and walk in the red sand with us," she said.

"Maybe they will appreciate our country. Maybe."

The Northern Territory's Environment Minister, Marion Scrymgour, says she told the Athenge Lhere group this morning that the Territory Government strongly opposes the dump.

Ms Scrymgour says the traditional owners' opposition to a dump being placed on their country is just as legitimate as any resident in urban Australia.

"A lot of the traditional owners in the central Australian region are saying you know not in our back yard," she said.

"Sorry but these sites and these areas are significant to us. They have significant dreaming areas ... and it shouldn't be in these areas."

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