Traditional owners who oppose a nuclear waste dump in central Australia will tell a Senate committee hearing in Darwin their wishes have been overlooked.

Traditional owner Dianne Stokes, of the Yapayapa people, is among a group of indigenous representatives who travelled to Darwin on Monday to front the inquiry.

The federal government is considering Muckaty Station, near Tennant Creek, for Australia's first repository for low and intermediate-level nuclear waste.

A Senate committee is examining legislation that overturns the previous Howard government's process for establishing the dump, replacing it with a new process, but still favouring Muckaty as the site.

Although the Ngapa people nominated the land for the dump, they were just one of the traditional owners, and other clans oppose the development, Ms Stokes said.

"We don't want a waste dump on our beautiful country," she told AAP.

"It will make a big mess of the land."

Beyond Nuclear campaigner Nat Wasley, who was also set to give evidence at the hearing, said the dump had divided the community.

"I would hope that the Senate committee takes on board the wishes that this bill not be passed," she told AAP.

"It merely continues the Howard government's process that forces a waste dump on the Northern Territory and traditional owners who don't want it."

Also expected to give evidence were representatives of the Northern Territory government and the Central Lands Council.