MARK COLVIN: The Senate today is preparing to pass controversial legislation allowing a national radioactive waste dump to be built on Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory.

But at the 11th hour, it appears at least one other site could be offered to the Federal Government as an alternative. 

Muckaty Station near Tennant Creek is presently the only site being openly considered for the construction of the waste facility and a group of Aboriginal land owners from the region is running a fierce campaign against the plan.

And the lure of more than $12 million in compensation is expected to draw out other traditional owners keen to build the dump on their land.

Michael Coggan reports.

(sound of baby crying)

MICHAEL COGGAN: In an impromptu ceremony on the outskirts of Tennant Creek a 10 week-old baby is being "smoked".

Seventy year-old Warlmanpa woman Bunny Naburula rubs the baby in oil and holds him over a hole dug in a small termite mound filled with smouldering green leaves from native plants.

The baby's parents have brought him to Tennant Creek as part of their work campaigning against a proposal to build a nuclear waste facility about 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek at Muckaty Station.

Bunny Naburula is strongly opposed to the waste dump.

BUNNY NABURULA: When I heard about this nuclear waste going to come, I just panicked. I was really sad. 

MICHAEL COGGAN: The Northern Land Council has identified members of the Ngapa clan as traditional owners of the proposed waste dump site and Amy Lauder, the senior representative of that clan, supports the construction of the waste facility.

But Bunny Naburula says the Land Council is ignoring the ownership rights of four other clan groups, including her own.

BUNNY NABURULA: They should talk to all five us but they've been listening to one, that's not fair.

MICHAEL COGGAN: Dianne Stokes is also a member of one of the clan groups claiming ownership of the Muckaty site. She's travelled to Canberra this week to argue against the proposed waste facility.

Dianne Stokes says traditional owners are prepared to stop radioactive material being transported through their country.

DIANNE STOKES: Number one there's challenging, doing dancing on the country, marching the bridges, closing Tennant Creek for the waste dump to come through there. Past Three Ways, east of Three Ways no one is going to come through there. On railway, no one's going to come through there. No waste dump's coming through any of them land. 

MICHAEL COGGAN: The Northern Land Council won't comment on the campaign against the nuclear waste facility. 

The waste facility agreement signed by the Ngapa includes more than $12 million in compensation. 

Muckaty Station is the only site currently nominated but the passing of the radioactive waste management bill will open the door for other Aboriginal land owners to nominate their land.

And the ABC understands at least one other Aboriginal group has its own proposal ready to present to Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson. 

MARK COLVIN: Michael Coggan.