"My client will allege that Adani dishonestly and knowingly relied on inaccurate information on the economic and employment benefits of their project when applying to the tribunal for permission for their mine," said Mr Burragubba's solicitor, Benedict Coyne, who is appearing in the Federal Court in Brisbane today.

The Wangan and Jagalingou do not consent to the $16.5 billion Carmichael coalmine, which is situated on their traditional lands in Queensland's Galilee basin.

"It would essentially destroy the heart of our country", Mr Burragubba said.

In October 2014, the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners' Council rejected an Indigenous land use agreement with Adani. The company then applied to the National Native Title Tribunal to have the objection overridden. In April, the tribunal decided that the mine was in the public interest, and recommended it go ahead. In doing so, it relied upon Adani's figures, which claimed the project would create around 7000 full time jobs.

"But my client alleges that Adani's figures were inaccurate," said Mr Coyne, who pointed to a separate legal challenge to the mine earlier in the year, in which an expert witness for Adani admitted that instead of 7000 jobs the project would create only 1200.

Mr Coyne said that Mr Burragubba also alleges that Adani grossly overestimated the mine's economic worth as $4170 million, when the true position was $1875 million, but that Adani put this evidence before the tribunal, and did not correct it.

Mr Burragubba said the case amounted to "fraud". He believes it also highlights deficiencies in the native title process. "I made a submission to the tribunal, but they refused to accept it. They denied us natural justice."

A spokesperson for Adani said the case was ongoing, and the company was not in a position to comment.