Protest at world's biggest coal port continues

A planned blockade of the world's biggest coal port is stretching into a third day after multiple people involved in a paddle protest were arrested and removed from their kayaks.

Officers told protesters to move away from a shipping channel due to safety concerns after they tried to disrupt coal ships at the Port of Newcastle in New South Wales.

A woman, 26, and two men, 27 and 59, were arrested on Saturday and charged with not complying with a direction by an authorised officer relating to safety.

Several others were "assisted by police when they struggled to return to shore", police said.

Event organiser Rising Tide claimed a total of nine people were arrested on Saturday.

An 84-year-old great-grandmother, 16-year-old student and a doctor were among those pulled from their kayaks by police after they went out into shipping lanes, the group said.

Police said their operation would continue on Sunday and warned they had a "zero-tolerance approach" to actions that threatened the safe passage of vessels, with unlawful activity attracting fines and imprisonment.

"For their own safety and that of the other users of the port, police request that people refrain from entering the harbour with the intention to obstruct other users of the port," police said.

"We also encourage all participants to follow the directions of police."

Former environment minister and Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett performed at an associated festival on Saturday along with musicians including John Butler and Angie McMahon.

He hit out at what he described as "overreach" from authorities, including the NSW government, for attempting to stop the peaceful protest event.

Court challenges to the event had previously been told some protesters could seek to be arrested to attract publicity.

Some 109 people were arrested at a similar event in 2023.