Protesters at a government-backed housing project in Adelaide’s north have condemned the way Aboriginal ancestral remains have been treated at the site, after what the premier conceded was “one of the largest findings of this type” in the country.

The remains of at least 29 people have been uncovered at a burial ground across the Riverlea site, where a $3 billion Walker Corporation development is in the process of creating 12,000 new homes at what has been described as a new “satellite” suburb.

The crowd held signs reading ‘sacred ground’ and spelling out ‘Kaurna’, chanting “put them back”.

Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri and Nyoongar woman Natasha Wanganeen said the disturbance of the bones was “disgusting”.

“Why are my ancestors, my people, my elders expendable?” she said.

“This culture, this history that’s out here at Riverlea right now, that belongs to my children and their children.

“Don’t expect us not to get out there on that site and protect our old people.”

Tania Young Kearney said “damage [had] been done” removing the remains from where they were buried.

“Say 500 years ago we buried your nan or your pop, and all of a sudden developers have come along and found this beautiful big park where they want to build houses, but to get them, they have to dig up your nan and your pop,” she said.

“We need to put them back in the ground and we need to leave them there.”

It is understood the remains, as well as two bone fragments, are currently being stored in a shipping container under the care of the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation.

Subject of heated discussion with premier

The issue recently came to the fore on the ABC’s Q+A program, with Ms Wanganeen directly challenging Premier Peter Malinauskas.

“Right now, my people are getting dug up out at Riverlea, and I know you know about this, Peter,” she told the premier when both were panellists on the program earlier this month.

“It is very disrespectful, and I can’t respect a government that won’t respect over 65,000 years of my culture.”

In response, Mr Malinauskas said that the discovery, which he described as “probably one of the largest findings of this type”, had prompted government minister Kyam Maher to intervene and exercise discretionary powers.

“The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Attorney-General in South Australia has issued, effectively, a stop-work order on that project under the appropriate legislation, and that has now been paused, and the remains have to be removed in a culturally sensitive way,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“It’s a startling discovery, in no small way, and that’s why we’re treating it very seriously, as you would expect us to do, using the powers that are available to the minister.”

Mr Malinauskas added that the government had recently moved to significantly strengthen penalties for anyone caught disturbing or destroying Aboriginal heritage, with $10,000 fines for individuals and $50,000 for corporations increasing to $250,000 and $2 million respectively.

In response to Saturday’s protest, Mr Maher reaffirmed the government’s commitment “to protecting Aboriginal heritage across the state, and ensuring our Aboriginal heritage laws are respected”.

“I’d like to thank the Kaurna community, particularly through the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation, and the Walker Corporation for working constructively to protect the heritage discovered at Riverlea Park,” he said in a statement.

The Walker Corporation has been contacted for comment.