West Australian Premier Colin Barnett has said his government will start the process to compulsory take land in the Kimberley for the development of a $30 billion gas precinct.

After weeks of threatening compulsory acquisition for the Woodside Petroleum-led project, Mr Barnett today officially announced the state government's intention to proceed.

Citing his frustrations over delays on an indigenous land use agreement and ongoing internal divisions among Aboriginal claimant groups, he said he had no choice but to act.

"I can honestly say, in terms of the negotiation, and I can look myself in the mirror with a clear conscience I could not have tried harder."

"I don't think the leaders of the KLC could have tried harder, I don't believe the Department of State Development and other agencies could have done more, we have just got to the point where the conclusion has not been reached."

But Kimberley Land Council (KLC) wants to continue negotiations for an indigenous land use agreement for the land at James Price Point, north of Broome.

KLC chief executive officer Wayne Bergmann said negotiation by consent was the way to go and compulsory acquisition would only dampen support among Aboriginal people for the gas hub and threaten the project.

The compulsory acquisition will involve six months negotiation with native title claimants. If an agreement cannot be reached, the decision will be left to the Native Title Tribunal to determine.