Version No. 133

Land Act1958

No. 6284 of 1958

Version incorporating amendments as at
1 July 2017

table of provisions

Section Page

xi

Section Page

1 Short title and commencement 1

2 Repeals and savings 2

2A Definitions 5

2B Traditional owner agreement for natural resources 7

Part I—Crown lands generally 8

3 Definitions 8

3A Application of Road Management Act 2004 16

3B Transport Integration Act 2010 17

4 Application of Part 17

4A Minister may purchase lands 17

4B Power to enter into management agreements with Traditional Owner Land Management Boards 18

4C Land to be managed consistently with joint management plan 19

5 Filming Approval Act 2014 19

Division 2—Grants and reservations 19

12 Governor in Council or Minister may convey land under this Part 19

12A Exchange of Crown land 20

13 Land acquired by Crown or Board may be conveyed 22

17 Registration of Crown purchases to have same effect as enrolment 22

22A Power to public authorities to surrender lands 23

22C Attorney-General may authorize surrender of lands to Her Majesty 25

22D Surrender of land by municipality 26

22E Surrendered land to be deemed unalienated land of Crown 27

23 Escheated and forfeited lands may be conveyed 27

24 Grant by Governor on behalf of Her Majesty to be valid 28

25 Governor in Council may divide territory into countiesetc. 28

26 Crown grants and leases to be dated 30

Division 3—Administration 31

27 Appointment of land office and land officer 31

28 Application for a lease or licence 31

29 Applications to be entered 31

31 Duties of bailiffs 31

32 Authority of persons appointed under this Act 33

33 Several persons may be appointed to do the same act 33

34 How applications etc. to be heard 34

35 Penalty for false statement etc. 35

36 Power to Governor in Council to withdraw lands from saleetc. 35

37 Minister to lay annual report before Parliament 35

Division 4—Perpetual leases 36

53 Power to select allotment under perpetual lease 37

54 Application of subdivision 37

55 Conditions in perpetual lease 37

56 Rent under perpetual lease 41

57 Recovery of rent and interest 41

58 Power of perpetual lessee to surrender lease 42

59 Ante-dating of lease 42

60 Limit of land to be held under perpetual lease 43

61 Encumbranced leases 47

Division 6—Sale of land by auction or tender or to a public authority 49

89 Minister may sell Crown land by public auction or public tender 49

90 Minister to give notice of public auction or public tender 49

91 Procedure where reserve price not reached at auction or by tender 50

92 Purchaser of Crown land by auction or tender deemed to be owner 51

94 Commission may be paid 51

95 Land to be granted when purchase price paid 51

96 Person not to assign interest under contract of sale without Minister's consent 52

97 Penalty interest for failure to pay money due under contract of sale 52

98 Minister may declare contract of sale void on default 52

99 Minister may sell Crown land to public authority 53

99A Sale by private treaty 54

100 Sale of Crown land subject to lease 55

Division 7—Swamp or reclaimed lands 58

101 Swamp lands 58

102 Governor in Council may cause swamp lands to be drained 58

103 Power to enter upon lands and make canals drainsetc. 58

104 Powers of Minister for purposes of drainage 60

105 Penalty for injuring or obstructing drains 61

106 Fixing value of swamp or reclaimed lands 62

107 Value to be marked on plan by Minister 62

108 Power of Minister to approve or alter 62

109 Mode of disposing of swamp land when valued 63

110 Governor in Council may lease or renew lease on swamp lands 63

111 Conditional purchase leases 64

112 Conditions 64

113 Condition in leases 65

114 Conditional purchase leases 66

115 Special conditions in leases and contracts 67

116 Perpetual lessee may obtain conditional purchase lease 69

118 Condition in Crown grant to keep open drains 70

119 Power of Minister to authorize drain etc. through adjoining swamp lands 71

120 Rent under perpetual lease of swamp etc. 71

Division 8—Agricultural leases, licences andpermits 72

Subdivision 1—Leases for agricultural purposes 72

121 Granting of leases for agricultural purposes 72

122 Term of lease 73

123 Land over which lease may be granted 73

124 General conditions of leases 74

125 Land leased under this Division deemed to be protected forest 75

126 Amendment of folios of the Register on resumption of land 76

Subdivision 2—Licences for agricultural purposes 77

130 Granting of licences for agricultural purposes 77

130AA Period of licence 77

130AB Land over which licence may be granted 78

130AC General conditions regarding licences 78

130B Licence presumed where fee paid 79

130C Licence not to expire on death of licensee 80

130D Application of sections 130B and 130C 81

Subdivision 3—Agistment permits 83

133A Agistment permits 83

Subdivision 4—General provisions relating to agricultural licences and leases 84

133B Remittance or waiver of rent or fees in times of hardship 84

133C Forfeiture of leases and cancellation of licences 85

133D Compensation for improvements on forfeiture of lease or cancellation of licence 85

133E Termination of lease where no breach 86

133F Cancellation of licence where no breach 86

133G Notice of intention to grant lease or licence 87

Division 9—Leases and licences for nonagricultural purposes 88

Subdivision 1—Leases for non-agricultural purposes 88

134 Minister may lease Crown land under this subdivision 88

134A Leasing of strata of Crown land 89

135 Public auction or tender or private negotiation 93

136 Minister to give notice in writing of public auction or public tender 93

137 Proposed lessee to give notice of lease arranged privately 94

137AA Term of lease 94

137AAA Rent in advance 96

137AB Rent review 96

137AC Replacement leases 97

137AD Leases may not be assigned etc. without Minister's consent 97

137AE Lease granted to generation company 97

137A Industrial leases and industrial development leases 98

Subdivision 1A—Conditional purchase leases 102

137B Conditional purchase lease 102

137C Terms and conditions 103

137D Purchase on certain conditions 103

137E Crown grant to be subject to conditions etc. as Governor in Council sees fit 104

137F Lease not to be transferred etc. without Minister's consent 104

137G Minister may declare lease forfeited 104

137H Effect of forfeit of lease 104

Subdivision 2—Licences &c. 105

138 Minister or authorized person may grant licences 105

138A Licence for strata of Crown land 106

139 Buildings etc. erected under licence to be removed on expiry 110

140 Terms and conditions 111

140AA Licence granted to generation company 112

Licences for Jetties and Landing Stages etc. 112

140A Grant of licences for jetties landing stages etc. 112

140B Notice of intention to apply for a licence to be published 113

140C Term of licence 114

140D Licence to specify purpose conditions etc. 114

140DA Licence fee 114

140E Renewal presumed where fee paid 115

140F Conditions associated with lease of land 115

140G Aquatic clearance 117

Tour operator licences 117

140H Offence to conduct organised tour or recreational activity on Crown land if unlicensed 117

140I Grant of tour operator licence 118

140J Application for tour operator licence 118

140K Requirement to pay annual fee on grant of tour operator licence 118

140L Tour operator licence conditions 119

140M Contravention of condition an offence 119

140N Variation of licence to operate as activity provider or tour operator on Crown land 119

140O Suspension of tour operator licence 120

140P Making submissions on suspension 120

140Q Cancellation of tour operator licence 121

Bee site licences 122

141 Person may apply for bee site licence 122

142 Minister may grant bee site licence 122

143 Land over which bee site licence may be granted 124

144 Fees to be determined by Minister 126

145 Conditions relating to access to a bee site licence area 127

146 Transfer of bee site licence 127

147 Process on expiry of current bee site licence 128

148 Application of presumption of bee site licence 129

149 Offences 129

Eucalyptus Oil Licences 132

150 Governor in Council etc. may grant eucalyptus oil licences 132

151 Conditions of licence 132

Subdivision 3—Grant of leaseholds 132

151AA Metropolitan lessees may obtain grant of land 132

Division 9A—Plantation areas 134

151A Definitions 134

151B Proclamation of land for plantation areas 135

151C Application for grant of plantation area 136

151D Investigation of application 136

151E Grant of lease 136

151F Planting of trees by lessee 137

151G Road charges 138

151H Assignment, mortgage etc. of lease 138

151J Cancellation of lease 139

151K Power to lessee to erect buildings 139

151L Property in trees where lease cancelled or expired 139

Division 11—Residence areas 141

163 Definitions 141

165 No new residence area rights to be granted 141

166 Holder of right to have exclusive occupation of land 142

167 Cancellation of right to occupy residence area 142

168 Removal of buildings 143

169 Compensation on resumption by Crown 144

170 Power to let 144

171 Power to inspect entries in mining registers 145

172 Power to excise land from certain streets 145

173 Right of holder of residence area to purchase land 146

174 Residence area right may be converted to purchase lease 147

175 Liens and encumbrances to be discharged 148

176 Forfeiture of lease 149

177 On payment of purchase price lessee entitled to Crown grant 150

Division 12—Commons 150

179 Common lands 150

180 Saving of existing commons 150

181 Governor in Council may proclaim commons 151

182 Appointment of managers and regulations 151

183 Management 152

183A Municipality may raise funds by allowing use of common 153

184 Governor in Council may increase or diminish commons 153

185 Lands taken from commons 153

Division 13—Trespasses, penalties, legalproceedings etc. 154

186 Penalty where land officer applies for allotment 154

187 Penalty for false statement etc. in relation to application 154

188 Penalty for unauthorized occupation or depasturing on certain lands 154

188A Magistrates' Court may order removal of buildingsetc. 155

190 Penalty for trespasses on Crown lands 159

190A Offence to construct, remove, alter, or carry out maintenance on, a levee on certain Crown land 160

191 Penalty for depositing rubbish on Crown lands 161

192 Obliteration of boundary mark 162

193 Rights of licensee and lessee against trespassers 162

194 Unauthorized occupier may be forcibly dispossessed 163

195 Hearing 163

196 Recovery of rent and licence-fees 164

197 Demand for or acceptance of rent etc. not to be deemed a waiver or breach of covenant or condition 164

198 Certificates of Minister prima facie evidence of nonpayment of fees or rent 165

199 Governor in Council may prohibit felling timber etc. 165

200 Proof 166

201 Certificate of Secretary to be prima facie evidence that land is unalienated Crown land 166

201A Judicial notice of signature 167

202 Declarations of forfeiture valid 167

203 Appeals 167

Division 14—Miscellaneous 168

204 All Crown grants and certain licences and leases to contain condition permitting mining on compensation for surface damage 168

205 Lands alienated to be subject to conditions for mining 168

208 Exchange of Crown and private land upon alteration of road 170

209 Resumption of land for roads 171

210 Declaration to be made by appraiser 173

211 Applicants for licences rights or leases before commencement of Act not prejudiced 173

212 Licensees under section 49 of The Land Act 1869 may obtain grant of auriferous holdings on certain condition 173

213 Holder of forest land entitled under certain conditions to purchase 174

214 Travelling cattle 175

215 Notice to be given to occupier of land of intention to drive travelling cattle or sheep 176

216 Survey officers may enter upon private lands 177

217 Privilege of public officers on duty and of holders of miner's rights 178

218 Leases may provide for removal of buildings and restoration of land 178

225 Unbranded wild cattle to belong to Crown 181

228 Interest on rent etc. in arrear 181

229 Agreement with electricity company 183

Part III—Leases of agricultural college lands 186

273 Demises 186

Part V—Development leases 190

302 Definitions 190

303 Power to Governor in Council to grant development leases 190

304 Power to suspend development in certain circumstances 193

305 Power to Governor in Council to make necessary grants to settlers and a grant to the Society 193

306 Licence entitling Society to enter and make tests on land in Thirteenth Schedule 194

307 Development Leases Consultative Committee 194

Part VIII—Leases and licences for electriclines 197

334 Power to lease or license land for construction thereon of electric line 197

335 Covenants conditions etc. of lease or licence 197

336 Notice of application 198

337 Mining not restricted 198

338 Copy of lease or licence to be laid before Parliament before issue 198

Part IX—General 199

339 Lands of the Crown to be alienated only down to such depth as Governor in Council directs 199

339A Alienation of Crown land in strata 200

339B Easements ancillary to alienation in strata 203

340 Right to metals and minerals not to go with the land 205

341 Crown lands enhanced in value by proximity of railway or waterworks etc. 205

342 Additional price how to be paid and applied 208

343 Mode of application where Crown land benefited by more than one work 209

344 Additional sums paid as purchase money or rent to be returned where works not constructed within ten years 209

345 Mode of alienation of Crown lands under previous Acts not to be affected 210

346 Power to include certain pieces of land in leases licences or Crown grants of adjoining land 211

347 Value where land contains any fractional part of an hectare 212

348 Crown grants of roads used for railways 212

349 Power to close certain unused roads on Crown lands 212

350 Power to set apart certain portions of roads for tree planting 214