Crown land is land owned by the government on behalf of the people of NSW and is under the care and control of the Minister administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016. The Minister is empowered to grant or otherwise dispose of Crown land or set it aside for special purposes.
Crown land is managed by 'Crown Lands - Department of Planning and Environment' (referred to as 'Crown Lands' in these Guidelines) on behalf of the responsible Minister administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016.
Dealings with Crown land are dealt with under the Crown Land Management Act 2016 which, on its commencement, superseded the following Acts previously related to the management of Crown land:
- Crown Lands Act 1989
- Crown Lands (Continued Tenures) Act 1989
- Hay Irrigation Act 1902
- Irrigation Areas (Reduction of Rents) Act 1974
- Murrumbidgee Irrigation Areas Occupiers Relief Act 1934
- Orange Show Ground Act 1897
- Public Reserves Management Fund Act 1987
- Trustees of Schools of Arts Enabling Act 1902
- Wentworth Irrigation Act 1890
- Western Lands Act 1901
- Western Lands Amendment Act 2009.
Following publication of a notice in the Government Gazette and receipt in NSW LRS of suitable documentation (CL45-11 or similar which is prepared and lodged by Crown Lands) signed by an authorised officer of Crown Lands, a 'First Title' may be created in the name of the 'The State of New South Wales'. The land will then be dealt with under the Real Property Act 1900 and may be transferred or leased to private people in the usual manner. A new deposited plan must be prepared to define these new parcels of land.
There are two broad concepts in relation to land owned by the government on behalf of the people of NSW, set out below:
Crown land
Crown land is land held by the Crown or a Crown authority under any title system, i.e. the land could be a Torrens Title, Old System Title or Crown Title (see below). The Minister administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016 may, by notice published in the Government Gazette, declare land to be Crown Land.
Crown Title
Crown Title relates to land which is not held under Old System Title or Torrens Title. This includes land unalienated by the Crown (which is land that has not yet been set aside by the Crown for a public purpose, Crown lease tenure or sold to the public).
For further information on Crown plans, see below: