Pastoral Land Board exceeded its authority on Lorella Springs
Federal Court ruled the Pastoral Land Board exceeded its power in approving a tourism permit for the remote 400,000-hectare station.
Why it matters
The ruling requires proper procedure and fair process for pastoral land permit decisions.
In Australia. Northern Territory Aboriginal land rights are strengthened, and tourism operators on pastoral land now face stricter rules around sacred sites and consultation.
Key facts
- 400,000 hectares
- Station size
- About 1,000 kilometres
- Distance from Darwin
- January 2023
- Tourism closure
- 2022
- Application year
- A Federal Court judge threw out the tourism permit for Lorella Springs.
- Northern Territory native title holders had fought a long legal battle.
- The judge found the Pastoral Land Board broke the law.
- The board approved a permit for about 60,000 hectares without following proper process.
- It did not give native title holders a fair hearing.
- The station is about 1,000 kilometres from Darwin.
- It ran tourism for about two decades before closing to tourists in January 2023.
- The board must now reassess the application.
- The judge upheld the water licence.
- But the judge rejected most of the native title holders' other arguments.
- A new permit could eventually be issued but must follow the law.
