The regulation organises management of the Trust lands around a set of recurring legal concepts. Each is defined or used consistently across the instrument and allocates decision-making power to the Trust, the Chief Executive or authorised persons.

Designated space and organised activities. Section 10 allows the Trust or the Chief Executive to designate spaces for organised sporting, entertainment, ceremonial or other organised activities. The Trust may notify a designation by direction, sign or public notice, and may grant written permission to use the space for the designated activity and to control access points and ticketing (s 10(1)-(3)). The concept of "designated space" cross-references to conditions the Trust may impose (s 44).

Prohibition-by-default plus permission. A large number of activities are explicitly "prohibited activities" unless carried out with the Trust's or Chief Executive's written permission (s 22). The prohibited activity definition is broad and includes commercial sales and hiring, offering services for a fee, establishing or operating a business, collecting money, busking, advertising, organising public meetings, and using particular equipment for commercial purposes (s 22(3)). Many recreational activities are similarly prohibited unless designated or permitted (e.g. s 26).

Relevant authority and authorised persons. The regulation uses "relevant authority" to mean the Trust, the Chief Executive or an authorised person (Schedule 2). Sections 4 and 5 prescribe who may be appointed and declare classes of authorised officers and persons; the Trust may authorise employees or contracted persons to give directions (s 46(1)). Authorised persons have powers to direct, remove, receive fees and enforce provisions (see ss 13, 16(6), 17(6), 23(2), 45).

Signs, directions and identification. Management actions may be implemented by signs, by written directions and by verbal directions in some cases (ss 7(2), 10(2), 16(1), 17(2), 30). The regulation imposes evidentiary thresholds for enforcement: a person is not guilty of contravening a Trust-displayed sign unless the sign was displayed before the contravention (s 47) and a person is not guilty of contravening a verbal direction given by the Trust unless the person who gave the direction identified themselves and warned the person that failure to comply is an offence, and showed ID on request (s 46(2)(a)-(c)).

Fee and security regime. The Trust may determine fees for matters specified in the Act and require payment by a specified date, including in advance (s 43(1)-(3)). The Trust may reduce or waive fees or accept in-kind consideration (s 43(4)-(5)). The Trust or Chief Executive may attach conditions to permissions including insurance, site preparation, crowd management, waste management, noise control and may require security in amount and form to guarantee compliance with conditions (s 44(1)-(3)).

Vehicle control and vehicle-free periods. The Trust may prohibit, control and limit vehicle entry, designate entry/exit points and open times, set maximum speeds, and designate vehicle-free periods (ss 14-19). Gate opening outside designated times may attract a fee of not more than $100 (ss 16(5)-(6), 17(7)-(8)).

Animal controls. The regulation draws a detailed regime for animals including a requirement that animals (other than horses or dogs in some provisions) be under effective control (s 38). It contains specific prohibitions and limits for horses (s 39), powers to create dog prohibited areas with signage (s 40), and broad protections against harming animals and their habitats (s 41).

Behavioural standards and amenity protection. The regulation sets out behavioural offences centred on public amenity, such as use of indecent language, disorderly conduct, noise limits and damage to vegetation, paths or other Trust infrastructure (ss 29, 31, 32). These are expressed as offences with maximum penalties and some are included in Schedule 1 for penalty notice amounts.

Penalty notices and debt recovery. Schedule 1 identifies a large set of offences as penalty notice offences and specifies monetary amounts for those penalty notices. The Trust may recover unpaid fees as a debt due in a court, per the note referencing the Act, s 18H (s 43 note).

Definitions and scope. Many operative terms are defined in Schedule 2 which plays a central role in delimiting the regulation's reach (Schedule 2). Notably, the Schedule adopts a broad definition of "vehicle" that expressly includes certain watercraft and apparatus used for conveyance, which can affect the interaction between vehicle-related rules and the water-related prohibitions found elsewhere (Schedule 2 vehicle definition; s 26).

Preservation of other legal regimes. The regulation expressly preserves and cross-references other statutory regimes. It does not limit other statutory provisions that apply to conduct on the Trust lands, or the Trust's functions as the lands' owner (s 50). Several provisions explicitly carve out or recognise existing statutory licences and duties under specialised Acts (for example, firearms and weapons Acts, Rural Fires Act, Companion Animals Act and the Disability Discrimination Act).

Taken together, these concepts create a rulebook that delegates granular site management to the Trust and its authorised officials, combines signage and written permission as primary instruments of control, and uses a default prohibition model to keep many commercial, organised and potentially impactful activities under the Trust's authorisation and conditionality.

The regulation creates obligations and decision-making power that affect a set of identifiable actors. The primary decision-makers under the instrument are the Trust and the Chief Executive. Relevant authority, as defined in Schedule 2, includes the Trust, the Chief Executive and authorised persons (Schedule 2). Authorised persons are a designated class declared in the regulation (s 5) and the Trust may appoint persons engaged under contract to provide services as authorised officers (s 4).

Persons who visit, use or propose activities on Trust lands. Every visitor to Trust lands is affected by the default prohibitions on an extensive list of activities (see ss 22, 26, 27, 28, 29). The public is subject to signage and directions; the regulation criminalises entry when lands are closed (s 7(3)), failure to obey directions or signs (multiple provisions), and non-compliance with verbal directions in specified circumstances subject to identification and warning requirements (s 46). A person who uses equipment while committing a prohibited activity may be directed to remove equipment, with removal at the person's expense if they fail to comply (s 23).

Commercial operators and event organisers. The regulation targets commercial use by prohibiting sales, services for a fee, business operation, merchandising and forms of advertising unless the Trust or Chief Executive provides written permission (s 22). Event organisers must obtain written permission for organised activities and for events attracting large crowds the Trust may authorise a limited set of event classes and impose conditions including an annual cap on events of those classes (s 10; s 12). The Trust may require security (bond), insurance and impose detailed operational conditions (s 44).

Lessees, licensees and contractors. Acts expressly authorised by a lease, licence or agreement with the Trust do not contravene the regulation (s 49). The Trust may also engage persons by contract, who can be appointed authorised officers (s 4). Employees and authorised persons may carry out acts otherwise prohibited when exercising functions under the Act (s 48).

People in possession of animals. Animal owners or custodians who bring animals onto Trust lands are affected by the detailed animal controls in Part 7 (ss 38-42). There are special rules for horses (s 39), dog-prohibited areas (s 40), and obligations to remove faeces and not to abandon animals (s 42).

Drivers and vehicle operators. The regulation affects all classes of vehicles as defined in Schedule 2 including bicycles, motor vehicles, trailers, certain watercraft and powered apparatus (Schedule 2 vehicle definition). It sets where and when vehicles may enter, designated entry and exit points, gate opening times, vehicle-free periods, speed limits and restrictions on teaching driving, vehicle weight/height limits and driving with tare weight over 3t or height over 4m (ss 14-20).

People with disabilities and assistance animals. The regulation expressly allows persons with disabilities to bring assistance animals onto Trust lands despite dog-prohibition designations (s 40(5)). The definition of assistance animal is cross-referenced to the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (s 40(6)). That cross-reference means statutory protections for disability-related access are acknowledged.

Police, emergency services and licensed security. Emergency vehicles and their drivers are excepted from certain vehicle provisions when acting reasonably and displaying lights or sounding alarms, with caveats for circumstances when such signalling is not reasonable (s 21). Police officers and Commonwealth or State officials carrying out duties are exempted from the firearms prohibition when acting in the ordinary course of duty (s 37(2)(b)). Licensed security personnel who hold licences under the Security Industry Act and are authorised under Firearms and Weapons Acts are permitted to carry firearms as authorised by those Acts (s 37(2)(c)).

Members of the Trust's staff and authorised persons. The regulation gives authorised persons and employees delegated capacity to give directions and, in some cases, to carry out acts that would otherwise be offences (s 46; s 48). The instrument requires those who give verbal directions to meet certain identification and warning conditions before a contravention can be prosecuted (s 46(2)).

In short, the regulation affects: visitors, recreational users, commercial operators and event organisers, vehicle and animal operators, lessees/licensees and contractors, and public officials charged with management or enforcement. Liability exposure, compliance costs and operational obligations vary by activity, and many affected persons must obtain written permission to carry out otherwise-prohibited uses or face penalties or penalty notices (see s 22; Schedule 1).

The regulation creates a network of duties for members of the public and parallel rights and discretions for the Trust, the Chief Executive and authorised persons. The duties are primarily behavioural and procedural obligations; the rights are largely managerial discretions and conditional permissions available to the Trust and Chief Executive.

Key duties imposed on the public

• Obey signs, directions and closures. A person must not enter Trust lands closed under s 7, must not contravene directions or signs limiting numbers (s 8), must not drive into or out of the Trust lands other than at designated points (s 15), and must not contravene various other signs and directions (multiple provisions). Failure commonly attracts a maximum penalty of 10 penalty units.
• Comply with vehicle, animal and conduct restrictions. Duties include obeying gate times (s 16), not driving during vehicle-free periods (s 17), designated speed limits (s 19), helmet requirements for riders (s 27(1)(b)), keeping animals under control (s 38), and restrictions on horses and dogs (ss 39-40). Recreational duties include prohibitions on certain water activities, fireworks, camping, erecting structures and games interfering with amenity (s 26; s 28).
• Provide name and address on reasonable request. If an authorised person or the Chief Executive reasonably suspects an offence, they may require a person to state full name and address (s 45(1)). Failure to comply without reasonable excuse or giving false details is an offence unless the authorised person identified themselves and warned the person (s 45(2)-(3)).
• Remove equipment or temporary structures when directed. A person who uses equipment while committing an offence must immediately remove it if directed (s 23(1)). A person who contravenes the camping/structure prohibition must remove the erected thing when directed; otherwise the thing may be removed at the person's expense (s 28(3)-(4)).

Discretions and rights of the Trust, Chief Executive and authorised persons

• Granting permissions and attaching conditions. The Trust or the Chief Executive may grant written permissions for uses otherwise prohibited and may attach conditions it considers appropriate, including insurance, site preparation, security, crowd management, noise control and waste services (s 44(1)-(2)). The Trust may require security in an amount and form it determines (s 44(3)).
• Fee-setting and fee management. The Trust may determine fees for matters specified in the Act, require payment by specified dates, reduce or waive fees, accept in-kind consideration and recover fees as a debt (s 43(1)-(5); note referencing Act s 18H).
• Direct, warn and remove. Relevant authorities may give directions to secure good order and remove persons who trespass or contravene the regulation, and may specify periods during which persons must leave and must not return (s 13). Authorised persons can remove people or things and collect specified gate fees (s 16(5)-(6); s 17(7)-(8); ss 13, 23).
• Display signs and designate areas. The Trust or Chief Executive may close land, designate spaces, restrict the number of persons and create prohibited areas for dogs (ss 7-11; s 40). Signage is a core implementation mechanism for many controls (e.g. ss 7(2), 10(2), 47).

Protections and limitations embedded in the duties-rights architecture

• Procedural protections for enforcement. Verbal directions must be given by authorised persons who identify themselves and warn the person that failing to comply is an offence before contravention can be prosecuted (s 46(2)). Signs must be in place before the act that contravenes the sign for liability to be established (s 47). For liquor prohibitions the authorised person must have warned the person that consumption is prohibited on that day before a prosecution can succeed (s 36(5)).
• Statutory carve-outs and non-exhaustive operation. The regulation does not limit other statutory regimes or the Trust's functions as land owner (s 50). It recognises existing licences and statutory duties in relation to firearms, weapons and companion animals (e.g. ss 37, 40).

Consequences and enforcement mechanisms

• Criminal penalties and penalty notices. Most offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 penalty units. Schedule 1 identifies a range of penalty notice amounts for specified offences and clarifies that penalty notices may only be issued for the limited kinds of offences or in the limited circumstances specified (Schedule 1, cl 1).
• Property removal and costs. When equipment or structures are removed under ss 23 or 28, they may be placed in care of the person or in safe keeping at that person’s expense; the Trust is expressly not responsible for safekeeping or damage (s 23(2)-(3); s 28(4)-(5)).

Rights of people with disabilities and emergency services

• Assistance animals. Provisions prohibiting dogs from certain areas do not apply to assistance animals as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (s 40(5)-(6)).
• Emergency vehicle exceptions. Vehicle-related provisions do not apply to emergency vehicles where the driver takes reasonable care and, for moving emergency vehicles, displays a flashing light or sounds an alarm unless it is reasonable not to do so in the circumstances (s 21).

In sum, the regulation puts day-to-day compliance duties on visitors and operators primarily through a prohibition-then-permission structure, while granting the Trust broad administrative discretion to manage access, fees and conditions subject to procedural evidentiary rules for enforcement.

The regulation pairs criminal penalties with administrative enforcement tools, including penalty notices, direction and removal powers, fees and debt recovery mechanisms. Enforcement is administered by the Trust, the Chief Executive and authorised persons who have specific powers and procedural constraints set out in the text.

Criminal penalties and penalty notice regime

• Maximum penalties. Many contraventions are stated with a "Maximum penalty,10 penalty units" at the relevant provision (for example, s 7(3); s 8(3); s 14(3); s 26(1); s 28(1); s 29). The consistent use of 10 penalty units indicates a common penalty ceiling for a wide range of breaches.
• Penalty notice offences and specified amounts. Schedule 1 identifies specific provisions for which a penalty notice may be issued and provides fixed dollar amounts for those penalty notices. Examples include $150 for contravening closing (s 7(3)) and $1,100 for certain higher-impact matters such as displaying advertising material for commercial purposes (Schedule 1 entries for s 22(1) in relation to s 22(3) paragraph (d), and s 25(2) etc.). Schedule 1, cl 1 establishes that penalty notices may be issued only for the limited kinds of offences or in limited circumstances set out in the Schedule.
• Relationship to court proceedings. The note to s 43 makes clear that fees owed to the Trust may be recovered as a debt in a court in accordance with the Act (reference to Act s 18H). The regulation therefore pairs administrative enforcement with civil recovery remedies.

Powers to give directions, remove people and remove property

• Directions and removal of persons. A relevant authority may direct a person who trespasses or contravenes the regulation to leave, and may specify the area, period to leave and a period not to return (s 13(1)-(3)). A failure to comply permits removal by an authorised person (s 13(4)). Associated offences for failing to obey directions carry maximum penalties (s 13(6)).
• Removal of equipment and temporary structures. A person using equipment while committing a prohibited activity must, if directed, immediately remove the equipment (s 23(1)). If the person fails to comply, the relevant authority may remove the equipment and place it in the care of the person or in safe keeping at the expense of the person or owner. The Trust disclaims responsibility for safekeeping or damage to removed equipment (s 23(2)-(3)). Similar provisions apply to the removal of erected or occupied structures under s 28(3)-(5).
• Gate-opening and fees for unlocking. The Trust may require payment of a fee up to $100 for opening a gate outside gate opening times or during vehicle-free periods to enable a vehicle to exit, and an authorised person may receive that fee for the Trust (ss 16(5)-(6); 17(7)-(8)). This creates an operational enforcement tool and revenue stream.

Evidentiary and procedural constraints on enforcement

• Identification and warning requirements. A person is not guilty of contravening a verbal direction unless the person who gave the direction identified themselves as the Chief Executive, an employee of the Trust or an authorised person and warned the person that failure to comply is an offence, and if the person asked, showed identification (s 46(2)(a)-(c)).
• Signs must predate contravention. A person is not guilty of contravening a sign displayed by the Trust unless it is established the sign was displayed before the act or omission that contravened the sign (s 47). These provisions provide procedural defences and help frame how authorised persons must operate to secure enforceable offences.
• Warning requirement for liquor prohibition. Enforcement of the prohibition on consuming liquor under s 36(4) requires establishment that an authorised person warned the person on the day that consumption was prohibited and that the person continued or resumed consumption after the warning (s 36(5)). This creates a conditional enforcement threshold for alcohol-related offences.

Delegation and exemptions

• Staff and authorised persons exempted in exercising functions. Except for firearms provisions (s 37), an authorised person or an employee of the Trust may carry out acts that would otherwise be prohibited if they are exercising functions under the Act; such acts do not constitute an offence when done by those persons (s 48).
• Lessee and licensee privileges. Acts expressly or impliedly authorised by the terms of a lease or licence granted by the Trust do not contravene the regulation (s 49).

Non-liability for damage to removed property

• The Trust is not responsible for safekeeping or damage to equipment or structures that it or a relevant authority removes under ss 23 or 28 (s 23(3); s 28(5)). This means that removal at the Trust's direction exposes the owner or occupier to the cost and risk of loss or damage to removed items.

Use of penalty notices versus prosecution

• Schedule 1, cl 1(1) states each offence specified is an offence for which a penalty notice may be issued and sets the amount payable. Clause 1(2) limits issuing penalty notices to offences committed in the limited circumstances described. The regulation therefore contemplates both administrative penalty notices and the potential for prosecution in court when appropriate.

In operational terms, enforcement combines on-the-ground management (signage, verbal and written directions, and physical gate control) with fixed-sum penalty notices for many breaches and broader criminal penalties for others. Procedural safeguards such as identification and warning requirements, pre-existing signage, and narrowly specified penalty notice applicability create defined conditions under which enforcement will be lawfully effective.

The regulation expressly cross-references and preserves other statutory regimes and interacts with them in several ways. It operates as a delegated instrument under the Act, and many clauses are framed "for the Act" to implement powers or limitations the Act confers. It also defers to and recognises obligations created by other Acts where relevant.

Preservation of other statutory provisions and Trust ownership functions

• Non-limitation clause. Section 50 provides that the regulation does not limit a provision of, or made under, another Act that applies to conduct on the Trust lands, nor does it limit a function exercisable by the Trust as the owner of the Trust lands. That clause signals the regulation is intended to operate alongside other statutory instruments rather than displace them.
• Savings on previous regulation. Section 51 ensures continuity by providing that acts or matters that had effect under the repealed 2014 regulation continue to have effect under this regulation.

Direct cross-references to specific Acts

• Firearms and weapons. Section 37 cross-references the Firearms Act 1996 and the Weapons Prohibition Act 1998. It provides that the prohibition on possessing or using firearms on Trust lands does not apply to persons who act in accordance with the Trust's written permission, to police in the ordinary course of duty, or to licensed security personnel who are authorised under the Firearms or Weapons Acts to carry those items (s 37(2)(a)-(c)). Section 37(3) states the section does not affect requirements imposed by or under the Firearms Act 1996 or Weapons Prohibition Act 1998.
• Rural Fires Act. Section 32(j) cross-references the Rural Fires Act 1997, saying lighting fires is prohibited when prohibited by signs or when prohibited by the Rural Fires Act, or otherwise except in fireplaces, Trust-provided equipment or portable cooking equipment.
• Companion Animals Act and Disability Discrimination Act. Dog prohibition provisions in s 40 include a note referring to the Companion Animals Act 1998 s 14 as relevant to other dog-related prohibitions. Section 40(5)-(6) expressly allows assistance animals and uses the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 definition of assistance animal and of disability.
• Road rules and motor vehicle law. The regulation uses Road Rules 2014 definitions for bicycle crossing light and pedestrian crossing in s 9; Schedule 2 imports concepts from the Road Transport Act 2013 by adopting that Act’s meaning for "motor vehicle" in Schedule 2. Speed, vehicle definitions and prohibitions intersect with road transport laws where vehicles are driven on sealed roads within the Trust lands.
• Liquor Act. Schedule 2 defines "liquor" with the same meaning as in the Liquor Act 2007, which matters for s 36’s alcohol prohibitions.
• Security Industry Act. Section 37(2)(c) references the Security Industry Act 1997, permitting licensed security personnel to carry firearms or prohibited weapons for functions authorised by their licence and relevant weapons law.

Operational interactions and potential friction

• Overlap with road and traffic law. Vehicle-related rules (e.g. speed limits, driving and parking requirements in Parts 3 and 5) exist alongside state road rules and transport legislation. Section 21 creates an explicit exception for emergency vehicles; however, the regulation applies to many conveyances defined broadly in the vehicle definition (Schedule 2), which potentially creates points of intersection between park rules and road transport law that will require operational coordination.
• Emergency and public-safety Acts. The regulation defers to emergency management duties and to Firearms and Weapons Acts for authorised carriage of weapons, thereby signalling that enforcement must be coordinated with police and emergency services.
• Discrimination and access law. By referencing the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 for assistance animals, the regulation acknowledges Commonwealth anti-discrimination norms and sets a clear access exception when dogs are otherwise prohibited.

Delegation of policing functions and evidence rules

• The regulation allows authorised persons and Trust employees to give directions and carry out acts in the exercise of Trust functions (s 46; s 48). Those delegated powers must be reconciled with procedural protections and evidentiary requirements, and with any limits in other Acts that govern police powers, searches and seizures.
• The regulation’s procedural requirements for identification and warning (s 46) and for the display of signs before contravention (s 47) structure how the Trust and authorised persons must operate to produce enforceable offences alongside any existing criminal law powers.

Fee recovery and civil remedies

• The note to s 43 references the Act, s 18H, enabling the Trust to recover fees as a debt in a court. That statutory debt-collection mechanism interacts with standard civil procedures and may sit alongside the regulation’s administrative penalty scheme.

Overall, the regulation is designed to work within a matrix of other State and Commonwealth laws. It explicitly recognises the primacy of other statutes where they apply, incorporates cross-references to clarify exceptions, and establishes procedural conditions to ensure enforcement actions by the Trust or authorised persons are lawful and cognisable in broader legal contexts.

The regulation text itself contains minimal but specific amendment and transition information. Practitioners should unpick two clear elements in the text: the immediate replacement of the 2014 regulation and at least one textual amendment notation affecting s 12.

Commencement and repeal of previous regulation

• Replacement of the 2014 regulation. Section 2 records that this regulation commences on 1 September 2024 and replaces the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Regulation 2014, which is repealed on the same day under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989, s 10(2). Section 51 provides a savings provision to preserve acts, matters and things that had effect under the repealed 2014 regulation so they continue to have effect under the 2024 regulation.
• Transitional continuity. The savings clause (s 51) indicates the legislature intended a degree of continuity for pre-existing arrangements or authorisations that had legal effect under the former regulation.

Express amendment note within the text

• Section 12 amendment notation. Immediately following s 12 there is a parenthetical note: "s 12: Am 2025 (534), Sch 1." That is a textual amendment marker embedded in the consolidated text, indicating that section 12 was amended by an instrument referenced as "2025 (534), Sch 1". The presence of that note in the regulation text provided indicates that at least one amendment was made or is recorded to have been made to s 12 by a subsequent instrument numerically identified in that way. Section 12 itself regulates the Trust’s authorisation for certain classes of events and imposes a limit of 12 events per calendar year for those classes (s 12(4)(a)). The amendment notation suggests that the content or operation of s 12 has been the subject of change; practitioners must check the consolidated and current legislative database for precise amendment content and operative dates.

No internal amendment timeline beyond commencement and the s 12 note

• Beyond the initial commencement and the s 12 amendment note, the regulation as provided does not contain further historical amendment entries. It is silent within the text on repeals or prior amendments other than the replacement of the 2014 regulation.
• Practitioners should therefore rely on official consolidated legislation services or the Gazette for a complete amendment history and for operative dates of any amendments, including the amendment cited at s 12.

Implications for practice

• Transitional arrangements. Section 51’s savings provision is the principal transitional tool in the instrument. It means that interests, permissions, or arrangements that had effect immediately before repeal of the 2014 regulation continue under the new regulation, which reduces legal uncertainty for existing lessees or events.
• Need to monitor subsequent instruments. The presence of at least one specific amendment entry for s 12 in the text flags the need to review subsequent subordinate legislation and amendment instruments to determine how event authorisations and caps have evolved since commencement.
• Check consolidated sources. Because the regulation interacts with the Act and with other laws by reference, complete amendment histories for related provisions may also be found in amending Acts or instruments affecting the Act.

In sum, the regulation replaces the 2014 instrument with a declared commencement date, preserves prior legal effects through a savings clause, and contains an inline amendment reference to s 12 that signals further legislative modification. For full amendment chronology, the authoritative consolidated legislative database and the statutory instruments register should be consulted.

The regulation text supplied contains no judicial decisions, authorities or litigation references. It does not name any cases, nor does it record court interpretations of its provisions. Accordingly, there is no litigation history embedded in the instrument itself for practitioners to extract.

That absence does not mean the regulation will not be subject to legal challenge or interpretation. The following observations are relevant to practitioners and researchers seeking to anticipate litigation risk based on the regulation's structure and enforcement design.

Potential points likely to generate disputes

• Procedural and evidentiary thresholds. Sections containing identification, warning and signage prerequisites for enforceable contraventions (ss 36(5), 46(2), 47) are matters that commonly give rise to disputes. Where enforcement action is taken without the specified identification or warning, persons prosecuted may rely on these express statutory defences. Challenges would focus on whether the authorised person complied with the statutory procedural steps.
• Delegation and authority of authorised persons. Sections 4, 5 and 46 allow the Trust to appoint authorised officers and to authorise employees and agents to give directions. Disputes may arise over whether a person giving a verbal direction was properly authorised in writing by the Trust, as required by s 46(1), or whether the authorised person properly identified themselves when enforcing a direction (s 46(2)). Evidence of delegation and authorisation would be central to any challenge.
• Interpretation of "prohibited activity" and the public/private boundary. Section 22’s broad definition of prohibited activity includes many common public activities (busking, distributing advertising material, collecting money, operating services for a fee). Litigation could occur over whether particular conduct falls within those definitions or whether an activity is covered by an express lease or licence exception under s 49.
• Removal of property and non-liability of Trust. Sections 23 and 28 permit the Trust to remove equipment or structures at the owner's expense and disclaim Trust responsibility for safekeeping or damage. Disputes about lawful removal, the adequacy of notice, the lawfulness of where items are deposited and claims for damage or conversion could yield litigation.
• Interaction with other statutes and discrimination law. The regulation cross-references other laws such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Firearms Act, Weapons Prohibition Act and Rural Fires Act. Litigation could involve conflicts of statutory duties or questions about which law prevails in a given fact pattern, particularly in access disputes involving assistance animals or emergency services activities.
• Fee and security decisions. Decisions by the Trust to set fees, require payment, demand security or reject waivers or in-kind offers could give rise to judicial review or contractual challenges if an aggrieved party alleges procedural unfairness, unreasonableness, or errors of law in the exercise of discretionary powers.

Practical notes for litigators and advisors

• Evidence and record-keeping will be critical. Because many regulatory contraventions hinge on whether signage was displayed or identification and warnings were provided, preserving contemporaneous records, photographs of signs, records of directions and written permissions will be decisive in most disputes.
• Administrative law avenues. Challenges to Trust decisions about permissions, conditions, fees and security are likely to involve administrative law remedies where the Act and the regulation authorise discretionary decision-making, including potential judicial review for jurisdictional error, procedural unfairness or unreasonableness. The regulation’s structure centralises discretion with the Trust and Chief Executive (s 44); careful analysis of delegated powers under the Act will be required.
• Penalty notice disputes. Schedule 1 creates a statutory scheme for penalty notices with fixed amounts. Disputes may arise about the appropriateness of issuing a penalty notice versus proceeding to prosecution, and about whether the contravention falls within the limited kinds or limited circumstances for which a penalty notice can be issued (Schedule 1, cl 1(2)). Administrative appeal and payment/non-payment pathways will be relevant.

Because the regulation itself contains no reported litigation, any analysis of litigation risk must be predictive and must pay close attention to the statutory protections for identification, signage and warning, to the delegation arrangements governing authorised persons, and to interactions with other legislative regimes. Practitioners intending to litigate or advise on disputes arising under the regulation should gather documentary evidence of the Trust’s delegation instruments, signage, warnings, permissions and records of payment or security demands as a first step.

This regulation contains several provisions that create practical traps or non-obvious legal consequences for visitors, organisers, lessees and authorised persons. These "gotchas" arise largely from (1) the breadth of default prohibitions, (2) the procedural evidentiary thresholds for enforcement, (3) non-intuitive definitions, and (4) the Trust’s broad discretion to attach conditions and require security.

Breadth of prohibited activities and permission dependence

• Many everyday activities require written permission. Section 22’s definition of "prohibited activity" is broad and includes selling goods, providing services for a fee, operating a business, distributing advertising material, collecting money, busking, conducting surveys or petitions and organising public meetings (s 22(3)(a)-(k)). That means that an individual or operator who thinks they are simply "informing" the public, fundraising or performing could be committing an offence unless they have the Trust’s written permission. The Schedule 1 penalty for many commercial-related contraventions is high (for example $500 or $1,100 depending on the offence).
• Tickets and perimeter control for organised activities. A designated space may be used for an organised activity only with written permission, and the Trust can authorize perimeter points as entrances and prevent entry to ticketless persons (s 10(3)). Organisers who fail to obtain written permission and attempt to control access may be committing offences.

Evidentiary thresholds can defeat enforcement if authorities misstep

• Signage must be displayed before the contravention to convict. Under s 47, a person is not guilty of contravening a sign unless the sign was displayed before the act or omission that contravened the sign. If an authorised person attempts enforcement without ensuring signage was in place, the enforcement may fail.
• Verbal directions require identification and warning. Section 46(2) requires the person giving a verbal direction to identify themselves and warn that non-compliance is an offence, and to show identification if asked. Failure to satisfy these elements can preclude prosecution for contravening a verbal direction.
• Warnings required for liquor enforcement. For any prosecution under the liquor prohibition, the authorised person must have warned the individual that consumption was prohibited on that day and the person must have continued drinking after the warning (s 36(5)). Absent that warning, liability cannot be established for the consumption offence.

Non-intuitive or consequential definitions

• Vehicle includes boats and certain apparatus. Schedule 2 defines "vehicle" to include boats, rafts, canoes and other vessels (Schedule 2 vehicle definition). That has the potential to cause confusion because Part 3 deals with vehicles and Part 5 prohibits operating boats or watercraft on lakes or ornamental water (s 26). The combined effect can mean watercraft may be captured both as "vehicles" and as items that are separately prohibited. Organisers or users of watercraft should check both regimes.
• Motorised wheelchairs and bicycles included. The vehicle definition includes a motorised wheelchair capable of more than 10 km/h and motor-assisted bicycles (Schedule 2). Rules such as speed limits and gate time restrictions could therefore apply to such devices where one might not expect them to.

Removal risk and owner liability

• Trust not liable for removed property. If equipment or structures are removed under ss 23 or 28, the Trust disclaims responsibility for safekeeping and for damage (s 23(3); s 28(5)). Individuals who erect structures or leave property on Trust lands risk loss and expense if the Trust removes those items.
• Costs of enforcement can fall on visitors. Removal, storage and other costs can be placed on the person from whom the item was removed, which effectively shifts financial risk of enforcement onto visitors or operators.

Fees, security and discretionary financial exposures

• Trust may require security and advance payment. The Trust may determine fees payable and require payment by a date that could be in advance of the event or use (s 43(1)-(3)). It may also require security in amount and form it determines to secure fulfilment of conditions (s 44(3)). This can create cash-flow costs and contingent financial exposure for event organisers.
• Trust may accept in-kind consideration. While the Trust may reduce or waive fees or accept in-kind consideration (s 43(4)-(5)), that discretion can create bargaining dynamics and potential for negotiation costs and non-uniform treatment.

Event caps and Callan Park exclusion

• Event class limits and Callan Park prohibition. Section 12 authorises only certain classes of events on Trust lands other than Callan Park and limits the Trust to authorise no more than 12 events of those classes in a calendar year (s 12(1)-(4)). Organisers must ensure their events both fall within an authorised class and that the cap has not been reached. The text contains an amendment note to s 12 (s 12: Am 2025 (534), Sch 1) which suggests the operative content of s 12 has been subject to amendment; practitioners should check the current consolidated text.

Interplay with other legislation and access rights

• Assistance animal exception versus dog prohibited areas. Section 40 creates dog-prohibited areas but expressly preserves access for assistance animals as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (s 40(5)-(6)). There may be factual disputes over whether an animal qualifies as an assistance animal in particular cases, and how that interacts with local Companion Animals Act obligations.
• Firearms and weapons carve-outs narrow but intersect with other Acts. Section 37 prohibits firearms generally on Trust lands but recognises exceptions where conduct is lawful under the Firearms Act or Weapons Prohibition Act, including for licensed security personnel. Determining lawful possession may require cross-referencing those Acts and licences.

Administrative decision-making and potential for discretionary variability

• Broad discretion in attaching conditions. Section 44 permits the Trust and Chief Executive to attach a wide range of conditions. This breadth creates administrative discretion that may yield inconsistent or contested decisions if not applied with transparent criteria.
• Authorisation of staff to act. The Trust may authorise employees and authorised persons to give directions under the regulation (s 46(1)). The scope and mechanism of that written authorisation will be key in enforcement disputes; absence of clear delegations can undermine enforcement actions.

Taken together, these features mean that many everyday activities in the Parklands can carry legal risk if the Trust’s permissions, signage and procedural steps are not observed. Practitioners and organisers should be mindful of the need for written permissions, evidence of signage and warnings, the costs and requirements of security and insurance, and the interaction of the regulation with other Acts.

Compliance under the regulation requires a mix of preventive steps, documentation, and operational processes for event organisers, commercial operators, lessees/licensees, visitors, and Trust staff. Below are concrete, source-grounded compliance actions tied to the relevant provisions.

For visitors and casual users

• Check signage and obey directions. Many controls are implemented by signage (see ss 7(2), 10(2), 15(2), 16(1), 17(2)). Before entering an area or engaging in an activity, look for signs that close lands, limit numbers or prohibit activities. If a sign prohibits an action and was displayed prior to your conduct, it is enforceable (s 47).
• Obtain written permission where necessary. If you propose to engage in an activity listed as a prohibited activity (s 22(3)), or to erect a tent or structure (s 28), or to use an area for a wedding or organised ceremony outside areas designated for free use (s 25), obtain the Trust’s written permission in advance to avoid offences.
• Comply with vehicle rules and times. Enter and exit at designated points only (s 15). Respect gate opening times and do not drive outside them unless you have permission (s 16(2)). Observe vehicle-free periods where posted (s 17). Wear helmets when riding bicycles, scooters or skateboards where required (s 27(1)(b)).
• Follow animal rules. Keep animals under effective control with appropriate chains, cords or cages unless the animal type is exempt (s 38); comply with dog-prohibited areas (s 40). Properly dispose of animal faeces (s 42(1)(e)).
• When given a direction by an authorised person, comply. For directions to be enforceable, the person giving them must identify themselves and warn that non-compliance is an offence, if giving a verbal direction (s 46(2)). Even so, compliance is the safe course.

For event organisers and commercial operators

• Secure written permissions early and read conditions carefully. Most commercial and organised activities are prohibited without written permission (s 22(2); s 10(3)). Where permission is required, the Trust or Chief Executive may impose conditions under s 44 including insurance, security, waste management, noise control, vehicle access and crowd management. Request the conditions in writing and ensure timelines for compliance are feasible.
• Budget for fees, security and possible in-kind requirements. The Trust may set fees and require payment by a specified date, including in advance (s 43(1)-(3)). It may require security in an amount and form it determines (s 44(3)). Confirm the fee schedule, payment procedures and security requirements before committing to suppliers or ticketing.
• Keep documentation of permissions, payment receipts and compliance with conditions. Retain written permissions, proof of fee payment, insurance certificates and records of site preparation or waste arrangements to demonstrate compliance in case of disputes.
• Ensure signage and perimeter control are in place. If managing a designated space, ensure the Trust has authorised any signage and perimeter entrance/exit points and that ticketing controls are implemented per the written permission (s 10(3)).
• Plan for removal and storage contingencies. If your operation uses temporary structures or equipment, have a plan for rapid removal if directed by a relevant authority, because failure to remove can lead to the Trust removing items at your cost and with no liability for damage (ss 23(1)-(3); 28(3)-(5)).

For lessees, licensees and contractors

• Confirm lease/licence terms and reconcile with regulation. Section 49 states that acts authorised by a lease or licence granted by the Trust do not contravene the regulation. Review the lease or licence to confirm express or implied authorisations and retain written evidence that activities are authorised under the lease or licence.
• Ensure staff authorised to provide directions are properly delegated in writing. Section 46(1) requires the Trust to authorise in writing persons to give directions under the regulation. If you are employing staff to carry out Trust-authorised functions, ensure that written delegations are current and accessible to enforcement staff so that the identification and warning requirements can be satisfied when giving verbal directions.

For Trust staff and authorised persons

• Maintain clear written delegations and identification. To be able to enforce verbal directions, the Trust must authorise persons in writing to give directions and ensure those persons carry identification and give warnings when required (s 46(1)-(2)). Keep delegation instruments up to date and ensure authorised persons are trained in procedures for identification and warning.
• Ensure signage and timing of display are documented. Because liability for contravening signs depends on whether signs were displayed before the contravention (s 47), keep dated photographic records and site logs of sign installation and removal.
• Follow procedural requirements for liquor and other conditional offences. Where prohibitions (such as alcohol bans under s 36) require an on-the-day warning before prosecution can be sustained, ensure authorised persons record warnings and the circumstances in which they are given.
• Use fee procedures and security prudently. For gate-opening fees and vehicle-exit fees, ensure authorised persons record receipt and provide receipts for the Trust (ss 16(5)-(6), 17(7)-(8)). For security held under s 44(3), adopt a clear accounting and return process consistent with the Trust’s policy.

Cross-cutting compliance items

• Check the definition of "vehicle" and "animal" for edge cases. Because Schedule 2 defines vehicle to include certain watercraft and apparatus, verify whether intended uses fall under vehicle rules or are otherwise prohibited by s 26. Similarly, check whether an animal involved is a "stock", "poultry" or other type affecting control duties under s 38.
• Account for special statutory regimes. If activities interact with other Acts (for example, firearms, weapons, rural fire rules, road transport or disability discrimination), ensure corresponding licences and statutory duties are complied with alongside permissions from the Trust (s 37; s 32(j); s 21; s 40(6)).
• Be prepared to negotiate conditions. The Trust has broad discretion to attach conditions under s 44. Early engagement with the Trust to negotiate insurance, security, waste and crowd-management measures mitigates risk and facilitates predictable outcomes.

In summary, compliance requires anticipating the Trust’s permission and condition regimes, documenting permissions and signage, budgeting and securing required financial and insurance arrangements, and training staff and authorised persons to satisfy procedural safeguards required for enforcement. Practical steps should be documented with timestamps, records and written permissions to provide evidence in any subsequent enforcement matter.