NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
CROWN LANDS REGULATIONS 1992
As in force at 10 February 2026
Table of provisions
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1
2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1
3 Repeal ............................................................................................. 1
4 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1
Part 2 Leases generally
Division 1 Lands available for leasing
7 Land not leased to be advertised again ........................................... 2
Division 2 Execution and commencement of leases
8 Commencement of lease ................................................................. 2
9 Covenants of lease under section 5 of Act ...................................... 2
Division 3 Payment for improvements
10 Insurance of improvements ............................................................. 3
Division 4 Surrender of leases
11 Surrender of leases ......................................................................... 3
12 Lodging of surrender with Registrar-General ................................... 3
13 Amended plan where lease partly surrendered ............................... 3
Part 3 Licences
14 Prescribed conditions for licences ................................................... 4
15 Prescribed conditions for classes of licences .................................. 4
Part 4 Estates in fee simple
50 Application by lessee for grant in fee simple.................................... 4
51 Action by Minister on receipt of application...................................... 4
52 Where land is available for purchasing ............................................ 4
Part 5 Miscellaneous
53 Witnesses' expenses ....................................................................... 5
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 ii
54 Calculation of stock carried on land ................................................. 5
Schedule 1 Prescribed conditions for licences
Schedule 2 Prescribed conditions for classes of
licences
ENDNOTES
NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
As in force at 10 February 2026
CROWN LANDS REGULATIONS 1992
Regulations under the Crown Lands Act 1992
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Citation
These Regulations may be cited as the Crown Lands
Regulations 1992.
2 Commencement
These Regulations shall come into operation on the
commencement of the Crown Lands Act 1992.
3 Repeal
The Crown Lands Regulations 1931 in force immediately before the
commencement of these Regulations are repealed.
4 Definitions
In these Regulations:
agent means a person duly appointed in writing by a person to act
as that person's representative.
applicant means a person who has made an application under the
Act.
cattle includes camels, horses, asses, mules, bullocks, cows, bulls,
and foals and calves over 6 months old.
lease means a lease under the Act.
stock includes cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.
Part 2 Leases generally
Division 2 Execution and commencement of leases
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 2
Part 2 Leases generally
Division 1 Lands available for leasing
7 Land not leased to be advertised again
Any Crown land that has been advertised in the Gazette as
available for leasing and that is not the subject of a grant of a lease
by the Minister shall remain open for leasing as so advertised
unless withdrawn or again advertised by notice in the Gazette
setting out the conditions for leasing.
Division 2 Execution and commencement of leases
8 Commencement of lease
Subject to a specific provision contained in a lease, a lease
commences on the date of its registration by the Registrar-General.
9 Covenants of lease under section 5 of Act
A lease granted under section 5 of the Act shall contain the
following covenants, conditions and provisions:
(a) a covenant for the prompt payment of the rent reserved by the
lease;
(b) a condition that the lessee will pay all rates, charges and
assessments made, levied, imposed or issued in respect of
the leased land whether those rates, charges or assessments
are payable at law by the lessee or by the Territory;
(c) a covenant for the maintenance and delivery up of the
premises in good and tenantable repair, fair wear and tear and
damage by fire, flood, lightning, storm, tempest and
earthquake excepted;
(d) a covenant that the lessee will not assign, sublet or
underlease the premises without the consent of the Minister;
and
(e) a provision for the determination of the lease on 14 days
notice.
Part 2 Leases generally
Division 4 Surrender of leases
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 3
Division 3 Payment for improvements
10 Insurance of improvements
(1) Where the lessee is allowed to pay for improvements by
instalments, it is a covenant of his or her lease that the lessee
insures from the commencement of the lease, and keeps insured
until he or she has made payment in full for the improvements, in
the full value thereof against fire, storm, flood or other event, with
an insurance office approved by the Minister, all such
improvements which are liable to be destroyed or damaged.
(2) Any such insurance shall be in the joint names of the lessee and
the Minister.
(3) The lessee shall lodge the policy of every such insurance with the
Minister within 30 days after the issue thereof.
(4) The lessee shall forward to the Minister the receipts for the
premiums payable in respect of every such policy within 30 days
after they are due.
(5) All sums of money received under any such insurance shall be laid
out in reinstating the improvements in respect of which the
insurance is received.
Division 4 Surrender of leases
11 Surrender of leases
For section 27(f) of the Act, the surrender of a lease or part of a
lease must be in the appropriate form and must be given to the
Minister for the Minister's acceptance, together with the prescribed
fee.
12 Lodging of surrender with Registrar-General
On acceptance of a surrender of a lease, or part of a lease, the
Minister shall cause the form of surrender to be lodged with the
Registrar-General for registration.
13 Amended plan where lease partly surrendered
When a lease has been partly surrendered the Minister shall cause
to be prepared a new plan delineating the amended boundaries of
the lease and shall cause a copy of that plan to be lodged with the
Registrar-General for registration under the Land Title Act 2000.
Part 4 Estates in fee simple
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 4
Part 3 Licences
14 Prescribed conditions for licences
For section 92(2)(a) of the Act, the conditions in Schedule 1 are
prescribed.
15 Prescribed conditions for classes of licences
For section 92(2)(b) of the Act, the conditions in Schedule 2 are
prescribed for each class of licence specified opposite.
Part 4 Estates in fee simple
50 Application by lessee for grant in fee simple
(1) An application by a lessee for the grant of an estate in fee simple in
the whole or a part of the land comprised in the lessee's lease must
be made in writing to the Minister.
(2) An estate in fee simple in part only of a lease referred to in
subregulation (1) shall not be granted until the land is surveyed at
the applicant's expense.
51 Action by Minister on receipt of application
On receipt of an application under regulation 50 for a grant in fee
simple, the Minister shall cause an inspection to be made of the
area applied for and decide whether the application should be
approved or refused or approved in an amended form.
52 Where land is available for purchasing
(1) Where the Minister advertises that an estate in fee simple in Crown
land is available for purchase, the Minister shall specify in the
advertisement the conditions of the purchase including the amount
of the deposit to be paid.
(2) A person who makes application to the Minister to purchase an
estate in fee simple advertised as available for purchase shall pay
the deposit specified in the advertisement to the Minister at the time
he or she makes the application.
(3) Where the Minister does not accept a persons application to
purchase referred to in subregulation (2), the amount of the deposit
shall be refunded to that person.
Part 5 Miscellaneous
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 5
Part 5 Miscellaneous
53 Witnesses' expenses
(1) Subject to subregulation (2), a person who is summoned by the
Minister as a witness under section 98 of the Act shall be paid the
same fees and expenses as that person would be entitled to
receive had he or she been summoned as a witness to appear
before the Supreme Court.
(2) An employee within the meaning of the Public Sector Employment
and Management Act 1993 shall not be entitled to payment under
this regulation unless that employee is on leave of absence on the
day on which he or she gives evidence.
54 Calculation of stock carried on land
In calculating the number of stock carried on any land, 5 head of
sheep shall, for the purposes of these Regulations, be reckoned as
one head of cattle.
Schedule 1 Prescribed conditions for licences
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 6
Schedule 1 Prescribed conditions for licences
regulation 14
1 The licensee must obtain any approvals, permits or other licences
required under any other Act that are necessary for the purpose for
which the licence was granted.
2 The licence is not transferable to another person unless the
licensee has the written approval of the Minister.
3 The licensee must ensure the land the subject of the license is
maintained in a clean and tidy state to the satisfaction of the
Minister.
4 The licensee must take all reasonable measures to prevent the
introduction or spread of weeds on the land the subject of the
licence.
5 The licensee must notify the Minister and any other relevant
authority if any of the following occur on the land the subject of the
licence as soon as practicable after the occurrence:
(a) an incident involving the health or safety of a person;
(b) a potential or actual contamination, pollution or environmental
harm or damage to the land.
6 At the end of the term of the licence, the licensee must remove any
improvements made to the land the subject of the licence and any
fittings, machinery, equipment or other chattels stored on that land.
7 The licensee has no right to compensation for any improvements to
the land the subject of the licence.
8 The Minister may inspect the land the subject of the licence at any
time during the term of the licence.
9 (1) If, at any time during the term of a licence or at the end of the
term of a licence, the licensee fails to observe or carry out the
licensee's obligations under the licence, the Minister may
enter onto the land the subject of the licence and do any thing
necessary to remedy the licensee's failure.
(2) The licensee is responsible for any costs incurred by the
Minister in relation to subclause (1).
Schedule 1 Prescribed conditions for licences
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 7
10 (1) The licensee must obtain and maintain a policy of public risk
insurance in relation to the land the subject of the licence.
(2) The licensee must show evidence of the policy at the request
of the Minister.
11 The licensee conducts the activities for the purpose for which the
licence was granted on the land the subject of the licence at the
licensee's own risk.
12 (1) The licensee indemnifies the Territory with respect to any
harm or damage caused to the land, any water on or under
the land, infrastructure or other improvements, or operations
relating to the use of the land, on account of any activities
carried out under the licence.
(2) The indemnity extends to the acts and omissions of any of the
licensee's agents or contractors.
(3) The indemnity does not apply to the extent that:
(a) compensation is provided under another clause of the
licence; or
(b) a grossly negligent or wilful act or omission of the
owner has contributed to the harm or damage.
13 (1) To the extent permitted by a law of the Territory, the licensee
releases the Territory from any claim by the licensee in
respect of:
(a) death or injury of any person employed or engaged by
the licensee; or
(b) loss or damage caused to the licensee's personal
property, and any consequential loss.
(2) Subclause (1) does not apply to a grossly negligent or wilful
act or omission of the Territory that contributed to the death,
injury, loss or damage.
Schedule 2 Prescribed conditions for classes of licences
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 8
Schedule 2 Prescribed conditions for classes of licences
regulation 15
Class of
licence
Conditions
1 Licence that
provides for
rights in relation
to the supply of
services
(1) If the licensee engages in construction work
to enable the service to be supplied or
conveyed through, under, on, across or
above the land the subject of the licence, the
licensee must, on the completion of the work,
prepare and provide the following to the
Minister:
(a) a record or the details of the work;
(b) the location of the work that enabled
the service to be supplied or conveyed
through, under, on, across or above
the land.
(2) The expenses incurred in preparing and
providing the information required under
subclause (1) are at the licensee's own cost
and not payable by or recoverable from the
Territory.
2 Licence that
provides for
taking natural
substances
(1) The licensee must not remain on the land the
subject of the licence after taking and
removing the substance or material without
the Minister's written approval.
(2) The Minister may, at any time during the
term of the licence and in the 12 month
period following the end of the term of the
licence, request a report from the licensee
showing the volume or amount of the
substance or material taken by the licensee
and the licensee must provide the report to
the Minister on the Minister's request.
3 Licence
granted on land
that has
improvements
A licensee must maintain, repair and keep in repair
the improvements on the land the subject of the
licence to the satisfaction of the Minister.
Schedule 2 Prescribed conditions for classes of licences
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 9
Class of
licence
Conditions
4 Licence
granted on land
that has natural
bushland or
other
vegetation
(1) A licensee must ensure that damage to the
land the subject of the licence is minimal.
(2) The licensee must not remove any trees
from the land the subject of the licence
unless the licensee has the written approval
of the Minister.
(3) If the land the subject of a licence is within a
fire protection zone under the Bushfires
Management Act 2016, the licensee is
required to establish a firebreak on the land
in accordance with that Act.
(4) If the land the subject of a licence is within
an emergency response area under the Fire
and Emergency Act 1996, the licensee is
required to create and maintain a firebreak
on the land in accordance with that Act.
ENDNOTES
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 10
ENDNOTES
1 KEY Key to abbreviations
amd = amended od = order
app = appendix om = omitted
bl = by-law pt = Part
ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule
cl = clause rem = remainder
div = Division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired rep = repealed
f = forms s = section
Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule
hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision
ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation
lt = long title sub = substituted
nc = not commenced
2 LIST OF LEGISLATION
Crown Lands Regulations (SL No. 24, 1992)
Notified 26 June 1992
Commenced 26 June 1992
Statute Law Revision Act (No. 2) 1998 (Act No. 92, 1998)
Assent date 11 December 1998
Commenced ss 7 and 11: 13 January 1999 (Gaz G1, 13 January 1999,
p 6); ss 6 and 15: 10 March 1999 (Gaz G9, 10 March 1999,
p 2); s 3: 1 April 1999 (Gaz S15, 1 April 1999);
s 25: 20 September 1999; rem: 11 December 1998
Land Title (Consequential Amendments) Act 2000 (Act No. 45, 2000)
Assent date 12 September 2000
Commenced 1 December 2000 (s 2)
Statute Law Revision Act 2003 (Act No. 12, 2003)
Assent date 18 March 2003
Commenced 18 March 2003
Crown Lands Amendment Regulations 2016 (SL No. 3, 2016)
Notified 16 March 2016
Commenced 16 March 2016
Statute Law Amendment (Territory Economic Reconstruction) Act 2021 (Act No. 19,
2021)
Assent date 31 August 2021
Commenced pt 6: 2 October 2021; rem: 29 September 2021 (Gaz G39,
29 September 2021, p 1)
ENDNOTES
Crown Lands Regulations 1992 11
Crown Lands Amendment Regulations 2023 (SL No. 10, 2023)
Date made 11 May 2023
Commenced 25 May 2023 (r 2, s 2 Statute Law Amendment (Territory
Economic Reconstruction) Act 2022 (Act No. 5, 2022) and
(Gaz G11, 25 May 2023, p 2)
Statute Law Revision and Repeals Act 2026 (Act No. 3, 2026)
Assent date 9 February 2026
Commenced 10 February 2026 (s 2)
3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: rr 1, 3, 13 and 53.
4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
r 4 amd No. 10, 2023 r 4
rr 5 – 6 rep Act No. 19, 2021, s 41
r 11 amd No. 3, 2016, r 3
r 13 amd Act No. 45, 2000, s 12
pt 3 hdg sub No. 10, 2023, r 5
pt 3
div 1 hdg rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
rr 14 – 15 sub No. 10, 2023, r 5
amd Act No. 3, 2026, s 64
rr 16 – 25 rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
pt 3
div 2 hdg rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
rr 26 – 31 rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
r 32 amd No. 3, 2016, r 4
rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
rr 33 – 36 rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
r 37 rep No. 3, 2016, r 5
pt 3
div 3 hdg rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
rr 38 – 42 rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
r 43 amd No. 3, 2016, r 6
rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
rr 44 – 48 rep No. 10, 2023, r 5
r 49 rep No. 3, 2016, r 7
r 50 amd No. 3, 2016, r 8
r 53 amd Act No. 12, 2003, s 19
r 55 rep Act No. 92, 1998, s 6(5)
r 56 rep No. 3, 2016, r 9
sch rep No. 3, 2016, r 10
sch 1 – 2 ins No. 10, 2023, r 6
amd Act No. 3, 2026, s 64