QLDIn ForceAct
Fossicking Act 1994
sec.3Definitions
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### sec.3 Definitions
In this Act—
authorised officer means—
an authorised officer under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 ; or
a person who is appointed as an authorised officer under section 72 (1) .
s 3 def authorised officer amd 2005 No. 8 s 55 (2)
sub 2013 No. 10 s 23 (1) – (2)
camp includes—
pitch, place or erect a tent, caravan, hut or camping structure; and
place other camping equipment in position; and
stay overnight.
commercial tour means a tour, involving fossicking, conducted as part of a business activity.
commercial tour operator means a person who conducts, offers to conduct, agrees to conduct, or arranges for someone else to conduct, a commercial tour.
deputy mining registrar ...
s 3 def deputy mining registrar ins 2005 No. 8 s 55 (1)
om 2013 No. 10 s 23 (1)
designated fossicking land means land declared to be designated fossicking land.
Designated fossicking land declarations are made under section 42 (1) .
educational organisation means—
a school, college or registered higher education provider; or
a museum; or
a department of government involved in supplying educational services.
s 3 def educational organisation amd 2014 No. 25 s 223 sch 1 pt 2
exploration permit see section 8 (1) .
explosive has the meaning given by the Explosives Act 1999 .
s 3 def explosive amd 1999 No. 15 s 137 sch 1
field officer ...
s 3 def field officer om 2013 No. 10 s 23 (1)
forest entitlement area see section 8 (2) .
fossick see section 5 .
fossicking area means land declared to be a fossicking area.
Fossicking area declarations are made under section 44 (1) .
fossicking material means—
a gemstone; or
an ornamental stone; or
a mineral specimen; or
alluvial gold; or
a fossil (other than a fossil of a vertebrate animal); or
a substance prescribed by regulation to be fossicking material;
but does not include a meteorite, tektite, or impact or ejected material associated with a meteorite impact structure.
gemstone means a precious stone.
general permission for fossicking or camping, means permission, given under section 28 to the chief executive, for anyone—
to fossick on land mentioned in the permission under a licence; or
to camp on land mentioned in the permission when fossicking on the land under a licence.
s 3 def general permission amd 2013 No. 10 s 23 (3)
government owned corporation see section 8 (3) .
hand tool means—
a pick, shovel, hammer, sieve, shaker, or electronic detector; or
a tool declared by regulation to be a hand tool.
issuing officer means a person who is appointed as an issuing officer under section 71 (1) .
s 3 def issuing officer amd 2005 No. 8 s 55 (3)
sub 2013 No. 10 s 23 (1) – (2)
known fossil site means land of particular palaeontologic significance because of the presence of fossils on the land.
lake see the Water Act 2000 , schedule 4 .
s 3 def lake ins 2005 No. 42 s 52 sch 1
land manager see section 54 (2) .
licence means a fossickers licence.
licensee —
means the holder of a licence; and
for part 3 , division 2 —see section 24 .
s 3 def licensee ins 2024 No. 7 (1)
member see section 6 .
mineral see section 8 (1) .
mineral development licence see section 8 (1) .
mining claim see section 8 (1) .
mining district see section 8 (1) .
mining lease see section 8 (1) .
mining registrar ...
s 3 def mining registrar om 2013 No. 10 s 23 (1)
nominated waterway ...
s 3 def nominated waterway ins 2006 No. 59 s 85 sch
om 2014 No. 40 s 154 sch 1 pt 2
obstruct includes hinder or resist and attempt to obstruct.
occupied land see section 8 (1) .
occupier of a place includes a person who reasonably appears to be the occupier, or in charge, of the place.
owner see section 8 (1) .
s 3 def owner sub 1998 No. 38 s 4
permit means a fossickers camping permit.
person in control of a vehicle includes the vehicle’s driver or the person who reasonably appears to be the vehicle’s driver.
place includes premises, but does not include a vehicle.
premises includes—
a building or other structure; and
a part of a building or other structure; and
land where a building or other structure is situated.
prohibited camping land means land declared to be prohibited camping land.
Regulated camping land declarations are made under section 66 (1) .
prospect see section 8 (1) .
prospecting permit see section 8 (1) .
protected area means—
any of the following under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 —
a national park (scientific);
a national park;
a national park (Aboriginal land);
a national park (Torres Strait Islander land);
a national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land);
a conservation park;
a special wildlife reserve; or
a strategic environmental area under the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014 .
s 3 def protected area amd 2000 No. 44 s 42 sch
sub 2005 No. 42 s 52 sch 1
amd 2006 No. 59 s 85 sch ; 2013 No. 55 s 102
sub 2014 No. 40 s 154 sch 1 pt 2
amd 2016 No. 22 s 48 sch 1 ; 2019 No. 8 s 51 ; 2024 No. 33 s 7 (2)
public place means a place that the public is entitled to use, is open to the public, or is used by the public, whether or not on payment of money.
registered higher education provider see the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (Cwlth) , section 5 .
s 3 def registered higher education provider ins 2014 No. 25 s 223 sch 1 pt 2
registrar means the person responsible for keeping a register of interests in land.
regulated camping land means land declared to be regulated camping land.
Regulated camping land declarations are made under section 66 (1) .
reserve see section 8 (1) .
sell includes—
sell by wholesale, retail or auction; and
supply in trade or commerce under an arrangement; and
agree, attempt or offer to sell; and
keep or expose for sale; and
cause or permit to be sold.
State forest see section 8 (2) .
timber reserve see section 8 (2) .
tribunal ...
s 3 def tribunal ins 1999 No. 7 s 87 sch 3
om 2007 No. 39 s 41 sch
Wardens Court ...
s 3 def Wardens Court om 1999 No. 7 s 87 sch 3
watercourse see section 7 .
weapon see section 8 (4) .
wild river area ...
s 3 def wild river area ins 2005 No. 42 s 52 sch 1
amd 2006 No. 59 s 85 sch
om 2014 No. 40 s 154 sch 1 pt 2
wild river high preservation area ...
s 3 def wild river high preservation area ins 2005 No. 42 s 52 sch 1
om 2014 No. 40 s 154 sch 1 pt 2
wild river preservation area ...
s 3 def wild river preservation area ins 2005 No. 42 s 52 sch 1
om 2014 No. 40 s 154 sch 1 pt 2
- (a) an authorised officer under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 ; or
- (b) a person who is appointed as an authorised officer under section 72 (1) .
- (a) pitch, place or erect a tent, caravan, hut or camping structure; and
- (b) place other camping equipment in position; and
- (c) stay overnight.
- (a) a school, college or registered higher education provider; or
- (b) a museum; or
- (c) a department of government involved in supplying educational services.
- (a) a gemstone; or
- (b) an ornamental stone; or
- (c) a mineral specimen; or
- (d) alluvial gold; or
- (e) a fossil (other than a fossil of a vertebrate animal); or
- (f) a substance prescribed by regulation to be fossicking material;
- (a) to fossick on land mentioned in the permission under a licence; or
- (b) to camp on land mentioned in the permission when fossicking on the land under a licence.
- (a) a pick, shovel, hammer, sieve, shaker, or electronic detector; or
- (b) a tool declared by regulation to be a hand tool.
- (a) means the holder of a licence; and
- (b) for part 3 , division 2 —see section 24 .
- (a) a building or other structure; and
- (b) a part of a building or other structure; and
- (c) land where a building or other structure is situated.
- (a) any of the following under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 — (i) a national park (scientific); (ii) a national park; (iii) a national park (Aboriginal land); (iv) a national park (Torres Strait Islander land); (v) a national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land); (vi) a conservation park; (vii) a special wildlife reserve; or
- (i) a national park (scientific);
- (ii) a national park;
- (iii) a national park (Aboriginal land);
- (iv) a national park (Torres Strait Islander land);
- (v) a national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land);
- (vi) a conservation park;
- (vii) a special wildlife reserve; or
- (b) a strategic environmental area under the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014 .
- (i) a national park (scientific);
- (ii) a national park;
- (iii) a national park (Aboriginal land);
- (iv) a national park (Torres Strait Islander land);
- (v) a national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land);
- (vi) a conservation park;
- (vii) a special wildlife reserve; or
- (a) sell by wholesale, retail or auction; and
- (b) supply in trade or commerce under an arrangement; and
- (c) agree, attempt or offer to sell; and
- (d) keep or expose for sale; and
- (e) cause or permit to be sold.