River Improvement Trust Act 1940

Step 2 — Running the trust: Each trust is a proper legal body (called a "body corporate") — it can sign contracts, own property, and be sued. It's governed by a board of members, mostly local councillors plus a few people appointed by the Minister. Members serve up to 4-year terms.

Step 3 — Trust powers: Trusts can:

• Build and maintain river improvement works (like levees, bank stabilisation)
• Compulsorily acquire (forcibly buy) land needed for works
• Issue "improvement notices" telling people to stop damaging riverbanks or to fix existing damage
• Enter private land (with 7 days' notice, or immediately in emergencies)
• Register agreements about land use with the land titles office (so future buyers are bound by them)
• Apply to the Supreme Court for injunctions if someone ignores their notices

Step 4 — Funding: Local councils in the river improvement area must pay contributions to the trust each year — essentially rates money flows from councils to the trust. The trust must set an annual budget and follow it.

Key things to know if you own land near a river:

• You could receive an improvement notice requiring you to take specific action (e.g., remove vegetation or stabilise a bank). Ignoring it can result in fines up to 100 penalty units (currently around $15,000 for repeat offences) OR the trust doing the work and sending you the bill.
• Trust agreements about your land can be registered on your title — meaning they bind future owners if you sell.
• If complying with a notice damages your crops, the trust must compensate you.
• In emergencies, authorised officers can enter your land immediately without notice.