56Removal of certain vehicles and abandoned property from Trust land

56 Removal of certain vehicles and abandoned property from Trust land

(1) A ranger (with whatever assistance is reasonably necessary) may move the following objects to a place on Trust land or some other place: (a) a vehicle mentioned in subsection 54(1), the driver of which cannot be found after such inquiries by the ranger as are reasonable in the circumstances; (b) any property on Trust land (including any vehicle, vessel, watercraft, structure or materials) that the ranger believes, on reasonable grounds, to have been abandoned. (2) The ranger must take reasonable steps to identify the owner of the object and inform the owner of the removal. (3) If the owner of the object cannot be identified, the steps may include publishing, in a newspaper circulating generally in an appropriate place, an advertisement that includes: (a) a description of the object; and (b) the date when, and location of the Trust land from which, the object was removed. (4) For the purposes of subsection (3), an appropriate place is: (a) if the object is a motor vehicle registered in a State or Territory—that State or Territory; or (b) in any other case—New South Wales. (5) The Trust must release the object to its owner if the owner claims the object.

Note: The Trust may dispose of property that is not claimed within the claim period (see section 57).

(6) If a ranger moves an object under this section, none of the following are liable for any loss of, or damage to, the object that occurs while it is being moved with reasonable care, and stored, in accordance with this section: (a) the ranger; (b) any person who assists the ranger; (c) the Trust.