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Aboriginal land rights and infrastructure compensation assessment on Crown and non-freehold lands in NSW

Author/s: John Sheehan, Kenneth Rayner

Date Published: 12/11/2025

Published in: Volume 30 - 2025 Issue 2 (pages 79 - 96)

Abstract

Statutory Aboriginal land rights in Australia were antecedent legislation more than a quarter century prior to recognition of native title by the High Court in Mabo & Ors v State of Queensland (1992) 175 CLR 1 (Mabo No. 2). Unsurprisingly a notable body literature now exists on native title (and even Indigenous cultural heritage protection), whilst on the topic of Aboriginal land rights limited scholarship exists. Consequently, the primary aim of this paper is to canvass the legislative framework for Aboriginal land claims in the Australian State of New South Wales (NSW). A second aim of the paper considers how the notion of (albeit only statutory) rights to Aboriginal lands does not align with established compensation law and practice. Finally, a sobering comparison is made with the Australian State of Western Australia solely absent a statutory Aboriginal land rights regime.

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Keywords

Aboriginal Land Rights - Indigenous Rights

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