North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Watch this space, things are heating up over this issue

My concern of this sort of arrangement is that it starts to lock up vast area's of Australia'a coastline for the exclusive use of charter operators, resorts etc which can only be accessed then by those who can pay top dollar. This is the sort of thing you find in the USA and Europe. It is already bad enough with all the land locked up in pastrol leases which restricts access to the the coast and waterways. Things will get worse before they get better me thinks.

Finatic2 wrote:It doesn't matter anyway as the best fishing is more than 10kms offshore well outside the areas everyone is fighting over.

I find this a retarded statement. Some of the best fishing is in the rivers and coastal areas surrounding the island depending on what species methods of fishing used. The sheltered waters is also the other fact. It allows you some where to fish when the winds blow.

cuddlescooper wrote:

Finatic2 wrote:It doesn't matter anyway as the best fishing is more than 10kms offshore well outside the areas everyone is fighting over.

I find this a retarded statement. Some of the best fishing is in the rivers and coastal areas surrounding the island depending on what species methods of fishing used. The sheltered waters is also the other fact. It allows you some where to fish when the winds blow.

Bit harsh to call his opinion "retarded" mate. Depends on your perspective and preferences. As you said " ... depending on what species methods of fishing used."

The statement is retarded, not meant to be offensive. Meaning it's held back and not open minded for all forms of fishing. It does'nt take into account weather conditions and a range of reasons for wanting access to rivers, bays and other options in the area.

As you said it's his opinion and his opinion only. It doesnt think about a million other people that want to fish close to the island.

Not wrong about the growing restrictions. They fought hard in the UK to open up some of the waters that were available only to the lords and ladies for trout fishing, and here is Australia, the penal colony, closing waterways up for a new bunch of lords and ladies.

True about pastoral station restrictions too, they are leases to breed cattle, and there should be open public access via nominated track where a major waterbody exists.

There was a clause in the NT pastoral land act saying that stations must nominate a track into perennial water, but the NT govt chickened out and did nothing to enforce it, and I think the clause was removed.

That would be an interesting one to find out about Matt.

Matt Flynn wrote:Not wrong about the growing restrictions. They fought hard in the UK to open up some of the waters that were available only to the lords and ladies for trout fishing, and here is Australia, the penal colony, closing waterways up for a new bunch of lords and ladies.

True about pastoral station restrictions too, they are leases to breed cattle, and there should be open public access via nominated track where a major waterbody exists.

There was a clause in the NT pastoral land act saying that stations must nominate a track into perennial water, but the NT govt chickened out and did nothing to enforce it, and I think the clause was removed.

Yes indeed Matt, you also see this kind of thing in developing countries where exclusive resorts will get exclusive rights to a whole beach or bay that is only acessible to their guests......it is very worrying!

I am also concerned with the growing trend of pastrol lease holders getting a special dispensation to supplement their income by developing tourism ventures on their massive tracts of land. By that I mean, fine...it does in some....some instances give access to this previously off limits land to the average punter....BUT...often they go on to develop a "high end" tourism "experience"...ie...safari tent on the escarpment type set up......for $500 pp per night! I don't mind having to pay a nominal fee which covers some basic infrastructure....water, showers shitters etc.....like Rhett does on his station.......but not the sort of stuff like ol mate does down the track with his $1000 float plane experience. I just want to take my kids camping and fishing....enjoy the bush and have a bit of freedom.....but for a big place there is not many places I can go without either getting a permit.....asking permission....or paying through the nose......and frankly I have had a gut full of it!

PASTORAL LAND ACT - SECT 79
Access to waterways
(1) Subject to this or any other law in force in the Territory, a person has, without the specific permission of the pastoral lessee, a right to be on:

(a) perennial natural water (including the sea) on or surrounded by (or, in the case of the sea or a stream or waters forming the boundary of pastoral land, bordered by) pastoral land; or

(b) land within the prescribed distance of those waters.

(2) Subject to this Part, where a pastoral lessee, within 12 months after the commencement of this Act, by notice in a newspaper circulating in the area in which his or her pastoral land is situated, nominates a reasonably practicable route across land the subject of his or her lease from a public road to water referred to in subsection (1), advises the Board in writing of the route so nominated and indicates on the land by reasonable signs or other means (such as by grading the surface of an access road or track), access to the water may be obtained by members of the public, without the specific permission of the pastoral lessee, only by that route.

(3) Where a pastoral lessee has not under subsection (2) nominated a route, or has nominated a route that the Board considers is not practicable for the purposes of this Part, the Board may, in the same manner, nominate such a route as the route, or an alternative route, for public access to the water, and members of the public may use the route accordingly.

(4) In exercising its discretion under subsection (3) the Board shall have regard to:

(a) the possible environmental damage that may result from the use of a proposed route;

(b) the adverse effect, if any, that its use may have on the management of the pastoral land;

(c) the financial burden on any person (including the Territory) that may result from the nomination of the route;

(d) the impact, if any, on the privacy of persons residing on the pastoral land;

(e) the availability of alternative access other than across the pastoral land;

(f) whether, in its opinion, it is necessary for access to be provided across the pastoral land; and

(g) such other matters as it thinks fit or as are presented to it.

(5) A route shall not, by reason only of being nominated or indicated pursuant to subsection (2) or (3) or being used by members of the public as a consequence, become a public road.

(6) Subject to this Part, a person may camp temporarily on land within the prescribed distance of water referred to in subsection (1).

(7) This section does not give a person the right to camp:

(a) within a radius of 2 kilometres of a homestead or other residential premises on pastoral land;

(b) within a radius of 1 kilometre of a dam or other constructed stock watering point on pastoral land; or

(c) within 500 metres of every usual point of access for stock or wildlife to natural water.

(8) In this section prescribed distance means 50 metres or where, under subsection (9), some other distance is prescribed in relation to particular waters or water at a place, that other distance in relation to those waters or that place.

(9) The Board may, by notice in the Gazette , prescribe a distance for the purposes of subsection (8).


It would seem that there still is a right of access to waterways on pastoral land!


Cheers Big Col

So if I wanted access to Elizabeth downs billabongs or Label billabongs what does this mean???

I assume they are out of bounds because they are not set to sea by a permenant stream or river but am I reading that right?

I think pastoralist would be pretty quick to argue section 4.b. The spread of weeds, poachers using the track/cutting fences, people lighting fires off the sides off roads are all likley consequences of having public access to waterways through stations, and are all things that happen regularly in the NT. I think it would be easy for them to argue public access would have an adverse effect on the management of pastoral land. Dont get me wrong i'm all for public access to places like mission hole and the Reynolds river i've just seen enough of what goes on to understand why pastoralists are agianst it. Not to mention it sounds like the pastoralists responsibility to build and maintain the access tracks, they are trying to run a buisiness - cant see them putting time and money into building tracks for fisho's. I cant uderstand why aboriginal people aren't building fishing camps (like Wiligi) left right and centre. People would happily pay to fish places like the Molye river, Port keats, just about anywhere in arnhem land on a self drive, no guide basis. Basic camping grounds at good fishing/coastal access points could be a great money spinner and a way for people in remote areas to have some meaningful independent employment.

Well said NT Wombat

And the one and only way to ease the fishing pressure on the hard hit areas Darwin to perons

Trying to find the LIKE button wobat

here here wombat