Submitting a Crown land enquiry

Please submit your enquiry prior to your requirement for grant. Land assembly determinations vary significantly depending on existing state agreements and interests in Crown land. Please refer to the comparison of land uses and Crown land tenure table for some generalised land use examples and associated Crown land tenures that may assist you in preparing your application.

Provide as much information as possible to support your enquiry.

If you have any questions or need assistance with your enquiry, the Crown land enquiry form or the process, please contact the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and ask for the Land Use Management Team responsible for the area to which your enquiry relates.

Please note - The submission of an enquiry does not in itself grant rights to Crown land, and the department reserves the right to decline any enquiry. It is a requirement that a submitted enquiry acknowledges the declaration on page 7 by signing where required. The department will consider the impact on native title rights and interests.

When do I need to complete a Crown land enquiry form?

A Crown land enquiry form is required for submission to the department regarding:

• purchasing Crown land 
• leasing Crown land 
• licences for events or other activities on Crown land
• roads 
• reserves 
• easements
• other.

How do I know if my enquiry relates to Crown land?

If you are unsure if the location of your proposed enquiry is on Crown land, your first step is to contact Landgate to identify the owner or management body of the land by:

• calling +61 (0)8 9273 7373 
• visiting Landgate's website
• in person at the Landgate Office, at 1 Midland Square, Midland.

If the land is private or freehold, then you will need to contact the owner of that land.

If the land is Crown land, please see below for some of the most common types of Crown land and the bodies, authorities or land owners responsible.

Types of land and responsible bodies

Managed Reserves

Responsible body - Relevant management body

For use of land that comprises managed reserves, the applicant should contact the respective management body in the first instance. For example, this could be a Local Government, a State Government agency, or an Aboriginal corporation. The Management Body can be determined by contacting Landgate.

Unmanaged reserves

Responsible body - Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

With respect to unmanaged reserves, the applicant is to contact the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.

Unallocated Crown land

​Responsible body - Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

The applicant is to contact the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.

Pastoral leases

Responsible body - Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

Pastoral lessees of Crown land can only use the Crown land for pastoral purposes and in accordance with any permit. It will depend on the nature of the event as to whether the pastoral lessee can authorise the conduct of the event or activity over the leased area, as pastoral lessees do not have the authority to permit or authorise non-pastoral activities on the land. The applicant is to contact the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage in the first instance.

Crown leases

Responsible body - Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage 

With respect to Crown lessees, it will depend on the nature of the event or activity and the designated purpose of the particular lease as to whether the lessee can authorise the conduct of the event or activity over the leased area. The applicant is to contact the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage in the first instance.

Roads

Responsible body - local government 

The applicant should contact the road management authority which in most instances is the Local Government, or Main Roads Western Australia for major roads.

Major roads

Responsible body - Main Roads Western Australia

The applicant is to contact Main Roads Western Australia for use of land that comprises major roads.

What costs could potentially be involved?

If the department supports a grant of tenure following assessment of the request, and the applicant chooses to proceed, the applicant is responsible for the payment of all costs and disbursements associated with the grant. 

These costs may include, but not be limited to: 

• Document preparation fees
• Landgate document registration fees
• Advertising and gazettal costs
• Applying for and approval of other statutory requirements
• Land valuation (purchase price, lease rental, easement or licence fees)
• Compensation and associated negotiation costs (for the acquisition of any land or interest in land including native title)
• Survey and plan preparation costs to be agreed by you with your nominated surveyor
• Relocation or protection of services – costs to be agreed by you with the owner of that asset (e.g. Water Corporation, Horizon Power, Synergy, ATCO, and Telstra)
• GST on any of the above
• Any other costs that may arise during the course of this process.

When does the Department need to assess or sign my Development Application (DA)?

Referral to the Department is not required for assessment and co-signing of Development Applications, except those which are for:

• Unallocated Crown land
• Unmanaged reserves
• Land under management order to a local government where the development is not consistent with the reserve’s purpose, or is used for commercial purposes
• Land Administration Act 1997 (LAA) leases.