Aboriginal Community Surveys

 

The main objective of this unit is to provide professional surveying services to facilitate the issue of leases or subleases for Aboriginal Communities under Section 19 and 19A of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.

To achieve this, the Aboriginal Community Surveys Manger facilitates Aboriginal Community development workings with respect to -

1. survey data allocation, processing and examination of land subdivision survey plans.
2. arranging and administering survey specifications and contracts for the supply of surveying services to government.
3. the development of the Territory’s cadastral and geodetic infrastructure.
4. the maintenance and provision of advice on spatial land records, datasets and databases.
5. managing audits of surveys on Aboriginal Communities

Generic Process

The generic process for this type of lease survey is no different from the process for normal survey plans of subdivision or for leases.  The process is as follows –

1. Client engages a Surveyor to undertake the work and prepare a survey plan.
2. Surveyor obtains relevant statutory consent for the proposal. Normally this will be a Development Permit, however if the survey is excluded from the requirements of the Planning Act an endorsement by Strategic Land Planning (Department of Lands & Planning) will be required.
3. Surveyor applies for data allocation, survey and plan requirements from the Office of Surveyor-General. This application will include:
4. evidence that the development has the relevant statutory consent, and
5. any requests for approval to deviate from the Survey Practice Directions.
6. Surveyor undertakes survey work
7. Surveyor lodges the survey plan and information (with the appropriate documentation) with the Office of Surveyor-General.
8. The Office of Surveyor-General processes and registers the survey data and then examines the plan for compliance with relevant legislation and/ or requirements.
9. Surveyor-General approves plan once all statutory requirements have been satisfied.
10. Surveyor or Client then lodges the relevant documentation with the Registrar General (Land Titles Office) to facilitate the registering and issuing of a lease.

See Statutory Services for directions on Lodgement of Plans, prescribed fees and Examination requirements.
http://www.nt.gov.au/lands/lis/survey/statutory/index.shtml

Current Surveyor-General Direction outlining the survey requirements for the issue of Section 19 and 19A leases in Aboriginal Communities are –

• SG Direction 2010/01 – Survey Requirements and Guidelines for the issue of Section 19 (ALRA) Leases and Section 19A (ALRA) Headleases and Subleases for Aboriginal Communities.

Territory Growth Towns

As part of the Working Future plan, 20 of the largest remote communities will be developed into towns. These communities are:

• Maningrida
• Wadeye
• Borroloola
• Galiwin’ku
• Nguiu
• Gunbalanya
• Milingimbi
• Ngukurr
• Numbulwar
• Angurugu/Umbakuma
• Gapuwiyak
• Yuendumu
• Yirrkala
• Lajamanu
• Daguragu/Kalkarindgi
• Ramingining
• Hermannsburg
• Papunya
• Elliott
• Ali Curung

The OSG will play an integral role in the development of the above Growth Towns by enhancing the Territory’s cadastral and geodetic infrastructure through the project management of surveys, verification of the co-ordinated reference marks and by geo-referencing the lease and sublease boundaries.