Land Court resources and legislation

This section provides guidelines, resources and procedural directions for the general management of cases in the Land Court of Queensland.

Model directions

The Model Directions (PDF, 509.6 KB) document sets out the preferred format for case management directions made by the Land Court at directions hearings or reviews.

These directions cover key steps before a hearing, such as:

  • identifying issues,
  • sharing information (disclosure),
  • using alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and
  • managing expert evidence.

The document also includes a glossary to help people who may not be familiar with court processes.

When proposing directions for a case, the Court expects parties to use the Model Directions. You can change or add to these, depending on the specific needs of the case.

The Court updates the Model Directions from time to time.

Hearing materials

The forms below must be filed 5 days before any hearing review in the Land Court:

Reserved judgments policy

This policy shows how the Land Court deals with reserved judgments. It also explains how parties or their representatives can check the progress of a judgment. The President keeps track of all reserved judgments.

  1. Members of the Land Court aim to deliver judgments within three months of reserving them.
  2. Judgments are reserved on the last day of the hearing. If a party is allowed to provide written submissions, the judgment is reserved when the last submission is received.
  3. If a Member asks for more written submissions after the hearing, the reserve date remains unchanged.
  4. If the Member knows the judgment will take longer than three months, they should tell the parties when it is likely to be delivered.
  5. After three months, a party or their representative can ask about the progress of a reserved judgment. They can send a letter or email to the Registrar. The Registrar will inform the President without sharing who made the enquiry.
  6. The President will respond in writing through the Registrar after discussing the matter with the Member involved.
  7. If the case is public, anyone can ask the Registrar or the President for updates on a reserved judgment. It doesn't matter whether they are involved or not. This includes details such as the reservation date, the judgment, and the Member in charge.

Jurisdiction

As at 25 September 2023, sections of the legislation below confer jurisdiction on the Land Court and Land Appeal Court.

Read the legislation online.

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (Justice, Land and Other Matters) Act 1984, s 62(2)(b);
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Holding Act 2013, ss 23, 25, 33, 38, 47, 49, 53, 55, 57, 89(2) and (4);
  • Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003, ss 76, 106, 111, 112, 113;
  • Aboriginal Land Act 1991, ss 49, 55(3), 80, 82(5), 130, 277, 283(2)(b);
  • Aboriginal Land Regulation 2011, Part 5, Appeals to Land Appeal Court;
  • Acquisition of Land Act 1967;
  • Austral-Pacific Fertilizers Limited Agreement Act 1967, The Second Schedule & Third Schedule;
  • Biological Control Act 1987, s 55;
  • Breakwater Island Casino Agreement Act 1984, Schedule 1, Fifth Schedule, clause 19;
  • Brisbane Olympics and Paralympic Games Arrangements Act 2021, ss 55DQ
  • Central Queensland Coal Associates Agreement Act 1968, Schedule 1, Part VII, clause 2(10);
  • Century Zinc Project Act 1997, s 7;
  • City of Brisbane Act 2010, ss 69, 72(4);
  • City of Brisbane Regulation 2012, s 85;
  • Environmental Offsets Regulation 2014, s 23;
  • Environmental Protection Act 1994, ss 185, , 524 & Schedule 2, Part 1;
  • Forestry Act 1959, ss 61F, 61H, 61I, 61RK;
  • Fossicking Act 1994, ss 99, 124;
  • Geothermal Energy Act 2010;
  • Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2009 ss 335, 340;
  • Housing (Freeholding of Land) Act 1957, s 10C;
  • Housing Act 2003, s 112(8)(b);
  • Land Access Ombudsman Act 2017, s 52;:
  • Land Act 1994;
  • Land Regulation 2020;
  • Land Court Act 2000;
  • Land Valuation Act 2010;
  • Local Government Act 2009, s 66(4);
  • Local Government Regulation 2012, s 92;
  • Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014, ss 27(1)(b), 28(2), 30(2), 52, 53, 53A, 72, 96(2), 98, 99A, 100, 101;
  • Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Regulation 2016, s35 ;
  • Mineral Resources Act 1989;
  • Nature Conservation Act 1992, ss 67, 108, 137A;
  • Offshore Minerals Act 1998;
  • Petroleum Act 1923 ss 95(3), 109;
  • Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004;
  • Queen's Wharf Brisbane Act 2016, s 47;
  • Queensland Nickel Agreement Act 1970, the Schedule, Part VI, clause 3(8);
  • River Improvement Trust Act 1940,  s 11D;
  • Soil Conservation Act 1986, ss 22, 30;
  • State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971, ss 127, 139, 151, 152;
  • Sugar Industry Act 1999, ss 65, 68, 72, 73, 75, 287, 297;
  • Surat Basin Rail (Infrastructure Development and Management) Act 2012, s 27(5) and (6);
  • Survey and Mapping Infrastructure Act 2003, s 126;
  • Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Act 2003, ss 76, 106, 111, 112, 113;
  • Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991, ss 44, 50(3), 95, 182, 188(2)(b);
  • Transport Infrastructure Act 1994, ss 84D, 240F(4)(b), 260(5), 300(4), 303AC(4), 335, 351(4), 355B(4), 377R, 383, 411(3)(b), 412(2)(b);
  • Water Act 2000, ss 430, 434(4), 865(1)(b), 877(1)(b) and (d), 972B;
  • Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008, ss 562, 636; and
  • Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993, ss 54, 57.

Land Court annual reports

Aboriginal Land Tribunal annual reports

Reviews of valuation cases

Note: There was no 2012 review.

Publications

Contact us

The Land Court and Tribunal Registry provides registry services to the Land Court of Queensland, the Land Appeal Court, and the Aboriginal Land Tribunal. Please address correspondence to the Registrar.

Address:

363 George Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Map

Postal address:

GPO Box 5266

Brisbane Qld 4001

Phone:

(07) 3738 7199 (business hours)

Email:

landcourt@justice.qld.gov.au

No formal correspondence is to be emailed directly to individual personnel in the Land Court.

Business hours:

8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays and other designated court holidays)

The Land Court also provides registry services to the Aboriginal Land Tribunal.

Resources