The Land Court is a special court of record created by the Land Court Act 2000. It deals with a range of matters, including:
- appeals against land valuations
- compensation claims for land resumptions
- objections and recommendations about mining tenures and environmental authorities for resource projects
- compensation and land access conditions for mining claims, leases, and exploration activities.
- appeals about local government rating categories
- indigenous land and cultural heritage issues, such as injunctions and cultural heritage management plans.
Membership of Land Court
Alternative dispute resolution
The Land Court encourages alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to help resolve disputes without a formal hearing.
Rules and procedures
The court applies the Land Court Act 2000, Land Court Rules 2022, and practice directions. The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 may also apply.
History of the Land Court
The court has a President and Members, who are appointed for 15-year terms.
Judicial registrars also work in the court, focusing on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes like mediations and preliminary conferences.
The Land Court is Queensland’s second oldest court, established in 1898. It originally dealt with Crown leasehold land issues, such as:
- setting rental amounts
- compensation for resumed leases
- valuing improvements on leased land.
Over time, the court’s role has grown. In 2007, it took over the jurisdiction of the Land and Resources Tribunal, adding mining, petroleum, cultural heritage, and Indigenous matters to its responsibilities.
- For a detailed history, see the Land Court annual report 2008–09 (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- Since 2008, former Land Court President John Trickett has written a section recording the history of the Land Court in each volume of the annual reports.
Contact us
| Address | 363 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000 |
| Postal address | GPO Box 5266, Brisbane QLD 4001 |
| Phone | (07) 3738 7199 (business hours) |
| landcourt@justice.qld.gov.au | |
| Business Hours | 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays and other designated court holidays) |
Please send all formal Land Court correspondence to Landcourt@justice.qld.gov.au. Do not send formal correspondence directly to individual staff members in the Land Court.
The Land Court and Tribunal Registry also provides registry services to the Aboriginal Land Tribunal.