Is permission needed to detect NSW TSR and showgrounds?

[Roaring Days]

G'day all.
I'm brand new to detecting and spending a fair bit of time going over maps and local histories trying to find good locations. Could anyone tell me the legalities of detecting on Traveling Stock Routes in NSW? Do I need to get the permission of the surrounding landowner? Also, regarding showgrounds - do I need to approach local council first or are they fine to just go ahead and detect? Cheers.

 

[Karen]

Hi R.D,

I looked into this myself. For travelling stock routes you need to obtain a permit in NSW, same applies for state forests.

Not sure about showgrounds, but I'd be interested in answers from those who have more experience. Like you I'm fairly new to this.

 

[Keith]

For the Showgrounds, I would ask but, not the office staff, speak to the Manager of the Trust because staff might take the easy way out & just say "no" whether you might be permitted to or not.
Like all other detecting sessions though, ensure you fill your holes in & keep the site as neat as possible so you & others are permitted to detect the sites in the future & keep the junk you find (during your session only) to show the Caretaker what you have saved his mowers & the General Public from. I think it is a good idea to make sure the Caretaker understands some of the benefits from your presence.

 

[Ramjet]

My l o can show ground has signs saying it's private property owned by the show ground trust. I went and asked permission and was told that lots of people go in and detect but I was the first one to ask permission. Generally if any land has a fence around it you should ask first.

 

[GaryO]

Tsr's are crown land are they not ? I personally wouldnt be seeking permission , but in saying id make sure I wasnt leaving a mess or breaking any fossicking regulations. I just dont get how it always seems in this hobby we have to ask the whole world before we do something, if I was bushwalker or birdwatcher or something nobody would give a dam about where we go .

 

[GaryO]

Activities allowed on TSRs
Anyone can use a TSR, without needing a permit, for:

Walking
Picnics
Swimming
Fishing
Bird watching
Horse riding
Cycling (non-motorised only).
You must obtain a permit from the appropriate managing Livestock Health and Pest Authority for:

Grazing and/or walking stock
Apiary sites
Seed collection
Accessing water
Firewood collection
Overnight camping
Other recreational activities.
It is illegal to use a TSR to:

Ride motorbikes
Dump rubbish, or
Shoot and/or hunt.

It doesnt really say yah or nah , I think the more u ask authorities about fossicking the more it highlights it for them to consider banning. Enjoy your picnic and swimming and have a detect at the same time

 

[Ramjet]

Good info Gary. I think "the man" would label it under *Other recreational activities.

 

[GaryO]

Im also reading that they are now controlled locally , and some areas have A NO CAMPING policy so the chance of fossicking there would be zero. I dont know anymore , the lucky country my arse ! Everybit of land is private if it isnt its crown land but we still cant use it

 

[Roaring Days]

Thanks everyone for the replies - very helpful. Karen, I'm curious now to find out if the permit to fossick in state forests (which I acquired after reading about it elsewhere on this forum) also covers crown land in general and TSRs in particular. The difference between the permit/no permit lists that Gary put up would seem to be the disturbing of the ground and/or the taking away of stuff (eg firewood), which I guess they could argue was happening with fossicking. The fact that we take away the trash we find and leave the place tidy would seem to be a reasonable counter argument. I'll keep looking into this one. Thanks again.

 

[Karen]

As far as I know, R.D it does cover TSR's but not sure about the crown land part of it. There was a link on the forum I read somewhere but I can't remember exactly what post it was in. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Hope you post the answer here when you find it.

 

[Roaring Days]

This is what I've been able to find so far. TSRs are crown land and the majority are managed under trust by Local Land Services. The permit to fossick in state forest does not authorise fossicking on any area held under lease from the crown "on any state forest". I presume that last bit means state forest land leased from the crown - so where does that leave TSRs? According to the Guide to Fossicking in NSW: for crown land that is managed, controlled or under trusteeship, the permission of the trustee or manager of that public or local authority is needed. That would seem to suggest that permission from Local Land Services is needed to fossick on TSR (I think!). I'll give their office a call tomorrow and see if I can get a definitive answer. Like Gary said, you have to wonder if you do more harm than good bringing it to the authorities attention, but there's a number of historic sites on TSR in my area I'd like to detect, so it would be good to know.

 

[mbasko]

State Forest permits do not cover TSR's. They are only for NSW State Forest - nowhere else.
You do indeed by rights need the permission of LLS to fossick/detect on TSR's & it is dependant on the local office as to what/how much permission they will give you if any. Some areas might allow it freely, others with restrictions & some may not allow it at all.
In my local experience I found they were unwilling to give me a blanket permission for the area & limited me to 2 blocks. I could understand their reasoning though as they do sublet or allow nearby farmers to have stock etc. on them & some TSR's have other organised outdoor activities also. Out of courtesy to the other users they like to inform the farmers whom may have stock there or other persons who use the blocks of your activities/intentions. One condition of my permit was that I did not interfere with any other users so basically I had to "give way" to anyone walking, picnicking, swimming, fishing, bird watching, horse riding, cycling or any other permitted activity. It cost nothing to get.
It is fairly black & white in the NSW Guideline + it even mentions the LLS.
GaryO just by fossicking on a TSR without permission you are breaking NSW Mining Regulations. I agree though - NSW the state where you can but you can't really.
At the end of the day if you do the right thing I don't think you'd have too many drama's but like I say it all depends on your LLS office & their take on it.

 

[Roaring Days]

Thanks mbasko, I think that's pretty definitive regarding TSRs. Cheers.

 

[Karen]

Ok, I'll ask - what's the LLS office?

 

[mbasko]

Local Land Services
http://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/

 

[Rod H]

Does anyone know do you need permission to detect on a TSR ?

 

[mbasko]

Yes you do.
Usually Local Land Services or the Local Council manage TSR's.
There are a couple around in NSW that have fossicking allowed without prior permission but they would normally be signposted & are few/far between.
I've had permits before to fossick on TSR's (none at the moment) & they were fairly easy to get + no cost. Local Land Services biggest concern was notifying any lease holders that have stock on them that there may be someone on there fossicking. They have a duty to notify stock owners of any other activities that are occurring on the TSR.

 

[mudgee hunter]

TSR's aren't really what they once where either in a lot of cases as well. The DPI seem to be leasing them out on a longer basis. So this will make it even harder to get on to.

 

[Rod H]

Who would i contact to get on the DPI ?

 

[mbasko]

Local Land Services
https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/contact-us