Crown land is a valuable public asset that provides social, environmental and economic benefits to NSW. Buildings, infrastructure and other assets on Crown reserves need to be closely managed to ensure these public places are safe and fit for purpose.
This section provides guidance on asset management and heritage considerations.
As a CLM you are required to keep a register of structures, facilities, and other assets – including the land itself – that records the value and condition of all the assets.
For more information on keeping an asset register refer to Finance Activities - Getting started.
Keeping buildings and structures in good condition is important to extending the life of the facility, without the need for costly and time-consuming rebuilding. CLMs should develop a systematic approach to maintenance as part of the effective management of buildings, assets and infrastructure. The approach should consist of routine maintenance and regular inspections, which in turn should incorporate condition assessments to identify maintenance needs.
The CLM should develop written maintenance plans specific to its reserve, to assist in the scheduling of routine inspections and maintenance.
The plan should:
CLMs must undertake regular inspections of the reserve, facilities and equipment to ensure there are no safety hazards. Key considerations include:
Part of the routine maintenance and inspection process is assessment of the current condition of land, infrastructure and facilities. CLMs should maintain written records of the ongoing conditions over time. The department recommends that a standard condition rating (shown in the table below) to be used to inform assessments.
Level | Condition | Condition level description |
C1 | Very good | No defects identified. No evidence of deterioration of discolouration. All components operable, well maintained and clean. Well secured. |
C2 | Good | Generally good condition but shows signs of wear and tear. Some minor defects. |
C3 | Moderate | Shows signs of surface deterioration, missing components or minor material breakdown. |
C4 | Poor | Shows signs of major surface or structural deterioration. Below quality. Severe defects, which require urgent response to rectify. |
C5 | Very poor | Complete renovation/overhaul/replacement needed. |
Other considerations include the following:
Routine maintenance, inspections and condition assessments will produce the information necessary to identify the maintenance needs of the reserve. Key considerations include the following:
For example it may be identified that the reserve’s access road requires annual maintenance to prevent substantial deterioration. Based on past experience of maintaining the road, the reserve CLM could develop a plan that includes estimates of cost, how long access will be blocked during the maintenance repairs, and how the maintenance is most efficiently completed, i.e. use of specific contractors, donated labour, etc.
CLMs may have additional fire obligations for their buildings and other operations imposed by the Local Government Act 1993 and the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005.
All fire protection systems (e.g. hydrants, hoses, extinguishers, smoke alarms and fire doors) must comply with Australian Standards and be operative at all times. These fire protection systems must be regularly inspected and serviced as per the Australian Standards.
Evacuation procedures must be developed, in place, and communicated to staff, any reserve residents and visitors.
In accordance with the Crown Land Management Regulation 2018, all non-council CLMs are required to keep records of details of fire prevention. These records then also assist in providing information for the annual report to the Minister.
It is an offence to:
Protection of assets and people on site from fire must be a high priority for all CLMs. More information on fire management is in the risk management health and safety and funding section.
Caravan park managers are to ensure all caravan and campsites have appropriate separation to prevent ignition from each other. The local fire authority or council should be able to provide advice on this.
An invitation should be given to the local fire authority to visit the caravan park on a regular basis so that they can become familiar with the layout of the park as well as the location and type of fire hydrants.
The Local Government (Manufactured Home Estates, Caravan Parks, Camping Grounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulation 2005 requires that hydrants and hose reels must be provided at caravan parks and many camping areas. You must comply with this Regulation at all times.
The Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 requires smoke alarms to be installed in all existing and new moveable dwellings. Moveable dwelling include:
Caravan park managers are required to ensure that all moveable dwellings made available for human occupation are fitted with appropriate smoke alarms.
The CLM is responsible for protecting and preserving aspects of heritage or cultural value on the reserve. Such resources may include buildings, works, relics, or other matters of Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal historic, scientific, social, archaeological, architectural, natural or aesthetic significance.
See the Aboriginal interests section for guidance on Aboriginal cultural and heritage values.
There are a number of local, state and federal statutory controls that may apply, and measures that can be invoked to protect cultural and natural heritage features and places. These include:
If there is any doubt about whether any of the following legislation applies, contact the department for advice.
CLMs should seek expert advice on the level of heritage significance for any item or feature on their reserve. A good source of information is the local council. Many councils in NSW have a free or low cost heritage advisory service. The heritage advisor can give expert advice on:
This Crown land manager web resource was printed on 3 Oct 2023. The information contained in this web resource is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing Oct 2023. However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information by referring to the website (www.reservemanager.nsw.gov.au).
© State of New South Wales through Department of Planning, Industry & Environment 2023.
Page link: https://reservemanager.crownland.nsw.gov.au/land-management/managing-assets-and-heritage