A central Leeton carpark is set to be handed over to the Leeton and District Local Aboriginal Land Council, after the NSW Land and Environment Court ruled the NSW Government had wrongly rejected a land rights claim over the site.

The court has ordered ownership of the gravel lot on the corner of Oak and Church streets, next to the Leeton courthouse, be transferred to the Land Council within six months. Under NSW law, Aboriginal land councils can claim certain unused or underused Crown land that is not lawfully occupied or required for an essential public purpose.

The NSW Government had argued the land was no longer Crown land after it was acquired for courthouse purposes in 1925, and that it had long been used as a carpark. The Land Council said the claim stemmed from the fact the site had never been developed for its original purpose. The government acquired the land, along with the adjoining block, in 1924 for construction of the Leeton Courthouse. The courthouse was built on one parcel, leaving the other vacant.

Leeton Shire Council general manager Jackie Kruger said the site held strategic importance for the town. “While council doesn’t have direct control of the site, we recognise its strategic importance as a carpark, including for weddings, funerals and major events at Mountford Park,” she said. “Council has a good working relationship with the Leeton and District Local Aboriginal Land Council and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them on future plans for the site in the best interests of the Leeton community.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment, Crown Lands, said any future use of the site, including whether it remained a carpark, would be a matter for the Land Council once the transfer was complete. The NSW Government said it acknowledged the court’s decision and was reviewing the judgment.

This article appeared on Back Country Bulletin on 24 June 2026.