Community & places · Waverley Council
Surf clubs and Bondi Icebergs claims to trigger council notification request
Waverley Council dropped calls for the NSW Government to reject undetermined Aboriginal land claims, but retained a request for notice when claims affect reserves it manages.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
Waverley Council will ask NSW Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper to notify it when an Aboriginal land claim is lodged over all or part of a Crown reserve under its care and control in the Waverley local government area, where it is the appointed Crown land manager. The resolution also notes that local surf life saving clubs and the Bondi Icebergs swim club are on Crown land subject to undetermined claims.
Councillors removed provisions that would have asked Mr Kamper to reject claims affecting the clubs on the grounds that the land was needed for essential public purposes. They also removed proposed support, in principle, for amendments to the Crown Lands Act 2016 to protect community clubs and facilities from becoming claimable, including applying that protection to currently undetermined claims.
The amendment, moved by Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak and seconded by Councillor Ludovico Fabiano, deleted clauses 3(a) to 3(c) and clause 5 of the original motion. The minutes record that it passed on the Chair’s casting vote, followed by the carriage of the amended motion.
The final resolution retained a request for better public access, searchability and transparency of Aboriginal land-claim information. It calls for a searchable and viewable online register covering both determined and undetermined claims. That is an advocacy position and does not establish a register or a new notification system.
The public record does not state when the letter will be sent or identify the individual reserves associated with the clubs. It records the claims as undetermined under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW), without deciding whether they should succeed.
What deserves a closer look
The adopted resolution seeks notification and public information rather than a council finding on whether the claims should succeed or fail.
The record gives declared outcomes for the amendment and amended motion but does not provide a full voting list for this item.
The proposed register and requested notifications depend on action by the NSW Government and were not established by the resolution.
Questions for follow-up reporting
When will Council send the requested letter to Minister Steve Kamper?
Which individual reserves associated with the clubs are subject to the undetermined claims recorded in the minutes?
Will the NSW Government establish the proposed searchable register or provide the requested notifications?
Have any of the claims recorded as undetermined at the meeting since been determined?
What happens next
Council is to write to the Minister for Lands and Property requesting notification when claims affect all or part of Crown reserves under Council's care and control in the Waverley local government area, where Council is the appointed Crown land manager.
Council is to advocate for improved public access, searchability and transparency of information about determined and undetermined Aboriginal land claims.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The quoted provision calls for Council to write to Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper requesting notification when an Aboriginal land claim is made over all or part of a Crown reserve under Council's care and control in the Waverley local government area, where Council is the appointed Crown land manager.
2. Notes that each club is located on Crown land and currently subject to undetermined land claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW). 3. Writes to the Hon Steve Kamper MP, Minister for Lands and Property, requesting that Council is notified, where it is the appointed Crown land manager of a Crown reserve in the Waverley local government area, when an Aboriginal land claim is made on all or part of a Crown reserve under Council's care and control.
CM/8.1/26.09, decision, clauses 2–3
Open original minutes ↗The adopted decision records Waverley's surf life saving clubs and the Bondi Icebergs swim club as being on Crown land subject to undetermined claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW).
THE MOTION AS AMENDED WAS THEN PUT AND DECLARED CARRIED. DECISION That Council: 1. Notes that Waverley's surf life saving clubs, as well as the Bondi Icebergs swim club, are iconic landmarks as well as beloved and vital community facilities, and some of the oldest surf life saving clubs in Australia. 2. Notes that each club is located on Crown land and currently subject to undetermined land claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW). 3. Writes to the Hon Steve Kamper MP, Minister for Lands and Property, requesting that Council is notified, where it is the appointed Crown land manager of a Crown reserve in the Waverley local government area, when an Aboriginal land claim is made on all or part of a Crown reserve under Council's care and control.
CM/8.1/26.09, decision, clauses 1–2
Open original minutes ↗The quoted provision calls for writing to Minister Steve Kamper emphasising that the land is needed for an essential public purpose and likely to be needed for an essential public purpose in future.
2. Notes that each club is located on Crown land and currently subject to undetermined land claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW). 3. Writes to the Hon Steve Kamper MP, Minister for Lands and Property: (a) Emphasising that this land is not only lawfully used and occupied but also needed for an essential public purpose and likely to be needed for an essential public purpose in the future.
CM/8.1/26.09, original motion, clause 3(a)
Open original minutes ↗The quoted provisions call for the Minister to refuse the claims and express in-principle support for legislative amendments protecting community clubs and facilities from becoming claimable, with those amendments applying to presently undetermined and future claims.
(c) Arguing that they therefore do not meet the definition of claimable Crown land under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 and the Minister should accordingly refuse the claims. (d) Requesting that Council is notified, where it is the appointed Crown land manager of a Crown reserve in the Waverley local government area, when an Aboriginal land claim is made on all or part of a Crown reserve under Council's care and control. 4. Advocates for the NSW Government to improve public access, searchability and transparency of information relating to Aboriginal land claims in NSW, including the introduction of a searchable and viewable online register of both determined and undetermined claims. 5. Supports, in principle, any amendments to the Crown Lands Act 2016 (NSW) that would protect and shield community clubs and facilities from becoming claimable under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 and calls for any amendments to apply to any presently undetermined claims as well as any future claims.
CM/8.1/26.09, original motion, clauses 3(c)–5
Open original minutes ↗The amendment deleted clauses 3(a) to 3(c) and clause 5, and the minutes record that it passed on the Chair's casting vote before the amended motion was carried.
AMENDMENT Mover: Cr Wy Kanak Seconder: Cr Fabiano That clauses 3(a)–3(c) and clause 5 be deleted. Minutes of Council Meeting 15 September 2026 This is page 16 of the minutes of the Council meeting held on 15 September 2026 THE AMENDMENT WAS PUT AND DECLARED CARRIED ON THE CASTING VOTE OF THE CHAIR. THE MOTION AS AMENDED WAS THEN PUT AND DECLARED CARRIED. DECISION That Council: 1. Notes that Waverley's surf life saving clubs, as well as the Bondi Icebergs swim club, are iconic landmarks as well as beloved and vital community facilities, and some of the oldest surf life saving clubs in Australia.
CM/8.1/26.09, amendment and declared outcomes
Open original minutes ↗The quoted clause advocates for the NSW Government to improve public access, searchability and transparency of information relating to Aboriginal land claims in NSW, including a searchable and viewable online register of determined and undetermined claims.
4. Advocates for the NSW Government to improve public access, searchability and transparency of information relating to Aboriginal land claims in NSW, including the introduction of a searchable and viewable online register of both determined and undetermined claims.
CM/8.1/26.09, decision, clause 4
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the public minutes of Waverley Council’s meeting on 15 September 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- At its 15 September 2026 meeting, Waverley Council adopted an amended motion on Aboriginal land claims affecting Waverley Crown reserves.
- The final resolution directs Council to write to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property requesting notification when a claim is made over all or part of a Crown reserve under Council’s care and control in the Waverley local government area, where Council is the appointed Crown land manager.
- Council supported advocacy for a searchable, viewable online register of determined and undetermined Aboriginal land claims.
- Clauses asking the Minister to refuse claims and supporting legislative protection for the facilities were deleted by amendment.
- The amendment was recorded as carried on the Chair’s casting vote, and the amended motion was then recorded as carried.
Why it matters
- The resolution leaves the legal status of the claims unresolved while seeking council notification and more accessible public information about claims affecting Crown reserves used by local community and sporting facilities.