A permit is a written document authorised by NLC on advice of the Traditional Owners that sets out permission, terms and conditions to enter the private land and/or intertidal waters of a group of Aboriginal people.

Permits generally only provide for entry and access to Aboriginal land. This means that unless your permit includes specific conditions that allow for other activities (eg. fishing, camping, commercial filming) you do not have permission to engage in such activities. If you want to engage in particular activities you need to include that in your permit application.

Yes. Commonwealth and Northern Territory law states that entry to Aboriginal land requires a written permit. Aboriginal land is privately owned and permission to enter must be sought under the Aboriginal Land (Northern Territory) Act 1978. This includes access to intertidal waters over Aboriginal land.

The permit system manages and regulates access to traditional lands. People visiting Aboriginal land for work, recreation, transit or residence apply for access through the permit system. The permit system enables permit holders to understand their obligations and responsibilities, be safe and informed, and create beneficial experiences when visiting Aboriginal land. The permit system shows Traditional Owners who is on their country, who is coming, and what those visitors can and can’t do.

Aboriginal land is private land. It is not Crown land, nor public land. Aboriginal people have the legal right to grant or refuse permission to people wishing to enter or travel through their land. The permit system enables Traditional Owners to set the rules about who can come on to their land.

All persons who wish to enter onto or remain on Aboriginal land or use a private road on Aboriginal land for any purpose need a permit. Asking for permission first is the right way to access Aboriginal land. The Northern Land Council encourages all visitors to apply for a permit even though some exemptions and defences may apply. An Aboriginal person who is entitled by Aboriginal tradition to enter or remain on that area may do so without a permit.

Yes. A permit to enter onto and remain on Aboriginal land has to be in writing and cannot be transferred. A visitor must produce their permit when requested, either on paper (hard copy) or on an electronic device (soft copy).

A permit is needed for the following activities on Aboriginal land:

• Enter Aboriginal land for any purpose

• Travel by road through Aboriginal land

• Enter or visit an Aboriginal Community

• Stay overnight or longer on Aboriginal land

Yes, you still need a written permit. Traditional Owners may issue a permit, however the permit must be in writing. If you get a verbal invitation from a Traditional Owner contact your nearest Northern Land Council office to enquire about getting it in writing.

In most cases, there is no charge for a permit. Traditional Owners have set access and camping fees for some locations.

Yes. All persons who wish to enter onto or remain on Aboriginal land or use a private road on Aboriginal land for any purpose need a permit, including government employees. Government employees and contractors performing government work are protected from prosecution for lacking permits, however this statutory protection under section 70(2D) of Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) should not be confused with a right to enter and remain on Aboriginal land without a permit. Work permits should be sought in all circumstances. Insurance claims may not be valid if a claimant is trespassing.

Yes, you will need to apply for a recreation permit, in addition to any work permit. You will need to select the location and dates you want to visit. Please note, special conditions such as quotas will exist on some locations.

Yes. To support the consideration of your permit application, provide, on request, to the NLC a report about the objectives, ethics approval and methodology for the Research Project in a format suitable for presentation to the traditional Aboriginal owners. If your permit is approved, you are required to credit intellectual property rights appropriately. You agree that nothing in the permit is intended to affect or derogate from any rights, title or interest in indigenous cultural expression or intellectual property.

Yes in some circumstances.

At least 10 days may be required to consult with Traditional Owners. Complex permit applications, eg. for media and research over large areas of land, may requires more extensive consultation and time. Applicants will be updated on expected timeframes.

For same day permit processing over-the-counter you need to visit one of our permit officers during business hours in Katherine, Darwin, Nhulunbuy or Jabiru.

The boundaries of some Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory extend to the low water mark of adjoining waters, meaning parts of the intertidal zone around the Northern Territory constitute Aboriginal land and waters.

Aboriginal land and waters are private property. Like any other private property, permission from the owners is required for access. The NLC grants access to Aboriginal land based on Traditional Aboriginal Owners’ instructions using permits.

Permits provide Traditional Aboriginal Owners with basic information about people visiting their Country. Permits helps Traditional Aboriginal Owners know who is visiting their Country, when people are visiting, for how long and for what purpose.

The intertidal zone is the area between the high tide and low tide water marks. In relation to Aboriginal sea rights stemming from the 2008 Blue Mud Bay High Court decision, the intertidal zone is the area between the mean high tide and the mean low-water marks.

Aboriginal land is land which is owned by an Aboriginal Land Trust on behalf of the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of the land. Aboriginal waters are waters which overlay Aboriginal land, for example, in the intertidal zone.

The NLC assists Traditional Aboriginal Owners manage their land and waters.

The NLC has based intertidal zone mapping on information from the Northern Territory Government survey plans for each Aboriginal Land Trust, the National Intertidal Digital Elevation Model (NIDEM) (https://www.ga.gov.au/dea/products/nidem) and NASA's mapping using Landsat (https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/article/welcome-intertidal-zone-mapping-australias-coast-landsat)

The NLC has used the NIDEM model to plot the mean low-water mark (MLWM) but the model has some limitations and the NLC has used a conservative approach. It's expected that Aboriginal Land Trust boundaries will be revised by the NT Government in due course. The NLC will apply any new information once this revision has taken place.

All zones which are marked in Black, Blue and Purple on the Aboriginal Waters Access Map require a Recreational Fishing Permit. Zone 3 and parts of Zone 4 are restricted until further consultation with the Traditional Aboriginal Owners.

‘Zones’ administratively divide different areas of Aboriginal land and waters in the intertidal zone. Zones are applicable to the recreational, tourism and commercial fishing sectors.

Zones may change in the future following further consultation with the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of the areas and depending on the future access parameters they set.

Traditional Aboriginal Owners may choose to close an area for cultural or other reasons. Fishers must respect these closures and not enter closed areas for any reason. Penalties will apply.

You will be notified of any closures by email or phone. If you are already on the water or out of range, you may be approached by local rangers or police who may ask you to vacate the area in accordance with Traditional Aboriginal Owners’ wishes.

Each of the three colours represents a separate zone. The separate colours have been used to visually distinguish between adjoining zones on the map. If you wish to access an area within one of these zones, you are required to apply for a permit(s).

Red zones on the Aboriginal Waters Access Map are currently restricted as per Traditional Aboriginal Owner instruction. You cannot enter these areas without a valid permit or Section 19 agreement. Penalties will apply.

Green zones on the Aboriginal Waters Access Map do not require a Recreational Fishing Permit or Section 19 agreement for access. These zones consist of key fishing areas that have agreements between Traditional Aboriginal Owners and the NT Government for long-term open access for the commercial, tourism and recreational fishing sectors.

You can apply for a permit for a maximum of two weeks in a single application.

The NLC’s permit system will only allow you to apply for two consecutive two-week permits in a 30 day period.

Traditional Aboriginal Owners want to know who is out on their Country and when. Part of this is to ensure people stay safe on their Country.

Setting a two week limit and limiting the amount of permits that can be applied for in a 30 day period assists with compliance and safety checks, as it provides more accurate data about who is accessing Aboriginal land at any one time.

People seeking permits to access Aboriginal land and waters should only apply for a permit for the days they will be accessing the area.

If you provide the necessary information and follow all of the steps in applying for a permit, and the zone you have applied for is open to permit applications, you will automatically and immediately be issued a permit via email.

Supplying accurate information on a permit application, such as the start and end dates of your trip, allows accurate data to be collected for the recreational fishing industry which can contribute towards sustainable management decisions.

You can apply for a permit up to 12 months in advance of your trip.

Please contact the NLC to discuss your options.

Yes. You are required to have a copy of your permit with you when you enter Aboriginal land or waters. This can be a hard or electronic copy. You should save a copy of your permit for offline use in the event there is no reception in the permit area.

Yes. It is a condition of your permit that you produce a copy of your permit when asked by NLC staff, Traditional Aboriginal Owners and rangers. You must also show your permit on request to enforcement agencies (e.g. NT Water Police) to show you are authorised to be in the permit area.

If you fail to show your permit upon request, you will be in breach of your permit conditions which may result in your permit being revoked. If you enter and remain on Aboriginal land and waters without a valid permit, you may be liable for penalties under Commonwealth and Territory legislation.

Recreational Fishing Permits are currently administered by the NLC free of charge. Traditional Aboriginal Owners may choose to charge fees in the future.

There are some areas of Aboriginal land where permits incur fees.

Although the system allows you to apply for a two-week permit, you should only apply for a permit for the days you will be fishing. This allows Traditional Aboriginal Owners to know who will be in the area and when. This information also assists with accurate data gathering and any search and rescue operations in the area.

Yes. The Recreational Fishing Permit only allows you to access Aboriginal waters by boat.

If you need to travel on Aboriginal land to access Aboriginal land and waters in the intertidal zone for recreational fishing, you will need a separate Transit Permit. For more information and to apply, see the 'Permits' page on this website.

A Recreational Fishing Permit does not grant you access to Aboriginal land past the intertidal zone. Access to Aboriginal land adjacent to the intertidal zone (from the mean high water mark) requires a separate Aboriginal land access permit

Yes, each person travelling in a boat requires a permit, except for children under the age of 16 who are accompanied by their parent(s) who hold a valid permit.

All zones which are marked in black, blue and purple on the Aboriginal Waters Access Map require a Section 19 agreement. Zone 3 and parts of Zone 4 are restricted until further notice by the decision of the Traditional Aboriginal Owners.

Please refer to the 'Land and Law' tab on the Northern Land Council website for all information about Section 19 Land Use Agreements.

Yes. If you have a valid Section 19 Land Use Agreement, you need to apply for a permit for each of your clients, as per your agreement.

You can fish the northern bank of the Finniss River up to GPS points 12.53.12' S - 130.22.3968' E

Beyond this point is the Delissaville/Wagait/Larrakia Aboriginal Land Trust, access to which is currently restricted.

Access to the southern bank of the Finniss River is restricted.

Access to the Little Finniss River is currently restricted as per Traditional Aboriginal Owners’ instructions. Any changes to this access will be communicated through updates on the NLC website.

You can fish in the East Alligator River up to Cahills Crossing at the boundary of Kakadu National Park and the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust.

The northern bank of the East Alligator River requires a permit to fish, as these waters are part of the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust.

Access to the Mini Mini system is currently restricted as per Traditional Aboriginal Owners’ instruction. Any changes to this access will be communicated through updates on the NLC website.

These details can be helpful in the event that rangers or police need to locate vessels or conduct search and rescue operations.

Any person applying for a Recreational Fishing Permit is required to set up an NLC permit account. Once you are registered in the NLC system, you are issued with an individual ‘Person ID’. Your account allows you to apply for various types of NLC permits which are all linked to your Person ID.

Yes. All passengers travelling with you will need to register for an account in the NLC permit system. You will need to obtain their Person ID (provided after the registration process), first name, last name and email address to be able to add them onto your application. Parents can apply for a permit for children under 16 years of age, if they are travelling with them.

No. If you are all travelling together on the one trip, then one traveller can apply for the permit on behalf of everyone. All people need to be listed on the application and abide to the terms and conditions of the permit issued to the permit holder. Each person should carry a copy of the permit in case they are asked to present it.

Yes. The NLC recommends that there is one application per vehicle when travelling in a convoy.

Check the Kenbi Open Area Declaration Map to find out where you need a permit. There are some areas where access, including fishing, is prohibited and other areas where restricted access, fishing and camping is permitted without a permit.

You do not need a permit to use the following roads and tracks in this area: Cox Peninsula Road, Wagait Tower Road, Charles Point Road, Harney’s Beach Track off Charles Point Road, Talc Head Road to Mica Beach off Cox Peninsula Road, Pioneer Beach track off Bynoe Harbour Access Road, Rankin Point track off Bynoe Harbour Access Road, Keswick Point track off Bynoe Harbour Access Road, Tower Beach Road to Masson Point, and Raft Point track off Bynoe Harbour Access Road. All other roads and tracks on Aboriginal land require a permit.

Please refer to the maps above.

Sacred sites are places within the landscape that have a special meaning or significance under Aboriginal tradition. Hills, rocks, waterholes, trees, plains, lakes, billabongs and other natural features can be sacred sites. In coastal and sea areas, sacred sites may include features which lie both below and above the water. Sacred sites derive their status from their association with particular aspects of Aboriginal social and cultural tradition. This body of tradition is mainly concerned with the activities of ancestral beings, collectively known as ‘Dreamings’ whose travels across the land and sea created the physical and social world that people now inhabit. Sacred sites within the Northern Territory are recognised and protected as an integral part of Australia’s cultural heritage, mainly under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) and the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989 (NT).

Quail Island and Djajalbit Islet are important sacred sites that are subject to traditional restrictions on access and other traditional sanctions that are observed by Traditional Owners. Quail Island contains an important traditional burial area, and both islands are focal sacred sites associated with important dreaming ancestors. Traditional Owners and custodians ask people to respect these sacred sites by observing these restrictions.

This area is an important focal sacred site associated with one of the key dreaming ancestors in this area. Burials are also present in this area. Traditional Owners and custodians ask people to respect this sacred site and burial area by observing these restrictions.

Access to coastal creeks are restricted to protect a number of important sacred sites that are subject to traditional sanctions and gender restrictions. Traditional Owners and custodians believe that any unauthorised activity or damage in these areas could have serious repercussions for them under their traditional law. Traditional Owners and custodians ask people to respect these sacred sites for their safety and also the safety of visitors to this area by observing these restrictions.

There has been, and will be, no change to the tenure of Wagait Beach. Wagait Beach is freehold land and remains outside of the future Kenbi Freehold Land.