Occupation crossing

Last updated

An occupation crossing allows an landowner whose land is split in two by a (new) railway (or road) to retain access from one parcel of land to the other. Where is crossing a railway line, it is a special kind of railway level crossing.

Contents

Introduction

In Victoria, this is authorised by section 36 of the original Act. Occupation crossings were historically granted to a landowner under Section 36 of the Lands Compensation Statute 1869 VIC and the subsequent corresponding legislation being Section 43 (2) of the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 VIC. [1] Other states would have similar Acts. [2] [3]

However, in the case of Stockinbingal, on the new Inland Railway [4] things are not that simple. Some railway land that is no longer used needs to be allocated to one or other of the adjacent landowners, while other lands are cut off from their original owners and would best be transferred to the other side, with compensation. This is because there are small pockets of land with awkward shapes, and other characteristics. There may need to be a Section 36A that permits all the neighbouring land owners and the railway authorities, once they have agreed amongst themselves, to allocate the remaining pockets of odd land as they see fit.

Types of Occupation Crossings

Land Acquisition

The Inland Railway project requires land acquisition. [8] [9]

Stockinbingal

This is a work in progress, and while the design of the tracks is near perfect from the railway point of view, the effect on land ownership is messy. Only one site for an occupation underpass is obviously workable (near the overbridge), while other sites need more study.

Stockinbingal Land Ownership, Occupational crossings and Fences Rail Diagram of Stockinbingal on Inland Railway showing Ownership changes and Fences.png
Stockinbingal Land Ownership, Occupational crossings and Fences

There is a very small area of Paddock cut off from its parent paddock (A) which is hardly worth keeping unless whole of area Z is claimed. Area Z might best be attached to Paddock B. Lastly area Z might be sold to someone else given that the odd shape makes it suitable for little else but agistment of sheep or goats. Is livestock happy with the darkness of the underpass or are they wary of it?

Note that former railway lands may be contaminated by oil spills from trains, or from herbicides used to keep down weeds.

It is undesirable that area Z be accessed by road/rail level crossing(s).

See also

Related Research Articles

Eminent domain, land acquisition, compulsory purchase, resumption, resumption/compulsory acquisition (Australia), or expropriation is the power of a state, provincial, or national government to take private property for public use. It does not include the power to take and transfer ownership of private property from one property owner to another private property owner without a valid public purpose. However, this power can be legislatively delegated by the state to municipalities, government subdivisions, or even to private persons or corporations, when they are authorized by the legislature to exercise the functions of public character.

Freedom to roam Right of public access to land or bodies of water

The freedom to roam, or "everyman's right", is the general public's right to access certain public or privately owned land, lakes, and rivers for recreation and exercise. The right is sometimes called the right of public access to the wilderness or the "right to roam".

Central railway station, Sydney

Central is a heritage-listed railway station located in the centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The station is the largest and busiest railway station in Australia and serves as a major transport interchange for NSW TrainLink inter-city rail services, Sydney Trains commuter rail services, Sydney light rail services, State Transit and private bus services, and private coach transport services. The station is also known as Sydney Terminal. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. It recorded 85.4 million passenger movements in 2018.

Dundullimal Homestead

Dundullimal Homestead is a heritage-listed former pastoral station and now cultural facility, house museum and events centre. The Australian colonial slab hut-type homestead is located approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Dubbo in the Dubbo Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, on Obley Road, set on the bank of the Macquarie River. The homestead was built in c. 1842 by John Maughan and is also known as Dundullimal. The property is owned by National Trust of Australia, NSW branch. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 1 March 2002, and is listed on the Register of the National Estate.

Wahroonga railway station

Wahroonga railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the North Shore line, serving the Sydney suburb of Wahroonga. The station is located in the Ku-ring-gai Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It is served by Sydney Trains T1 North Shore line services. It was built from 1890 to 1910 by E. Pritchard & Co., contractor. It is also known as Wahroonga Railway Station group and Pearce's Corner; Noonan's Platform. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Haddon Corner

Haddon Corner is a heritage-listed site in Tanbar, Shire of Barcoo, Queensland, Australia. It is in outback Channel Country at South-West Queensland, on the border corner with South Australia. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 9 November 2012.

Austinmer railway station

Austinmer railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the South Coast railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the northern Wollongong suburb of Austinmer. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Tascott, New South Wales Suburb of Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia

Tascott is a suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia between Gosford and Woy Woy on Brisbane Water's western shore. It is part of the Central Coast Council local government area.

Navigable servitude is a doctrine in United States constitutional law that gives the federal government the right to regulate navigable waterways as an extension of the Commerce Clause in Article I, Section 8 of the constitution. It is also sometimes called federal navigational servitude.

Stock route

A stock route, also known as travelling stock route (TSR), is an authorised thoroughfare for the walking of domestic livestock such as sheep or cattle from one location to another in Australia. The stock routes across the country are colloquially known as The Long Paddock or Long Paddock.

VicTrack

VicTrack, the trading name of Victorian Rail Track Corporation, is a Victorian Government state-owned enterprise which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia, with the exception of the Emerald Tourist Railway Board's heritage Puffing Billy Railway.

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 Act of Indian Parliament

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 is an Act of Indian Parliament that regulates land acquisition and lays down the procedure and rules for granting compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement to the affected persons in India. The Act has provisions to provide fair compensation to those whose land is taken away, brings transparency to the process of acquisition of land to set up factories or buildings, infrastructural projects and assures rehabilitation of those affected. The Act establishes regulations for land acquisition as a part of India's massive industrialisation drive driven by public-private partnership. The Act replaced the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, a nearly 120-year-old law enacted during British rule.

Land acquisition is the power of the union or a state government in India to acquire private land for the purpose of industrialisation, development of infrastructural facilities or urbanisation of the private land, and to compensate the affected land owners for their rehabilitation and resettlement.

Compulsory purchase is the power to acquire rights over an estate in English land law, or to buy that estate outright, without the current owner's consent in return for compensation. In England and Wales, Parliament has granted several different kinds of compulsory purchase power, which are exercisable by various bodies in various situations. Such powers are "for the public benefit", but this expression is interpreted very broadly.

Commonwealth, State, and Territory Parliaments of Australia have passed Aboriginal land rights legislation.

Accommodation bridge

An accommodation bridge or occupation bridge in the United Kingdom preserves a pre-existing private road, path or right of access when a major transport route is built across it. Without the bridge, access would be disrupted. Accommodation bridges are usually built at the cost of the route developer, as part of the conditions for obtaining the land for building the new route.

Land Compensation Act 1961 United Kingdom legislation

The Land Compensation Act 1961 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom, which concerns English land law and compulsory purchase. The majority of this Act was brought into force on 1 August 1961, with Part V s.42 coming into force on 22 July 1961.

Cameron Corner Survey Marker

Cameron Corner Survey Marker is a heritage-listed survey marker in the locality of Cameron Corner, Shire of Bulloo, Queensland, Australia. The survey marker is at the border corner of South-West Queensland with New South Wales and South Australia; it was established in 1880. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 9 November 2012.

Virginia Wildlife Management Areas

Virginia Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are state-managed protected areas that exist primarily for the benefit of wildlife. Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, 41 tracts of land have been protected as WMAs, covering a total of over 203,000 acres. They are managed and maintained by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Compulsory purchase laws in Scotland

Compulsory purchase are powers to obtain land in Scotland that were traditionally available to certain public bodies in Scots law. Scots law classifies compulsory purchase as an involuntary transfer of land, as the owner of the corporeal heritable property (land) does not consent to the transfer of ownership.

References