Vesting of Bungabbee State Forest No 171 as Crown Land
Forestry Amendment (Bungabbee State Forest Revocation) Bill 2025
Legislative Council
Legislative Assembly
Assent
Introduced by: The Hon Tara Moriarty MLC (ALP); The Hon Steve Whan MP (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Brendan Moylan NAT
“From the outset, I confirm that the Opposition supports the Forestry Amendment (Bungabbee State Forest Revocation) Bill 2025.”
“I speak in support of the Forestry Amendment (Bungabbee State Forest Revocation) Bill 2025, which is another example of the work the Government is doing to support Aboriginal communities across New South Wales.”
Jenny Leong GRN
“On behalf of The Greens, I speak in support of the Forestry Amendment (Bungabbee State Forest Revocation) Bill 2025. The Greens acknowledge that the bill will mean a significant shift in the return of land to First Nations people. The bill facilitates the transfer of land currently dedicated to the Bungabbee State Forest No.”
Steve Whan ALP
“I also congratulate the member for Northern Tablelands on being given the shadow portfolio of Agriculture—an interesting portfolio, which I am sure he will enjoy. I thank the member for Liverpool for her contribution and the member for Newtown for taking an interest in the bill. It is good to hear support for the bill.”
News articles and press releases
Forestry Amendment (Bungabbee State Forest Revocation) Bill 2025
The Hon. TARA MORIARTY, Minister for Agriculture — 2025-11-20
In 2022 the then New South Wales Government agreed to transfer the Bungabbee State Forest area to Widjabul Wia-bal. This was agreed as part of an Indigenous land use agreement, or ILUA. Bungabbee State Forest is located near Lismore and covers about 955 hectares. It was first dedicated as a State forest in 1914. The bill seeks to amend the Forestry Act 2012 to revoke the dedication of the Bungabbee State Forest and the declarations of special management zones within it. These revocations are critical steps to enable the transfer of this land. Once revoked, the land will become Crown land and then can be transferred to the Widjabul Wia-bal Gurrumbil Aboriginal Corporation as the registered native title body corporate, or RNTBC, for this ILUA.