The title for the site of the former Paddington Bowling Club in Sydney’s east has been officially transferred to the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC), following a High Court decision last year that cleared the way for the land claim to proceed.
The High Court ruled in September 2025 in favour of La Perouse LALC, reinstating a 2021 decision by the then NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces to grant the land claim over the abandoned site.
A central issue was whether land subject to an unexpired lease could still be considered “not lawfully used” for the purposes of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW). The High Court found that the existence of a lease, by itself, does not necessarily mean land is being “lawfully used”.
La Perouse LALC chief executive Chris Ingrey said the land council was “thrilled” by the formal return, describing it as an “incredibly significant” court outcome.
“We are thrilled to confirm that this land has been officially returned to La Perouse LALC and we will now take our time to consider future use options for the land,” Mr Ingrey said.
The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has said the decision could help speed up the determination of other claims across the state, with reporting attributing an estimate of 30,000 undetermined land claims to NSWALC.
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