Aboriginal land councils in New South Wales have lodged land claims against Crown land, including Bondi Icebergs at Bondi Beach, a landmark site that houses Australia’s iconic 50m ocean pool and the world’s only licensed swimming club.

There are more than 44,000 unresolved land claims across NSW awaiting assessment, with discussions pointing to delays and systemic issues that proponents say require ministerial intervention.

A NSW Government spokesman stressed that community facilities should remain accessible to the communities that rely on them, as legislation is advanced to preserve public access to these well-used facilities.

The government proposed amendments to the Crown Land Management Act to safeguard the continued use of established community and sporting facilities on Crown land, ensuring they stay in public hands.

The Waverton Bowling Club on Sydney’s lower north shore was returned to an Aboriginal land council, effectively ending its operations at that site.

Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, successful claims transfer Crown land to the Aboriginal Land Council as freehold land, reflecting traditional ownership following European settlement.

Other claims affecting clubs include the Northern Suburbs Tennis Association in Naremburn, where the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council took ownership of Crown land, prompting eviction notices and a September 30 deadline to vacate after almost five decades at the site.

Fordham noted that many surf clubs along Sydney’s eastern beaches—including North Bondi, Clovelly, Coogee, Tamarama, Bronte, and Maroubra—face similar land claims, illustrating what he described as governmental chaos needing reform.

The Bondi Icebergs claim was lodged by the Le Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council in March 2020, with a decision pending from the NSW Lands Minister as part of the Aboriginal land rights regime established in 1983.