A prime parcel of land along Sydney's picturesque harbourfront has been left in a state of severe disrepair, four years after its ownership was formally transferred to a local Aboriginal council. The former Waverton Bowling Club site, located on Sydney's lower north shore, was assumed by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) in 2022 following a successful legal challenge in the Land and Environment Court against the New South Wales government.
Site Deterioration and Maintenance Burden
Recent inspections have revealed that the 5,000-square-metre block now stands in ruins, with visible damage including broken doors, patched-up walls, and significant termite infestation at the entrances to the old clubhouse. Despite the MLALC being legally responsible for maintenance and security costs, federal native title requirements have effectively frozen the council from accessing, developing, leasing, or generating any income from the valuable waterfront property.
MLALC chief executive Nathan Moran has expressed frustration at the situation, stating that the site is now beyond repair. 'We've effectively inherited all the liability without any of the benefit,' Mr Moran explained. 'Land claims returned to Aboriginal land councils have a requirement no other landholder has – we are required to address native title under federal law, even though the land has already been granted to us by the court.'
Financial and Community Impact
The land council reports spending approximately $100,000 annually on fencing, building reports, security, and basic maintenance for the deteriorating site. 'We're having to pay for security, building reports, maintenance costs, dealing with trespassers, and people entering the site and treating it like a dog park,' Moran added. 'We inherit all the costs, but we're frozen from using the land. That's the reality of land rights.'
Local residents and community groups have raised concerns about multiple safety hazards within the abandoned site, including holes in perimeter fences and dangerously overgrown vegetation. Several community members have described the situation as a 'pity' that such a valuable green space so close to the city centre remains completely unused and deteriorating.
Historical Context and Future Uncertainty
The bowling club originally began using the site in 1967 before closing in 2019 when the club went into administration. At the time of closure, North Sydney Council was managing the property and initially objected to the land claim brought forward by the MLALC. Now, North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker has called on the NSW government to consider purchasing the site back from the land council at market rate, amid growing community concerns that the MLALC might eventually seek to develop the prime waterfront location.
Former club users and local residents have expressed mixed feelings about the situation. One resident named Ross, who previously played bowls at the club, acknowledged that 'Aboriginal people deserve to take some of their land back,' but hoped for a practical solution. 'I just hope they can find an effective use for it. A little bit of appropriate cultural monuments to celebrate Aboriginal heritage would be the trick and just a bit of state government money to tidy the area up. It can't be that hard.'
Another resident recalled how locals previously used the space 'when the lawn wasn't that unkempt' before being locked out. 'They started putting up warning signs and blocking access to the area,' they said. 'And for the last couple of years, it's been left here in disrepair, which is a bit of a pity. I don't know what's gonna happen, if it's still going to be a bit of a space for a community or if it will be completely blocked off from the community.'
Moran emphasised the broader implications of the situation, stating: 'Land rights are supposed to be about recompense and shouldn't burden Aboriginal organisations with all the risks, costs and liabilities. It shouldn't be a punishment.' The standoff highlights the complex intersection of property rights, cultural heritage, and bureaucratic regulation affecting valuable urban land in Australia.
