Renewable energy projects can be land intensive. To help identify land that may be suitable for project development, RenewablesSA provides resource maps to illustrate ideal locations throughout the State.

To obtain further information about potentially suitable sites, such as administrative boundaries and ownership details, the South Australian Government provides the following online tools.

SA Property and Planning Atlas

This free map-based application can be used to view land administration boundaries and obtain information about land ownership, including plan and parcel references, certificates of title, valuation numbers and addresses.

SA Property and Planning Atlas

South Australian Integrated Land Information System

This system provides (for a fee) access to integrated textual and spatial information for an individual property, certificates of title, survey plans, registered dealings, property interest reports, valuation and titling information, and historical searches.

South Australian Integrated Land Information System

A high-level guide regarding land ownership implications is provided below. However, developers are encouraged to engage a land conveyancer or solicitor to investigate land tenure through a title search, including the owner, lessee or responsible agency of the land parcel.

Freehold

If the initial title search indicates the land is held by private interests, investors can negotiate with the party and agree to commercial terms for access (that is, a purchase or lease arrangement).

Crown Land

Potential investors may be interested in sites on government land holdings such as Crown land, including Crown land that has been leased for pastoral purposes.

Crown land is administered by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW). DEW can confirm the tenure of the parcel of land, negotiate with the project developer about suitable tenure requirements, and undertake a detailed land assessment. When requirements have been satisfied, DEW can seek the Minster for Environment and Conservation’s consent to allocate tenure.

Visit the DEW website for further information and find applications forms for Crown land.

Pastoral lease

In September 2015, the South Australian Government provided renewable energy investors with more opportunity to access land for renewable energy projects.

Investors are now able to access 40% of South Australia’s land mass that is Crown land held under a pastoral lease. The Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989 was amended to include Division 4—Wind Farms. This enables renewable energy developers and pastoral lessees to directly negotiate land access for wind farm projects.

For more information about renewable energy projects on Crown land subject to pastoral lease, visit DEW’s Pastoral Leases Unit.