Revoked – Racing NSW loses Crown land management of Queanbeyan after government review

Racing NSW’s Crown land management of Queanbeyan racecourse has been revoked by NSW Minister for Lands and Property Stephen Kamper after a review by the Department of Planning and Environment.

Queanbeyan was one of five racecourses Racing NSW was handed Crown Land Management over last year after it was approved by the state government as a category 1 Crown Land Manager.

Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Inverell and Port Macquarie were the other four courses.

The NSW Government Gazette, which publishes key government decisions including Crown land matters, has confirmed that Racing NSW has had its status revoked in regards to Queanbeyan racecourse.

The ruling concerns the 46-hectare site on which the racecourse has sat on since 1886.

Simon Spicer has been appointed as Crown Land Manager of the site for the next six months, while the ongoing status of the Queanbeyan site is determined. Since 2021, Spicer has also been the Land Manager of several other sites, including the Wentworth Park Sporting Complex. 

Racing NSW’s role with Queanbeyan was the subject of a review in recent months after the Minns Government conceded that an issue had arisen after approval by the Queanbeyan Racing Club for the transfer of the CLM was received in July 2023.  

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey detailed the issue in parliament in February.

“The department was advised that Racing NSW had appointed a new administrative board to manage the race club as of 29 September 2023,” he said.

“The department was not aware that any administrative board members had concerns about the appointment of Racing NSW as the Crown land manager until a meeting was held with the Crown Lands office in Goulburn in June 2024.”

That was after Racing NSW had been confirmed as the CLM of Queanbeyan in May of last year.

“The staff member that it was advised to contact was on leave and secondments at that time and ultimately left the department on 9 January 2025,” Mookhey said.

“As a result, I am advised that those concerns were not taken up. In response to being made aware of these concerns, the department will re-engage with Racing NSW and the Queanbeyan Racing Club administrative board to review the appointment of Racing NSW as the Crown land manager for the reserve.”

State government to examine process over Racing NSW’s Queanbeyan land management role

NSW treasurer Daniel Mookhey says Racing NSW’s status as crown land manager of Queanbeyan racecourse will be reviewed, following concerns about how the process was handled.

The StraightBren O’Brien

The Straight is not suggesting that Racing NSW has done anything wrong or untoward, just that its status has been revoked.

Mookhey also said at the time that there was no proposal from Racing NSW to seek freehold title over any of the five racecourses.

“The government knows well what a precious asset the Crown estate is. For this reason, Crown land is generally not sold,” he said.

The process regarding the Crown Land Management approval of Coffs Harbour racecourse had also been questioned in parliament.

That concerned the role of the Coffs Harbour Racecourse and Public Recreation Trust, which was abolished in 2020, after which Minister Kamper said Coffs Harbour Racing Club Ltd became the new Crown land manager.

Crown plans – Racing NSW assumes land management of five racecourses

Nearly 200 hectares of Crown land occupied by racecourses at Port Macquarie, Inverell, Coffs Harbour, Queanbeyan and Armidale came under the management of Racing NSW in 2024.

The StraightBren O’Brien

Kamper said in March that he had received no evidence that would call into question the legality of subsequent transfer of Crown land management from Coffs Harbour Racing Club Ltd to Racing NSW.

The transfer of Crown land management to Racing NSW has prompted concerns from trainers about capital improvements they have undertaken on leased properties on racecourses, as well as the transfer of sub-leases. There have also been concerns over a rise in leasing fees.