Recreation and Tourism Policy Forest Permit fee structure

PERMITS AND FEES 

Fees are reviewed and adjusted annually.

Organised events and activities refers to all events and activities held under the auspice of a registered body (association, sporting group, education body etc..) and events and activities which are commercial in nature or have been publicised within the community (eg; festival, races, rallies).

This includes all activities where exclusive use is required or where signage or infrastructure is installed. Organised events or activities may include things like youth group overnight camping, one day festival, filming, car rally, mountain bike race etc… Usage fees are payable per event/activity. Fees contribute to maintenance of the forest resources and protection activities like hazard reduction and control of pests and weeds.

Fossicking - Individual Annual Permit

Note: a fossicking club could get a Forest permit for a regular or large event

Cost: $20 per person

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan) and issuing of permit (if approved)

Regular club / association events and activities

Purpose: Organised events and activities with up to 100 participants undertaking low impact activities like camping, bushwalking, orienteering. No exclusive use applies.

Cost: $100 Application fee + $4.00 per person usage fee (fees are waived for school education excursions).

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant.

Large events (non commercial)

Purpose: Organised events and activities with over 100 participants undertaking low impact activities like camping, bushwalking, orienteering.

Cost: $100 Application fee + $5.00 per person usage fee (events that require exclusive use of an area may incur additional fees for forest closure).

Includes: processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Commercial events and activities including tour operators

Purpose: Organised events or activities that are being arranged commercially. Events that require exclusive use of an area may incur additional fees for forest closure.

Cost: $100 Application fee, + $5-$20 per person usage fee (flexible within range – and should not be more than 5% of entrant charge for commercial event), * For commercial activities where no entry fee is charged (eg: corporate events, product launches) a usage fee of $1000 – $10,000 per day is payable).

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Car rallies

Purpose: Model 1:

Note: ‘Cost per vehicle’ replaces requirement for bond and pre and post road inspection cost recovery. Significant rehabilitation costs (above and beyond general road repairs and pre and post inspection costs) may still be sought via reimbursement. Regional specifics are an important consideration and Business Units should condition their Forest Permits appropriately in this regard.

Events that require exclusive use of an area may incur additional fees for forest closure.

Cost: $100 Application fee + $50 per vehicle (competitive > 15km course) or

$30 per vehicle (competitive < 15km course), or $20 per vehicle (non-competitive)

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), pre and post road inspection by FCNSW, staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Purpose: Model 2:

Note: Pre and post inspections will be charged at $100 per hour. Significant rehabilitation costs (above and beyond general road repairs and pre and post inspection costs) may still be sought via reimbursement. Regional specifics are an important consideration and Business Units should condition their Forest Permits  appropriately in this regard.

Cost: $100 Application fee  + $5000 bond, + $30 per vehicle (competitive > 15km course) or $20 per vehicle (competitive < 15km course), or $15 per vehicle (non- competitive)

Included: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan etc, issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Bike rallies

Note: Pre and post inspections will be charged at $100 per hour. Significant rehabilitation costs (above and beyond what is covered by the bond) may still be sought via reimbursement. Regional specifics are an important consideration and Business Units should condition their Forest Permits  appropriately in this regard.

Cost: $100 Application fee + $30 per vehicle (competitive), or $15 per vehicle (non-competitive). See note 1 for 2012 fee information

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Training grounds

Chainsaw  training

  • General 
  • Emergency Services
  • RFS

Note: This is for cross cut training only. Tree felling will incur an additional fee for staff time in site selection, tree marking.

Cost: $100 Application fee + $15/person usage fee, $100 Application fee

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

4WD training

  • General
  • Emergency Services
  • RFS

Note: Training not using a specific site could be managed under a regular or commercial SPP

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Filming and photography

Purpose: Filming and photography in state forests.

Cost: $100 Application fee + Up to $200 / day (still frame photography), $500-2,000/day (small scale filming), $10,000-15,000/day (commercial filming). Events that require exclusive use of an area may incur additional fees for forest closure.

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Defence Force Activities

Purpose: As per existing agreement – Policy Circular 96/16 or subsequent revisions.

Cost: $220 per Unit

Includes: Processing of application, review of safety documents and insurance (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan), issuing of permit (if approved), request for game council exclusion if relevant, notification of event to other permit holders/users, exclusive use of an area (additional fees for forest closure may apply), staff time spent on site meetings, inspections, assisting with safety documentation will be charged at $100/hour.

Note 1 in 2012 all motorcycle rally permits will require a $5000 bond in addition to the application and usage fees.

Additional fee structure information 2011

Forest Permit application forms need to be lodged with the regional office at least 4 weeks prior to the proposed events date (larger events like rallies should allow more time).

Application fee and usage fee includes up to 2 hours staff time in preparing for the event and undertaking the below:

  • Processing of application
  • Review of safety documents (RA, site safety plan, medical evacuation plan etc…)
  • Issuing of permit (if approved)
  • Request for game council exclusion if relevant
  • Notification of event to other permit holders if appropriate
  • Use of public forest resource for the permitted event or activity

Events requiring additional staff time will be charged at $100 per hour + GST. This may be for activities like site meetings, site inspections, assisting with safety documentation etc… Where possible, estimates of these costs will be outlined to the SPP applicant prior to the permit being issued.

Events attracting over 100 participants may require the forest to be closed. A fee of up to $1500 may apply. The forest closure fee includes:

  • Producing and displaying the closure notification signs as required under the Forestry Regulation on all major entrance roads to the forest area
  • Providing FCNSW representative/supervisor to enforce the forest closure and undertake patrols for the duration of the event (or 7 hours whichever is the lesser)
  • Contacting OP holders and lessees (eg: bee keepers) to ensure they are not planning to move stock or hives during the forest closure
  • Managing harvest and haulage operations to minimise impact on both operations and the event
  • Exclusive-use of the area
  • Putting in place traffic management procedures  where necessary (traffic management plan is usually prepared by the permittee in consultation with the Region)
  • Providing approx 1 hour  for pre and post event inspections
  • Listing of event and associated forest closure on the Forestry Corporation Internet
  • Formal notification by form letter to all immediate adjacent and affected neighbours

Where an event is cancelled, the application fee will not be refunded.

Registered charities will be given a 50% discount on the per-person usage fee upon evidence of charitable affiliation.

Education excursions undertaken by NSW schools require a permit but will not incur a fee. This exemption does not extend to recreation activities undertaken by schools like cross country events.

Permits can be issued annually for multiple events and attract a single application fee if the event organiser submits appropriate information for all events/activities up-front.

Usage fees are charged per event (there is no discount for people participating for only part of the event ie: riding for one day out of a two day rally)

A corporate Memorandum of Understanding exists between Forestry Corporation, the Orienteering Association of NSW. For events organised by clubs affiliated with these parent organisations, refer to this MOU. A corporate Memorandum of Understanding exists between Forestry Corporation and the 4WD Association of NSW. For events organised under this parent organisation, refer to this MOU. 

Page last updated/reviewed:24 Jul 2012