gruezi said
No private ownership of beach front property. There are a heap of other things for sure, but this is topical with regard to water access.
Unfortunately this isnt protected by law.
Beachfront and oceanbed is/has being sold by government to private developers - current Perth example is Port Coogee, where land was sold to Australand (50% owned by Singapore Govt!) for a Private Marina development. Unlike Hillary's the public acess eventually negociated is not particularly public friendly.(at $3 million a marina block Id want it private too.!!)
A much bigger problem is Native Title Lands. Much of the South West has National Parks etc that preserve public acess to beaches, but this is definately not the case in the North West.
A recent trip from Broome, as escorted guests of a land owner, to Cape Leveque made it really clear that their Land (not in a community) is beach and ocean, and no one (black, white or pokadot) is allowed there. (not because its sacred just thats its theirs.) Basicly that whole Peninsula - except as paying tourists at the Eco Resort- is inaccessable to outsider beach users.
Be interesting to know if this is the case with all Native Title near the ocean.
We have the same in Sweden, it's called right of common access which gives you access to all nature areas, apart from farmland and private property of course. This also require you not to damage, destroy anything living aswell as not pollute or litter. It is terrific and I can not imagine living without these rights
