The Crown Land Acts 1884 (NSW) created a new structure, introducing various new tenures of holding real property not previously in existence in Australia.
The Land Court heard all appeals and all matters referred to it by the Minister or by a local land board, making orders or awards which were conclusive on the parties and had the force of a common law judgment of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
The Law Reform Commission of New South Wales states in its twenty third report that the death of the President and the advancing ages of the two members of the Land Appeal Court furnished a suitable opportunity in 1921 for the New South Wales Government to recast the constitution of that court.
Laurence Street, who subsequently became Chief Justice of New South Wales, was also appointed a judge of the Court on 28 October 1974.
Subsequently, the Court was given jurisdiction to hear objections to and appeals against valuations of land, the levying of rates or charges and the assessment of rateable property under various Acts, and claims made for compensation by reason of the acquisition of land under the Public Works Act 1912 (NSW) where such claim exceeded £100.
From 1927, the court could hear appeals in relation to the value of land resumed under the Closer Settlement Acts.
According to the New South Wales Law Commission, in 1975 there were approximately 181 appeals lodged under the Local Government Act 1919 (NSW), seven claims for compensation for compulsory resumption of land, eight appeals lodged pursuant to section 38 of the Valuation of Land Act 1916 (NSW) from valuation boards of review, two claims for compensation lodged pursuant to section 342AC (1) of the Local Government Act 1919 (NSW), and ten references under the Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913 (NSW), by the Minister from local land boards.