A person must not carry out a geothermal activity in relation to land unless--
(a) the activity is carried out under a geothermal tenure or a direction under this Act; or
(b) the carrying out of the activity is necessary to preserve life or property because of a dangerous situation or emergency that exists or may exist; or
(c) the person--
(i) is carrying out the activity for the State; and
(ii) has, under section 375, been authorised for that purpose; and
(iii) is acting within the scope of that authority; or
(d) the activity is exempt heat pump production or the installation of a geothermal heat pump for exempt heat pump production; or
(e) the activity is geothermal production and it is not of a large-scale; or
(f) the activity is geothermal exploration for exempt heat pump production.
Maximum penalty--2000 penalty units.
Note--
Other legislation may regulate geothermal production that is not of a large-scale and activities relating to geothermal heat pumps. See the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2002.