In operation since 1980, the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Australia, was the first specialist environmental court established as a superior court of record. It has exclusive jurisdiction over civil and criminal environmental, land planning, building, and mining matters. Its decisions are reviewed by the civil and criminal appeals courts and the Australian High Court, but its operations and decisions are largely independent. It has six law judges, 22 science-technical commissioners, and a registrar with far-reaching administrative and quasi-judicial powers.