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The "outback" is an integral part of the Australian image and attracts numerous local and international visitors who want to experience this landscape and its special features. However, in the pastoral zone, this can produce conflict with the pastoral lessees, who have a long term interest in managing sheep and cattle enterprises on pastoral leases on this Crown Land. In a bid to resolve these conflicts in the South Australian pastoral zone, the recent Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act (1989) includes a requirement for the provision of a formal public access system. The objective is to provide a proper balance between the operational requirements of the pastoral industry and the desires of the community to enjoy "outback" lands. The brief also includes a requirement to define access rights and restrictions for use of these routes and for general travel off these routes. There is a further requirement to consult with all interested parties in the process of selecting public access routes. In this paper,the steps in the consultation process have been analysed for their effectiveness and relative importance, for application to later stages of the process and in other situations. The formal public access system for the South Australian pastoral zone is expected to be in place by late 1992. Together with the policies being developed to address associated management concerns, this system should resolve current conflicts and provide a balance between the access needs of the public and the ability of pastoral lessees to continue operations without significant interruption.