Chris Dawson has been granted bail after he was charged with murdering his wife Lynette decades ago.

The former rugby league player and teacher intends to plead not guilty to killing Ms Dawson who was 33 when she disappeared from Sydney’s northern beaches in 1982.

Her body has never been found.

At Sydney’s Central Local Court on Monday, magistrate Robert Williams granted the 70-year-old bail under strict conditions.

Mr Dawson must reside with his wife on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, report daily to a local police station, surrender his passport and provide security worth $1.5 million.

Crown prosecutor Craig Everson last week said the case against Mr Dawson “was based upon a number of strong circumstances” and the conclusion that his wife died in January 1982 was “irresistible” based on the evidence.

But Mr Dawson’s defence lawyer, Greg Walsh, argued there had “quite clearly” been “an orchestrated campaign to portray this man as being guilty”.

He said the Crown’s “entirely circumstantial” case was far from strong and there was evidence Ms Dawson had been seen alive following her alleged murder.

The case has become known around the world after being featured on The Australian newspaper’s investigative podcast The Teacher’s Pet.