NSW Buys Outback Stations, Farmers Fight Back

0:00It's April 7. This is Sydney News Today, powered by AI. The New South Wales government has snapped up 16 massive outback cattle stations since 2020, dropping around $200 million to add 1 million hectares to national parks. That's an area four times the size of the Australian capital territory, turning working farms into protected zones full of rivers, dunes, and wildlife. Hot spots like Nariara, Karyapundi swamp. These buys aim to safeguard rare landscapes and boost tourism, with places like Thurloo Downs, the priciest at over 108 million dollars set to draw visitors for decades. Officials say it removes grazing pressure from hard hoofed animals, letting native plants and species thrive while creating jobs for ex-grasers and locals. Outback families like Grazier's Sam Bevin are pushing back hard, worried these deals jack up land prices, nearly doubling in spots like Kobar to over 1. Point two million dollars per property on average.

1:02They fear kids can't afford to farm anymore, populations in towns like Berk or Shrinking, and productive land vanishes without real consultation. Grazier suggests smarter fixes, like setting aside tough paddocks for conservation on private land instead of full buyouts, keeping livestock ops alive. Local parks counters that tourism pumps 400 million dollars yearly into the west, and they've hired heaps of former pastoralists. But, admits chats with, locals need work. Tension simmer as global targets push for 30% protected land by 2030, with more purchases on the cars where unique spots pop up. For families tied to the red dirt, it's a daily grind balancing conservation dreams against handing down a viable future.