Pushback on rapid national park expansion in far west

Councils, graziers and communities raise concerns over acquisition of farming properties for national parks. Photo TWH

Bourke Shire Council has reaffirmed its commitment to regional pastoral communities as the NSW Government continues to expand the state’s national parks estate in the far west.

The Council’s concerns focus on both the loss of productive grazing land and the financial implications for local government. In the last 20 years, the Bourke region has lost nearly half a million acres of agricultural land to make way for a suite of National Parks, Nature Reserves and State Conservation Areas  - now totalling approximately 860,000 acres managed by the NSW Government. Since November 2024 alone, the NSW Government has acquired an additional 34,773 hectares of land for national parks in the far west, including “Bellenbar” near Fords Bridge.

Mayor Lachlan Ford said the acquisitions have placed a tangible burden on ratepayers, as properties added to the national parks network are exempt from paying rates.

“These government-owned lands don’t contribute to council revenue,” Cr Ford said. “Over the past few years, tens of thousands of hectares have been declared non-rateable. For 2024–25 alone, Council had to write off more than $13,000 in rates due to Conservation Agreements and non-rateable lands. That’s funding that would otherwise support roads, services, and community projects across our Shire.”

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