State member for Barwon Roy Butler is backing Western NSW pastoralists following a state government announcement of three more pastoral stations being converted to National Parks in our region.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler is asking when the state government is going to stop locking up agricultural land in western NSW?

The NSW Government has announced the purchase of nearly 35,000 hectares across three separate properties near Bourke, Cobar and Brewarrina.

Mr Butler says the conversion of pastoral land to National Parks damages the local community and nearby graziers.

“Newly-created National Parks no longer pay rates to local councils and cease to support many local businesses, leading to a hollowing out of the local economy,” said Mr Butler.

“The promise of increased tourism is usually dangled like a carrot, but local communities have seen enough National Park conversions to know that tourism doesn’t offset the revenue lost from a working station.

"The promised tourist infrastructure is rarely built and few, if any, jobs are created.

 “The Government is buying land at a premium, which denies local families the opportunity to become pastoralists themselves and contribute to the local economy.

“I hear even more agricultural properties in western NSW are being targeted for purchase – when will it be enough?” Mr Butler said.

Cuttaburra National Park, the largest in NSW, was created in 2024. IMAGE: Joshua J Smith Photography

White Cliffs farmer Terry Smith who lives alongside a park told the Western Plains App he has met with authorities from NSW Environments and Parks and other pastoralists are concerned about the impacts.

‘’Other farmers have told them we won’t be able to expand our properties and our children will suffer because we want them in the future to have more land and there is little or no tourism here and really it’s a massive waste of taxpayer money.’’

 Advocates of expanding National Parks often point to environmental benefits, but don’t take account of increased pest animals.

“Former working stations that have been converted to National Parks have a bad reputation for serving as pest animal breeding grounds,” said Mr Butler.

“Fences and watering holes usually aren’t maintained, so pest animals find refuge in National Parks then advance onto neighbouring lands and cause problems for graziers."

“One solution I’ve been advocating for is to allow conservation hunting on far western National Parks that don’t have tourism infrastructure," Mr Butler said.

"This would also bring revenue from conservation hunters into the community, helping offset the loss of the working station.

“Rather than locking up thousands of hectares to protect ecologically significant areas or vulnerable ecosystems these lands would be better entrusted to landholders as stewards of the land.

"Many graziers I have met are great caretakers of the land and creating National Parks is not the only way of caring for the environment.

The state member will meet with NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe to discuss the issues and air their views.