7 days ago
Outback NSW graziers destock as 'flogging' from kangaroos worsens dry times
While one side of New South Wales has been drenched in recent weeks, the other is crying out for rain.
Large parts of the state's outback have received less than 100 millimetres this year.
In contrast, Sydney received 70mm and areas south of Wollongong got 100mm and 200mm in a matter of days.
The dry spell has left some sheep and cattle graziers with no choice but to remove or strongly consider getting rid of their stock.
Rainie Weston lives on Marrapina Station, 160 kilometres north of Broken Hill, and is one of those who has made the decision to destock completely.
"It's a long time since we've had continual general rain," she said.
For Ms Weston, the impact of the hot and dry weather has been amplified by "thousands" of feral goats and kangaroos.
"They're just smashing fences and coming in every which way … they have an enormous grazing effect.
"You've got thousands of them coming in … what food should have lasted you another six months is pretty well gone before your eyes."
Finding agistment for her stock had been difficult while other areas of the country struggled with low rainfall.
"We started looking for agistment. We weren't able to find any. We sold breeding cows," Ms Weston said.
"We've since found agistment far and wide, [in] three different directions for the balance of our cattle."
Pastoralist Terry Smith was also dealing with "considerable pressure" from kangaroos in the past few months, and had begun destocking.
"It's pretty hard to estimate, but I pulled up there one day on a bit of open country and I counted 600 going across in front of me," he said.
The overabundance was hard for local graziers to manage.
"You can get permits to shoot or get roo shooters in … [but] you take 65 roos out a night in a population of probably 35,000 to 40,000 and it doesn't make much difference," Mr Smith said.
Inundated by kangaroos, Mr Smith had already witnessed them dying.
"Kangaroos are property of the Crown … it sort of makes you wonder what the rules are for the government … why they're not responsible for the welfare of these animals."
Ms Weston and Mr Smith hoped rain would fall across the region, but both were preparing for lean times ahead.
Many graziers had still not recovered from the previous drought, which lasted from 2016 to as late as 2022 in certain areas.
"Just because you've got green feed [doesn't mean] the drought's not necessarily over," Mr Smith said.
"You've still got to get your numbers back, and you catch up on what you missed out on for the past few years.
"I think a lot of people … [would've] liked a couple more years of catching up. [That] would have been good."
