PRESERVING the health and value of Travelling Stock Reserves (TSR) is in the spotlight for the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services this week. The LLS has issued a reminder to the public about the ‘dos and don’ts’ of this important network of Crown Land.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The local LLS manages over 350 TSRs over 46,375 hectares within the council boundaries of Inverell, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Armidale Dumaresq, Uralla, Guyra and Walcha.
The corridors of grazing land with water sources were originally established for droving cattle and sheep, familiarly known as the Long Paddock. The LLS said TSRs remain essential to producers as a feed reserve in times of drought. Apiarists actively utilise the TSRs for hive placement.
Use of TSRs are also enjoyed by the general public in daylight hours through bushwalking, fishing, bird watching, horse riding, swimming, picnicking and cycling.
Illegal activities on TSR land include the collection of firewood and removal of timber, extraction of water, soil and rocks, rubbish dumping and discarding animal carcases. Additionally, shooting, pig dog use, any form of hunting, archery and trapping and illegal on TSRs. Riding motor bikes or quad bikes, and driving 4WD vehicles is also not allowed.
Inverell-based LLS officer Ross Fuller is the TSR Team Leader. He said reserves closer to town get a drubbing, and some more so than others.
“The Red Rock Reserve, which is just on the other side of the cemetery, it gets a bit of a hammering for people dumping rubbish out there, people spending time out there and leaving bottles and cans and things around.” He said some of the dumping can lead to biosecurity issues.
“If they dump contaminants or things like lead-based batteries on stock reserves. That can have a real impact on the industry, because we end up with contaminated meat that has an impact on the broader industry; not just that particular beast or landholder,” he said. Permit holders should also be aware that supplementary feeding, especially hay, is not allowed on routes to prevent weed spreading and licks must be LLS approved.
