This Australian farmer’s radical solution for ‘useless land’ causes outrage

In the vast, sunbaked expanses of Australia, a debate cuts to the heart of Australia’s relationship with its land. 

At the centre of this storm is a farmer from Yanda Station, who has taken to social media to showcase his controversial method for transforming what he calls ‘useless land’ into profitable pastures for livestock. 

‘Not a blade of useful grass currently grows between the trees. Not a kangaroo or koala in sight. It’s useless land the way it is,’ the farmer said.

The video that sparked the debate shows a bulldozer toppling trees and clearing native scrub in Central Western NSW.

This sight has divided Australians and ignited a fierce conversation about land use, conservation, and agriculture. 

The farmer’s claim is straightforward: clearing the scrubland creates jobs and supports the local community. 

‘Turning unprofitable scrublands that have been lying waste for thousands of years into profitable paddocks where we can run goats and sheep,’ the Yanda Station post declared. 

This perspective is rooted in a long history of land management in Australia, where converting natural landscapes into agricultural land has been a common practice since European settlement.

However, this approach is not without its critics. Ecological experts and conservationists are raising the alarm, arguing that the land being cleared is far from ‘useless’. It could, in fact, be a critical habitat for some of Australia’s rarest birds and animals. 

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has been particularly vocal, using satellite analysis to estimate that hundreds of hectares may have been cleared at Yanda Station in the last two years alone.

The ACF’s concern extends to the potential impact on several federally listed threatened species, including the endangered pink cockatoo and the vulnerable blue-winged parrot. 

These species and others like the hooded robin and Corben’s long-eared bat rely on the unique ecosystems that the farmer dismisses as mere scrubland.

Jess Abrahams, ACF’s national nature campaigner, emphasises that the land in question has traditionally been managed for millennia, providing habitat for wildlife, cultural services, and carbon storage. 

‘This healthy and intact ecosystem has been providing… critical habitat and carbon storage for millennia⁠—long before the Yanda Station owner came along with his destructive bulldozer and dragging chain,’ he said.

The farmer at the centre of this debate, Will Small, has hit back at his critics, labelling them as ‘university geeks’ who fail to understand the realities of farming and food production. 

‘You never change these guys that go to uni; they get brainwashed for good and never understand how to use a paintbrush,’ he said.

His words reflect a broader tension between agricultural development and environmental conservation, which is felt in rural communities across Australia.

While critical of Yanda Station’s actions, the ACF is quick to point out that it supports most Australian farmers who employ nature-friendly practices. 

The organisation argues that food and fibre production does not necessitate the destruction of bushland, especially given the country’s vast areas of already degraded land.

As the debate rages on, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has been alerted to the ACF’s concerns, though no findings have been made against Yanda Station as of yet. 

With inquiries ongoing, the department has refrained from commenting further.

This story is a microcosm of a much larger conversation about how Australians value and interact with their environment. 

It raises questions about the balance between economic development and ecological preservation and whether a middle ground can sustain both the land and the livelihoods of those who depend on it.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Have you seen similar land management practices in your area? Do you believe there’s a way to reconcile the needs of agriculture with the imperative of conservation?

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