Regional Landholder and Aboriginal Community Survey

Every three years, we coordinate separate surveys with landholders and Aboriginal community members within the Western Local Land Services region.

The surveys are designed to assist our local Board and staff with identifying opportunities and trends, with the information to help plan activities and priorities for the years ahead.

The surveys were first run in 2014 and have run since in 2017, 2020 and 2024. (note: Aboriginal survey not run in 2014)

2024 Regional Landholder survey

The 2024 Regional Landholder survey provided landholders with a voice to have their say into what the issues, practices and opportunities exist within the region.

The information gathered will help to inform our programs, projects and services, as well as identify trends over time as results are compared to those conducted in 2014, 2017 and 2020.

Survey findings

A total of 48 landholders participated in the survey and some of the key findings are outlined below.

• 16,592 ha is the average property size
• 350 km is the average distance to farm product market
• 16 years is the average tenure on properties
• 11% of landholders do not live on the property full-time
• 24% of landholders undertook cropping activities in the past 3 years
• 20% of landholders have an environmental market agreement
• 45% of landholders reported that during the time they had been on the property, wild dogs had been a problem
• 86% of landholders who reported a problem with wild dogs indicated they had actively managed this problem in the last 3 years
• Most common property uses:
  • producing sheep for meat — 57%
  • producing sheep for wool — 51%
  • cattle production — 38%

These findings are only reflective of the survey, not of all landholders in the Western region.

To thank participating landholders, a donation of $5,000 on their behalf was made to the Royal Flying Doctor Service - South East Section.

2024 Aboriginal Community survey

The 2024 Aboriginal Community survey gave participants a voice to have their say into what the issues, practices and opportunities exist within the region.

The information gathered will help to inform our programs, projects and services, as well as identify trends over time as results are compared to those conducted in 2017 and 2020.

Survey findings

A total of 158 people participated in the survey, with some interesting findings outlined below.

• 67% of participants lived on the Country that was their Country
• 92% of participants knew of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites in their local area
• 46 years was the average age of participants
• 76% of participants had access to Country
• 44% of participants that are employed worked looking after Countr
• 67% of participants had undertaken activities to look after Country in the past 12 months
• 54% of participants had shared traditional land management practices in the last 12 months, such as:
  • sharing yarns - 40%
  • collecting bush tucker - 28%
  • using bush medicines - 23%
• participants identified issues relating to water as key issues affecting Country, including:
  • carp - 70%
  • lack of water - 57%
  • loss of fish populations - 56%

These findings are only reflective of the survey, not of all Aboriginal community members in the Western region.

Further information

For further information about the Regional Landholder survey or Aboriginal Community survey, speak to a member of our team at your local office, get in contact with us via 1300 795 299 or email admin.western@lls.nsw.gov.au.