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DNR and the Western Division

Land use in the Western Division

Due to the dry and semi–arid nature of the landscape, pastoral holdings in the Division can be up to 200,000 hectares (2,000 square kilometres) in size, especially in the far west. Properties around Walgett, Wentworth and Balranald are usually smaller, covering around 5,000 to 6,000 hectares, and are more intensively developed, with dryland cropping their main enterprise.

In recent decades, the area has seen an increase in dryland and irrigated agriculture, particularly along the rivers in the north–east and along the eastern and southern margins. There are important irrigation centres along the Barwon–Darling, Murray, Murrumbidgee, and Lachlan Rivers, with the local economies in these regions relying heavily on the availability of water for agriculture. Mining is also an essential component of the regional economy, and tourism is a large and growing industry. All of these industries rely on the equitable, sustainable use of land and water resources.