Stock Reserves

Travelling Stock Reserves

Crown Lands is responsible for the management and allocation of Crown land aross NSW. Travelling Stock Reserves (TSRs) are parcels of Crown land reserved under legisation for use by travelling stock.

TSRs have been an integral part of rural life in Australia for over 150 years and the grazing industry is still dependent on these reserves, mostly as supplementary grazing ares in times of drought, bushfire and flood. TSRs are also used for public recreation, apiary sites and for conservation.

All TSRs are Crown land with the vast majority being managed under trust by the Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (formerly Rural Lands Protection Boards). The Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 provides for the establishment of Livestock Health and Pest Authorities who are resposible for the management and use of travelling stock reserves. This Act is administerd by the Minister for Primary Industries.

There are over 6,500 TSRs throughout NSW, comprising an area of approximately 740,000 hectares.

Changes to the management of TSRs

From 1 January 2009, changes under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998  allows for TSRs to be handed back to Crown Lands where they place an unreasonable financial burden on the local Livestock Health and Pest Authorities.

Pilot study

Crown Lands has undertaken a project to assess the values and management of the TSR reserve network in the Hunter Valley. The project received funding from the NSW Catchment Action Program and was developed in partnership with the Hunter Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority. The study identified that the majority of TSRs have significant environmental values, particularly in providing habitat for threatened species and many are in over cleared landscapes and adjacent to important waterways. TSRs also support a wide range of other values, such as recreational and community use and some contain significant cultural heritage. As a result of this pilot study LPMA can now apply a consistent and robust assessment methodology and decision making process to TSRs across the state in preparation for the large scale hand back of reserves currently being considered by the Livestock Health and Pest Authority. You may view the report below:

Assessing the values and management of the NSW Travelling Stock Reserve Network (PDF 3.87 mb)

Further information

Download a fact sheet on the future of TSRs (PDF 112 kb) or contact your local Crown Lands office.