This map is really important in the work that we do, helping us to locate both the challenges that our Outback faces and the opportunities to care for our natural and cultural heritage.
If you’re anything like us, you’ll spend ages poring over the tiny print, spotting station names or national parks which trigger fond Outback memories.
Here’s a couple of interesting details to note from looking at this map:
- As you can see from the khaki coloured properties covering much of our leasehold land, pastoralism (grazing of cattle, sheep or goats) remains a central part of our Outback. However, the past half-century has seen gradual change, with areas in bright yellow indicating leases held by mining companies, and those in pale pink indicating pastoral leases held by Indigenous groups. A small number of leases (7) are also held by private conservation organisations protecting particularly special places across WA’s Outback landscapes.
- WA’s Outback occupies almost 90% of the state but is home to just 9% of Western Australians. On the map, it’s all land north and east of the Wheatbelt (the Wheatbelt is shown in pale yellow). The map highlights just how expansive the Outback is – it’s a big area with relatively few people to care for it. That’s why all Western Australians, regardless of whether they live in the Outback or not, have a responsibility to care about the future of our Outback.
- The medium-green areas in the Mid West and Pilbara represent five million hectares of former pastoral leases purchased by government for conservation 20 years ago. These properties have been left in limbo since then, and are now the subject of a proposal for new national parks managed by Indigenous rangers. The proposal, Create Ranger Parks, is supported by Partnership for the Outback and a range of other organisations, including 4WD, conservation and Indigenous groups and local businesses. Click here to find out more about Create Ranger Parks.
Feel free to email us at email@example.com if you have any questions or comments.