Private land in the North East comprises approximately one million hectares (about 46% of the catchment region), most of which is cleared for agriculture. Most of the region’s private land is located in the west and north of the catchment and along major river valleys (C of A and Victorian RFA Steering Committee, 1998). Approximately 43% (12 595 hectares) of the region’s agricultural land consists of pasture (irrigated and dryland). On the Plains country there is broadacre cropping of wheat, oats, triticate, barley, lupins, peas and canola, whilst apples, berries and nuts are grown around Beechworth and the Ovens Valley. About 8% of the region’s agricultural land is utilised for intensive cropping with approximately 19 800 tonnes produced in horticultural crops over an area of 2 377 hectares. Land utilised for livestock enterprises dominates total livestock land use (accounting for 58% of the total area used for livestock) while 35% is used for sheep grazing. A relatively small area of land is used for dairying and intensive livestock enterprises (NECALPB, 1997). | Land Use in the Bright Area |
Land Tenure | Area (ha) | Proportion of all land (%) | Proportion of public Land (%) |
State Forest | 718 700 | 31 | 57 |
Conservation reserves | 392 000 | 17 | 31 |
Other public land | 56 200 | 2 | 5 |
Plantation | 65 400 | 3 | 5 |
Water bodies | 28 400 | 1 | 2 |
Public Land Total | 1 260 700 | 54 | - |
Private Land | 1057 300 | 46 | - |