WHEN Matt and Vicki Franklin purchased their 10,000ha mulga block, 50km east of Charleville in 2001 they had big plans for its development.
But with Beattie’s ban on broad scale tree clearing fast closing in on them, the Franklins were unable to get much of the development done in time.
The vegetation management reforms announced by the Natural Resources Minister this week certainly won’t facilitate a return to broad scale clearing for grazing but Matt Franklin said the changes were still a positive step forward.
“This system puts some trust back in the landholders and for us that’s very important,” he said.
“It’s also been excellent to see the changes to the fodder harvesting application system.
That has been a big improvement – it’s simpler and your permit lasts for 10 years.”
Mr Franklin plans to attend an information workshop on the vegetation management reforms in Charleville next Thursday and is keen to hear more detail about the reforms.
But he believes he probably won’t be able to develop much of the virgin country on his property, Wyoming.
“It will be interesting to hear what they have to say about things like thinning because maybe we might be able to improve some areas of our box country under those reforms,” he said.
“But we still think we will be in the same situation, which is only being able to develop around 25 to 30pc of our property. That is a big issue for us and I imagine it would be for anyone wanting to develop new grazing country.”
Mr Franklin would also like to see changes to fodder harvesting rules to allow landholders to pull mulga with two dozers and a chain.
“We don’t use a chain but a lot of people do. It’s still the most efficient way to pull mulga.”