A prime beef company faces possible fines of more than $2 million on each of four primary charges over channels allegedly dug through a wetland in the Niangala district, south west of Walcha.
The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) has commenced prosecution in the NSW Land and Environment Court over the alleged unapproved construction of about 6km of channels in and around a large wetland near the Macdonald River.
The alleged offences took place between July 2023 and September 2023 on a property in the Niangala district. The four channels measure about one metre wide and between 70cm and 1m deep.
“Because wetlands like this frequently change based on seasonal rainfall, they can act as critical drought refuges and breeding grounds for a variety of wildlife,” said NRAR Director of Investigation and Enforcement Tim O’Connell.
The investigation began in October 2023. The property owners knew of the NRAR investigation shortly after it began, but NRAR only issued a stop work order after a site visit in early October 2026, to prevent any ongoing alleged unlawful activity at the site.
NRAR declined to identify the company or the property, but it is understood from Walcha locals to likely be the group of properties sold in 2023 to a North Queensland company.
The matter will be mentioned in the NSW Land and Environment Court for the first time on Friday, 30 October.
It is the 50th prosecution NRAR has commenced since it was established in 2018.
Mr O’Connell said excavating waterfront land can have serious consequences for the environment.
“The rules are there to prevent activities that could alter water flow or quality, destabilise beds or banks of waterways, cause erosion, disturb wildlife habitats and other damage,” he said.
“Healthy watercourses and waterfront land are vital to the community and environment, so landholders need to get approval before they do any work.”
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