Your Local Land Services rates notice will arrive shortly
Rates contribute to our biosecurity, animal health and emergency management work which helps us, help you when you need it most. Even though you may not have livestock, your property will have benefited from our services including our coordinated pest and weed control programs.
The Local Land Services Board set rates each year based on the cost of doing business and the need for services across the state. Rates have marginally increased in 2023 as there has been an increased demand for our services along with increased need for biosecurity support throughout the state.
Rates collected across the state from landholders contribute up to one fifth of Local Land Services operating budget, and 100% of the rates collected are returned to our customers through our regional services and on-ground support.
Instructions on how to pay are on your rates notice, and payment methods include:
Cheque in the mail (post to Accounts Receivable, Local Land Services, Locked Bag 6007 Orange NSW 2800)
If you wish to pay in person, please call 1300 795 299 to arrange a time to visit your local office.
Under the Local Land Services Act 2013, we must charge rates on all land classified as rateable land under the Act. This is generally land 10 hectares or more in size (40 hectares in the Western region and 20 hectares in some parts of Murray and Riverina regions). Our rates are different to council rates charged under the Local Government Act 1993.
If you are experiencing hardship, we can help. Please call 1300 795 299 to discuss setting up a payment plan with your local team.
If you have recently sold your property, or are in the process of selling,
please call us to update your contact details or use the online form
on our website www.lls.nsw.gov.au/contact-us
Biosecurity
Spotted anything unusual?
Australia is currently free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The $22.8 million FMD Prevention and Preparedness Program being delivered by Local Land Services will help maintain this status. If you spot anything unusual in your livestock, call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 or your Local Land Services district vet on 1300 795 299.
FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed (two-toed) animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, deer and camelids including wild and feral animals). Onset and severity of clinical signs will vary between animals. Vesicular lesions (blisters, ulcers, and sores) in cattle may be found in the mouth and on the feet, muzzle/nostrils, and teats. Cattle with FMD may exhibit one or more of the following clinical signs:
blisters on the mouth, snout, tongue, lips or feet
erosions remaining after blisters rupture
drooling
fever (39.4 - 41.1°C)
limping and reluctance to move
production losses.
In sheep and goats, the disease is usually mild with few lesions, however, clinical signs can include fever, lameness and oral lesions, which are often mild.
Chilean needle grass is a summer flowering and seeding grass that is native to South America but is now found in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Europe.
In Australia it is a weed mainly in pastures, public land and along roadsides in areas with an annual rainfall of 500mm or more. In the central tablelands region, Chilean needle grass is mostly limited to localities including; O’Connell, Tarana, Bathurst, Woodstock and Manildra.
Chilean needle grass grows in tussocks about 1m high. Seeds are usually the best feature for identification. The Chilean needle grass seed has a sharp, pointed tip; a long, bent awn or tail; and a distinctive red crown or corona where the seed joins the awn. Chilean needle grass also produces seeds in the nodes of the flowering stems. These stem seeds have a shorter awn, and account for about ¼ of seeds a plant produces.
Chilean needle grass can impact you as it:
takes over pastures
can halve pasture productivity during summer
injures animals eyes
downgrades wool
pierces hides
can affect meat quality
and reduces biodiversity.
Chilean needle grass seeds can be spread by animals, vehicles, and machinery. The hairs at the sharp end of the seed anchor into in wool or fur. Seeds can stay attached to animals for months. Hay baled from paddocks with Chilean needle grass may contain seeds. Seed comes from the flowers and along the nodes of the stalks. Seeds can spread in floodwaters, and are only rarely dispersed by wind.
Each calendar year, Central Tablelands Local Land Services commits to fully funding an aerial wild dog baiting program. This is an ongoing commitment under the Wild Dog Management Plan 2021 - 2026 which was negotiated with local land managers and government agencies. This large scale regional program is usually undertaken in autumn and is followed by land manager driven ground baiting. In some years, we have been able to deliver both an autumn and spring aerial baiting. Monitoring and reporting of wild dog numbers indicates the success of this program.
In 2023 we will continue to support land managers with the autumn ground baiting program for wild dogs and will deliver the annual aerial baiting program in spring. This change to programming is a result of our focus on aerial control programs in autumn for cloven hooved pests as part of our preparedness for the potential threat of foot and mouth disease. In making the change we sought advice from local pest control experts, our own biosecurity staff and examined recent reports of wild dog sightings and stock losses. If you would like more information or to register your interest in participating in our spring aerial wild dog baiting program please contact your local biosecurity officer.
Emergency management
Flood recovery updates
Local Land Services provides leadership in flood recovery support and advice to impacted landholders. This includes:
Veterinary advice and assistance
Livestock feeding and management advice
Pasture, cropping and horticulture recovery advice
Plant and animal biosecurity surveillance and advice
While it may seem counter-intuitive to be discussing fire season preparedness at the same time as flood recovery, many regions will face an increased risk of grass and bush fires this summer because of flooding and recent rain.
Grass and bush fire fuel loads are expected to be higher this fire season following a wet spring which resulted in increased grass growth throughout much of the state. As plants dry off with warmer weather, they provide a significant fuel load for grass fires.
Flood debris, often consisting of dried out vegetation, can be particularly flammable and can draw fires to and along structures where it may be built up against, such as fences.
It's important you check your property and start preparing for the fire season now.
Develop skills in pasture and animal assessment, and learn skills to improve the productivity and sustainability of your grazing systems. The course will consist of 8 workshops that will include both theory and in-paddock learning.
Prioritising resources in a farm business is arguably one of the most important tasks for managers. Livestock enterprises have their own pinch points, for example pregnancy scanning and peak lactation, where decisions can make or break the bank.
Setting up your cool season perennial pasture paddocks for this growing season starts now. If you haven’t started implementing your strategy to optimise clover to grass ratio for these paddocks by Australia Day, there may be very little left in the bank to help you celebrate in 2024.
Allocate low quality feed demand livestock to help reduce biomass in paddocks that you have selected to maximise sub-clover growth in 2023.
Ensure that the ground cover % does not fall below erosion benchmarks for each paddock and soil type.
Know your soil health of these paddocks and fertilise to ensure adequate nutrients.
Allocate resources for weed control in these paddocks, spray early for best results.
Local Land Services is this month welcoming 10 graduates across the state to join our agriculture, biosecurity and natural resource management teams for the next 12 months.
All graduates will work alongside our respected staff to deliver critical in-the-paddock support and services to customers across regional NSW.
In the Central Tablelands we welcome Lauren Adler who will be based in our Mudgee office and joins our agriculture team.
Our graduate program is an investment in the next generation of frontline staff providing an ongoing learning opportunity and support as they transition from university studies to an established career.
The next intake of Local Land Services graduates will be happening mid-2023.
We want to hear what you think about the rules for managing native vegetation in NSW
Local Land Services is supporting the statutory review of the native vegetation provisions of the Local Land Services Act and we need to hear from you.
The review will consider if the policy objectives of these provisions remain valid, if the provisions are working to achieve the objectives of the Act, and if any areas need to be improved.
In addition to the public submissions we sought on the Discussion Paper in 2022, we are also carrying out voluntary landholder surveys and interviews over coming weeks to gather your valuable insights and feedback.
To participate, please register your interest by filling out the online form.
Beneficial Insects Predators Webinar | Feb 16
There are many insect and spider predators in our ecosystems who are more than happy to join us in the fight against insect pests. Hear from Dr Lizzy Lowe (Cesar Australia) about how we can support them in our agricultural systems. Sign up to Beneficial Insects Predators webinar
Burraga coordinated pest animal control program - Community Meeting | February 19
The meeting will be focused on developing an ongoing coordinated pest animal control program in the Burraga area. More information
Landcare: More Than Planting Trees Webinars
West of the divide Landcare has a big focus on sustainable agriculture. In and around our region we are fortunate to have innovative producers who have received national recognition by Landcare Australia. Bruce Maynard, February 22 - Sign up to this Landcare webinar Charlie Arnott, March 9 - Sign up to this Landcare webinar
The Grasslands Society of NSW Autumn Pasture Update | Cudal, March 2
Pastures, carbon and productivity - save the date. More info
Environmental Innovation and Sustainability Awards Ceremony| Orange, March 31
Gain insight into what kind of assistance, products and education is available to landholders and will allow for valuable connections to be made between landholders and support agencies. More details on the awards event
Grazing towards 2030| Cowra, April 4
Hear about future farms, low emissions pastures and soil carbon followed by a low emissions pasture trial inspections. More info
Mycology May Fungus Connections: Biodiversity, Farming & Food | May 9 to 20
Most people don’t think fungi when they think about farming, soils, food, and biodiversity, yet fungi are present and necessary in so many aspects of everyday life. Join us to learn about Fungus connections and get more understanding of fungi and their importance to: farming, soils, composting, biodiversity, foods, plant health and future uses. Register for Mycology May
Next month Central Tablelands Local Land Services welcomes the appointment of Casey Dunn and reappointment of Donna Rygate to our local board.
Our regional board plays a key role in connecting communities to our services. Board members bring local views and experience to the table to help guide the strategic future of Local Land Services, helping to improve sustainable land and natural resource management for our customers and the environment.
With these appointments we want to recognise the expertise, knowledge and support our outgoing board member, Tess Herbert, has shared during her tenure. Her assistance has helped shape Local Land Services strategic outcomes over a difficult period impacted by several natural disasters and challenges of COVID.
In total, 22 people have been appointed across the state by the Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders. Diversity is important for all organisations and it is pleasing to see these new appointments include female and indigenous community members, building on our already inclusive regional representation.
More than 160 people applied to join boards across the state after an extensive recruitment process.
NSW Government caretaker period starts on 3 March 2023
During caretaker period the usual business of Local Land Services continues: your local vets, ag advisors, biosecurity teams and pasture specialists will continue delivering services to farmers, landholders and the wider community. However, we will not send email newsletters or other communications, including routine social media or website updates, during the caretaker period.
Emergency or public health and safety information will be sent by email and published online as normal, and our regular communications will resume after the election.
Local Land Services acknowledges that it stands on Country
which always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters,
and we show our respect for Elders past, present and emerging.
The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing. However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information with the appropriate officer of Local Land Services or the user’s independent adviser. For updates go to www.lls.nsw.gov.au
