29 April 2026
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), the state's leading environmental advocacy organisation, is calling for urgent action to prevent runaway land clearing after landholders were fined just $431,250 for illegally clearing 2,400 hectares and 119,851 hollow bearing trees.
What happened: Between October 2021 and April 2024, two landholders cleared more than 167,000 mature native trees, including more than 119,000 hollow-bearing trees, on their property in Western NSW.
Why does it matter: Candice Bartlett, the Conservation Officer for NCC says hollow-bearing trees take hundreds of years to form and provide essential shelter, protection and breeding habitat for many wildlife species, including threatened species.
Quotes attributable to Candice Bartlett, NCC's Conservation Officer:
"The fines don't scratch the surface of the damage done," Bartlett said. "$3.60 per hollow bearing tree is far from justice when these trees take hundreds of years to grow."
"Evidence presented to the court showed that the ancient woodlands provided homes for an abundance of threatened species, including birds like pink cockatoos and small marsupials like the kultarr and strip-faced dunnart.
Bartlett is concerned illegal clearing is slipping through the cracks.
"The NSW Environment Line was alerted to the clearing in February 2023. Yet the clearing continued for another 13 months - during which time tens of thousands of hollow-bearing trees were destroyed.
"The scale of loss, in just this one case, is truly staggering.
"We need a system that acts earlier - stronger rules, better oversight and faster intervention to prevent clearing before it happens.
"There are too many loopholes in the Local Land Services Act that are allowing the destruction of native ecosystems at scale.
"Land clearing is at an all time high and we urgently need change at the regulation and enforcement level so we can get this under control.
"While we are pleased to see this case of illegal land clearing prosecuted, no slap on the wrist, or tree planting, will replace the critical habitat that has now been lost."
