In spite of Australia's harsh environment, agriculture is the most extensive form of land use. At 30 June 2002, the estimated total area of establishments with agricultural activity in Australia was 447.0 million hectares (ha), representing about 58% of the total land area (tables 14.1 and 14.2). The rest of the Australian land area consists of unoccupied land (mainly desert in western and central Australia), Aboriginal land reserves (mainly located in the Northern Territory), forests, mining leases, national parks and urban areas.
Livestock grazing accounts for the largest area of land use in Australian agriculture. This activity has led to the replacement of large areas of native vegetation by introduced pastures and grasses in the higher rainfall and irrigated areas.
At 30 June 2002, 5% of Australia's agricultural land was under crops, with a further 5% under sown pastures and grasses. This maintains the trend which has seen about 10% of Australia's agricultural land under cultivation each year since the 1980s. Until that time, the area of land cropped or sown to pastures and grasses had been expanding rapidly. This expansion was facilitated by factors including increased use of fertilisers, improved water supply and reduction in the rabbit population due to myxomatosis.
14.1 AGRICULTURAL LAND USE
|
 | Area of | | Total |
|
| |
|
| Crops | Sown pastures
and grasses | Balance | | Area of establishments
with agricultural activity | Proportion of Australian land area |
| mill. ha | mill. ha | mill. ha | | mill. ha | % |
|
| 1997 | 21.1 | 19.0 | 422.0 | | 462.2 | 60.1 |
| 1998 | 21.5 | 22.8 | 419.5 | | 463.8 | 60.3 |
| 1999 | 23.3 | 22.5 | 407.9 | | 453.7 | 59.0 |
| 2000 | 23.8 | 23.8 | 407.9 | | 455.5 | 59.2 |
| 2001 | 24.5 | 25.6 | 405.6 | | 455.7 | 59.2 |
| 2002 | 24.1 | 24.1 | 398.9 | | 447.0 | 58.1 |
|
| Source: Agricultural Commodities, Australia (7121.0). |
14.2 AREA OF ESTABLISHMENTS WITH AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY
|
| NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | Aust.(a) |
| mill. ha | mill. ha | mill. ha | mill. ha | mill. ha | mill. ha | mill. ha | mill. ha |
|
| 1997 | 60.9 | 12.7 | 149.6 | 56.2 | 112.5 | 1.9 | 68.3 | 462.2 |
| 1998 | 60.3 | 12.7 | 148.2 | 57.5 | 115.8 | 1.9 | 67.3 | 463.8 |
| 1999 | 59.3 | 12.8 | 140.3 | 59.4 | 113.1 | 1.9 | 66.9 | 453.7 |
| 2000 | 62.1 | 13.3 | 145.4 | 59.9 | 105.6 | 1.8 | 67.5 | 455.5 |
| 2001 | 61.0 | 13.2 | 146.0 | 57.3 | 109.2 | 1.9 | 67.1 | 455.7 |
| 2002 | 63.4 | 12.8 | 141.4 | 53.5 | 109.0 | 1.8 | 65.2 | 447.0 |
|
| (a) Includes ACT. |
| | | | | | | | |
| Source: Agricultural Commodities, Australia (7121.0). |
Print Page