Australian Alps education kit
Australian Alps Liaison Committee, November 2005
Grazing in the Australian Alps
The number of sheep or cattle that can be grazed in an area depends on climate, terrain and the amount of food available. Grazing has occurred in many different parts of the Australian Alps but only seasonal grazing of sheep and cattle occurred on the highest mountain plateaus where there were permanent freehold runs.
At lower elevations throughout the Australian Alps pastures were grazed but, in summer, these areas became dry and sparse while the high plains offered cooler temperatures and higher rainfall supporting lush native grasses and herbs. These alpine areas also provided a precious food supply in times of drought.
Records show that graziers were taking sheep and cattle into and across the mountains in the early 1820s in search of new pastures, free of drought and disease. An 1834 newspaper report mentioned cattle at Gibson’s Plains (Kiandra) and some families claim that their forebears were in the area in the 1820s.
Some graziers came to depend on public land for summer grazing. In the first half of the 1900s it was a common practice to burn to encourage new growth of grass shoots. As a result, frequent burning became an important part of grazing in many parts of the high country, particularly where sheep were grazed.
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