Livestock management policy

1. The presence of unauthorised livestock in national parks is not consistent with the objects and reserve management principles of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act), which focus on the conservation of natural and cultural heritage and sustainable visitor use. Livestock can damage biodiversity, soil integrity and ecosystem health, with adverse effects on native plants, animals and habitat, cultural heritage and recreation values.
2. Livestock owners and other responsible persons have an obligation to prevent their animals from straying from their property onto other land, including national parks. This is consistent with the general biosecurity duty under the Biosecurity Act 2015, responsibilities for fencing under the Dividing Fences Act 1991, and conditions that typically apply to the use of other public land for livestock purposes (such as State forests).
3. Owners and responsible persons also have an obligation under the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 (PSUP Act) to retrieve animals that have strayed from their properties. Owners and responsible persons must obtain approval of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to enter a national park to retrieve livestock.
4. NPWS will work with park neighbours to pre-emptively reduce the potential for livestock to enter parks. Where relevant, this includes working with neighbours on improvements to boundary fencing, consistent with the Boundary fencing policy.
5. Where livestock are found in parks, NPWS will take reasonable and proportionate steps to determine if livestock are owned. If ownership is confirmed, NPWS will work with relevant neighbours and owners to facilitate the safe and efficient return of livestock.
6. The safety of staff, contractors and other persons involved in actions to remove livestock from parks is a priority.
7. If ownership cannot be established, then livestock species will be considered feral and managed in accordance with current practices for feral animal control.
8. NPWS will use relevant statutory mechanisms, including issuing relevant notices and directions under the NPW Act or PSUP Act, to manage unauthorised livestock in parks. That may include taking possession of such animals and their subsequent disposal, and appropriate enforcement action, as necessary.
9. Livestock owners and responsible persons must comply with any statutory approvals, notices or directions issued by the NPWS.

10. When NPWS acquires land where grazing is occurring under an existing authorisation, such as a grazing lease previously issued by the NSW Government, then that grazing may continue in accordance with the ‘existing interest’ provisions of the NPW Act.
11. This policy applies to the management of livestock in national parks where there is no existing interest.

12. NPWS aims to work on a cooperative and collaborative basis with livestock owners to ensure livestock are safely and efficiently removed from national parks and returned to confirmed owners.
13. Where safe to do so, the primary means used by NPWS to assess whether livestock are owned or feral will be to check for visible tags or obvious markings (such as ownership brands, not natural markings of the animal or breed).

14. NPWS may also consider other relevant, readily available and verifiable secondary sources of information, where it is practicable and can occur in a timely manner without adverse impacts to animal welfare (such as increased animal holding times) or available public resources. That may include consideration of information from: 

    1. neighbours (e.g. reports of strayed livestock or damaged boundary fencing, details of scannable ingested tagging products such as ‘rumen boluses’)
    2. independent experts, such as stock agents or veterinarians
    3. local councils
    4. other NSW agencies (such as Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Local Land Services or NSW Police)
    5. local knowledge (e.g. evidence from past or repeat occurrences, unique or unusual breeds known to have a specific local source, etc).

    Speculative, unverifiable information will not be considered.

15. DNA or genetic testing is not considered practicable and will not be used to ascertain ownership of unattended cattle given resource implications, timeframes and technical limitations involved in matching livestock found in a national park with related livestock.
16. NPWS is not obliged to exhaust the secondary sources of potential information outlined in clause 14, or delay taking action to manage feral animals, before making a decision about the potential ownership of livestock or taking appropriate steps to remove livestock from parks. 
17. Where evidence is available to indicate ownership, NPWS will take relevant steps to confirm and contact owners and make arrangements for the removal of unauthorised livestock from parks. Organised musters, including the use of contractors, may be undertaken.
18. Direct retrieval of livestock from a park by or on behalf of owners will only be considered where it is demonstrably the most efficient and practicable option, safe to do so, and ownership has been verified.
    1. livestock owners and responsible persons must obtain consent from NPWS before entering a national park, or bringing animals (such as dogs or horses) or equipment (such as motor bikes, quad bikes, drones, firearms) onto park to search for and retrieve stock.
19. As necessary, NPWS will use statutory powers to manage livestock in national parks, including:
    1. immediate control and removal of livestock that are considered feral animals
    2. powers under the PSUP Act to take possession of livestock, require collection of livestock by owners (and directing owners to prevent re-entry to the park), dispose of unclaimed livestock (including via euthanasia), recover costs, and other related actions
    3. taking regulatory action, via enforcement measures, in response to damage and impacts caused by livestock. That may include the issuing of warnings, penalty notices, commencement of legal proceedings, and other actions where appropriate.
20. NPWS will comply with relevant statutory environmental impact assessment requirements, including cultural heritage protection, that apply to livestock management activities.
21. NPWS may develop standard operating procedures, guidelines and protocols for the management of unauthorised livestock in specific parks, areas, or parks generally across the whole state, that take account of operating circumstances and provide more detailed guidance on implementation of the matters set out in this policy.
22. As necessary and subject to statutory requirements, resources and park management priorities, NPWS may engage with park neighbours and agencies such as NSW Police, Local Land Services, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and local councils, to support collective actions to manage livestock in an area.

23. Where NPWS is able to identify owners from available information (refer clauses 13–14), NPWS will contact owners and initiate actions for owners to collect their livestock.
24. It is the responsibility of owners, or persons claiming ownership, to provide adequate evidence to confirm ownership. That may include documentation related to tags, markings or other verifiable relevant information.
25. It is not sufficient to claim ownership based on the general look, appearance or demeanour of livestock, except in exceptional and verifiable circumstances (such as unique or unusual breeds known to have a specific local source). As stated in clause 15, DNA or genetic testing is not considered a practicable tool for establishing ownership of cattle found in a national park.
26. ‘Young at foot’ (such as calves, lambs and piglets) are considered to belong to the owner where ownership of the mother animal is confirmed. 
27. If owners have received an approval, notice or direction from NPWS, but do not take relevant steps to claim and collect livestock, NPWS may take actions using PSUP powers to dispose of livestock including by sale, giving away or euthanasia (refer clause 19). 

28. Livestock species in national parks will be considered unowned and feral where they are not visibly tagged or obviously marked, or where there is no other readily available and verifiable information to confirm ownership (refer clauses 13–14).
29. Livestock that are feral animals will be managed consistent with current approaches for feral animal control, including non-lethal methods (such as mustering and removal) and lethal means (such as ground and aerial shooting). Best practice methods will be used to meet animal welfare requirements during feral animal control.
30. NPWS may euthanise an animal on park at any time if the animal is a feral animal, or might be owned but is unattended and is dangerous, poses a threat to the health or safety of persons, other animals or the environment, or the animal is injured or ill.

Policy adopted 12 June 2025.

Policy last updated 12 June 2025.

Scope and application

This policy applies to all lands acquired or reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act) except for lands reserved under Part 4A of the Act (unless the Board of Management for those lands has adopted the policy). However, NPWS staff can use the policy as guidance when working with Boards of Management and on Part 4A lands.

This policy deals with the management of livestock, particularly animals that have entered a national park or reserve from adjoining land. It aligns with the routine management of pest or feral animal species within parks.

This policy does not apply to livestock and livestock activities, such as grazing, that are being undertaken in accordance with the ‘existing interest’ provisions of the NPW Act.

Objectives

This policy aims to:

• generally set out how the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service manages livestock within parks to prevent or minimise risks to the environment, NPWS staff and park visitors, and meet best practice animal welfare requirements
• guide NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in its approach to working with known livestock owners to safely and efficiently support the removal of livestock from parks and their return to confirmed owners
• provide the overall approach to the management of unauthorised livestock within parks, including livestock species that are feral.

Definitions

Cattle (under the Local Land Services Act 2013) means a bull, cow, ox, heifer, steer, calf or buffalo.

Existing interest (under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974) means a lease, licence, permit, authority, authorisation or occupancy granted under the Forestry Act 2012, the Crown Lands Act 1989, the Crown Lands (Continued Tenures) Act 1989 or the Western Lands Act 1901, prior to land being reserved under the NPW Act.

Feral animal For the purposes of this policy, livestock within parks will be considered feral animals where no verifiable information is readily available to indicate ownership (clauses 13–14). This does not include ‘young at foot’ if the associated mother animal is confirmed as being owned. Feral animals are not subject to the provisions of the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021.

Livestock (under the Local Land Services Act 2013) stock means cattle, horses, sheep, goats, camels, alpacas, llamas, pigs, deer, ostriches, emus or any other kind of animal declared by the regulations to be livestock.

Park means a reserve gazetted under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act), including a national park, nature reserve, historic site, Aboriginal area, state conservation area, karst conservation reserve, regional park or any land acquired by the Minister under Part 11 of the Act.

Pest (under the Biosecurity Act 2015) means a plant or animal (other than a human) that has an adverse effect on, or is suspected of having an adverse effect on, the environment, the economy or the community because it has the potential to out-compete other organisms for resources, prey or feed on other organisms, transmit disease to other organisms, cause harm to other organisms (through its toxicity), reduce the productivity of agricultural systems or value of agricultural products, damage infrastructure, reduce the amenity or aesthetic value of premises, or harm or reduce biodiversity.

Responsible person (under the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021) means (in summary):
the person who owns or is responsible for the property, is engaged to collect or manage the property on behalf of the property’s owner or is in control or possession, or entitled to possession, of the property. 
 

Accountabilities

This section outlines NPWS staff with significant responsibilities for ensuring implementation of the policy.

Positions with significant responsibilities

* The accountable officer may allocate this role to an officer authorised under the relevant NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water delegation instrument. Staff can access the delegation instruments on the intranet.