Pastoral leases exist in both
Australian commonwealth law and
state jurisdictions. They do not give all the rights that attach to freehold land: there are usually conditions which include a time period and the type of activity permitted. According to
Austrade, such leases cover about 44% of
mainland Australia (3,380,000 km2 (1,310,000 sq mi)), mostly in arid and semi-arid regions and the tropical
savannahs. They usually allow people to use the land for grazing traditional livestock, but more recently have been also used for non-traditional livestock (such as
kangaroos or
camels), tourism and other activities. Management of the leases falls mainly to state and territory governments.[2] Leases within state jurisdictions have variations as to applicability from state to state.
Australian jurisdictions have land management legislation that affects the administration of pastoral leases.[4] As of November 2023[update] the legislation and management arrangements are as follows:
^Australia. Productivity Commission (2002), Pastoral leases and non-pastoral land use Commission research paper, Productivity Commission,
ISBN978-1-74037-082-0
Alick, Terrence (Terrence J.); Alick, Rosemary; Queensland. Department of Natural Resources (2010), Atlas of Queensland and Northern Territory pastoral stations etc (8th ed.), Terrence Alick Mapping Services,
ISBN978-0-9756998-2-9
Queensland. Land Administration Commission (1989),
Index of pastoral leases, Brisbane, retrieved 6 September 2014 (Queensland)
Donovan, P. F (1995), In the interest of the country: a history of the Pastoral Board of South Australia, 1893–1993, Pastoral Management Branch of the South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources,
ISBN978-0-646-26803-3