A far north Queensland grazier says she fears for the future of the cattle industry in the region, as the Queensland government continues to buy up large pastoral properties across Cape York.
The state government has bought more than a million hectares of land for conservation and native title hand-backs in the Cape since 2007, half of which has been turned into national parks.
Grazier Emma Jackson, who helps run the 70,000 hectare Wolverton Station in the middle of Cape York, said the recent sale of the nearby Bramwell Station to the government's Department of Environment and Science was concerning.
She said it was another nail in the coffin for the grazing industry in the region and would have an impact on the economy and jobs.
"If the cattle stations continue to close down in Cape York, it will be shocking," Ms Jackson said.
"The state government might buy land, but they don't invest money into them. It's not feasible or possible to manage them.
"When you're producing on the land, you know where every weed is, you do your fire management, you make a dollar and that goes straight back into the land.
Buying up big
The government has bought more than a dozen pastoral properties in Cape York since 2007, including Kalinga, Crosbie, Strathmay, Killarney, Dixie and Wulpan Stations.
Last year, it added Bramwell and Richardson Stations to the list — the northern-most cattle enterprise in Queensland — about two-hours' drive north of Weipa.
In a statement, the Department of Environment and Heritage said the 131,900 hectare property was strategic and "a win for both the environment and First Nations people and the local economy".
It said both the roadhouse and tourist park would continue to operate and that work was continuing to determine the "total area of Aboriginal freehold land and National Park".
Bertiehaugh Station, near Weipa, was bought by the Federal Government in 2006 and is now known as the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve.
Grazier to throw open the gates
Ms Jackson said the recent sale of Bramwell Station had prompted the Jackson family to throw open the gates to its 70,000 hectare station to the public on the 24th of April.
Ms Jackson said she hoped to give people a better understanding of what it's like to live and work on the land in a place regarded by many as one of Australia's last true frontiers.
She said holding an open day was an idea born out of frustration about the lack of understanding of land management.
"Unless you know someone on a cattle station or you get invited onto one, most people haven't been to a cattle station," Ms Jackson said.
"So we thought, let them come in, see where we live, how we live and hopefully they will have a heartfelt experience."
