Grey nomads who have travelled in Australia’s vast interior will have already noticed something pretty obvious … there are not a lot of people out there!
Indeed, a new study has found that the Outback desperately needs more inhabitants if it is to be protected from threats such as feral animals and invasive weeds.
The Pew Charitable Trusts research found that the problems were exacerbated by the lack of people actively caring for its lands. In other words, the wilderness cannot simply be left to be wild.
“Much of the Outback has fewer people inhabiting and managing the land than at any time over the past 50,000 years,” the report said, and it argues more inhabitants are necessary.
The study noted that while the Outback covered 5.6 million square kilometres and accounted for 73% of Australia’s land mass, it was home to 800,000 people, or just 5% of the population.
With the numbers of feral cats, foxes, pigs, cane toads, goats, and camels on the rise, as well as the rapid spread of invasive weeds, the lack of inhabitants means less boots on the ground to fight the threats.
A strategy of more indigenous land care and ranger programmes are commonly advocated as possible solutions to the growing problems, but the report makes it clear that action needs to be taken sooner rather than later.
The report – which rates the Outback as significant as natural wonders like the Amazon Basin and the Sahara desert – is the first instalment of a new series called The Outback Papers.
I would love to roam the outback and keep an eye on the vermin so stated. I have certainly had enough of city life and the local council where I now live in far regional Victoria is getting on my last nerve. However, a new nightmare would begin. My dogs would be labeled as a nuisance irrespective of the fact they are very well looked after and are great at catching vermin. The governments of the day would be horrified if I mentioned my residential address is my email address. Good grief, where to send the rego renewal for a start! They haven’t thought of emailing the renewal as yet. So why have our first Australians deserted their land? One would think it would be of major concern to them to learn that the great outback is in need of some TLC. All this aside, I would seriously love to wander about out there. Peace, tranquility, so much space. But would the mining companies and landholders want us all roaming around out there unsupervised? Me thinks no.