EDUCATION RESOURCE GRAZING 1/6 in THE AUSTRALIAN

Grazing once took place in many different parts of the Australian Alps, the number of sheep or cattle in an area depending on climate, terrain and the amount of food available. On the highest mountain plateaus there were permanent freehold runs where seasonal grazing of sheep and cattle took place. At lower elevations pastures were also grazed but, in summer, when these areas became dry and sparse, the high plains offered cooler temperatures and higher rainfall supporting lush native grasses and herbs. These alpine areas also provided a precious food supply for sheep and cattle 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 which were 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. grazin