The battle to save one of Australia’s most fertile food producing areas has taken a dramatic turn, with the New South Wales government buying back a mining exploration licence from BHP Billiton.
The state government announced the buyback of the licence that covers around 344 square kilometres of the Liverpool Plains, on Thursday night.
“The Liverpool Plains provide some of the most productive and valuable farming land in Australia, home to the iconic black soils and generations of successful food and fibre producers,” said premier Mike Baird.
Green groups have described it as a historic victory, while NSW Farmers say the buyback is a turning point in efforts to save prime agricultural land from mining.
“It’s wonderful to see Government giving due consideration and priority to agricultural resources, a 12 billion dollar industry in
NSW,” NSW Farmers president Derek Schoen said in a statement.
“The Liverpool Plains is one of the country’s iconic food-producing regions and we’re pleased to see this protected as
we transition out of the mining boom.”
