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A 73-year-old farmer near Port Wakefield, north of Adelaide, has been fined $60,000 for clearing 277 hectares of native vegetation between November 2023 and March 2024. The man pleaded guilty to removing saltbush and samphire without obtaining the necessary approval from the Native Vegetation Council as required by the Native Vegetation Act 1991, despite having prior experience with similar processes. Senior Judge Michael Durrant noted that significant regeneration of native species has occurred at many sites reviewed but still imposed the fine for unauthorized clearing.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A 73-year-old South Australian farmer with a lifetime involvement in agriculture was fined $60,000 by the Environment, Resources and Development Court of South Australia for unlawfully clearing 277 hectares of native vegetation. The land, leased at Port Wakefield about 70 kilometers north of Adelaide, was cleared progressively between November 2023 and March 2024 in violation of the Native Vegetation Act 1991. Senior Judge Michael Durrant ruled that the removed vegetation included indigenous plant species such as saltbush and samphire associations, which are protected under environmental laws aimed at preserving native habitats.
Written for “Australian Land Clearing Fine” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
A farmer has been fined for removing native vegetation at a Port Wakefield property.
asserted
farmer → fin → property
The 73-year-old pleaded guilty to removing the saltbush and samphire but claimed it was for environmental purposes.
What's next?
asserted
What → plead → purposes
The man was ordered to pay a fine of $60,000.
asserted
man → order → 60,000
A South Australian man with "lifetime involvement in pastoral and agricultural enterprises" has been fined $60,000 for unlawfully clearing 277 hectares of native vegetation at a property about 70 kilometres north of Adelaide.
asserted
man → fin → Adelaide
The 73-year-old farmer was fined last month in the Environment, Resources and Development Court of South Australia after pleading guilty to clearing native vegetation contrary to the Native Vegetation Act 1991.
asserted
farmer → fin → Act
In his judgement handed down on September 23, Senior Judge Michael Durrant said the man was leasing the land, at Port Wakefield, "for agricultural purposes including grazing and cropping" and that the clearing "occurred progressively between November 2023 and March 2024".
"The vegetation affected comprised native vegetation within the meaning of the Act.
asserted
vegetation → hand → Act
It included indigenous plant species and native chenopod shrubland communities including saltbush and samphire associations," he said.
asserted
he → include → associations
"The material before the Court established that the vegetation was mature and had existed on the land for many years.
asserted
vegetation → establish → years
"
Process 'not unfamiliar territory' for defendant
Senior Judge Durrant said the clearing was "not authorised" because the man had not obtained consent from the Native Vegetation Council.
asserted
man → say → Council
"The real vice in the offending was the defendant's decision to proceed without first obtaining approval," he said.
asserted
he → proceed → approval
"He was familiar with the approval process and knew that the proposed clearance required consideration under that process.
asserted
clearance → know → process
He had prior involvement in a Native Vegetation Council approval process affecting nearby land."
asserted
He → have → land
Senior Judge Durrant said that it was submitted to the court by the prosecution that the "offending possessed a commercial dimension" while "the defence submitted that the purpose was environmental improvement".
asserted
purpose → say → dimension
"In my view neither description entirely captures the circumstances," he said.
asserted
he → capture → circumstances
"I am not satisfied that the offending was motivated solely by commercial advantage."
asserted
offending → motivate → advantage
He added that a report tendered to the court from an accredited native vegetation consultant identified "significant regrowth across many of the sites reviewed".
asserted
report → add → sites
"It records substantial soil cover and regeneration of native species at many of the sites reviewed, together with encouraging prospects for continued recovery," he said.
asserted
he → record → recovery
Act to 'improve the land'
Senior Judge Durrant said materials brought before the court showed the man had "lifetime involvement in pastoral and agricultural enterprises".
asserted
man → act → enterprises
He added that he accepted "significant regeneration has occurred" and that the "defendant has actively participated in recovery efforts".
asserted
defendant → add → efforts
"I accept the defendant believed he was acting to improve the condition of the land," he said.
asserted
he → accept → land
"The offending is serious because extensive native vegetation was deliberately cleared without the approval required by law.
asserted
vegetation → clear → law
It goes to the very heart of the system set up by the Parliament."
asserted
It → go → Parliament
Senior Judge Durrant recorded a conviction against the 73-year-old and ordered he pay a fine of $60,000.
asserted
he → record → 60,000
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