Rangeland pastures

Key traits and benefits

Rangelands suit tough conditions—low rainfall, poor soils, and extreme temperatures. 

Native species like Mitchell grass, bluebush, and saltbush dominate these landscapes. 

They’re hardy, long-lived, and well adapted to grazing and drought. 

These pastures don’t produce as much feed as improved systems, but they bounce back better. Their resilience makes them reliable in dry years and under grazing pressure.

Common species and notes

Advice for managing rangeland pastures for grazing

Sustainably managing a grazing enterprise on rangeland pastures needs an understanding of ecology, as well as agronomy. 

Each species behaves differently. Some recover quickly after rain, others need longer rest. Understanding these patterns helps you better manage pasture composition and grazing pressure.

Control feral animals

All grazing animals, including domestic, feral and native animals, need to be managed so native plant species are not over-grazed. 

Feral animals adversely affect pasture and livestock productivity, water quality, soil stability and disease management. They also have a critical impact on native fauna and flora.

Control access to water points

The control of access to water is a key tool to manage grazing pressure on extensive rangeland areas where domestic, feral and native herbivores may be highly mobile or difficult to muster. 

You can control the use of pastures and non-domestic animal grazing pressure with the location and accessibility of watering points. Pasture species that do not tolerate grazing are more likely to be found in areas far from watering points. 

While increasing the number of watering points helps balance grazing pressure, the persistence of decreaser pasture species can decline as a result.

Maintain and improve groundcover

Aim for a minimum target of 50% groundcover. Groundcover includes pastures, dead plant material such as pasture residue or tree leaf fall and gibber, and biological soil crusts.

Good groundcover management improves the growth and regeneration of perennial species and is critical for establishing healthy rangeland pastures, minimising erosion, and promoting moisture infiltration.

Manage for climate variability

NSW's semi-arid rangelands are lands of droughts and floods where seasonal variability is normal. Planning for this variability is an essential aspect of any property management strategy. 

Make use of climate risk management information to help cope with seasonal fluctuations. Conditions affecting how badly a drought will be felt include:

• total grazing pressure
• stocking rates when conditions start to worsen
• the availability of water
• the number of pest animals and native species competing for limited feed supplies.

Manage invasive native scrub

Some types of woody vegetation in semi-arid rangelands regenerate quickly in favourable seasons. Since natural controls on regeneration, especially fire and competition from vigorous perennial pastures have declined through grazing practices, these species now behave in an invasive manner. 

Ongoing management of woody vegetation is important. Take a tactical, whole-of-property approach aiming for a balanced environment with active monitoring of early stage invasive native scrub.

Understand options for managing invasive native scrub. 

Manage pasture species

Managing rangeland pastures to ensure palatable perennials survive, while making the most of annual growth, provides good productivity while maintaining long-term stability.

Perennials have a life cycle of 2 years or more and can regrow from both seeds and ‘growing points’. Examples include woollybutt grass, bladder saltbush, Mitchell grass and curly windmill grass.

Annuals often quickly germinate and grow in favourable seasons, and set large amounts of seed. They seldom persist more than a year. Examples include blue crowfoot, medics and button grass.

Manage total grazing pressure

The poor condition of rangeland vegetation is often a result of heavy grazing pressure from feral and native herbivores as well as domestic stock. 

The control of total grazing pressure, especially measuring kangaroo movement and feral goat impact, is a critical first step to improving groundcover and implementing sustainable management practices. 

Improving fencing infrastructure is usually the first step towards managing total grazing pressure. 

Match stock numbers to feed availability

The skill of estimating pasture growth, in terms of how many stock it will carry and for how long, is fundamental to sustainably managing rangelands. 

Graze only 30% by weight of key perennial grasses and aim to maintain greater than 50% groundcover.

Adjusting stock numbers to match the amount of feed available gives greater ability to manage risk, better feed quality, drought resistance, prevents declining land condition, and gives better biodiversity outcomes.

Rest pastures regularly

Palatable perennial grasses and forbs provide long-term groundcover, competition to invasive scrub seedlings and productivity into dry seasons. 

• Continuous grazing can cause a decline in pasture composition.
• Long-term rest periods often improve pasture composition. 

For a pasture to remain productive, perennial plants must be in good condition with a healthy root base so they can quickly re-shoot after rainfall. They must also be able to regenerate from seed. 

Rest at key times is a management tool to allow these plants to set seed, establish, and replenish root reserves. To influence pasture composition, rest pastures when desirable species are re-seeding or while seedlings are becoming established.

Monitoring and seasonal planning

Regular monitoring helps producers in rangeland areas spot problems early, plan ahead, and improve pasture resilience.

• Track pasture health and groundcover using Land Condition Assessments, photo points, or remote sensing tools.
• Participate in pasture monitoring programs to gather long-term data across large areas. See Pasture Monitoring in the Rangelands
• Use feed tests to assess the nutritional value of key native species such as burr medic, barley grass, and bladder saltbush. These tests help determine crude protein, digestibility, and energy levels to guide stock management.
• Align grazing decisions with seasonal checkpoints:
  • February: Assess pasture availability for lambing and lactation; plan for supplementary feeding or early weaning.
  • August: Reassess pasture condition and determine summer stocking rates.
• Talk to your local LLS team for help interpreting seasonal forecasts and tailoring grazing plans to your region. Contact details below.

Regeneration and improvement

Some paddocks need a helping hand. If pastures are badly degraded, mechanical disturbance like ripping or contouring may help. It can trigger seed germination and improve water infiltration. But only if rain follows.

Sowing native species is possible, but tricky. Success depends on rainfall, soil type, and timing.

Stick with local species. They’re more likely to survive and won’t upset the balance. Avoid exotic species. They often outcompete natives and change how the system works. Once they’re in, they’re hard to control.

Resting paddocks builds resilience. It boosts biodiversity, improves drought recovery, and helps keep weeds out. Healthy pastures also support native wildlife and reduce erosion risk.

Long-term planning and investment in new skills or knowledge are traits that improve property viability and natural resource sustainability.