NSW farmer fined $225,000 for unlawful land clearing

Grain farmer Sheldon Jeffrey Dalton has been fined $225,000 by the NSW Land and Environment Court for unlawfully clearing nearly 950 hectares of native vegetation at his property in Wallanthery, central New South Wales. The clearing, which occurred between May and October 2023, involved the use of machinery and fire on land that served as a habitat for the threatened malleefowl species.

Justice Sarah Pritchard convicted Dalton on two charges, finding that he caused “actual environmental harm”. Dalton argued in court that he was unable to document and prove his efforts to regenerate the land because he feared encountering Julian Ingram, a fugitive wanted for a quadruple murder in nearby Lake Cargelligo. Dalton testified that police instructions to remain indoors prevented him from photographing burnt areas on his adjacent property, Scotts Craig, to demonstrate land recovery.