Beef in Northern Australia

Abstract

In the harsh environment of Northern Australia cattle raising is the only industry that has survived in the hinterland for any length of time. It has faced many challenges - hostile terrain, drought, distance from markets, lack of manpower - and the vast areas catch the public imagination, attracting investors and pastoralists. What then are the prospects for the beef industry in the North? Given efficient managements - and many are not - and given constructive government policies - again, many are not - the prospects are good. The author proposes practical measures for improving quality and quantity of beef cattle as a model for future development. This book, while unsparing in its criticism of the inept and the inefficient, is a constructive study of an area vital in terms of economics, politics, and the pastoral industry.