The New South Wales government recently addressed concerns over legislation that initially left a woman worried she wouldn’t be laid to rest beside her deceased husband on their farm in the Riverina region.

Gaye Wheatley and her late husband, Ned, dedicated many years to cultivating native flora on their West Wyalong property.

Following Ned’s death, the family chose to bury him on their cherished land.

Residents of West Wyalong have been in negotiation with the government about environmental regulations that have disrupted traditional farming methods.

A key issue involves the mallee-broombush, a species harvested for eucalyptus oil and brush fencing, which was classified as critically endangered by an independent committee in 2010.

In response, the Department of Environment has called for a reevaluation of the plant’s endangered status and a separate review of the committee responsible for the designation.

It is also helping residents review maps and seek approval through the native vegetation panel. 

“The department has also assured me that they are ready to undertake a rapid on-site review, to update the mapping and address Mrs Wheatley’s broader concerns about inaccurately mapped broom bush,” Sharpe said.