Why did pastoralists squat on land in colonial New South Wales?

In 19th-century colonial New South Wales, pastoralists engaged in "squatting"—the illegal occupation of crown land beyond the official limits of settlement—primarily to expand their grazing operations for sheep and cattle.123

This practice was driven by the high profitability of the wool industry, which became a cornerstone of the Australian economy. As pastoralists discovered that the region was well-suited for wool production, they pushed the boundaries of settlement outward to secure vast tracts of land for their livestock. Although this occupation was initially unauthorized, the local government struggled to enforce expansion limits in outlying districts.243

By the late 1840s, authorities recognized the significant economic contributions of these pastoralists and began formalizing their status by issuing leases for their sheep runs. This transition from illegal occupation to legal tenure helped establish a powerful social class of wealthy landowners, though it also led to significant conflict with Aboriginal peoples, whose lands were seized through this expansion, and later with small farmers during the gold rush era.143