Jason Burns, his wife Del, and three children; Cody, 14, nine-year-old Jet and six-year-old Colton were stationed with 800 cows and 100 calves at the Boolooroo bridge, just north of Moree on the Newell Highway when the Champion spoke with them on Wednesday.

The family has been on the road for 12 months, starting in Brewarrina.

Their original destination was to the owners’ property in Winton.

Mr Burns said he spoke with the stock ranger in November and he was given the clear to travel to Queensland, but once they arrived near Westmar they were told to turn around.

With the drought conditions and dying stock littering the landscape, there were thousands of cattle on the road in front of Mr Burns' mob, and no feed left on the TSR.

“We had nowhere to go. We couldn’t put them on a truck; some of them were too poor,” he said. “When we asked to go back to NSW we had to give a destination to get a permit. We didn’t know where to go so we made the decision to go to Tenterfield as they had received a bit of rain.

“There had been no rain between Westmar and North Star heading to Tenterfield so the owner decided to walk them home. Moree, Bellata and those areas had a bit of rain so we knew there would be feed heading back that way.

“We still have another mob of these cattle towards North Star that are desperate to get out now.”

And this is where Mr Burns' trouble with the LLS started.

“We got to Croppa Creek road but when we changed our destination they cancelled all our permits. The local girl was good enough to give us a permit to travel from Moree to Millie. She was very compassionate and she knew we would get through, but the head man stopped her.

“They called me at 9.30 (Tuesday) morning to say the permits were cancelled.

“Now I’m stuck here. I refuse to walk these cattle to death,” Mr Burns said.

“They’ve been through hell and back and they are in pretty good order. They can take me to jail if they want; it doesn’t worry me.

“The welfare of these cattle is more important to me than any piece of paper. I want to keep them safe and healthy.”

Mr Burns said he was droving a portion of one of Australia’s best Angus breeding herds.

“They didn’t offer us any options. The head ranger just said it was in solicitor’s hands.”

Mr Burns said the generosity shown by the communities in each small town they passed, including Moree, had been amazing.

“In all the towns they’ve helped the kids with their schooling and brought us fresh fruit and water. To tell me you can’t let these cows feed on the green grass breaks my heart.”

It is estimated it would only take about 10 days to travel to Millie moving the stock 10km a day, where they could then reassess the situation.

Owner, James, said it wasn't fair some had been let back onto the routes but travelling stock had not.

"It should be open to everyone," he said.

"If there is a better option we will do it.

"We have already destocked our herds by more than half. We have spent half a million dollars on water infrastructure, over a million dollars on hay, and then cartage on top of that.

"They are dying by the day at Brewarrina but we are doing the best we can.

"We've got blokes working seven days a week feeding but they can't get enough.

"These cattle with the green pick are a better herd.

"Everyone keeps saying to us, if we can't do it, what's everyone else going to do," James said.

Team leader with the North West LLS, Gerard O’Connor, said he had provided multiple options to the owner.

“We provided an alternate option to walk the cattle to the Moree saleyards and truck them or to extend the current permit for his destination in the Northern Tablelands,” Mr O’Connor said.

“We even identified an area of feed near Delungra they could utilise.

“I have had numerous discussions with them of which they find no satisfaction.

“I had a long discussion near Croppa Creek last week before the owner approached the local lady asking for a permit, but failed to mention the pre-existing circumstances, so she believed the matter had been resolved.

“In accordance with the act I issued a letter of ramification.”

Mr O’Connor said the LLS had a responsibility to ensure there were no welfare issues associated with the TSRs.

“That section is a high traffic area and we don’t want the public alarmed by the condition of the stock, and further problems for the industry as a whole.

“We also have to look after the vegetation, and the groundcover is only just reaching the threshold of 70 per cent.

“He says he plans to walk the stock home but there is no possibility of getting there.

“Other boards south aren’t accepting walking stock as they are in similar condition to us.

“There’s no feed for at least 70km after Millie,” Mr O’Connor said.