Huge Win for Conservation - Qld Hits 10 Million Hectares of Protected Land

Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability
The Honourable Kate Jones
11/03/2010
HUGE WIN FOR CONSERVATION - QLD HITS 10 MILLION HECTARES OF PROTECTED LAND

Protected land in Queensland has hit the 10 million hectare mark after a massive boost in nature refuges, Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said today.

Ms Jones told State Parliament the area of land protected as nature refuges in Queensland had nearly doubled from 900,000 hectares to 1.7 million hectares.

She said 13 new nature refuge agreements had been signed as well as an extension to another existing refuge at a range of different locations from the Sunshine Coast and Gympie, out west near the Northern Territory Border to Weipa in the far north.

"We now have twice the size of Melbourne protected within more than 360 nature refuges," Ms Jones said.

"This contributes significantly to the Bligh Government's commitment to reach 20 million hectares of protected area by 2020. In fact, combined with other forms of protection such as national parks and forest reserves, it takes our total protected area to 10.3 million hectares."

Ms Jones said the new agreements were voluntary protection by Queenslanders who own areas of high conservation value.

"They range from nationally recognised wetlands and threatened vegetation, to vast tracts and corridors of forests and bushland serving as important habitat for many threatened plants and animals including koalas, turtles, frogs, rock wallabies and several species of birds, including the cassowary," she said.

"The addition of nearly 800,000 hectares of new nature refuges under Queensland's protected areas was the single largest gazettal in the 17-year history of the State Government program.

"The gazettal includes the massive Holroyd Nature Refuge, 150kms south-east of Weipa. At 283,000 hectares, it is now Queensland's largest nature refuge.

"Next to Mungkan Kandju National Park, Holroyd is a family-run, grazing property on western Cape York containing nationally recognised wetlands, threatened vegetation communities and numerous species of threatened plants and animals.

"Another massive area now under protection is the 213,985-hectare Ethabuka Nature Refuge, next to Simpson Desert National Park in the Diamantina Shire.

"It contains a rich variety of almost 200 species of plants as well as a unique and exceptionally rich small mammal community of 16 species.

"At the other end of the scale is kulki anga Nature Refuge, 45kms north of Port Douglas, which protects 2.12ha of threatened vegetation on the Daintree lowlands frequently visited by the endangered southern cassowary and known to support several rare plants.

"Another small but important asset now protected is the 6ha Coonoona Nature Refuge, 13kms west of Buderim on the Sunshine Coast which provides important habitat for the vulnerable Richmond birdwing butterfly and supports populations of the vulnerable tusked frog, glossy black-cockatoo and koalas.

"Each nature refuge is protected under a conservation agreement signed by both the landholders and the Queensland Government.

"The nature refuge agreements are tailored to suit the particular needs of the property and the individual landholder. For example, many of these new nature refuges will continue to operate commercial businesses such as grazing, farm forestry or ecotourism, in addition to protecting their unique environmental values in perpetuity.

"The Bligh Government has provided more than $2.3 million to the owners of six of these nature refuges through incentives programs to help them protect their conservation values."

Background on new nature refuges below.

New nature refuges

Avoid Island Nature Refuge, 82.9ha, 100km south of Mackay and 20km east of the mainland from Flaggy Rock, Great Barrier Reef, Isaac Regional Council.
Avoid Island Nature Refuge is located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The eastern beaches are critical nesting sites for the endangered flatback turtle that nest from November to February. The refuge is also a known habitat for other rare and threatened species, including the vulnerable beach stone-curlew, rare eastern curlew, and sooty oystercatcher.

Bluegrass Nature Refuge, 120ha, 10km north of Clermont, Isaac Regional Council.
The Bluegrass Nature Refuge is an environmental offset which contains natural grasslands of the Queensland Central Highlands and the northern Fitzroy Basin which is considered an endangered ecological community under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The nature refuge also supports a grassland regional ecosystem that is considered 'of concern', and several rare and threatened plant species.

Castlevale Nature Refuge, 200,994ha, 154km south-west of Emerald, Central Highlands Regional Council and Blackall Tambo Regional Council.

Coonoona Nature Refuge, 6ha, 13kms west of Buderim, Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
Coonoona is situated in the sunshine coast hinterland and provides excellent habitat for the vulnerable Richmond birdwing butterfly. It also supports populations of the vulnerable tusked frog, glossy black-cockatoo, and koalas.

Ethabuka Nature Refuge, 213,985ha, 165kms south-west of Boulia, Diamantina Shire Council.
Ethabuka creates an important link adjoining the Simpson Desert National Park and the Mulligan River Nature Refuge. At 213,985 hectares Ethabuka is one of Queensland's largest nature refuges. It contains a rich variety of vascular plants, which at almost 200 species is considered to be extraordinarily rich for desert areas within Australia. The property also contains a unique and exceptionally rich small mammal community totalling 16 species.

Gilmore Nature Refuge, 74,332ha, 110km south-west of Blackall and 185 kilometres north-west of Charleville, Quilpie Shire Council.
Gilmore Station is a grazing property within the Mulga bioregion and is adjacent to Idalia National Park. The property contains rare and threatened fauna and flora and significant riparian and landscape corridors. The property is a known habitat for yellow-footed rock wallabies and the vulnerable pink cockatoos.

Holroyd Nature Refuge, 283,000ha, 150kms south-east of Weipa, Cook Shire Council.
Holroyd Nature Refuge adjoins Mungkan Kandju National Park and is a family-run, sustainable grazing property on western Cape York. The property contains nationally recognised wetlands, threatened vegetation communities and numerous species of threatened plants and animals. This is Queensland's, and potentially Australia's, largest privately managed property protected under a voluntary conservation agreement.

kulki anga Nature Refuge, 2.12ha, 45kms north of Port Douglas, Cairns Regional Council.
The newly declared kulki anga Nature Refuge protects 2.12ha of threatened vegetation on the Daintree lowlands. The land is frequently visited by the endangered southern cassowary and is know to support several rare and very restricted plants.

Lacebark Nature Refuge, 63ha, approximately 15km south of the town of Gympie and 12 km west of Noosa.
Lacebark nature refuge is part of a vine forest and eucalypt corridor which is one of the largest in the bioregion. The property also provides water quality and salinity mitigation to those further downstream.

Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve Nature Refuge, 1,930ha, 8kms north-west of Mareeba, Tablelands Regional Council.
The newly declared Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve Nature Refuge protects Eucalypt woodland, wetlands and lagoons. The Reserve contains 130ha of man-made lagoons that serve as permanent wetland habitat for resident and seasonal migratory bird species. Habitat on the Reserve supports a diverse fauna and flora including rare and threatened wildlife such as the buff-breasted button-quail, the Mareeba Rock-wallaby, the cotton pygmy-goose and the black-necked stork.

North Head Nature Refuge, 18,573ha, 70kms south-west of Georgetown, Etheridge Shire Council. North Head Nature Refuge protects a rugged landscape dominated by sandstone bluffs rising above the surrounding eucalypt woodlands in the northern Gregory Range. An 11km section of the Gilbert River, several small creeks, and five permanent springs are protected within the reserve.

Rainforest Ridge Nature Refuge, 60.89ha, 35kms west of Caloundra, Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
Rainforest Ridge Nature Refuge is located in a wildlife corridor which also includes Maleny National Park and Kondalilla National Park. The property contains threatened species and ecosystems and is home to the Birdwing butterfly.

Telemark Nature Refuge, 2,897ha, 60kms west of Mundubbera, North Burnett Regional Council.
Telemark Nature Refuge is adjoined to the north by Calrossie Forest Reserve. These areas provide habitat for a number of vulnerable and rare species of plants as well as several areas of cultural heritage significance. The refuge is at the headwaters of the Nogo River and plays an important part in protecting the catchment values within the Burnett River Catchment.

Background on extended nature refuge:

Dingo Springs Nature Refuge, 2,384ha, 50kms north of Georgetown, Etheridge Shire Council.
The Dingo Springs Nature Refuge north of Georgetown was created to protect Dingo Spring and a 5km section of the Einasleigh River. The deep permanent waterholes in this section of the river are an important drought refuge for fauna.

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Publish Date: 11 Mar 10