2020-01-16 OM Agenda - Item 1 - Attachment 1 - Draft SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy 2019-2024

                                                                       DRAFT South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy 2019–2024




2. Habitat protection

Objective: Koala habitat is protected

Protecting koala habitat from the impacts of
clearing is a fundamental requirement. The South                      Koala Expert Panel recommendation:
East Queensland Koala Population Modelling Study                      Simplify and strengthen the planning framework
revealed that, despite protection measures to date,                   to ensure the effective and consistent long-term
the decline in peri-urban koala populations may                       protection of koala habitats across SEQ, and
be accelerating. 4 This study concluded that the                      resource incentive and partnership mechanisms to
continuing decline is, in part, related to ongoing                    protect koala habitat on private land.
habitat loss in SEQ resulting from urbanisation, and
that the current pattern of urban development is
incompatible with viable koala populations.                           These reforms include:

Queensland has strong vegetation clearing laws,                       • prohibiting the clearing of koala habitat areas
since the passing of the amendments to the                              within a KPA, unless otherwise exempt
Vegetation Management Act 1999 in May 2018,                           • assessing development on koala habitat areas
however more improvements need to be made                               within a KPA, where clearing is not proposed, to
to a number of environmental and planning laws                          ensure other conservation outcomes, such as
to ensure that koala conservation targets can be                        habitat quality protection and safe movement
realised. This is particularly important as there                       are achieved.
is only 26% of remnant habitat, and 10% of the                        The clearing restrictions are proposed to apply to all
highest value remnant habitat, remaining in SEQ,                      koala habitat within a KPA, regardless of whether
compared to pre-clearing extent.                                      the area is inside or outside the urban footprint. The
The KEP was supportive of the general structure                       prohibition on clearing will make the government’s
of Queensland’s land-use planning framework, it                       intentions unambiguous, in its efforts to prevent
identified that it had generally been ineffective at                  the further loss of koala habitat in KPA.
sufficiently conserving koala habitat in SEQ.                         Exemptions will apply, including for clearing for a
Its recommended actions include the development                       development footprint up to 500 m2, and clearing
of new assessment provisions for SEQ that address                     for firebreaks around buildings and structures.
clearing requirements, reducing the number,                           The exemptions are proposed to provide a balance
scope and complexity of exemptions, and ensuring                      between protecting koala habitat while still
consistency in the approach to development                            allowing for necessary property maintenance and
assessment through a Queensland Government                            safety.
assessment role.
                                                                      Regulation for clearing koala habitat areas
Prohibition of clearing koala habitat areas                           outside of Koala Priority Areas
in Koala Priority Areas                                               In addition to the planned prohibition on clearing
The Queensland Government intends to introduce                        in KPA, an amended planning framework will also
major reforms to the SEQ planning framework to                        protect koala habitat in SEQ outside of KPA. It is
ensure the protection of over 300,000 ha of koala                     anticipated that the Queensland Government will
habitat in KPA.                                                       assess applications that involve clearing of koala
                                                                      habitat outside the KPA.


4   Rhodes, J.R., H. Beyer, H. Preece, and C. McAlpine. 2015. South East Queensland Koala Population Modelling Study. Uniquest,
    Brisbane, Australia.


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