REVISED POLICY GUIDELINES- PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS · report

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                               11 APRIL 2023




Figure 4. Current VCA properties (pink shading)

How a VCA works
A VCA is made up of three components, these are:
   •   The statutory protection mechanism which places legally binding protection on title over the
       nominated area of the property.
   •   The agreement which outlines the roles and responsibilities of the landowner and Council.
       The agreement template is attached to the guideline document.
   •   The Environmental Management Plan which describes the values on the property and
       management actions required.
There are two statutory protection mechanisms Council offers under the VCA program. These are
(in order of level of protection):

Nature Refuge

A Nature Refuge gazetted under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 can be placed over all or part of
a property and runs with the title, binding successive owners. A Nature Refuge offers the highest
level of protection however is subject to Queensland Government requirements such as size of the
conservation area and exceptional biodiversity values. Compliance action in the event of a breach
of the Nature Refuge conditions is the responsibility of the Queensland Government. Where the
property meets eligibility criteria for a Nature Refuge this is Council’s preferred protection mechanism
as it does not require a survey plan which can be expensive. Council staff work with the State
Government to progress Nature Refuge dedication over eligible properties, and work with existing
Nature Refuge landowners to place a VCA over their property.