Communities in Queensland’s
heavily populated south east region will
benefit from more than $8.4 million funding
to tackle environmental issues and manage
our natural resources.
Water and soil quality, weed and pest control,
coastal and wetland conservation and wildlife
protection are all being targeted for assistance.
Stretching from Noosa, through Brisbane
and Toowoomba to the Gold Coast, the region
will receive over $3.3 million under the
Australian Government’s Natural Heritage
Trust programme. A further $5 million is
being provided by the Australian and Queensland
Governments under the National Action Plan
for Salinity and Water Quality.
Details of the South East Queensland Catchments
Natural Resource Management Regional Investment
Strategy were announced today by Australian
Government and State Ministers.
The Australian Ministers for Environment
and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, and
Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, Peter
McGauran MP, and Queensland Ministers for
the Environment, Desley Boyle MP, and Natural
Resources, Mines and Water, Henry Palaszczuk
MP, said the joint funding would run until
mid 2007.
“Priorities for action have been set by
local communities working together to identify
key regional issues and develop natural
resource management plans,” Senator Campbell
said.
“The importance of involving the community
in natural resource management is reflected
in more than $2 million put towards community
based projects.”
These projects include on-ground work, raising
awareness and education activities as well
as providing support for partnerships with
traditional owners and with industry.
Mr McGauran said major steps were being
taken to protect water resources in south
east Queensland, with more than $2.5 million
going to this task.
“We will be supporting smaller councils
in the area to develop waterway strategies,
researching the impacts of salinity in streams
and assisting community-based water quality
monitoring,” Mr McGauran said.
“Queensland’s south eastern coastline is
renowned and more than $500,000 will be
spent on caring for our coasts. This will
include protecting migratory birds using
the Moreton Bay wetlands, supporting programmes
to monitor seagrass and estuaries, and forming
partnerships with the recreational fishing
industry.”
The Ministers welcomed the formation of
a new natural resource management body for
the region, South East Queensland Catchments
Limited (SEQC), which amalgamates two former
NRM bodies.
Mr Palaszczuk today attended an event to
announce funding for the region and to launch
the new organisation.
“People in this region have put a lot of
work into identifying where action is needed
and I look forward to seeing the practical
results following the funding announced
today,” Mr Palaszczuk said.
Ms Boyle said protection of natural ecosystems
that are under pressure from increasing
population in this part of Queensland will
be assisted with $1.12 million.
“Activities will include identifying important
biodiversity areas in the region, supporting
the voluntary nature conservation programme,
Land for Wildlife and helping landholders
better manage weeds and pests,” Ms Boyle
said.
Representing the Australian Government Ministers
at the launch today, the Federal Member
for Blair, Cameron Thompson MP, visited
the Bundamba Wetlands where he inspected
NRM displays and activities such as water
testing, and flora and fauna identification.
South East Queensland Catchments Region
is one of 56 NRM regions across the country
developing strategies and plans to help
communities manage our natural assets.
A summary of NRM investment initiatives
for south-east Queensland catchments for
January 2006-June 2007 is attached. South
East Queensland Catchments NRM Investment
Programme
Summary January 2006 - June 2007
Healthy Land $1,090, 000
• 70 property plans in key landscape areas
• 100 hectares on ground works - native
plantation, grasses engineering and soil
erosion.
• Regional Open Space and Pest Animal strategies
prepared
• Land use/capability assessment with 18
Councils/industry and landholders
• Soil Erosion Hazard and Salinity Risk
Mapping.
Preserving our Natural Ecosystems $1,127,000
• 200 new Land for Wildlife properties
• 1000 hectares on ground works – fencing,
rehabilitation, pest pant and animal control
• Incentives Programme for Fauna Watch
• Vegetation mapping over 10,000 hectares
in western part of catchment.
Protecting Water Assets $2,555,000
• On ground works involving 24 hectares
wetland rehabilitation, 65 km riparian fencing,
100 hectares of gully erosion and aquatic
weed management control, engineering works
and exclusion fencing, 4 fish barriers and
5 storm water quality devices
• Mapping regionally significant ecosystems
over 2.2m hectares
• SEQ sediment load assessment and report
on point source risk
• Riparian zone and stream bank stabilisation
decision support tool.
Coastal and Marine Management $555,000
• On ground works - 45 hectares coastal
native vegetation protected & rehabilitated
• Coastal decision support tool
• Seagrass watch and Estuarine Watch Programmes
Community Partnerships $2,005,500
• Over 100 workshops, awareness raising
and training events
• On ground works - 2000 hectares of improved
irrigation practices, 5 off stream watering
sites, and 21 hectares of native plantation
• 8 Best Management Practice guidelines
• Regional Indigenous Plan.
Regional Planning and Information $517,328
• New regional NRM plan and NRM atlas
• Mapping of sites with multiple investment
benefits
• Monitoring and evaluation Framework
• Ecosystem services case studies.
Core Operating Costs $600,000
