South East Queensland koala conservation planning provisions
The Queensland Government has amended the planning framework to address a key threat to koala populations in South East Queensland – loss of habitat.
Amendments were made to the Environmental Offsets Regulation 2014, Planning Regulation 2017 and Vegetation Management Regulation 2012 on 7 February 2020 to provide increased protection to koala habitat areas in South East Queensland.
The planning framework introduces new clearing restrictions that prohibit clearing koala habitat areas within koala priority areas. Outside koala priority areas the Queensland Government is responsibility for assessing development proposing to clear koala habitat areas against a new State code for Development in South East Queensland Koala Habitat Areas
Development sites that contain koala habitat, but don’t propose to clear koala habitat, and are within Koala Priority Areas will be assessed by local governments against new assessment benchmarks that assess for impacts on koalas, including their ability to disperse and move safely between habitats.
Several guidelines have been developed or updated to support these new koala planning provisions.
