Koalas in South East Queensland are under serious threat from development cars, dogs and disease. In December 2008, the Queensland Government introduced the Koala Response Strategy, committing to a number of planning and management actions to protect koalas.

The Department of Infrastructure and Planning is working with the Department of Environment and Resource Management to introduce new koala planning provisions to protect koala habitat and manage conflicts with urban development. Read more about the Koala Response Strategy.

These new provisions will be guided by koala conservation policies under the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009–2031, which were amended in July 2009 to strengthen requirements for the protection and enhancement of koala habitat.

New koala planning provisions

New koala planning provisions will be introduced in December 2009 and comprise:

• new koala conservation state planning regulatory provisions: the Proposed South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provision ( 746 KB) and proposed koala habitat mapping that will regulate new development in koala habitat areas.
• a koala conservation state planning policy: the South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Policy, which will assist local governments to plan strategically for growth and manage the impacts of growth on koala habitat. The South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Policy will outline how new or amended planning schemes will maintain or enhance koala habitat to achieve desired environmental outcomes and create a network of koala habitat and movement areas across South East Queensland’s Urban Footprint.

Community feedback has informed the development of the koala planning provisions to date and will continue to play a role in the development of the new draft provisions outlined above.

The draft provisions will be available for community consultation in December 2009 and are expected to be finalised in 2010.

Interim development controls

The government introduced interim development controls in December 2008 that immediately put in place stronger controls on urban development within koala habitat areas until the introduction of the new protective planning provisions.

On 2 November 2009, the protections were strengthened with the Draft South East Queensland Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions ( 151 KB), which introduced a moratorium on the clearing of mature koala habitat trees.

The habitat maps define the areas to which the Draft SEQ Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions apply. These maps are also available for inspection at the Department of Infrastructure and Planning, Ground Floor, 63 George Street, Brisbane and will be available on the Department of Environment and Resource Management's interactive mapping website shortly.

New policy: Biodiversity development offset area

The Proposed South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provision ( 794 KB) that will take effect in December 2009, introduce a new policy, 'biodiversity development offset area', as an additional mechanism to protect biodiversity in Queensland. This includes high-conservation value koala habitat considered to be 'at risk' from the impacts of development.

More information on the biodiversity development offset area policy is available in the fact sheet ( 126 KB) and associated guideline (available soon).

Have your say

Submissions are invited on two issues:

• 1. The moratorium on clearing vegetation, part of the Draft South East Queensland Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions ( 151 KB). Submissions close 24 December 2009.
• 2. The biodiversity development offset area policy, part of the Proposed South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provision ( 794 KB). Submissions close 1 December 2009.

Submissions can be made by:

• Email seqkoalareview@dip.qld.gov.au
• Fax + 61 7 3235 4071
• Post
  Draft SEQ Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions
  Department of Infrastructure and Planning
  Reply Paid 15009 City East
  Brisbane Qld 4002
  
  Biodiversity development offset area policy
  Department of Infrastructure and Planning
  Reply Paid 15009 City East
  Brisbane Qld 4002