An iconic place declaration identifies:

• the characteristics or qualities of the place’s natural or built environment that the Minister is satisfied reflect or contribute in a substantial way to Queensland’s character (the place’s iconic values)
• any provisions (each a protected planning provision) of the local planning instruments of each relevant local government that the Minister is satisfied protect the place’s iconic values
• any local laws of each relevant local government that the Minister is satisfied protect the place’s iconic values.

On 20 June 2008 the Honourable Paul Lucas, Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, made the following declarations:

• Blackall Range ( 36 KB)
• Central Capricorn Coast (Livingstone Localities) ( 49 KB)
• Douglas ( 37 KB)
• Noosa ( 37 KB).

Community feedback

The Iconic Queensland Places Act 2008 declarations were created in consultation with the relevant communities. Submissions from the communities involved:

• Douglas ( 242 KB)
• Noosa ( 347 KB).

Please note these community submissions are not authored by the Queensland Government. They are provided for information purposes only - see our disclaimer for more information.

Protection for iconic places

The IQPA provides protection mechanisms for declared iconic places. The major protection components relate to planning schemes, development assessment and local laws.

Development that is allowed under planning schemes prior to an iconic place declaration can still occur. The Act does not replace, remove or add to the current planning provisions in the planning schemes.

However, if a local government of a declared place proposes to make or amend a planning scheme and it would change or replace a protected planning provision relating to the place, the Minister will consider if it will be inconsistent with protecting the place’s iconic values. An impact report evaluating the proposal’s effect on the iconic place must be prepared and provided to the Minister.

If the Minister considers that the iconic values are affected, the Minister must impose conditions (subject to relevant processes under the IPA) on the notification of the scheme that the Minister considers are necessary to preserve the iconic values.

If the Minister considers that the iconic values are affected and the scheme proposal is for an amendment, the Minister must notify the local government that it may not proceed with the amendment or it may notify the proposal under the relevant provision, subject to conditions the Minister considers necessary to preserve iconic values.

If reconsideration of a scheme proposal after public consultation is that iconic values are affected, the Minister must impose conditions on the adoption of the scheme proposal that the Minister considers are necessary to preserve the iconic values. The Minister is also able to advise local government that it may not proceed further with the scheme proposal (under the structure plan process).

Private property and development assessments

The protection provided by the IQPA does not affect the development rights of property owners. Any development that is allowed under planning schemes can still occur and any development that is not allowed under the planning schemes is still not allowed. The IQPA merely provides an independent assessment body when considering development applications that may impact on the iconic values of a place.

The development assessment process under the IQPA follows the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS) established under the Integrated Planning Act 1997 (IPA). The IQPA establishes an independent Development Assessment Panel (the panel) to operate under this process. The function of the panel is to decide the application instead of the local government and decide the application as if it were the assessment manager.

If the panel chooses not to decide an application, the local government will continue to act as the assessment manager under the IDAS.

Development Assessment Panel

Development assessment panels were gazetted for the Noosa and Douglas Iconic places on 20 June 2008.

Noosa iconic place development assessment panel members:

• Peter Bycroft (chair)
• Russell Green
• Leo Jensen
• John Mainwaring
• Peter Wood

Douglas iconic place development assessment panel members:

• Ken Dobbs (chair)
• Gary Hunt
• Leo Jensen
• Julia Leu
• Peter Wood

The panels are required under the Iconic Queensland Places Act 2008 to consider the effect of any development applications lodged with the relevant local government as the assessment manager on the gazetted iconic values of the place. In making the ‘reference decision’ about whether the panel will act as the assessment manager in the place of the local government, the panel must consider any substantial effect that the development has or may have on the place’s iconic values, having regard to the protected planning provisions for the place.

The panels meet regularly to make reference decisions and to decide any applications when acting as the assessment manager in the place of the local government. Panel meetings are not open to the public however the agendas and minutes of these meetings will be made available on this department’s website.

The panels must abide by a code of conduct ( 54 KB).

IQPA and local laws

The IQPA contains provisions protecting declared local laws if the local government proposes:

• to amend or repeal a local law
• that any provision of the local law is or is not a redundant position (under the Local Government Act 1993 (section 899c)).

If the local government proposes any of these actions, it must prepare an impact report which evaluates the effect of taking these proposed actions on the iconic place. Additional requirements apply if consultation or consideration of state interests is to occur in regard to any of the proposed actions (section 62-65 of the IQPA).