Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act
The Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act 2007 (the Act) was proclaimed on 2 November 2007. This significant land management initiative was developed through consultation between the Queensland Government, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, conservation and development sectors.
The Department of Environment and Resource management is the lead agency responsible for coordinating implementation of the Act with other government agencies and stakeholder bodies.
Aims of the Act
The aims of the Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act 2007 are to:
- ensure ecologically sustainable use of land, including pastoral land, in the Cape York Peninsula region
- recognise the economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities in relation to land use in the region
- recognise the contributions of the pastoral industry to the economy and land management in the region
- identify significant natural and cultural values of Cape York Peninsula.
Who will be affected
The Act will affect:
- land trusts based in the Cape York region for Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Land Act 1991
- the Aurukun Shire Council
- trustees of Deed of Grant in Trust land in the region under the Land Act 1994
- Cape York rural leaseholders under the Land Act 1994.
Benefits of the Act
New provisions in the Act that will benefit the Indigenous community, pastoral industry and conservation groups, include:
- designation of Indigenous community-use areas in Aboriginal land, which are suitable for aquaculture, agriculture or grazing purposes; and creation of a limited capacity for clearing under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 in those areas
- the protection of native title rights in the Wild Rivers Act 2000, and the setting aside of a reserve of water for Indigenous communities
- designation of areas of international conservation significance to initially recognise World Heritage values, and the development of integrated management plans for national parks and nature refuges in these areas
- the removal of impediments to the declaration of national parks by establishing joint management arrangements with Indigenous landholders
- the introduction of rural lease terms of up to 75 years (increased from a maximum of 50 years), subject to conditions regarding Indigenous land use agreements and leasehold land
- a requirement that the Minister for Natural Resources and Water consider the impact on the Cape York grazing industry for any decision to transfer a lease or to convert the lease to another tenure
- a requirement that the Minister for Natural Resources and Water and the Minister for Environment and Multiculturalism consult with an advisory committee comprising all key stakeholder interests.
Advisory committees
The following committees have been established to advise the Minister for Natural Resources and Water:
- The Cape York Peninsula Regional Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the Minister in relation to the declaration of Indigenous community-use areas, and for advising on the environment and multiculturalism in relation to the declaration of areas of international conservation significance.
- The Cape York Peninsula Regional Scientific and Cultural Advisory Committee advises the Minister for Natural Resources and Water about matters relating to the natural and cultural values of land proposed as an Indigenous community-use area.
More information
- Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act—Vegetation Management Framework fact sheet
- Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act—Indigenous communities fact sheet
- Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act—leasehold land management fact sheet
- Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act—advisory committees fact sheet
- Map of Cape York Peninsula region (PDF, 191K)*
* Requires Acrobat Reader
Last updated: 17 October 2008