Land condition assessments
The Delbessie Agreement introduces land condition assessments and land management agreements for all State rural leasehold land leases issued for terms of 20 years or more over areas greater than or equal to 100 hectares. Land condition assessments form the basis for decisions about lease terms, and identify issues for consideration in developing the land management agreements.
Guidelines (PDF, 438K)* for assessing rural leasehold land condition have been developed by the department in collaboration with recognised stakeholders with specialist expertise in rangeland management. The Minister also sought advice from the State Rural Leasehold Land Ministerial Advisory Committee to ensure all relevant issues were taken into consideration.
The Delbessie Agreement is first and foremost an incentive based land management framework designed to promote greater understanding and capacity for a generation of land managers, and to build and strengthen landholder capacity to adapt to future challenges and emerging issues such as climate change.
The land condition assessment is not about apportioning blame or punishment for past management practises. Rather, it is an assessment process that will inform about the condition of a lease and identify a benchmark 'condition' state from which future land improvement outcomes can be measured.
The condition assessment provides a snapshot of land condition at a point in time by assessing key attributes of soil, pasture, biodiversity, declared pests, riparian health, water quality, and salinity. It takes into account variations in land types, regional climatic differences, and the purpose of the lease.
Specialist assessment officers have been appointed throughout the State at locations including Cairns, Townsville, Longreach, Emerald, Roma, Charleville and Toowoomba and these officers will conduct the assessments with the support of existing regional teams.
Land condition assessments will comprise a pre-visit desktop investigation and the preparation of maps and related information to support the on-ground assessment. Each assessment will be conducted by two trained officers in full consultation with the leaseholder. Lease information will be captured electronically for later collation into a report that will form the basis of a land management agreement for negotiation with the leaseholder.
- Delbessie Agreement—Guidelines for determining lease land condition (PDF, 438K)*
- Fact sheet—Delbessie Agreement: Land condition assessment (PDF, 170K)*
State Rural Leasehold Land Ministerial Advisory Committee
A 12-member, independent, expertise-based advisory committee (the State Rural Leasehold Land Ministerial Advisory Committee) has been appointed under section 394 of the Land Act 1994 and in accordance with the terms of the Delbessie Agreement.
The role of the committee is to provide scientific, technical and policy advice to the Minister on specific issues related to the management and use of rural leasehold land, including land condition assessment guidelines, and to play an advocacy role in the implementation of the Delbessie Agreement.
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Last updated: 20 May 2009