Wet tropics forest transfer
The Broadwater fig
The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area was added to the World Heritage list in 1988 because of its outstanding natural values. This is also the reason for providing the highest possible protection for these and surrounding State lands.
- Background
- Lands being transferred in the Wet Tropics
- Future tenure
- Community consultation
- Recreational activities
Background
In November 2000, the Queensland Government announced its intention to transfer native State forests and timber reserves in the Wet Tropics area to the protected area estate. This initiative will permanently protect over 480,000 hectares of native forests with high conservation values within the Queensland Parks system.
The transfer of State forests in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area will finalise the government's long-standing commitment to provide a secure, high-level conservation tenure for significant land within and adjacent to the World Heritage Area.
As a result of this transfer, almost 50 percent of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area has increased protection.
Lands being transferred in the Wet Tropics
Mt Windsor Forest Reserve
The lands that are part of the Wet Tropics forest transfer (PDF, 874K)* include all of the forest reserves and former State forest and timber reserve (currently designated unallocated State land). on the map, forest reserves are blue, unallocated State lands that were formerly State forest or timber reserves are dark pink.
The land to be transferred extends from Townsville in the south to Mt Windsor in the north. Though most of the reserves are within the boundaries of the World Heritage Area, parts of some outside it have been transferred because of their high conservation values (e.g. Mount Windsor Forest Reserve).
Future tenure
Most of the Wet Tropics forest transfer lands have been converted to national park tenure because of their outstanding conservation values.However,small areas have been designated as conservation park and national park (recovery).
Map showing location and tenure of future protected areas. (PDF, 1.9M)*
Gazettal of these forest transfer lands as protected areas began in early 2005.
These forest transfers do not alter the status of the statutory Wet Tropics Management Plan 1998, which regulates land use activities within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, regardless of tenure. The department works with the Wet Tropics Management Authority in managing the lands in the Wet Tropics, although each agency has separate responsibilities.
Community consultation
The department consulted extensively with representatives from local government and Indigenous, community interest, recreation, and conservation groups. Meetings were held to present information on the conservation values in the area, and to identify management issues for the lands being transferred.
For the purposes of consultation, the region was split into the following planning areas:
- Daintree
- Cairns–Atherton
- Cardwell–Palmerston
- Paluma–Mount Fox.
The meetings concentrated on identifying issues related to management of the future national parks, and the planning processes required.
The department also met with a number of the Indigenous groups and their representative organisations to advise them of the forest transfer in the Wet Tropics.
Recreational activities
Broadwater Picnic Area
Transfer of the Wet Tropics lands to national park tenure does not affect most recreational activities, and four-wheel driving, trail biking, mountain biking, hang-gliding, bushwalking and camping can continue as before.
Access may be affected from time to time due to seasonal closures or safety and maintenance issues. In the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area it may occasionally be restricted under the regulations of the Wet Tropics Management Plan 1998.
Horse riding
Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, horse riding is generally not allowed in national parks.
It is allowed, however:
- in conservation parks and resources reserves
- where gazetted roads pass through, or are adjacent to a national park
- where the Bicentennial National Trail passes through a national park (with a permit from DERM).
Vehicular traffic
Vehicles, including four-wheel drives, motor cycles and trail bikes, are allowed on roads within existing and future national parks in the Wet Tropics.They may also be permitted on other management roads by permit or by regulatory notice.
* Requires Acrobat Reader
Last updated: 31 October 2006