Mackay Highlands
Planning for the future
Finch Hatton River
Mackay Highlands
In 2003 the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) developed the Planning for the Future – A strategic plan for the protection and presentation of parks and forests in the Mackay Highlands. The strategy was prepared to establish and coordinate planning decisions in response to the regional community’s desire for more opportunities for sustainable tourism in the area.
The Mackay Highlands is a large natural area of relatively undisturbed parks and forests in the Mackay-Whitsunday region of central Queensland. It covers a significant portion of the Connors and Clarke Range.
The strategy focuses on the public land in the Mackay Highlands totaling 158 033 ha.
Local community and Traditional Owner involvement in planning the Mackay Highlands was important to ensure that their aspirations for the future use of parks and forests and social and economic values of the area were taken into account during the planning process.
The strategy ensured that the Mackay Highlands benefited from appropriate tourism development while conflicts between conservation values and community interests were minimised.
- Download/view the strategy plan (PDF, 1.4M)*
Management planning update
Since 2003 QPWS in partnership with the Mackay and Isaac regional councils, Traditional Owners, landholders and interested groups and persons have been implementing the directions set out in the Planning for the Future – A strategic plan for the protection and presentation of parks and forests in the Mackay Highlands.
A number of State forests in the Mackay Highlands management area have been transferred to protected area (nearly 20 000 ha). These include three State forest areas that resulted in additions to the Eungella National Park and the creation of Bluff Hill National Park in December 2008. There are 16 forest reserves (over 45 000 ha) that were gazetted in the region in 2011.
Reviewing and preparing a new management plan for the Mackay Highlands
On 18 June 2011 the former Minister for Environment announced the intent to review and prepare a management plan for the Mackay Highlands. The announcement recognised the existing strategy and that this strategy would be replaced with a new plan.
The new plan will incorporate the following QPWS managed-estates:
Existing protected areas as at 30 January 2012 -
- Bluff Hill National Park*
- Eungella National Park
- Homevale National Park
- Homevale Resources Reserve
- Kelvin National Park*
- St Helens Gap National Park*
- Mount Kinchant Conservation Park
- Redcliffvale Tablelands*
State forests and forest reserves as at 30 January 2012 -
- Ben Mohr Forest Reserve (formally part of Ben Mohr State Forest)*
- Ben Mohr State Forest*
- Bluff Hill Forest Reserve 2 (formally part of Bluff Hill State Forest)*
- Bluff Hill State Forest*
- Carminya Forest Reserve (formally part of Carminya State Forest)*
- Carminya State Forest*
- Cathu State Forest
- Collaroy State Forest*
- Connors Forest Reserve (formally Connors State Forest)*
- Crediton Forest Reserve (formally part of Crediton State Forest)
- Crediton State Forest
- Epsom State Forest 1*
- Epsom State Forest 2*
- Epsom State Forest 3*
- Eton Forest Reserve (formally Eton State Forest)*
- Kelvin Forest Reserve (formally part of Kelvin State Forest)*
- Kelvin State Forest*
- Koumala Forest Reserve (formally Koumala State Forest)*
- Macartney State Forest
- Mia Mia State Forest
- Mount Bridgman Forest Reserve (formally Mount Bridgman State Forest)*
- Pelion Forest Reserve (formally part of Pelion State Forest)
- Pelion State Forest
- Porphyry Hill State Forest*
- Rosedale State Forest*
- Spencer Gap Forest Reserve (formally part of Spencer Gap State Forest)*
- Spencer Gap State Forest*
- St Helens State Forest
- Tierawoomba Forest Reserve (formally part of Tierawoomba State Forest)*
- Tierawoomba State Forest*
- West Hill Forest Reserve (formally part of West Hill State Forest)*
- West Hill State Forest*
* Additional QPWS estate being covered under the new plan, but not in the current strategy.
A draft plan is currently being prepared and the Minister for National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing encourages everyone to become involved in protecting the natural, cultural and recreational values of the Mackay Highlands. The aims of the draft plan include:
- conserve the diversity of native plants and animals in the area, manage pests and provide appropriate facilities and access for visitors
- continue to build on the co-operation between government, interest groups and the community, and provides opportunities for locals to help protect and manage the area
- recognise the interests and rights of Traditional Owners and encourage their continued involvement in managing the area
- ensure adequate access for visitors while safeguarding the area’s natural condition and cultural values.
The existing strategy will be adopted as a management statement for the Mackay Highlands area until the new management plan is prepared.
For further information on the new plan, email parkplans@derm.qld.gov.au or by phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
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Last updated 11 May 2012