Environment and Resource Management

Moratorium notices

To protect the natural ecosystem or existing water entitlements and other authorities to take or interfere with water, s.26 of the Water Act 2000 provides for the publishing of moratorium (or suspension) notices which prevent particular applications for development (specified in the notice) from being accepted or dealt with while the notice has effect.

While a moratorium is in place, the government strives to minimise disruption of normal farming activities and the Act provides for landholders to continue to have access to water for stock and domestic requirements.

The moratorium notice may state that a development application under this Act will not be accepted if granting it would:

For water in the part of the state to which the notice applies, including overland flow and subartesian water, the notice may also state that while the moratorium notice has effect:

It is an offence under the Water Act to construct works in contravention of a moratorium notice.

Current moratorium notices

Moratorium notice Further information on the catchment area
Atherton subartesian area—subartesian management area B (PDF, 282K)* Barron
Brisbane Aquifer Area (PDF, 147K)* Moreton
Callide Subcatchment (PDF, 235K)* Fitzroy Basin
Cooper Creek Basin (PDF, 46K)* Cooper Creek

Condamine Catchment Underground Water Area—moratorium notice (PDF, 227K)* and guideline (PDF, 82K)*

 Condamine–Balonne
Isaac River and Connors River Catchment (PDF, 175K)* Fitzroy Basin
Southern Moreton Bay Islands (subartesian area of North Stradbroke Island (PDF, 288K)* Logan Basin
Toowoomba City Local Government Area—moratorium notice (PDF, 77K)* and guidelines (PDF, 41K)* Condamine-Balonne
Water Resource (Condamine and Balonne) Plan 2004 area (PDF, 78K)* Condamine-Balonne

Amended moratorium notices

Under s29 of the Water Act 2000 moratorium notices may be amended to provide for any matter which could have been provided for in the moratorium notice.

Amending moratorium notice Notes Further information on the relevant catchment area
Amending moratorium notice Draft Water Resource (Baffle Creek Basin) Plan (PDF, 100K)*

On 27 September 2008, in a further public notice (PDF, 134K)*  of intention to prepare a Draft Water Resource (Baffle Creek Basin) Plan, the minister announced the inclusion of overland flow in the plan and released an amending moratorium notice (PDF, 100K)* restricting the construction of works for taking overland flow.

The moratorium notice, which took effect on 16 July 2004, remains unchanged except for these additional restrictions. It allows for the continued use of existing overland flow works. Exemptions for new overland flow development include the construction of works required for stock and domestic purposes and works up to 5 megalitre capacity. If construction on any overland flow works captured by the moratorium started before 27 September 2008, the works may be completed provided those persons constructing the works have evidence that meet the criteria specified in clause 10 of the notice. You must notify the department in writing by 27 October 2008 if you intend to continue the construction of overland flow works which are captured by the moratorium.

The Baffle Creek Basin amending moratorium fact sheet (PDF, 164K)* provides further information about the moratorium.

 Baffle Creek Basin
Amending moratorium notice Cape York Peninsula (PDF, 87K)*

The previous amendment moratorium notice published on 23 July 2008 was replaced by an amendment moratorium notice (PDF, 87K)* that removes the Wenlock Basin from the moratorium area. This took effect from 10 December 2008.

 Cape York Peninsula
Amended moratorium notice Draft Water Resource (Whitsunday) Plan (PDF, 357K)* This amended moratorium notice, which took effect from 5 September 2008, replaces the moratorium notice (PDF, 361K)* which took effect on 20 March 2008. Whitsunday 

Continued effect under water resource plans

Though water resource plans are not moratorium notices, many continue the effect of a moratorium notice either wholly or partly.

Relevant water resource plan

 Section Further information on the relevant catchment area
Water Resource (Burdekin Basin) Plan 2007 (PDF)* 27 Burdekin
Water Resource (Burnett Basin) Plan 2000 (PDF)* 37A Burnett Basin
Water Resource (Gulf) Plan 2007 (PDF)* 25 Gulf
Water Resource (Mitchell) Plan 2007 (PDF)* 20 Mitchell
Water Resource (Pioneer) Plan 2002 (PDF)* 22D Pioneer 

Notice of intent

A notice of intent must be published if a part of the state is to be declared a wild river area. This is considered a moratorium notice under the Water Act and has the same effect.

Notice of intent Notes

Further information on the proposed wild river area
Notice of intent to declare, and declaration proposal notice for the Archer Basin Wild River Area (PDF, 208K)*

These notices of intent were published on 23 July 2008.

The notice for each includes a moratorium on water, vegetation clearing and mining tenure which has effect on and from 24 July 2008.

 Proposed Archer Basin Wild River Area

Notice of intent to declare and declaration proposal notice for the Lockhart Basin Wild River Area (PDF, 193K)*

Proposed Lockhart Basin Wild River Area

Notice of intent to declare and declaration proposal notice for the Stewart Basin Wild River Area (PDF, 198K)*

 Proposed Stewart Basin Wild River Area 
Notice of intent to declare and declaration proposal notice for the Wenlock Basin Wild River Area (PDF, 95K)*

This notice of intent was published on 10 December 2008, and includes a moratorium on water, vegetation clearing and mining tenure which has effect on and from 10 December 2008.

 Proposed Wenlock Basin Wild River Area

If you have difficulty downloading any of these documents, or would like a copy sent by mail, please contact:

Water Management
GPO Box 2454
Brisbane Qld 4001
Phone: 07 3247 4609
Email water management

* Requires Acrobat Reader

Last updated: 12 October 2009

Development in water areas

Topics in this site