Consultation on proposed Amendments to the protected area estate

Closed: 4 November 2025 11.59pm
Topic: Queensland parks and wildlife
Type: Public notice and consultation

The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation is proposing to make a number of amendments to the protected area estate and are seeking views in consideration of the Human Rights Act 2019, including Aboriginal peoples’ and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural rights.

The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation is proposing to make a number of amendments to the protected area estate and is seeking views in consideration of the Human Rights Act 2019, including Aboriginal peoples’ and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural rights.

The proposals include three new nature refuge declarations and an addition and subsequent redescription affecting one nature refuge.

The aim of dedicating new or amending existing protected areas is to preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the area’s natural condition, to protect the area’s cultural resources and values and provide for ecologically sustainable activities and ecotourism.

Redescriptions of protected areas are sometimes appropriate to apply contemporary survey and mapping technology and standards, for example, providing more accurate area calculation or simplifying the lot on plan description without changing the boundaries on-ground.

The amendments proposed to be made are as follows:

Tenure	Local Government Area	Details of proposal
Ballara Nature Refuge	Cloncurry Shire	Declare: part of lot 427 on plan SW805054 and part of lot 2547 on SP255326, containing an area of about 2,010.97 hectares (ha), as part of the existing Ballara Nature Refuge, about 19 kilometres south-west of Cloncurry; and subsequently Redescribe: the entirety of Ballara Nature Refuge as part of lot 427 on plan SW805054 and part of lot 2547 on SP255326, containing an area of about 176,926.97ha, shown on plan PA1173.
Konminda Nature Refuge	Tablelands Region	Declare: part of lot 12 on SP161397, containing an area of about 43.62ha, as the new Konminda Nature Refuge, shown on plan PA1190, about 20 kilometres north-east of Atherton.
Urannah Nature Refuge	Mackay Region	Declare: part of lot 1522 on SP272352, containing an area of about 32,876.57ha, as the new Urannah Nature Refuge, shown on plan PA1207, about 80 kilometres north-west of Mackay.
Watson River Nature Refuge	Cook Shire	Declare: part of lot 1 on SP346735, containing an area of about 57,282.97ha, as the new Watson River Nature Refuge, shown on plan PA1212, about 140 kilometres south-east of Weipa.

Any entity may comment about the proposals to the chief executive of the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, in writing and directed to tenureservices@detsi.qld.gov.au or the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Tenure Services, PO Box 15187, City East, QLD, 4002.

Comments received between 8 October 2025 and 4 November 2025 will be considered by the department.

Amendments to the protected area estate under the Nature Conservation (Protected Areas) Regulation 1994 are administered by the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.