The Draft North Queensland Regional Plan is open for feedback - but only until midnight Tuesday 29th September. Read on to see what we think of the draft, and gain some tips for making your own submission!
What we think
A Regional Plan should paint a vision of a liveable and prosperous future, where well-planned development aligns with the region’s character and long-term environmental outcomes.
While the Draft Plan gives considerable attention to housing, economic development and infrastructure, less attention is given to the natural systems that support all three. In fact, goals relating to "a rich and healthy natural environment" and "liveable, sustainable and resilient communities" have been entirely removed from the 2020 NQ Regional Plan.
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| 2020 NQ Regional Plan | 2026 Draft NQ Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan |
Biodiversity, waterways, wetlands, vegetation and coastal ecosystems are not adequately recognised for their contributions to regional prosperity, water quality, hazard resilience, liveability, tourism and our region’s character.
Our key recommendations:
Restore the environment as a core objective of the Regional Plan, including explicit regional outcomes for biodiversity, water quality, climate-responsive land-use planning and natural assets.
Restore and update the biodiversity planning framework established under the 2020 Regional Plan, including strategic mapping of ecological corridors and areas of high ecological significance, and introduce biodiversity and liveability as explicit considerations in the Plan’s structure.
Establish climate and ecological resilience as core regional planning objectives, recognising natural and green infrastructure as essential regional infrastructure and planning explicitly for extreme heat, flooding, coastal hazards and other climate risks.
Provide clearer spatial guidance for future development and infrastructure, including strategic guidance for renewable energy and battery storage that identifies areas appropriate for development and areas where development should be avoided because of environmental, agricultural, cultural or community values.
Strengthen Reef and catchment protections, ensuring population and economic growth do not undermine water-quality objectives and supporting nature-based and water-sensitive approaches to water management.
Recognise green infrastructure as essential to healthy, connected and liveable communities, including the role of canopy and green spaces in reducing heat exposure and supporting active transport.
Strengthen consideration of First Nations knowledge, connection to Country and Native Title interests, including an up-to-date regional map of Native Title areas and clear information about appropriate engagement processes.
Review the boundaries of the Townsville State Development Area to avoid impacts on important ecological values, including biodiversity corridors and essential habitat.
ACCESS OUR FULL SUBMISSION HERE
How to have your say
Option 1: Leave a comment on their "ideas board"
This is an easy way to put an issue on the agenda, though does not carry the same weight as a formal submission. You are given 140 characters to write your free-form comment. If you see another comment that you agree with, feel free to give it a "like".
Option 2: Complete their online survey (we recommend this option!)
This option gives you space to add more detail (including attachments, if you want), and carries more weight than a comment on their ideas board. This is considered a formal submission.
You will be asked to complete some basic questions about yourself. You are then given 1000 characters to write free-form, and can upload up to 10 attachments. This could include a full written submission if you want to write one.
Option 3: Email your submission
This carries the same amount of weight as the online survey. You are encouraged to complete and attach the form below to ensure that your submission is "properly made".
👉 READ AND COMPLETE THIS FORM TO EMAIL YOUR SUBMISSION
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