Copies of Blueprint for the Bush are available from the Department of Communities.

Blueprint for the Bush is a 10-year partnership plan between the Queensland Government, AgForce and the Local Government Association of Queensland to foster and support sustainable, liveable and prosperous rural communities in Queensland.

The Blueprint introduces new strategies for rural infrastructure and services, and strengthens existing measures that are working well.

The Department of Natural Resources and Water (NRW) is a major contributor to the whole-of-government Blueprint for the Bush strategy because of its legislative, planning and management role as custodian of Queensland’s land, water and vegetation resources.

Over the next four years, the department will outlay a total of $47 million on seven significant projects to help landholders with practical measures to address rural issues and needs. These projects, developed in response to consultations on the Blueprint for the Bush, are aimed at helping landholders adapt to changing conditions and improving the sustainable management of natural resources.

Significant projects

NRW's suite of measures comprises the following.

Delbessie Agreement

$19 million over four years, including $4 million in 2006–07, to introduce the Delbessie Agreement (State Rural Leasehold Land Strategy). This will provide a framework for improved management and use of more than half of the state's total land area, by adopting a balanced mix of regulation and lessee incentives.

Reclaim the Bush, a Pest Offensive

$11 million over three years, including $3 million in 2006–07, to address the three critical aspects of pest management in the state—specifically, preventing and eradicating new pests, reducing the impacts of widespread pests and developing innovative solutions.

Environmental Partnership Scheme

$5.5 million over three years, including $1.5 million in 2006-07, to combine and enhance several existing vegetation management programs. The intention is to give landholders incentives to protect areas of special environmental value.

Information sheet—Environmental Partnership Scheme (PDF, 145 kB)*

Rural Water-Use Efficiency

$4 million over three years, including $1.3 million in 2006-07, to extend Stage Three of this water-saving program across Queensland. The project will expand the existing partnerships with four irrigation industry groups, and form new partnerships with the production nursery, flower-growing and turf-production industries.

Information sheet—Rural Water Use Efficiency program (PDF, 129 kB)*

OnePlan initiative

$3 million over four years, including $640 000 in 2006–07, to provide rural landholders a consistent and coordinated approach to preparing property planning documents that satisfy the natural resources and environmental management requirements of government agencies.

Cape York Tenure Resolution

An additional $1 million a year from 2006-07 to resolve the tenure of 20 parcels of State-owned land, as required under the Cape York Heads of Agreement.

Information sheet - Cape York Tenure Resolution project (PDF, 143 kB)*

High-Priority Artesian Bore Capping Initiative

$500 000 over three years, including $200 000 in 2006-07, to encourage landholders to participate in the capping and rehabilitation of nine identified high-risk bores on properties in the Great Artesian Basin. This scheme limits the landholder contributions for initial access works to $20 000 per bore.

Information sheet - High-Priority Artesian Bore Capping Initiative (PDF, 138 kB)*

Other measures

A number of other major state government policy developments, such as finalising a Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Queensland, will support the overall plan for Blueprint for the Bush. NRW leads this plan, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, and 12 other state government agencies.

In conjunction with landholder and other interest groups, NRW and EPA are exploring opportunities to use market-based approaches such as carbon trading and environmental offsets.

 

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