Vast areas of land across the Sunshine Coast are now protected after they were formally declared nature refuges.
The Queensland Government announced that 222 hectares of land on the Sunshine Coast and Noosa were conserved, as part of a commitment to expand the state’s protected areas.
They include the new Boreen Nature Refuge (51ha) and Keysii Nature Refuge (35ha), and expansions to Mount Mellum Nature Refuge (10ha), Weyba Nature Refuge (121ha) Yurol Nature Refuge (5ha).
They were among a host of newly announced protected areas, totalling 43,000ha, across Queensland.
Acting Premier Steven Miles said it included additions to national parks including D’Aguilar, Lamington, Main Range and Oakview.
“Combined, our national parks, nature refuges and other protected areas cover 14.3 million hectares – that’s an area double the size of Tasmania,” he said via a press release.
“This is part of our commitment to expanding and protecting our National Parks and Queensland’s great lifestyle.”
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the mix of new and expanded nature refuges as well as additions to a number of national parks had been formally dedicated and equalled an area the size of 430,000 Olympic swimming pools.
She said the State Government had “more work to do” and was investing a state record $262.5 million to expand and create new national parks.
“It’s great to see this batch include a number of nature refuges, areas that Queensland landholders have nominated to protect the critical ecosystems, plants and creatures that live within it,” she said.
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New protected areas
- Ardgour Station Nature Refuge (Paroo) – a new nature refuge of 8285.98 hectares
- Boreen Nature Refuge (Noosa) – a new nature refuge of 51.53 hectares
- Galaji Nature Refuge (Tablelands) – a 5.35-hectare addition to an existing nature refuge
- Keysii Nature Refuge (Noosa) – a new nature refuge of 35.3 hectares
- Mount Mellum Nature Refuge (Sunshine Coast) – a 10.32-hectare addition to an existing nature refuge
- Mount Gibson Nature Refuge (Cook) – a new nature refuge of 34,206.07 hectares
- Noo’s Creek Nature Refuge (Cook) – a new nature refuge of 82.25 hectares
- Oakey Scrub Nature Refuge (Cook) – a new nature refuge of 64.7497 hectares
- Weyba Nature Refuge (Noosa) – a 121.53-hectare addition to an existing nature refuge
- Yourka Reserve Nature Refuge (Tablelands) – a 1,545.97 addition to an existing nature refuge
- Yurol Nature Refuge (Noosa) – a 5.11-hectare addition to an existing nature refuge
- D’Aguilar National Park (Somerset) – increased by 52.5 hectares
- Lamington National Park (Scenic Rim) – increased by 129.9 hectares
- Main Range National Park (Southern Downs) – increased by 56 hectares
- Oakview National Park (Dedication) (Gympie) – increased by 92.13 hectares.
- Townsville Town Common Conservation Park (Townsville City) – increased by 0.2 hectares
