Galilee Basin Offset Strategy overview

The Galilee Basin Offset Strategy (PDF, 1.4MB) is an environmental offsets program. The strategy seeks to replace environmental values which may be lost in the Galilee Basin as a result of development. Specifically the strategy aims to identify sites which have the potential to provide alternative habitats and increase the long-term viability of the area’s conservation values and biodiversity.

A number of mining projects, as well as several infrastructure projects to service these projects are proposed for the Galilee Basin. As a consequence there will be a need for offsets to help manage the impact on vegetation communities and species.

The strategy aims to support the strategic location of offsets in areas where the range of values to be lost from potential development occur. These ‘offset investment hubs’ will be used to manage and protect those values to ensure long-term environmental outcomes at the wider landscape scale.

Offsets are most effective when provided in the same region where the impact occurs. The offset investment hubs enable the integration of multiple offsets within an area, as opposed to small fragmented offsets across a wider area. This increases their effectiveness and provides greater incentives for landholder participation. The offset investment hubs will become important environmental areas in central Queensland.

Locating offsets in the offset investment hubs also provides opportunities for improving the management of weeds, pests and fire across the landscape and enhancing habitat values for native species on private and public land. Properties that are within the offsets corridor are not compelled to become offset areas. The process is completely voluntary and only occurs with the agreement of the landholder.

View the Galilee Basins Offset Corridors map (PDF, 222KB).

The benefits for landholders

Landholders in the offset investment hubs can enter into an offset arrangement to help compensate for impacts on the same environmental values which have been affected in the Galilee Basin.

In return for agreeing to manage the environmental values on their property, landholders in offset investment hubs can receive financial benefits.

Offset agreements and financial benefits

When landholders voluntarily enter into an offset agreement, with a developer or an offset broker, they are agreeing to provide the offset and/or undertake management actions to deliver the offset outcome.

Landholders negotiate a payment for these services. The payment negotiated should take into account any loss of opportunity from, for example, changes to grazing stocking rates or allowing regrowth to regenerate.

Offset agreements provide an opportunity for landholders to secure an additional income stream for between 10 and 30 years.

How does an offset agreement affect my rights as a landholder?

Landholders do not lose any of their property rights. They continue to manage their land to generate an income in accordance with their current use and lifestyle. The landholder can contract a third party to carry out the required management activities if they wish.

How does an offset happen?

Development activities that will adversely impact on State significant biodiversity values need to be offset. An offset can apply to the whole property or to certain areas only, depending on the value needs to be offset and the owner’s wishes and plans for the land.

Landholders of freehold land, leasehold land, state land and local government land can enter into an offset agreement provided there is a direct link between the value being lost and the benefit being provided by the offset.

Landholders need to enter into a legally binding agreement over that area of the land used to protect the values generated by the offset. This could include a statutory covenant, a voluntary declaration under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 or a nature refuge under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

This will limit future development potential on the offset site for the life of the offset arrangement and ensures that the land is managed to benefit the value impacted by development elsewhere.

How to be involved

The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) has established an environmental offsets register where landholders can register whether they are interested in providing offsets, or not. To be added to the register, please email Offsets@des.qld.gov.au.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the Galilee Basin Offset Strategy?
• Why is there a need for a strategy?
• How will I know that my property is in an offset investment hub?
• How will the strategy affect landholders?
• What role do landholders play in offsets?
• What does an offset agreement mean for management of my land?
• What is an offset broker?
• What payment is involved?
• When will Offsets in the Galilee Basin Offset Strategy areas be sought?
• How do I register my interest?
• What happens after I register my interest?
• How do I opt out?
• If my neighbour opts in will I be affected?

What is the Galilee Basin Offset Strategy?

The Galilee Basin Offset Strategy (PDF, 1.4MB) is an environmental offsets program which seeks to replace environmental values which may be lost in the Galilee Basin as a result of development. The strategy aims to identify the best strategic locations in central Queensland where environmental offsets can be established in order to provide long-term, environmental outcomes for the region.

Why is there a need for a strategy?

A number of mining projects, as well as several infrastructure projects to service the mining projects; are proposed for the Galilee Basin. The Galilee Offset Strategy has been developed to support strategic placement of offsets in what are called ‘offset investment hubs’. The strategy provides opportunities for offsets to be delivered in a coordinated way to maximise regional environmental outcomes across the Desert Uplands and Northern Brigalow Belt bioregions.

How will I know that my property is in an offset investment hub?

If your land is in an offset investment hub, DES will send you a letter informing you that your property has significant biodiversity offset values. You will be invited to attend a workshop to find out more about the process before you decide whether you want to participate in the strategy.

How will the strategy affect landholders?

Participation is voluntary, so the strategy will only affect you if you choose to be involved. If you do participate, there will be no loss of property rights. Landholders in the offset investment hubs can benefit financially from the strategy by securing income for the provision of an offset and management services.

What role do landholders play in offsets?

Landholders within the offset investment hubs can voluntarily choose to be part of an offset arrangement by managing environmental values on their property in order to compensate for impacts to the same environmental values in the Galilee Basin.

Locating offsets in the offset investment hubs provides opportunities for improving the management of weeds and pests across the landscape and enhancing the habitat values for native species.

The more landholders who participate in offset arrangements: the more effective the regional environmental and community benefits.

What does an offset agreement mean for management of my land?

An offset agreement means that that you enter into agreement, for up to 20 or 30 years, to manage your land (or a part thereof) to ensure a benefit to the conservation values which it supports.

An offset agreement will not compromise your land’s viability as the payments should equate and compensate for any loss in grazing production.

For example you may have an Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) threatened community on your land. To ensure and improve its survival you would:

• identify the management activities you can undertake to improve the condition of the community. This may include establishment and maintenance of a fire break around it, active weed management, feral animal control, and wet season spelling from grazing.
• nominate the financial payments that are necessary to carry out the activities.
• sign a contract to deliver an improvement of condition of this community.
• monitor the improvement and report on the improvement.
• receive financial payments to assist in delivery of the offset outcomes.

What is an offset broker?

An offset broker is a specialised brokerage service that identifies sources and secures environment offsets on behalf of a development proponent in order to meet the project’s environmental offsets requirements.

What payment is involved?

Landholders voluntarily enter into an agreement directly with a mining company or an intermediary, such as on offset broker, to provide the offset and determine the management actions required to deliver the offset outcome. The landholder sets the price to deliver the offset services.

The price may factor for any loss of opportunity, for example, should the offset values require a lowering of the grazing stocking rate or the loss of intensification potential as provided by introducing exotic pastures.

When will Offsets in the Galilee Basin Offset Strategy areas be sought?

The Galilee Basin mining projects are all at different stages of the environmental impact assessment process and all will have to secure offset obligations to meet their environmental authority conditions. The mining proponents have been given a digital copy of the Galilee Basin Offset Strategy priority investment areas but have been asked not to contact landholders until after the landholder consultation process has occurred and it is established which landholders wish to participate.

How do I register my interest?

DES has developed a register where landholders can indicate if they are willing to provide offsets or if they do not want to participate. To be added to the register, please email Offsets@des.qld.gov.au.

What happens after I register my interest?

After registering your interest to participate, these will be held in a database that will be accessible to offset brokers. If the offset values on your property are needed, an offset broker will contact you. The broker will need to do a field assessment of the values on your land, talk to you about your enterprise requirements; the management requirements of the offsets and an offset outcome can be negotiated.

The mining proponent will want to use the offset area that provides the greatest number of offsets in one location. Natural resource management (NRM) groups can assist you in identifying the management actions, identify the costs, help with the contract, and help with the monitoring and reporting required for the delivery of the offset outcomes if you ask them.

How do I opt out?

To opt out your interest in the environmental offset register, please email Offsets@des.qld.gov.au.

If my neighbour opts in will I be affected?

No. You are no way affected if your neighbour opts in and you do not.