Clearing before and after a natural disaster
This page explains the notification and approval requirements to clear vegetation to prepare, deal with and recover from natural disasters.
Preparing your property for a natural disaster
Firebreaks and fire management lines
Special provisions apply to clearing for fire management.
Other clearing under a code or development approval
You may be able to undertake other clearing to mitigate the impact of natural disasters using an accepted development vegetation clearing code.
These codes are self-assessable. You must notify us before starting to clear, and make sure you follow the requirements listed in the code. The codes in the following table have relevant provisions.
For any clearing beyond this scope, you’ll need to apply for a development approval.
| Code | Vegetation types | Natural disaster provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Necessary environmental clearing | Category B, C and R vegetation across Queensland | Flood preparation: removal of vegetation from a watercourse to mitigate flooding |
| Clearing for infrastructure | Category B, C and R vegetation across Queensland | Clearing for firebreaks in non-coastal areas |
| Clearing for infrastructure | Category C and R vegetation across Queensland | Clearing for fire management lines |
| Managing regulated regrowth vegetation | Category C and R vegetation, across Queensland | Clearing for public safety risk |
Cleaning-up after a disaster
Clearing debris
You can remove fallen woody debris without a permit or notification from existing tracks, roads, fire management lines and firebreaks.
Clearing in disaster-declared areas
If the government has declared your district a disaster area, you don’t need to get our approval or to notify us if the clearing is necessary to prevent or minimise any of the following:
- loss of human life, or illness or injury
- property loss or damage
- damage to the environment.
This applies for 1 year following the disaster declaration. The following table shows current disaster declared areas in Queensland.
| Local government area | Date declared | Exemption valid to |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding in north-west Queensland in March 2023 | ||
| Burke Shire Council | 10 March 2023 | 10 March 2024 |
| Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council | 10 March 2023 | 10 March 2024 |
Find out more
- Find out more about other laws that apply to clearing.
- Find out more about bushfires and rural fire safety.
- Contact your local rural fire service.
- Find out about deferring your land rent or instalment if you’ve been impacted by a disaster.
- Find out about repairs to groundwater bores and spears.
- Find out about watercourse works associated with emergencies and disasters.
- Read about assistance for disaster-impacted Queenslanders.
- Find out about low-interest loans for disaster recovery for rural businesses and primary producers.