Information and opportunities for landholders

Register your property as a potential environmental offset site

Queensland landholders can be paid to protect or improve important environmental values on their property through environmental offsets.

Eligible landholders may include farmers, First Nations peoples, local government authorities, and owners of rural lifestyle blocks and hobby farms.

Ready to explore offset opportunities on your property? Register your interest to have your property considered as a potential environmental offset site.

What is an environmental offset?

Environmental offsets help counterbalance unavoidable impacts from development. If important environmental values, such as threatened animals, plants or ecosystems, are impacted by development, an offset helps protect or improve similar environmental values at another site.

Figure 1 shows how this works. If land with environmental values is cleared at site A, another site with the same (or similar) values is secured under an offset at site B. Site B is then managed over time to protect or improve those values to maintain an overall conservation outcome.

Expand image

Figure 1 - providing an environmental offset

Learn more about environmental offsets and when they are required.

Benefits for landholders

Landholders can be paid to undertake agreed land management activities that protect or improve specific environmental values, or to allow their property to be used for offset delivery by an offset broker.

Many environmental offset projects can be integrated with existing land uses such as grazing or forestry, where those uses are compatible with the offset requirements.

Landholders can receive an upfront incentive, ongoing payments, or both. The amount varies depending on the:

• size and condition of your property
• type of offset project (short-term restoration vs long-term habitat protection)
• environmental values being offset
• demand for specific offsets in your region.

Environmental offsets can create broader co-benefits, including:

• conserving soils and protecting water quality
• providing wind breaks and shade for livestock
• supplementing day-to-day land management costs
• supporting agricultural productivity
• improving sustainability credentials
• enhancing recreation, tourism or community value of the property.

Could my land be suitable?

Your property may be suitable if it contains, or could support, important environmental values that can be protected or improved over time. These include Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES) such as:

• threatened native animal or plant species
• Of Concern or Endangered regional ecosystems
• waterways or wetlands
• habitat corridors
• South East Queensland koala habitat or priority areas.

TIP: Not sure which environmental values may be on your property? Use environmental reports online to get location-specific reports emailed to you.

Suitability also depends on the size, condition and long-term management potential of the site and whether it aligns with environmental values currently in demand for offsets across Queensland.

Land with vegetation that is already in very good condition may have fewer opportunities for improvement and therefore might not be as suited for offset activities. Landholders with existing private protected areas or other conservation covenants on their property may be eligible.

Types of environmental offset projects

Environmental offsets can be tailored to suit your property, business and long-term goals. Requirements depend on the type of offset and the environmental impact it is addressing.

Offset delivery can include:

• Restoration or research projects – activities such as planting native trees, supporting natural regrowth, reconnecting habitat, wildlife monitoring or managing weeds, pests, fire or stock access.
• Coordinated landscape-scale projects – multiple neighbouring landholders working together, or working with a third-party, to deliver broader environmental outcomes.
• Long-term habitat protection – protecting or improving existing high-value habitat over time.

Offset activities must be additional to activities already happening, already funded or legally required.

Read landholder case studies.

Register your interest

Register all or part of your property to be considered for potential environmental offset opportunities. It is free and does not commit you to delivering an environmental offset.

Advanced offsets are sites registered by the department as per Part 6 of the Environmental Offsets Regulation 2014. They are listed with verified ecological information, which can help interested parties assess them more quickly for future offset opportunities.

	Expression of interest	Advanced offset registration
Purpose	Best if you want a free, simple way to have your property considered for future offset opportunities.	Best if you are prepared to engage an environmental consultant and provide verified ecological information to support site assessment.
Cost	Free to submit	Upfront costs to engage a suitably qualified environmental consultant
Ecological assessment	Not required	Baseline habitat quality assessment required
Information provided	Basic property details and environmental information available online	Verified ecological information confirming the MSES present, baseline habitat quality and supporting information.
Where your site is listed	Expression of interest list	Advanced Offsets list
Helpful to know	The more information you provide in your expression of interest, the easier it is to match your property with future offset opportunities.	Advanced offset applications must meet the criteria in Appendix 5 of the Queensland Environmental Offsets Policy before being approved.
Apply now	Expression of interest	Complete the advanced offset registration and submit to offsets@detsi.qld.gov.au

Registration does not guarantee your property will be selected as an environmental offset. Sites only progress if they meet ecological, legal and funding requirements and are matched with a suitable offset opportunity. You can withdraw your interest at any time by contacting offsets@detsi.qld.gov.au

Next steps

Establishing an offset can take from one year to several years, depending on the site, legal requirements, funding and landholder preferences.

1. Register your property – submit an expression of interest or complete an advanced offset registration to have your property considered for offset opportunities.
2. Assessment and site listing – the department reviews your information against ecological and legal requirements and current offset needs. If suitable, your property is listed on the Offsets Register for interested parties, including proponents, brokers or government agencies, to consider.
3. Matching with offset opportunities – if your property matches an environmental offset opportunity, the department may connect you with an interested party or explore direct investment through the Queensland Government’s Offset Account. You decide whether to discuss the opportunity, seek independent advice, negotiate or withdraw your interest.
4. Agreement and planning – if you choose to proceed, the relevant parties prepare an environmental offset agreement and offset delivery plan. Legal security may be required if the offset proceeds.
5. Ongoing management, monitoring and reporting – if an offset is established, the landholder undertakes agreed activities for the life of the environmental offset, as specified in the offset delivery plan.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register my property without committing to an environmental offset agreement?
Yes. Registering your interest or for an advanced offset is obligation-free. You do not have to allow your site to be used for an offset. If an interested party contacts the department about your site, you decide whether to discuss the opportunity, seek independent advice, negotiate or withdraw your interest. Legal obligations only begin if you choose to proceed and an environmental offset agreement is in place.

Will my contact details be made public?
No. Your contact details will not be made public. If an interested party contacts the department about your site, we will notify you. We will not share your contact details or detailed property information without your consent.

Will I need legal protection on my land?
Legal protection may be required if your site progresses to an environmental offset. The type and duration of legal security will depend on the impact being offset and the agreed offset conditions. For permanent impacts, this may mean permanent protection. Read more about legal security.

What if there are registered interests on my property title?
Any registered interests on the property’s title will need to be resolved before the offset area can be legally secured. You should consider seeking independent legal advice before entering into an environmental offset agreement.

What activities might I need to undertake if my land becomes an offset?
Activities are set out in the offset delivery plan and must be additional to what is already happening, already funded or required by law. They may include habitat restoration, revegetation, weed and pest control, fencing or stock management, and fire or water management.

How long do offset obligations last?
The duration of management, monitoring, reporting and legal security requirements depends on the impact being offset and the agreed offset conditions.

Do I need to manage or improve my site after registering?
No. You do not need to manage or improve your site unless it is selected and you agree to deliver an environmental offset. If your site is registered as an advanced offset, habitat improvements made after registration may be recognised if the site is later assessed for an offset.

Do I still own and manage my land?
Yes. You continue to own and manage your land while the offset is in place, subject to the agreed management requirements in the environmental offset agreement and offset delivery plan.

Contact

For more information about delivering an offset or registering your interest, contact offsets@detsi.qld.gov.au