How does the government invest environmental offset funds?
The Queensland Government is responsible for the delivery of environmental offsets to achieve conservation outcomes for significant residual impacts arising from development on significant biodiversity values.
Management of funds
Financial settlement offset payments for State-required offsets are administered by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (department). The funds are quarantined for offset projects throughout the state.
The register of offsets lists offset payments that will be used to deliver projects in various locations for the corresponding impacted environmental matters.
The Offsets Project Management Committee
The Committee was established to advise on offset activities funded by the department’s Offset Account.
The Committee aims to:
identify strategic approaches for offset activities
advise on the annual prioritisation of new offset activities
advise on the contents of an Annual Report including documenting any successes and challenges associated with achieving conservation outcomes for offset activities.
The financial offset project management and delivery process
There are multiple steps involved in delivering an environmental offset, and effective environmental outcomes are often only achieved after several years.
Step 1 – Receipting to Offset Account
A developer elects the ‘financial offset’ option to meet the offset obligation under the Environmental Offsets Act 2014.
On payment to the department’s Offset Account, the offset obligation is met and the liability for delivering an environmental offset is transferred to the Queensland Government.
Step 2 – Understand requirements
The department:
scopes potential offset areas for the environmental matters which have been impacted
analyses offset requirements and pathways including gaining input from experts including GIS analysis of possible sites, complementary programs to aid delivery, availability of advanced offsets, pooling funds to enhance project scale or effectiveness, and suitability of potential providers
consults with other agencies and determines best pathway for offset delivery.
Step 3 – Engage offset provider
The department undertakes market research to source appropriate environmental offset provider(s) to:
contribute to the definition of requirements to deliver a conservation outcome (where relevant)
deliver project requirements under contract.
Step 4 – Project implementation
The department will:
identify and consult with any identified interested parties
execute and implement contract with offset provider
register offset on property title (where relevant).
Step 5 – Performance management
The department then manages environmental offset agreement milestones for up to 20 years to ensure management actions are undertaken and the offset site achieves a conservation outcome.
Ongoing Offset Account management and reporting.
Example of current environmental offset projects
Wherever possible, offsets projects are targeted towards feasible, best value offsets that meet the requirements of the environmental offsets framework to achieve a conservation outcome for the impacted matters of state environmental significance. Examples of environmental offset projects being delivered by the department are below:
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The project will offset impacts caused by the Sunshine Coast Airport runway extension which cleared eastern ground parrot habitat in Southeast Queensland. Learn more about the Eastern Ground Parrot project.
Project details and benefits:
the eastern ground parrot has a highly reduced and restricted range on the Sunshine Coast and its habitat has been heavily fragmented by agricultural and urban development
an expert panel recommended Mount Coolum National Park as the best site to restore habitat for the locally impacted population as the site is connected to the impact zone
detailed monitoring will be undertaken to get a baseline understanding of the Ground Parrot and its habitat condition and to quantify benefit after the management actions have been undertaken.
Outcomes to date:
the offset will fast track responses needed for recovery of the eastern ground parrot population
an environmental management plan for the required vegetation management operation and fire management plan have been implemented
vegetation works have been completed with maintenance of the outcomes now underway.
An offset project resulting from multiple impacts in southeast Queensland which will deliver benefits to koala habitat.
Project details and benefits:
the offset site has direct connectivity with known habitat for the threatened koala
on-ground management activities will enhance existing koala habitat and will be monitored and reported upon to track improvements.
Outcomes to date:
a 2.39 hectare offset site was legally secured and is now being managed to ensure ongoing protection of koala habitat.
An offset to compensate for numerous impacts to marine plants within the Tweed-Moreton Marine Bioregion.
Project details and benefits:
prior to project commencement, the offset site was separated from the Brisbane River by a seawall. This prevented fish from accessing mangroves and reduced the dispersal of marine plant seeds.
the aim of the offset is to improve local fish species diversity and increase the quality of mangrove habitat.
Outcomes to date:
over 19 hectares of marine plant habitat legally was secured
the offset has addressed the main threat to local marine plants by creating two openings in the pre-existing rock wall to create increased water flow and to better enable seed dispersal
post-works monitoring has shown a measurable improvement to mangrove health.
An offset project to compensate for impacts to a population of Austral toadflax (Thesium australe) resulting from the Toowoomba Bypass project in the eastern Darling Downs. Learn more about the toadflax project.
Project details and benefits:
this threatened plant species will be monitored, adaptively managed and protected in perpetuity on the offset site
the landholder receives payments for managing the offset site to specification
the landholder can diversify their business income streams while assisting with the conservation of a vulnerable species.
Outcomes to date:
environmental offset agreement executed in August 2019
the number of Austral toadflax has been increasing on the offset site each year since the implementation of management actions (primarily controlled by slashing and fire management).
A project to offset impacts to koala habitat caused by mining activity. The project will ensure areas of koala habitat are protected and restored in the northern Brigalow Belt.
Project details and benefits:
project to compensate for impacts on more than 3,000 hectares of koala habitat in the northern Brigalow Belt
offset provider will assist natural regeneration through managing threats such as fire, weeds, and feral pests on private land
the project will also consider revegetating and managing cleared areas to create a self-sustaining forest with koala food and shelter trees.
Outcomes to date:
an expert elicitation process has been undertaken to identify the most beneficial combination of site characteristics and management actions to offset impacts to koala habitat
landholders of identified suitable sites have been engaged in preliminary conversations prior to formal negotiations commencing.
Legally securing environmental offsets
There are several different options available to legally secure environmental offset sites:
Environmental Offsets Protection Area (EOPA)
Nature Refuge
Special Wildlife Reserve
Highly Protected Area of a Marine Park
Fish Habitat Area
Voluntary Declared Area (V-Dec)
Statutory Covenant and other mechanisms specified under the Land Act 1994 and Land Title Act 1994.
The relevant agency which administers the legal security mechanism (PDF, 284.9 KB)
will be able to provide more specific details regarding the mechanism including the environmental matters it may cover, any mapping requirements, and its compatibility with mining or grazing activities.
How do I get involved in providing environmental offsets?
If you are interested in providing environmental offsets on your land or as an offset provider here are the ways to get involved:
Register your interest in providing a financial offset, or services that may be provided in identifying or delivering offsets by emailing financialoffsets@des.qld.gov.au
An Invitation to Offer may be periodically advertised. To receive email updates about offers please register on the QTender website.
Check the offsets register regularly. This register lists offset payments that will be used to deliver projects for the corresponding environmental matters.
If you have any further questions or would like more information about offset delivery, please email financialoffsets@des.qld.gov.au.
