COOLOOLA GREAT WALK ECOTOURISM PROJECT UPDATE AUGUST 2022

• A detailed outline of the process going forward including approximate timelines, approvals needed including consultation opportunities and how these will be advertised; agreements to be finalised; management plans; finalisation of site selection; building; etc.

CABN is yet to submit an application to DES for assessment under the NCA. No aspect of the Project proposal has been approved by DES, and formal assessment of the Project has not commenced. Until such time that formal assessment commences, DES cannot provide firm projections of approval timeframes.

Should an application be received, DES will assess the proposal against legislative criteria stated under section 35 of the NCA. Assessment of the project will be guided by two key policy documents, the Ecotourism Facilities on National Park Implementation Framework and Best Practice Ecotourism Development Guidelines. Copies of these documents can be found on DES’ Parks and Forests website (https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/)

In addition to approvals under the NCA, the proponent must also obtain all other necessary approvals under local and State legislation, in particular development approval under the Gympie Regional and Noosa Shire planning schemes. The Project proposal must also be approved by the traditional owners and native title claimants of the area, the Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners (Kabi Kabi).

The proponent’s final proposal must also work within the scope of approvals obtained by DES for the Project under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). DES referred the Project to the Commonwealth Government for assessment under the EPBC in June 2021, which included a mandatory 20-day public consultation period. Throughout this period, DES undertook targeted consultation and held information sessions in the Noosa and Rainbow Beach communities to notify the public and key stakeholders of an opportunity to make a formal submission to the Commonwealth on the project EPBC referral. On 30 June 2021, the Commonwealth Government determined that the project is not a ‘controlled action’ under the EPBC, as it is unlikely to result in significant impacts on Matters of National Environmental Significance.

Local government development approval processes for the project are a matter for the Gympie Regional and Noosa Shire Councils. Any questions regarding development approvals, including statutory consultation requirements, should be directed to these authorities.

• How is the government proposing to ensure that the project is: a) ecologically sustainable, b) In the public’s interest. c) provides for the permanent preservation of the natural condition and protection of natural and cultural values of the area?
• In her response to the parliamentary petition No 3594-21 opposing the proposed Cooloola Great walk Project, the Minister for the Environment Meaghan Scanlon MP, responded by saying that the new campsites will be “low key, removable commercial accommodation facilities”… If we compare those facilities with Noosa accommodation, they will fit into a ‘low key’ description. If we compare them to what is in the park at present, they are nothing but.

DES, as the agency responsible for managing Queensland’s protected area estate, must ensure that all development and use of national park land, including ecotourism development, is undertaken in a manner which is consistent with the requirements of the NCA, in line with current environmental best practice, ensures the protection of key protected area values, and provides a benefit back to the protected area estate.  DES is obligated to ensure that legislative requirements have been met prior to making a final decision on whether to approve the Cooloola Project.

DES’ assessment and approval of ecotourism development in protected areas is guided by the Ecotourism Facilities on National Park Implementation Framework and Best Practice Ecotourism Development Guidelines. These documents provide additional clarification and interpretation of the legislative requirements under which ecotourism proposals are assessed, and details of national and international best practice standards and criteria for ecotourism development.

• Why is the Department of Tourism running the EOI when this is the key responsibility of another Department?

Selection of CABN as the preferred proponent has no bearing on, or relevance to, the requirement for the preferred proponent to obtain approvals for the project from DES under the NCA and other relevant local, State and Commonwealth authorities.

Final approval of the Project under the NCA is solely the responsibility of the Chief Executive of DES.

• Are contracting procedures (under EOI processes) being followed in accordance with the Recreation Areas Management Act?

• A copy of Environmental Impact Statement
• Copies of any environmental studies done to date

Additional environmental studies may be published on the DES website as the project evolves and progresses towards final approvals.

• Information on site selection including how sites have been chosen, what environmental assessments have been done, what processes need to be done to finalise sites, any opportunity for community consultation on site selection.

Site selection is subject to ongoing consultation with key stakeholders and further impact assessment, and will not be finalised until an application is received by DES.

DES sought public comment on proposed ecotourism sites during public and key stakeholder consultation on the Project undertaken in June 2021. DES has also sought feedback from conservation stakeholders on proposed site locations throughout 2021 and 2022.

Further, DES has an open invitation for submissions on the project (including comments on proposed site locations), which will be considered as part of the Chief Executive of DES’ decision making on the project should an application be submitted for assessment in future. Submissions on the proposal may be sent to ecofacilities@des.qld.gov.au.

• Details of the proposal including who pays for the buildings, where the money from visitors and ongoing operation of sites will be allocated/shared (proponent, Kabi Kabi, QPWS) and what the projected financial gains will be, projected operating costs and who is responsible, how long it will take for the current $2M to be recouped?
• Why has so little information been given to the public (eg details of sites, proposed plans for tours, environmental assessments)? When will this information be provided for the public and will the public be able to provide feedback / raise concerns?

All available project information received by DES to date, including details of proposed site locations and usage, and preliminary environmental surveys and impact assessments, have been published on the DES website and were provided as part of the EPBC referral on the Project which was approved in June 2021.

The proponent is yet to submit an application to DES for assessment under the NCA, and DES does not have any further information at this time on financial or operational aspects of the proposal. Further information on the Project may be made available should the Project proceed to approvals from local and State authorities.

DES has no information on the $2 million referred to in the question. See Sandy’s website update at https://www.sandybolton.com/cooloola-great-walk-update-2-march-2022/ as information regarding this funding was provided by the Department of Tourism in March 2022.

See answer to question 1 for consultation and information release.

• Where will guests be leaving from?

Should departures occur from within the protected area estate, approvals will be required under the NCA.

Should departures occur from outside of the protected area estate, DES would not be involved in the selection, approval and use of such a location.

• Will helicopters be used during either the setup of the sites or bringing in supplies when operational?

• Concerns about effluent and flood levels
• Pump-out of toilets given various issues with the current established pump-outs and North Shore wilderness camp (spillages, etc)
• Proponent’s environmental mitigation solutions not being sustainable eg no water to be used cleaning ramps, cars washed thoroughly each time they enter the park to avoid introducing weeds, no chemicals to be used in cleaning of accommodation
• Concerns about the ‘peacefulness’ of the walk and impacts by this new tourism project, as saying they don’t really know what is going to happen and how the general ambiance of the area will be impacted.

DES has published minimum environmental protection measures and requirements that the proponent must address in documentation published on the DES website. Further environmental protection measures may be identified as the project evolves, based on ongoing environmental investigations and stakeholder and community feedback.

• Provide the Draft ILUA agreement – will this be made public and put to public for consultation
• Will the draft ILUA agreement be made public and put to public for consultation
• There are claims that there will be an entity formed with Kabi Kabi and CABN and Kabi Kabi will have access to a percentage of business structure – Is this correct? In relation to this, is this structure being used so developers can keep information confidential and to avoid consultation process with community?

Engagement with Kabi Kabi is governed by relevant legislation and procedures relating to ecotourism development under the NCA, as well as the requirements of the Commonwealth Native Title Act 1993 (NTA) and the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003. Kabi Kabi representatives must meet requirements under the NTA to authorise agreements on behalf of the Kabi Kabi People in relation to activities within the Kabi Kabi People Native Title Claim Area. DES’ ongoing engagement with Kabi Kabi is guided by these requirements.

• 1^st site, 1km from CGW against patterned fens environment – concerns about impacts on patterned fens by building a road from site 1 to 3. Why could the current site not be used to minimize impact?
• Due to concerns raised (see below) on Campsite N9, could the location east of campsite 3 be considered as an alternative?
• Concerns about environmental sensitivity of the Noosa River site (campsite N9), not just Lake Poona
• Impact of new vehicle roads on existing campsites particularly the road to reach campsite N9

Site selection, including for the proposed Noosa River site, is an ongoing process, subject to consultation with key stakeholders and further environmental impact assessment. Site locations are not finalised until DES receives an application for the proposal under the NCA.

• Great Sandy Management Plan – due for release later in 2022

The management plan is currently still under development, with public consultation on the management plan still to occur. A gazettal date for the final management plan has not yet been announced.

• Double Island Point lease. Extended at a peppercorn rent? What process was followed?

NPAs licence was most recently renewed in 2019 for an additional ten years.

• As Queensland is aiming to have up to 17% National Parks, why is the government going ahead with this development before that target is reached?

The Government is committed to conserving and expanding the State’s protected area system of over 14 million hectares, and demonstrating best practice management.

The release of Queensland’s Protected Area Strategy 2020-2030 (the Strategy) in October 2020 was an important step in establishing the state’s strategic direction for terrestrial protected areas. The initial years of implementation are focusing on foundational activities to leverage external partnerships and develop innovative approaches for the expansion and management of the state’s protected area system.

Two significant properties have already been acquired this year, demonstrating the progress that is being made under the Strategy.

–          On 5 February 2022, the Honourable Meaghan Scanlon MP, Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs, announced the acquisition of The Lakes, a 35,300-hectare grazing property north of Hughenden, for future addition to the protected area estate.

–          On 24 February 2022, the Minister and the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier and Minister for the Olympics, announced the acquisition of a further 131,900 hectares through the purchase of Bramwell and Richardson Stations as part of the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program.

Since the Strategy was released, an additional 17 new nature refuges have also been added to Queensland’s private protected area network, which is already the largest in Australia.

DES is reporting annually on progress in implementing the ten-year Strategy, with the first report released in February 2022. The 2021 Report Card, outlining what has been achieved during the first year of implementation, is available at https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/management/plans-strategies/protected-area-strategy/report-cards.