Operational policy

Natural Resource Management

Grazing on QPWS managed lands

Operational policies provide a framework for consistent application and interpretation of legislation and for the management
of non-legislative matters by the Environmental Protection Agency (incorporating the Queensland Parks and Wildlife
Service). Operational policies are not intended to be applied inflexibly in all circumstances. Individual circumstances may
require a modified application of policy.

Policy subject
The management and administration of grazing on Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) managed
lands.

Desired outcomes
The purpose of the policy is to ensure consistent decision-making regarding the authorisation of grazing on
QPWS managed lands.

Background
The granting of stock grazing authorities is not consistent with the management of a national park or a national
park (scientific). Stock grazing may be permitted as a consistent use on other categories of QPWS managed
lands, dependant on a range of considerations.
Transition arrangements exist for all QPWS lands, including national park, where pre-existing stock grazing is to
be phased out of an area.

On some categories of QPWS managed lands, stock may also be used as a management tool e.g. in the
regeneration of natural communities or specific conservation objectives for a natural community or species.
All other stock grazing on QPWS managed lands is an unauthorised activity.

Policy statement
Grazing Authorisation
Also refer “Procedural Guide: Assessing applications for grazing authorities on QPWS managed lands.”
QPWS will:
• ensure that any grazing that occurs is sustainable and consistent with the relevant management
principles specified in the NCA1992 or FA1959 and complies with all relevant legislation;
• condition grazing authorities to minimise impacts on the natural and cultural values and ensure best
practice management of the land including fire management;
• exclude or require stock to be excluded from areas where grazing may threaten the long term
conservation of the cultural heritage or natural values;
• require authority holders to formally assess the impact of their grazing enterprise at intervals between
three and five years;
• evaluate that assessment and the condition of the land being grazed;

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Environmental Protection Agency

www.epa.qld.gov.au ABN 87 221 158 786
 Operational policy
Grazing on QPWS managed lands

• only issue authorities to graze cattle1 and

• keep a register of authorities over QPWS managed lands.
1
( in exceptional circumstances, an authority may be issued for sheep grazing where there is a historical
precedent.)

Issuing/Renewing authorities to graze on QPWS managed lands

A decision to grant or renew a grazing authority and the conditions placed on that authority will be based on:
• the legislative requirements, particularly the management principles, of the land tenure;
• an assessment of the land to determine if grazing is a suitable land use; and/or
• documented prior commitments.
Areas that have previously had grazing authorities may not necessarily continue to be made available for
grazing.

Mechanisms for grazing stock

Authorised grazing of stock on QPWS managed lands occurs either as:
• an authority (term lease) issued under the Land Act 1994 (LA1994), pursuant to the Forestry Act 1959
(FA1959) or the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1975 (NPWA1975);
• a Stock Grazing Permit issued under the Nature Conservation (Administration) Regulation 2006
(NCAR2006), Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) Regulation 2006 NC(PAM)R2006)
or FA1959;
• an authority issued under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA1992); or
• specific agreements for grazing on the other lands managed by QPWS.
Appendix 1 provides more detail on the type and circumstances of grazing authorisations on QPWS managed
lands.
Consistent with the policy approved by the Minister for the Environment in 2000, unless exceptional
circumstances apply, all authorities to graze stock should be limited in duration to a 10 year term (and may be
further limited by native title considerations).
Where a lessee has multiple leases over a reserve, amalgamation of those leases will be sought.
Where flexibility and responsiveness is required, Stock Grazing Permits are the preferred authority to issue.

Authorisations for improvements

Also refer: “Procedural Guide: Assessing applications for improvements (vegetation clearing and infrastructure)
under grazing authorities on QPWS managed lands.”

QPWS will, subject to documented prior commitments:

• not authorise broad-scale clearing of remnant vegetation (as defined by the Vegetation Management
Act 1999);
• not approve clearing of remnant vegetation other than for maintaining existing infrastructure such as
fencelines, watering facilities, fire trails or internal access;
• assess applications for thinning of regrowth or remnant vegetation and clearing of regrowth based on
benefiting ecological processes and or agency land management objectives;
• require the method of clearing or thinning to result in minimal soil disturbance;
• not authorise introduction of non-native species (note that the short-term introduction of non-native,
non-invasive, non-perennial species may be appropriate for requirements such as the quick stabilisation
of an eroding bank) ;

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 Operational policy
Grazing on QPWS managed lands

• only authorise infrastructure which is removable or which leads to demonstrable management

improvement;
• not authorise water storage infrastructure on national parks; and
• only authorise water storages that are fenced with off set watering points on all other QPWS managed
lands.
Unauthorised grazing
QPWS staff will undertake all measures necessary to remove unauthorised stock.

Approved by:

Alan Feely 01/12/05

Signature Date

Disclaimer

While this document has been prepared with care it contains general information and does not profess to offer
legal, professional or commercial advice. The Queensland Government accepts no liability for any external
decisions or actions taken on the basis of this document. Persons external to the Environmental Protection
Agency should satisfy themselves independently and by consulting their own professional advisors before
embarking on any proposed course of action.

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Legislative background
Land tenures in the EPA/QPWS estate and their associated level of commercial grazing authorisations
Tenure Management principles and grazing
National park Protect the area's exceptional scientific values
scientific i.e. ensure the processes of nature continue
unaffected and protect the area's biological
diversity to the greatest possible extent, and to
allow controlled scientific study and monitoring
of the area's natural resources (protected area)
(S16 NCA1992)
National park Provide, to the greatest possible extent, for the
permanent preservation of the area's natural
condition and the protection of the area's cultural
resources and values, present the area's cultural
and natural resources and their values, and
ensure that the only use of the area is nature-
based and ecologically sustainable (protected
area) (S17 NCA1992)
National park To be rehabilitated so as to be managed as a
recovery national park (protected area).
S19A(c) NCA1994 states that any commercial
use of the park’s natural resources to restore its
conservation values must be consistent with an
approved regeneration plan for the park.
Conservation park Conserve and present the area's cultural and
natural resources and their values, provide for
the permanent conservation of the area's natural
condition to the greatest possible extent, and
ensure that any commercial use of the area's
natural resources, including fishing and grazing,
is ecologically sustainable (protected area) (S20
NCA1992)
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Operational policy
Grazing on QPWS managed lands
Appendix 1
Grazing authorities available
Not permissible
Not permissible
To allow for the phasing out of grazing after
dedication of the national park until it is practical
to exclude stock, a S36 NCA1992 “previous
use authority” is issued for a newly dedicated
national park where:
1. a Term/Special Lease LA1994,
pursuant to the FA1959 and
NPWA1975, is current,
2. an existing S34 NCA 1992 authority is
current, or
3. a Stock Grazing Permit (SGP)
(NCAR2006 or FA1959) is current.
This S36 authority can be issued up to the
unexpired term of the existing authority above,
or up to three (3) years where no existing
current grazing authority exists.
For areas that were subject to a SGP on a
forest reserves in the SEQFA, a S36 authority
is deemed to have been granted at the time of
dedication as national park.
S34 NCA1994 authority or S10 NCAR 2006
SGP may be issued if it is consistent with:
• management principles for the
area,
• a regeneration plan,
• and if a management plan has
been approved for the area, the
management plan.
Phasing out of grazing after dedication can
occur (see “national park” above).
S34 NCA1992 authority or S10 NCAR 2006
SGP may be issued if it is consistent with:
• management principles for the area
and
• if a management plan has been
approved for the area, the
management plan.
S34 NCA 1992 authority can be issued for
range of periods but generally up to 20 years.
S19 NCAR 2006 provide for stock grazing
permits to be issued up to 10 years.
Review date 12/07

Tenure Management principles and grazing
Resources Recognise and, if appropriate, protect the area's
reserve cultural and natural resources, provide for the
controlled use of the area's cultural and natural
resources, and ensure that the area is
maintained predominately in its natural condition
(protected area) (S21 NCA1992).
Forest reserve Transition tenure from State forest or timber
reserve to protected area under the NCA1992.
To be managed under the FA1959 as if it
continues as a State forest or timber reserve
except no extraction of timber is allowed.
State forest Ensure the permanent preservation of such
areas for the purpose of producing timber and
associated products in perpetuity and of
protecting a watershed therein, and the
management should consider the benefits of
grazing the area, the desirability of conservation
of soil and the environment and the protection of
water quality, and the possibility of applying the
area to recreational purposes (S33 FA1959)
Timber reserve Reserved for future consideration as a State
forest
Reserve under Reserved for the particular use defined in the
the LA1994 declaration i.e. environmental, recreational,
(where QPWS is mining, scientific, etc or any combination
trustee)
USL (unallocated Land (listed as an asset and QPWS is
State land) where responsible for its management) acquired
QPWS is awaiting processing to be gazetted as one of the
responsible for tenures above
management
Land held in fee Acquired for dedication as one of the above
simple by QPWS reserves or other environmental purposes, or
held for administrative purposes
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Operational policy
Grazing on QPWS managed lands
Grazing authorities available
S34 NCA1992 authority or S10 NCAR 2006
SGP may be issued if it is consistent with:
• management principles for the area and
• if a management plan has been approved
for the area, the management plan.
S34 NCA1992 authority can be issued for range
of periods but generally up to 20 years.
S19 NCAR 2006 provide for stock grazing
permits to be issued up to 10 years.
Authorised under S70F(b) of the NCA1992
which provides for the continuation of any lawful
existing use of the land, provided it is
ecologically sustainable, and that all uses of the
land under an authority made after any
designation of land in the forest reserve as a
proposed protected area are consistent with the
management principles for the class of area that
the land is proposed to become.
See “State forest” & “timber reserve” below for
issuance of grazing authorities until a
designation of land is made.
Under S35 FA1959, stock grazing permits can
be issued for up to seven (7) years (and
renewed).
Under S124 LA1994 pursuant to S35 FA1959,
term leases can be issued over State forests.
Areas declared feature protection areas,
scientific areas and State forest parks are not
available for grazing.
Under S36 of the FA1959, a lease or permit
may be granted under the LA1994 with standard
conditions, modified if required.
Occupation Licences or Term Leases under the
LA1994 with standard conditions, modified if
required, and termination provisions relevant to
the purpose of the reserve.
Temporary arrangements often as Occupation
Licence under the LA1994 with standard
conditions, modified if required, and termination
at short notice.
Specific agreement signed by both parties with
standard conditions, which may be modified to
meet specific requirements of the area.
Review date 12/07