Soil Conservation Act 1986

Key powers the government has:

• Enter your land to inspect, survey, dig, and carry out works (with at least 7 days' notice if they're doing works to enforce an order).
• Issue orders requiring you to build, maintain, or remove earthworks, channels, vegetation, etc.
• If you don't comply with an order, the government can do the work itself and charge you for the cost. They can also take you to the Supreme Court.
• Restrict subdivision: Regulations can prevent local councils from approving a land subdivision if it would interfere with an approved plan.

Your rights:

• You can object in writing to any proposed plan, and the government must consider your objection.
• You can appeal to the Land Court (a specialist tribunal) within 42 days if you're unhappy with the government's decision on your objection.
• You're entitled to compensation if an approved plan, or actions taken under it, reduces the value of your land — but you must claim within 6 months of the event.
• You are not entitled to compensation if the restriction imposed by the plan was already required by existing law before the plan came into force.

Offences:

• Failing to comply with an order or notice: up to 20 penalty units (a fine).
• Tampering with survey pegs, interfering with works, or obstructing officers: also an offence.
• General offences under the Act: up to 10 penalty units.

Why does it matter to you?

If you own or farm rural land in Queensland, this law could:

• Require you to build and maintain erosion-control structures (like earthbanks or drainage channels) on your land.
• Affect your ability to subdivide your land.
• Give government officers the right to enter and inspect your property.
• Bind future owners of your land to any existing soil conservation orders — so if you sell, the new owner inherits the obligation.

Approved plans are binding on everyone, including the Crown (government itself).