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Queensland act
The Sustainable Ports Development Act 2015 is a Queensland law designed to protect the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area by controlling how ports along the Queensland coast can grow and develop.
1. Picks four "priority ports" — Only four ports (Abbot Point, Gladstone, Hay Point/Mackay, and Townsville) are designated for future growth. Port development is to be concentrated at these locations rather than spread along the coastline.
2. Requires "master plans" for each priority port — The Minister must create a long-term blueprint (called a master plan) for each priority port. These plans must map out environmental values, identify potential impacts, and set management measures. The public and local councils get to have a say before any plan is finalised.
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Direct links to the current provisions in Sustainable Ports Development Act 2015.
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View on official registerSourced from Queensland Legislation (legislation.qld.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
3. Creates "port overlays" — Once a master plan exists, a legally binding set of rules (called a port overlay) must be made for the port area. These overlays control what development can and can't happen near the port and override local council planning rules where there's a conflict.
4. Bans new port facilities outside existing port boundaries — If someone wants to build a new port facility (like a wharf, terminal or loading facility) inside the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area but outside an existing port's boundaries, that application must be refused. There are some limited exceptions.
5. Bans most large-scale dredging near the Reef — "Capital dredging" (large dredging projects to create new or expanded waterways for ships) is prohibited within the Reef area, except:
6. Bans dumping of dredge spoil in the Reef area — Material dug up during capital dredging cannot be dumped back into the Great Barrier Reef area unless it is beneficially reused (e.g., for land reclamation or environmental restoration).
7. Protects existing lawful uses — If you were already lawfully using land or had an existing development approval before a port overlay came into effect, that use or approval is protected. The new rules can't force you to stop or change existing lawful activities.
This law was passed largely in response to international pressure — the United Nations threatened to list the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site "in danger" due to concerns about port expansion and dredging damage. The Act tries to balance Australia's need to export coal and resources through Queensland ports with the obligation to protect one of the world's most iconic natural environments.
Bottom line: If you want to build near the Reef or expand a port, this Act will almost certainly affect your plans. Development is concentrated at four approved ports, large-scale dredging is tightly restricted, and a layered system of plans and overlays controls what can be built where.