Burnett Mary - Natural Resource Management region
Regional summary
The Burnett Mary region extends to all lands drained by the Mary, Kolan, Burnett, Auburn, Boyne, Elliot, Gregory, Isis and Burrum rivers and their tributaries. Significant areas such as the World Heritage-listed Great Sandy Straits, Fraser Island and the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are included in the region's boundaries.
The population of the Burnett Mary region is estimated at 289,000, the majority concentrated on the coastal fringes. The population is expanding rapidly and is estimated to reach 350,000 by 2026. The regional natural resource management (NRM) plan was accredited by ministers on 22 March 2005. The regional assets identified in the plan include biodiversity, coastal and marine resources, land resources, lifestyle and people, natural and cultural heritage and water resources.
Priority issues
Key natural resource management issues in the region include:
- the National Land and Water Resources Audit 2000 predicted that by 2050 approximately 180,837 hectares of the Burnett catchment will be affected by dryland salinity under current land use conditions
- pollution and contamination from herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers and sewage and stormwater effluent in the Mary River currently pose a moderate threat to the Ramsar wetland
- erosion in the Mary River catchment contributes to turbidity and siltation in the Great Sandy Strait
- groundwater supplies in areas of the region are also significantly over allocated
Regional plan
The Burnett Mary Regional Group for NRM was responsible for developing the Burnett Mary regional plan, in consultation with the local community. This plan was based on a whole-of-region approach and will address significant NRM issues, incorporating social, environmental and economic aspects.
The Burnett Mary Regional Group for NRM was responsible for developing the regional investment strategy. This is essentially the business plan that attracts investment from the Australian and state governments and details the specific actions, costs and timeframes required to implement the regional plan.
The group prepared a business plan that greatly assisted national and state-driven NRM planning under the Natural Heritage Trust (the Trust) and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP).
The planning focused on both preventative and cost-effective restorative measures to ensure sustainable NRM in the region. Local government authorities, community and industry groups as well as dedicated individuals throughout the region played a key role in the planning process and a major role in implementation.
- Burnett Mary plan - accredited April 2005
Current activities
- providing social and economic data to underpin catchment planning
- river assessment
- regional water quality monitoring networks
- integrated management of weeds of national, regional and local significance
- grazing land management system frameworks
- farming land system frameworks
- vegetation management and planning
- water management and planning
- land protection
- biodiversity planning
Contacts
Further information can be obtained by contacting the Regional Facilitators for Queensland.
Region summaries
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
You can also use your town name to find your NRM Region.
Key
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