May 19, 2022
The State Government has announced a partnership with the Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation (BPAC) to protect almost 1000ha of native habitat in the South Burnett and surrounding areas.
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon met with representatives from BPAC this week to announce $100,000 in funding to care for country on eight nature refuges in the area, building on funding provided through the government’s Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program.
The eight refuges are located at South-East Nanango, Booie, Kingaroy, Goodger, Boondooma, Wooroolin and Maclagan; and White Mountain in the Lockyer Valley.
“We’ve partnered with BPAC so Indigenous rangers can carry out weed control, property management planning and cultural burning on these nature refuges,” Minister Scanlon said.
She said the eight nature refuges cover a total of 944ha of conservation-significant land.
“Importantly, it creates vital employment and training opportunities in the Toowoomba and South Burnett regions as part of our COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan,” she said.
BPAC will work with the nature refuge landholders to deliver these activities by July.
“From the southernmost reaches of our state to Cape York in the far north, Queensland is home to 551 private protected areas – the largest private protected area network by land area in the country,” the Minister said.
“That’s why we’re partnering with groups like BPAC to support private landholders who are doing their bit to support the environment through owning and managing a nature refuge.”
BPAC general manager Paul Dawson said the outcomes would “not only enhance key values across private nature refuges but build lasting partnerships between landholders, Aboriginal rangers and key government environmental programs”.
