FAQs

Gympie’s township and surrounding areas are subject to a declaration known as Restricted Area 384 which restricts new resource exploration permits being granted within the area. 

The proposed change to the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan would see the area mapped as a Priority Living Area under the Regional Planning Interest Act 2014, providing a mechanism to:

•    protect the liveability of the Gympie township from impacts of resource activity

•    provide opportunities for community feedback on proposed activities.

The proposed amendment only relates to the Gympie township. View a map of the boundaries.

The proposed change to the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan comes ahead of a broader review of the regional plan which is expected in 2022. The decision to proceed with the targeted amendment now, rather than wait for the broader review, is to ensure any economic benefits from proposed mining exploration activities can be expedited.

Information on these resource tenements can be found at Resource tenements | Business Queensland.

Restricted Area 384 (RA384) was a Queensland Government response to community concerns in 2011 about increasing competition between mining exploration activities and the development of town centres. This measure was only ever to be an interim solution.

RA384 prohibits new applications for mineral exploration in the mapped area. This restriction still applies to the Gympie township and prohibits new exploration permits. However, applicants can apply for new or operate existing mining leases or mineral development licences. These are different to an exploration permit.

Areas declared under Restricted Area 384 (RA384)  are not mapped in regional plans. The RA384 was made under the Mineral Resources Act 1989. Regional plans are made under the Planning Act 2016 (or previous planning legislation) and mining activities are excluded from the application of the Planning Act 2016.

RA384 can be viewed via the GeoResGlobe | Business Queensland under ‘Constrained Areas’.

Currently, a resource tenement and (generally) an environmental authority are required. This will remain the same under the proposed changes. However, the proposed change will add an additional approval.

A regional interests development approval (RIDA) will also be needed for ‘resource activities within a Priority Living Area’ under the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014. A RIDA is a land use or planning approval which ensures the location, nature and conduct of the resource activity is compatible with the planned future for the area.

Additional approvals (e.g., damage mitigation permits, water licence) may also be required depending on the nature of the resource activity.

Yes, new or amendments to an existing mining activity can be approved. This would require the following approvals:

1. a resource tenement (e.g., exploration permit, mineral development license or mining lease) under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 for the rights to the minerals, and
2. an environmental authority under the Environmental Protection Act 1999 to manage any environmental impacts (unless the activity meets the criteria for a small-scale mining activity).

However, Restricted Area 384 prohibits new applications for exploration permits under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 for coal, mineral or coal seam gas in the mapped area over Gympie. RA384 does not affect the ability of an applicant to seek new mineral development licences or mining leases within the mapped area (see previous question above for further an explanation of the various licences and permits and what they mean).

Yes, the community and local government can have their say under the proposed changes.

If the proposed changes go ahead, Gympie township will be mapped under a Priority Living Area (PLA). This means a regional interests development approval (RIDA) application for new or changes to current resource activities in the Priority Living Area will be needed under the changes.

These applications must be publicly notified, unless the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning provides an exemption (e.g. where a resource activity has undergone a publicly notified environmental impact statement (EIS) process and this process also addressed PLA requirements). This will provide the community and local government with an opportunity to provide feedback on the application proposal.

Environmental authority and resource tenement applications for new or changes to current activities do not automatically trigger consultation with the local government or the community. This will depend on whether the activities are considered significant or if the proponent can comply with the standard conditions.

Yes, if the proposed changes go ahead an applicant must obtain all three approvals for a new exploration activity:

• resource tenement
• an environmental authority (unless the activity meets the criteria for a small-scale mining activity)
• regional interests development approval (RIDA).

If a RIDA is not approved, then the activity cannot go ahead even if an exploration permit and environmental authority are approved.

No, the decisions are made by the state.

Decisions on regional interests development approval

These are made by the Chief Executive of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning. However, Gympie Regional Council has a formal role in assessing any application where it involves an area mapped as a Priority Living Area (PLA).

In these situations, Gympie Regional Council assesses the application against the policies in the amendment (when finalised) and provides a recommendation to the Chief Executive. If Council was to recommend refusal of a proposed resource activity in the PLA and the Chief Executive decided to approve the application, the Chief Executive must publish a statement of reasons in relation to the Council’s recommendation.

Decisions on resource tenements 

These are made by the Minister for Resources and Gympie Regional Council has no formal role in the process.

Decisions on environmental authorities for resource activities 

These are made by the Department of Environment and Science and Gympie Regional Council has no formal role in the process.