CONTENTS PG28. PG64 People. PG77 What we Plan to Do PG20. Chapter 3 Local landscapes of Mackay Whitsunday Isaac. Chapter 1

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1 T F A R D

2 PG 4 PG 6 TRADITIONAL OWNER FOREWORD FOREWORD VISION Chapter 3 Local lscapes of Mackay Whitsunday Isaac CONTENTS PG 8 INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 Regional Summary PG 12 Regional Context PG 13 Condition Trends PG 16 Our Values PG 18 Drivers of Change PG30 PG34 PG38 PG42 PG46 PG50 PG54 PG58 Whitsunday Coast Isls Proserpine Bloomsbury Calen Seaforth Eungella Pioneer Valley Mackay Region Mackay City Sarina Isaac PG28 3 Chapter 2 The Planning Process PG 21 Planning - Brief History PG 22 NRM Plan Development PG 26 What a Difference a Year Can Make 1 PG10 2 PG20 PG62 4 PG76 5 Chapter 4 Outcomes Management Actions PG64 People PG66 Terrestrial Environment PG68 Coastal Marine Environment PG70 Agriculture PG72 Industry PG74 Climate Chapter 5 Implementation PG77 What we Plan to Do PG78 Indicators PG79 Principles of Delivery PG80 With Thanks 2 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 3

3 ARTWORK BY NGARO / GIA TRADITIONAL OWNER NICKY-BIDJU PRYOR. JURRU - Bidju Designs GIA Acknowledgement Acknowledgement Traditional Owner Traditional Owner NGARO We would like to respectfully acknowledge the Ngaro, Yuwi-bara, Koinjmal, Gia Wiri Traditional Owners on whose l sea country this plan applies. We would also like to pay our respects to the elders both past, present future acknowledge the important role traditional owners have had continue to have in managing this l for the benefit We would like to respectfully acknowledge the Ngaro, Yuwi-bara, Koinjmal, Gia Wiri Traditional Owners on whose l sea country this plan applies. We would also like to pay our respects to the elders both past, present future acknowledge the important role traditional owners have had As Traditional Owners we have a spiritual cultural connection continue to have in managing this l for the benefit YUI - BARA to the l sea our. The natural resources that make up are important to many people for many reasons. The management of natural resources is important, we have been doing it all our lives our ancestors have before us. We have a spiritual connection to the l, that is where we come As Traditional Owners we have a spiritual cultural connection from, it is everything out there, it is significant to Aboriginal to the lfor thouss sea our. The natural that for us people. of years Mother Earthresources has provided make up important to many peopleshelter for many giving us bush are tucker, medicine, fresh water, much reasons. more so we have after her. You have to see it through our eyes. For thouss of years we have looked after in return has provided us; giving us understing bush tucker, medicine, Weitwould like our for ideas deep fresh water, shelter much more. Our modern to be included in planning for the future of thecommunities region. This will look to to continue provide sameinthings for help us to work together to afterthese the region, them, can only provide if it is looked after kept teach all of our children to do the same, so our values, culture, healthy. heritage is protected (Aunty Carol Pryor, Ngaro Elder). WIRI We share the vision of the broader community look forward to helping make this a reality We would like our ideas deep understing The sustainability of our environment ensures that our cultural to be included in planning for the future of the region. This will practices are maintained continued on our l (including help us to work together after in the region, waters) sea country now into the future. teach all of our children to do the same, so our values, culture, heritage is protected. The ideas we have included in the Plan are the long view of we long needview Thewhat ideaswe wewould have like included in the Plan like, are the of after country for our children grchildren, not just ourselves. what we would like like, we need after country for our children grchildren, not just ourselves. We encourage the whole community to share the vision for our work together to maketo this happen. WeRegion encourage the whole community share the vision for our Region work together to make this happen. 4 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN KOINJMAL 5

4 The Mackay, Whitsunday Isaac Natural Resource Management Plan is a strategic plan, developed by the community stakeholders. Our region is rich in natural resources that enable us to sustain major agriculture, tourism resource industries amidst a natural biodiverse environment. Mackay Whitsunday Isaac sit at the gateway of the Great Barrier Reef surrounding isls drawing visitors from all over the world. Our productive agricultural l comprises sugar cane, cattle grazing horticulture which has supported shaped our economy, culture heritage since the 19th Century. More recently the surrounding Central Queensl coalfields have influenced our region through the provision of vital infrastructure to support the mining industry including one of the world s largest coal terminals at Hay Point. Our region is home to an abundance of iconic species lscapes, with the Clarke Connors Range providing a focus habitat for many endemic terrestrial species the coastline a key habitat for migratory shorebirds turtles. Our region has a wealth of natural resources but these are not limitless, if lost they are irreplaceable. The way our community uses natural resources is influenced by many factors sensible, balanced management is required to ensure we don t impact its ability to provide what we need, thereby damaging our industries, economies wellbeing. Pressures on our ability to properly manage our natural resources include: Population growth related issues in capacity, coastal development, infrastructure pressure on fringing environmental areas; The impacts of an increasingly variable climate, our community s ability to respond to such changes as the population grows; Poor or inappropriate l management the effects this has on natural assets (l, water, biodiversity), in delivering vital ecosystem services; Water quality, both terrestrial marine, including impacts of terrestrial activity on our water resources;a Invasive species the impacts of these on the economy environment; Lack of cultural heritage knowledge capture the need to empower Traditional Owner groups to protect culturally significant locations. Our region is an exceptionally beautiful, productive diverse place, this Natural Resource Management Plan provides the framework for a collaborative approach for maintaining, enhancing restoring the natural resources on which we all depend. We invite you to be part of this Natural Resource Management Plan by taking action, participating in its implementation review. Vision A region that is resilient adaptive to change; where people, the environment, production development exist together in balance. Robert Cocco Chief Executive Officer 6 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN PHOTO: MAREE CALI 7

5 Introduction The Natural Resource Management Plan has been developed by the Mackay, Whitsunday Isaac community is intended to be used by, benefit, the community. Mackay, Whitsunday Isaac Catchment Area The Plan builds on the aspirations of previous Natural Resource Management Plans produced in , is designed to continue as a living document that is updated again in The aim of developing this Plan, similar to previous plans, is to guide investment activity in natural resource management across the region. We achieve this by bringing together natural resource information making it available, connecting existing activities of all stakeholder to encourage greater involvement in NRM, in identifying opportunities for new partnerships investors. This Plan has a two scale structure, setting strategic direction for natural resource management at the regional scale, while capturing our community values priorities at a socioecological lscape scale. The intention of this is to create an overarching community strategy that is further refined into finer scale operational plans used to influence statutory plans. The plan begins by context setting with a Regional Summary of our natural resources, their condition trends, the drivers of change operating upon them. This is followed by an introduction to how the document was developed, The Planning Process, which outlines the methodology employed in arriving at a collaborative, strategic plan. EUNGELLA PROSERPINE Following this, we explore stories at the local lscape scale, looking at our region s Local Lscape as eight distinct social areas with different values visions. In setting outcomes management actions, we filter these local values visions through eight systems, or themes, that help make sense of natural resource management in relatable terms to the regional community. It is in this section, Systems that the activities necessary to achieve the vision are outlined. Finally, the Plan concludes with implementation, listing some indicators that will assess how the region s community stakeholders are tracking toward their management actions, outcomes, ultimately, vision. MACKAY SARINA National parks reserves Grazing forestry Crop l (cane horticulture) Intensive uses (eg, rural residential, transport corridors) Dams reservoirs Urban Wetl Major road River/stream NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 9 ± Kilometres Scale at A4 is 1: