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3 Regional landscape
Desired regional outcome 3
The regional landscape is managed for a
range of functions and values, including
agriculture, water quality, nature
conservation, scenic amenity, ecosystem
services, heritage and outdoor recreation.
The Regional Landscape and Rural
Production Area regulates development
for urban purposes and the reconfiguration
of land. Within this area, rural precinct
plans will be developed to support
integrated planning and effective
management of key environmental,
economic, social and cultural resources.
The key environmental, economic,
social and cultural resources of the
regional landscape are identified and
secured to meet community needs and
achieve ecological sustainability.
Regional open space in SEQ includes
regionally significant lands that are publicly
accessible for a range of outdoor recreation,
cultural, educational and scientific research
purposes. For effective regional open space
planning, collaboration is required between
state agencies, local government, regional
natural resource management bodies,
industry and community stakeholders.
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3.1 Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area
Principle
Notes
Maintain and manage the values and functions of the
Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area to enhance the
environmental, economic, cultural and lifestyle benefits to
the region.
Regional landscape areas can have diverse values and functions.
Table 4 describes the key regional landscape areas in the Regional
Landscape and Rural Production Area and outlines the planning intent
for each.
Policies
3.1.1 Recognise important environmental, landscape, cultural
and economic links between the rural and urban areas of
the region.
3.1.2 Define, plan for and manage lands within the Regional
Landscape and Rural Production Area in collaboration
with state agencies, local government, regional natural
resource management bodies and local communities.
3.1.3 Support the integrated management and prudent use of
the Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area by
developing a regional landscape planning framework.
3.1.4 Develop rural precinct plans where appropriate to
achieve the most suitable use of lands within the
Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area.
Improved knowledge and understanding of the relationships between
rural and urban economies and lifestyles is required to evaluate the
ecosystem, social, cultural and economic services provided by the
regional landscape. Improved knowledge will assist in achieving
desirable regional outcomes and the development of a regional
landscape planning framework. It is intended that this framework will
further define and describe key regional resources, regional landscape
areas and regional objectives.
The framework will be developed alongside the Rural Futures Strategy
and will reflect desired rural planning outcomes. The framework will
recognise the critical role of private landowners and regional natural
resource management bodies in the sustainable management of land
and water resources.
The development of rural precincts within the Regional Landscape
and Rural Production Area will assist in managing regional landscape
areas and values at a local level.
The development of rural precincts within the Regional Landscape
and Rural Production Area will assist in managing regional landscape
areas and values at a local level.
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Table 4 Regional landscape areas
Regional landscape areas
Support one or more regionally significant landscape values:
, Nature conservation areas
Supporting nature conservation values of international, national, state or regional significance.
, Rural production areas
Supporting rural production activities, including clusters of rural industries that capitalise on the availability of particular soil types,
water, climate or proximity to markets and processing facilities.
, High scenic amenity areas
Displaying high levels of regional scenic amenity, including areas or features with high visual exposure containing scenery highly
preferred by the community.
, Extractive and mineral resource areas
Containing regionally significant extractive and mineral resources.
, Outdoor recreation areas
Recognised as regionally important for outdoor recreational activities.
, Landscape heritage areas
Displaying Indigenous and non-Indigenous heritage values.
Planning intent: Regional landscape areas are managed to protect their functions and values.
Landscape corridors
Link regional landscape areas and include inter-regional links such as the coastline and bioregional wildlife corridors.
Planning intent: Landscape corridors are maintained and enhanced to ensure land uses and activities within the corridor
are compatible with corridor functions.
Inter-urban breaks
Separate major urban areas, towns and villages and are dominated by rural and natural landscapes.
Planning intent: Inter-urban breaks are maintained and managed as non-urban areas supporting activities that reinforce their natural and
rural character.
Rural residential
Developed or suitable for rural residential development.
Planning intent: Future rural residential development will be limited to existing designated rural residential areas.
Rural townships and villages
Smaller urban communities that service rural catchments.
Planning intent: Rural townships and villages are managed to maintain their character and role as activity nodes supporting local rural
communities.
Regional infrastructure
Includes transport, energy, wastewater and water storage and supply infrastructure that is essential to the efficient functioning of the region.
Planning intent: Regional infrastructure is managed to minimise adverse impacts. Surrounding land uses are managed to ensure
continued safe operation.
Water sources and catchments
Water catchments and groundwater resources.
Planning intent: Land use and development is managed within water storage catchments to protect the quality of receiving waters,
storages, delivery channels and groundwater sources.
Coastal waters and foreshores
Coastal waters, wetlands, dunes and foreshores that form the region’s coastal zone.
Planning intent: Coastal and marine resources are protected and managed to facilitate a variety of uses and activities.
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3.2 Scenic amenity
Principle
Notes
Acknowledge, protect and manage significant scenic amenity
areas and features.
The region has a diverse range of outstanding landforms and
seascapes that combine to create the region’s unique scenic amenity.
These include mountain ranges, beaches, rivers, valleys, natural
areas, wetlands, estuaries and islands. The quality of these scenes
relates mainly to the natural visual features or combinations of natural
and made elements. Many of the region’s landforms and seascapes
have high environmental, cultural, traditional and/or spiritual values.
Policy
3.2.1 Identify and manage areas of high scenic amenity in the
regional landscape.
3.2.2 Improve knowledge and understanding of the region’s
scenic amenity and its contribution to the liveability and
sense of place for residents and the attraction for visitors
and tourists.
3.2.3 Retain and enhance public access to significant and
popular viewpoints and protect important views from
intrusive development.
3.2.4 Inform regional and local planning and decision making
by adopting a common method of assessing scenic
amenity, including design and siting of prominent
developments and infrastructure.
The region’s scenery contributes significantly to the quality of life of
local communities and to visitors’ experience of SEQ. Areas of high
scenic amenity with outstanding natural beauty include the Gold Coast
hinterland, Moreton Bay Islands, Glass House Mountains, Currumbin
Valley, Tamborine Mountain, Beechmont, Montville, Blackall Range,
Locker Valley, Scenic Rim and Loganholme Wetlands.
Public access to significant and popular viewpoints is important for
both local residents and visitors. Access to viewpoints may include
public access to privately-owned lands where voluntary arrangements
have been formally established to effectively manage public access
and use.
The design and siting of buildings and infrastructure must consider
potential impacts on scenic amenity values.
3.3 Landscape heritage
Principle
Notes
Recognise and manage landscape heritage to maintain
character, culture and sense of place.
SEQ’s rich and varied landscape heritage includes both Indigenous
and non-Indigenous connectivity with natural, rural and scenic
landscapes. It is this connectivity that helps create the special
character, culture and sense of place in SEQ.
Policies
Traditional Owners’ connection to country is an important part of
landscape heritage. As Traditional Owners, they are connected to,
associated with, and responsible for their ancestral estates, water and
air. Significant Indigenous landscape heritage ranges from bora rings,
rock art, shell middens, story places and vegetation, to traditional
ceremonial and camping places and paths.
3.3.1 Identify, evaluate and manage landscape heritage
and cultural components of the regional landscape.
3.3.2 Ensure Aboriginal peoples’ unique Indigenous landscape
heritage and connection to country are identified,
recognised and respected in planning processes.
Involving Traditional Owners is important in identifying and protecting
Indigenous landscape heritage and managing access to significant
places in the regional landscape. Indigenous landscape heritage
should be identified and mapped using a protocol agreed with
Traditional Owners.
The history of settlement is characterised by its association with
significant landmarks and rural and natural landscapes. For example,
the distinctive Glass House Mountains have great significance to
Traditional Owners and are one of the earliest landmarks named by
Captain James Cook. Recognising and managing significant landscape
heritage protects the continuity of the landscape and identity of
the region.
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3.4 Outdoor recreation
Principle
Notes
Provide a range of enjoyable outdoor recreation
opportunities to meet the diverse needs of the community
and enhance the liveability of the region.
The region’s climate, natural diversity and outstanding landscape provide
the natural resources to support a diverse range of outdoor recreation
activities. These activities are important to the wellbeing and lifestyle of
the community; contributing to better social, health, economic, tourism,
cultural and environmental outcomes.
Policies
Outdoor recreation includes a range of non-competitive recreation
activities, undertaken in open space settings that range from predominantly
natural through to rural and urban. Activities include bushwalking, rafting,
diving, photography, fishing, bird watching, camping, rock climbing,
bike riding and horse riding. Outdoor recreation also includes sports that
make temporary use of large areas of open space and trails; for example,
orienteering, rogaining, cross-country mountain bike racing, rallying and
some equestrian activities.
3.4.1 Establish and maintain a network of accessible
outdoor recreation areas, including regional parks,
trails and waterways, as well as private lands with
the voluntary agreement of landowners.
3.4.2 Manage outdoor recreation activities to
provide for community needs and expectations
whilst protecting and maintaining ecological,
scenic and cultural values.
3.4.3 Coordinate planning and delivery of outdoor
recreation services within the framework of a
regional outdoor recreation strategy.
3.4.4 Incorporate outdoor recreation activities and
opportunities in land use and natural resource
planning and management.
The use of land for outdoor recreation must be balanced with other needs
such as nature conservation, scenic amenity and catchment protection.
Many outdoor recreation activities occur within state lands or waters
such as national parks and marine parks. Management plans for these
areas typically provide for a range of outdoor recreation activities that are
consistent with the nature conservation purpose of these lands. The SEQ
Forests Agreement has resulted in a number of state forests and other
tenured lands being converted to protected area tenure such as national
park. This may result in some current land uses being phased out.
3.5 Regional open space
Principle
Notes
Provide for a high-quality and accessible regional open
space network.
A regional open space network includes publicly accessible land which is
used for a range of outdoor recreation, cultural, educational and scientific
research purposes.
Policies
3.5.1 Identify and develop publicly accessible open space
that meets community and tourist needs.
3.5.2 Involve the community, landowners and other
stakeholders in developing and managing a
regional open space network.
Publicly accessible land in a regional open space network is generally
owned and managed by State or local government and includes national
parks, marine parks, state forests, beaches, regional parks, regional trails,
water supply reservoirs, and major parks and reserves, as well as land acquired
for regional open space purposes. It may also include privately-owned lands
where voluntary arrangements have been formally established to manage
public access and use. Current public lands in SEQ are shown in Map 6.
Regional open space caters to a range of community and environmental
needs, including preserving rural and scenic landscapes, preserving
biodiversity, providing outdoor recreation, allowing social and spiritual
connectivity, and maintaining air, water and habitat quality.
Environmental infrastructure such as parks and trails, perform key roles in
providing regional open space. Regional parks can be multiple-tenure and can
be managed by private or public agencies. A regional trails network provides a
coordinated network of trails for walking, riding, cycling, canoeing and driving.
Publicly accessible regional open space will be developed and managed in
consultation with Traditional Owners, interested community members, groups
and industry bodies, private landowners, local government, and relevant state
and land management agencies.
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Map 6 – Public lands
For information only