Major breakthrough on Broadwater State Forest tenure upgrade

GBSAN’s campaign to have the tenure of the Broadwater and part of the Passchendaele State Forests upgraded to ensure better management and greater protection hit a snag 12 months ago with the discovery that mining company Stanaurum had exploration leases covering both forests. Following discussions with Stanaurum, it appears the way is clear for the upgrade of Broadwater at least.

The discovery that Stanaurum has exploration leases over both state forests effectively stopped the process of upgrading the forests to conservation park or national park. Given mining has primacy over conservation legally (yes that is true in Queensland!) the Department of Environment and Science effectively had to stop the upgrade process inspite of both state forests being on the State’s upgrade priority list. Upgrading both forest areas would see an injection of management resources ensuring better protection of these important areas of biodiversity, the creation of new eco-tourism destinations and improving recreational opportunities for locals.

Now after several meetings with Stanaurum, GBSAN has secured an agreement that Stanaurum will relinquish those areas of their exploration leases covering the Broadwater and the southern section of Passchendaele State Forests when the relevant leases expire. This is great news as it clears the final obstacle to the upgrade of the Broadwater forest. Passchendaele remains a work in progress as Stanaurum’s leases only cover a small section of the high biodiversity value areas in that forest. Another WA-based mining company Minden resources has leases over the best parts of Passchendaele requiring us to “sit down” with Minden who are proving difficult to engage.

Never the less, Stanuarum’s willingness to relinquish these areas is great news and Stanaurum should be congratulated for their willingness to do so. Now the hard yards start – dealing with two state government departments, Natural Resources to facilitate the lease relinquishment and Environment and Science to facilitate the tenure upgrade. That will take a lot of time and patience but GBSAN is onto it and with your support we’ll get the upgrades over the line. Achieving this will be a major boost for biodiversity protection on the Granite Belt.State Forests upgraded to ensure better management and greater protection hit a snag 12 months ago with the discovery that mining company Stanaurum had exploration leases covering both forests. Following discussions with Stanaurum, it appears the way is clear for the upgrade of Broadwater at least.