Nature Assist Information sheet
Nature Refuge/Nature Assist (incorporating 'Blueprint for the Bush')
NatureAssist is the incentive component of Queensland’s Nature Refuge Program. It provides financial assistance for landholders who actively manage the natural and/ or cultural resources on their property.
NatureAssist is designed to encourage and assist the conservation of privately managed lands in Queensland.
NatureAssist recognises new and existing nature refuge landholders who make the commitment of protecting the conservation resources on their land through a perpetual nature refuge agreement.
Financial assistance is offered via two avenues – a tender scheme and transfer duty and land tax refunds.
The NatureAssist tender scheme is a competitive bidding process that gives landholders throughout Queensland the opportunity to access funding for conservation activities to protect and manage their property’s significant natural and/or cultural heritage resources through the establishment of, or an existing nature refuge.
Through Transfer Duty and Land Tax refunds, landholders may be eligible for a refund of the transfer duty and/or land tax payable on the area of land covered by a nature refuge agreement.
This information should be read in conjunction with the Nature Refuge Information Sheet.
Tender Scheme
Expression of Interest
The NatureAssist tender scheme is open to the majority of landholders in Queensland, initially through submission of a simple one page expression of interest. Proposed new nature refuges expressing interest are assessed to determine whether the lands nominated in the application contain significant conservation values and whether they are eligible for NatureAssist funding.
Tender development
Where a property is an existing nature refuge or assessed as being suitable as a nature refuge through the expression of interest stage, the landholder will be invited to tender.
Nature Refuge Officers located throughout Queensland play a significant role in assisting in the development process and commencing negotiation of a nature refuge agreement (or additional provisions for existing agreements). Nature Refuge Officers are not permitted to provide advice on the financial components of a bid, however tenderers may choose to seek independent financial advice.
Landholders may withdraw from the NatureAssist/nature refuge process at any time prior to signing a nature refuge agreement. However, once a nature refuge agreement has been signed, the landholder is bound to honour the agreement, as are all future landholders.
Management activities
While there is no set list of conservation management activities that will be considered for funding in the tender process, there are a number of activities the Environmental Protection Agency would like to see implemented because of their known positive environmental outcomes. These include:
- managing particular areas to allow for natural revegetation;
- fencing to protect environmentally sensitive areas;
- establishing watering points away from sensitive areas (such as mound springs); and
- eradicating or controlling weeds and pest animals.
Tender assessment
Each tender submitted will be assessed against all other tenders on the basis of ‘value for money’, using the combination of an expert panel and what is known as an Environmental Benefits Index, which considers factors such as:
- the existing conservation value of the land;
- the precise dollar amount of each tender bid;
- the overall conservation outcome of the management services provided.
Successful bids will be those that provide the best conservation outcome for the least overall cost.
Each landholder who has submitted a tender will be notified of the decision by both mail and phone. Landholders who are not successful in obtaining funding are encouraged to resubmit their tender in a subsequent round.
Distributing funds
Funds are distributed to successful tenderers after the landholder and the Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation have signed either a new or upgraded nature refuge agreement containing funding provisions. Successful landholders should not make any financial purchases or commitments unless they are able to absorb the costs until payment occurs.
Transfer duty and Land tax refunds
Transfer duty refund
If a landholder purchases land or a lease and enters into a perpetual nature refuge agreement, they may be eligible for a refund of the transfer duty paid on the purchase of the area. To be eligible:
- the land or lease must have been purchased on or after 1 July 2003;
- the area must qualify for a nature refuge agreement. If necessary, a Nature Refuge Officer can provide advice on the suitability of the area prior to purchase; and
- the landholder must enter into negotiations with the EPA for a perpetual nature refuge agreement over part, or all, of the land within 12 months of the property’s settlement.
Note: For land or lease purchased using government grant monies (e.g. National Reserve System funding), the landholder is only eligible for a refund of the amount of transfer duty paid by them on a pro rata basis.
If eligible, the EPA will refund the transfer duty once the nature refuge agreement has been signed by the landholder and the Minister for the Environment. Where the nature refuge agreement only covers part of the land, refunds will be paid on a pro rata basis. Transfer duty can generally be refunded immediately.Land tax refund
If a landholder is required to pay land tax on their land and enters into a perpetual nature refuge agreement, they are eligible for a refund of the land tax paid on the area covered by the nature refuge agreement. Land tax refunds also apply to subsequent owners of nature refuges.
The EPA will refund land tax once both the landholder and the Minister for the Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation have signed a nature refuge agreement. Landholders will be eligible for a refund of land tax from the date of signing the nature refuge agreement by the Minister to the end of that financial year. Land tax is then usually deducted from a landholder’s Land Tax Assessment Notice before the Office of State Revenue issues it to the landholder on an annual basis. Where the nature refuge agreement only covers part of the land, refunds will be paid on a pro rata basis.
Contact
For more information on NatureAssist contact:
EPA Brisbane
Phone: 1800 603 604
Email: natureassist@epa.qld.gov.au
Website: www.epa.qld.gov.au/naturerefuge
Nature Refuge Officers
Atherton (07) 4091 8177
Maryborough (07) 4121 1817
Moggill Office (07) 3202 0222
Rockhampton (07) 4936 0550
Roma (07) 4624 3534
Toowoomba (07) 4699 4326
Townsville (07) 4796 7777
Burleigh Heads (07) 5520 9600
Longreach (07) 4652 7333
(Information current as of June 2008)
NatureAssist is a statewide program coordinated by the Environmental Protection Agency and brings together contributions from the following organisations:
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Last updated: 03 June 2008
