Protection through Planning

The World Heritage Convention requires participating countries to “integrate the protection of that (World) heritage into comprehensive planning programmes”.

There is no specific integration in local government (Gold Coast City Council) or State government planning schemes. There is, however, provision for protection of Matters of National Environmental Significance which include World Heritage.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009–2031 included the following statements:

The vision for Springbrook is of a vibrant community of residents and visitors sustaining and sustained by World Heritage values, and a mostly natural landscape that inspires and revives the human spirit.

To achieve the vision,

The Queensland Government will minimize development and redevelopment on the Springbrook Plateau, and prevent further habitat fragmentation, forest edge impacts, clearing and loss of connectivity among habitat areas. Rehabilitation of cleared areas and avoiding the introduction of incompatible land uses are crucial long-term objectives.

However, when the SEQ Regional Plan was revised in 2017, references to Springbrook were removed.