Working Together with State Government agencies

The Wet Tropics Management Authority has the principal role in setting policy and coordinating management throughout the World Heritage Area. However, on the ground, the vast majority of the World Heritage Area is managed by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (particularly the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service) and other Queensland Government agencies.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS)

The majority of on ground management is the responsibility of the QPWS, part of the Department of Environment and Resource Management. The QPWS manages about 80% of the World Heritage Area. This includes National Parks which make up 64% of the World Heritage Area. QPWS also manages Forest Reserves (5.1% of the Area), a Timber Reserve (7.8% of the Area) and State Forests (3.4% of the Area).

Since World Heritage listing of the Wet Tropics, State Forests and Timber Reserves are no longer logged. Many of the old State Forests have now become National Parks and other protected tenures. The focus is now to conserve the ecological values of the forests and to manage public access through the provision of visitor facilities and access roads. For information about QPWS lands and their management, visit the parks and forests section of the DERM website.

QPWS and the Authority share the responsibility for sound management to ensure the ongoing survival of the World Heritage Area. In broad terms, the Authority provides the policy blueprint for managing the World Heritage Area, while the QPWS provides day to day management. Rangers undertake a multitude of tasks including feral animal and weed control, managing permits for commercial tour operators and maintaining roads, walking tracks and visitor facilities. Where possible, the Authority assists with funding and technical advice. In this way, the entire World Heritage Area has uniform management standards, and land managers retain control and management of their lands.

Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM)

The Department of Environment and Resource Management is also the on ground manager for unallocated state lands (6.4% of the Area), leasehold lands (8.9%) and various reserves (1%). The DERM is also responsible for legislation throughout Queensland which regulates vegetation clearing, land and water use, and pest management. For this reason it is important that the Authority works closely with the DERM to help mitigate threats from land clearing and weeds and feral animals to the integrity of the Area. You can visit the DERM website and learn about its role in managing land, water, vegetation and pests in the Wet Tropics and the rest of Queensland.

Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR)

The Department of Transport and Main Roads is responsible for constructing and maintaining all major roads in the World Heritage Area. These inlcude the Bruce Highway, the Captain Cook Highway, the Kuranda Range Road, the Palmerston Highway and the Gillies Highway. Main Roads is also responsible for the road reserves and controlling threats such as weeds and erosion in the road reserve areas. Main Roads has developed a Road Maintenance Code of Practice for the World Heritage Area (available at the Authority) which is used as part of the permit conditions for maintaining roads.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPIF)

DPIF is responsible for managing fisheries in the World Heritage Area. This includes management of mangrove and estuary systems in the Area. The Authority is also working with DPIF to manage stocking of fish in freshwater and estuarine systems in and around the World Heritage Area. DPIF also regulates the introduction of pasture crops which have the potential to become environmental weeds such as hymenachne and guinea grass. You can read about the responsibilites of DPIF on its website.

Department of Local Government and Planning (DLGP)

The Department of Local Government and Planning is responsible for administering the Integrated Planning Act 1997 and coordinating local government planning in and around the WHA. DIP plays the lead role in developing the FNQ Statutory Regional Plan 2009-2031 which guides the development and management of the region over the next two decades. The Authority works cooperatively with DIP to try and ensure that development in the region does not adversely affect the integrity of the World Heritage Area.