Environment Recovery package - SEQ Severe Storms

About

The $51.3 million Environmental Recovery package to aid riparian recovery, weed and pest management, biodiversity conservation, and restoration of environmental assets in national parks throughout the most heavily impacted areas following the eligible events:

  • Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding, 13 – 28 December 2023
  • South East Queensland Severe Storms and Rainfall, 24 December 2023 – 3 January 2024.

The environmental and cultural recovery activities will support and accelerate recovery across the most heavily impacted areas and include the following programs:

  • $4.55 million to undertake an environmental investigations program
  • $23 million for a Healthy Waters Clean-up and Recovery Program - cleanup and riverine and coastal recovery
  • $7.8 million for a Biodiversity and Invasive Species Management Program - threatened species and pest and weed management
  • $15.1 million for a National Park Recovery Program - cleanup and visitor infrastructure reinstatement 
  • $850,000 for Environmental and Cultural Asset Steward Support - nature refuges, heritage.

Eligibility

The initiative will be made available in the local government areas, Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef World Heritage areas and national parks impacted by the events, with eligible applicants and partners being State and Local Government, and non-government organisations including (but not limited to) natural resource management bodies, conservation groups, nature refuge owners, first nations corporations and universities.

The assistance measures will be made available for the following council areas: 

  • Tropical Cyclone Jasper
    • Cairns Regional Council
    • Cassowary Coast Regional Council
    • Cook Shire Council
    • Douglas Shire Council
    • Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council
    • Mareeba Shire Council
    • Tablelands Regional Council
    • Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council
    • Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council
  • South East Queensland Severe Storms 
    • Gold Coast City Council
    • Logan City Council
    • Scenic Rim City Council

Funding acknowledgement

The package is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments to support Queensland communities in their recovery from the Tropical Cyclone Jasper, 13 - 28 December 2023 event and the South East Queensland Severe Storms and Rainfall, 24 December 2023 – 3 January 2024.

Administering agency

Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA)

Delivery agency

The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI), in conjunction with Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and Department of Resources (DoR).

Guidelines

QRA will work with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to develop program guidelines for the program

More information

More details about this funding will be made available in the coming weeks.