Inland Rail has purchased its first biodiversity offset property in Queensland, buying 2800 hectares in Canning Creek, located around 40 kilometres south of Millmerran.
Acquiring the Canning Creek property will allow Inland Rail to use this property for a large portion of its obligation to protect and manage similar vegetation that will unavoidably be impacted by Border to Gowrie (B2G) construction activity.
Under the terms of the purchase, Inland Rail is responsible for the ongoing management of the land to achieve biodiversity outcomes defined in the B2G project’s Environmental Impact Statement and subsequent State and Australian Government approvals.
This includes Inland Rail developing a 20-year land management plan that outlines measures to protect the land and improve its biodiversity values, including property fencing and conducting regular weed and pest control activities as part of its program of bio-diversity work in Queensland.
Inland Rail is currently seeking expressions of interest from businesses across Queensland who offer land management services on properties identified for biodiversity offsets. Interested parties can submit their interest via the ICN Gateway online supplier engagement platform (ICN Gateway)
Canning Creek is strategically located next to biodiversity corridors and conservation estates and supports a range of threatened plants, animals and ecosystems that may be impacted by B2G project construction.
Elsewhere on the alignment, Inland Rail has already made significant progress in biodiversity offset programs in New South Wales and Victoria.
In New South Wales, Inland Rail has secured credits from a range of landowners and successfully completed a large procurement exercise to purchase 20,000 species credits, so far securing 38,000 offset credits towards the program in the state.
In Victoria, state offset requirements have been fulfilled and assessments to meet the Australian Government’s offset requirements are expected to be completed early next year.
Inland Rail health, safety and environment director Stephen Jones said this was an exciting and important achievement for Inland Rail in Queensland, with more offset properties expected to be acquired soon.
“We have been supported throughout this process by our property, stakeholder engagement and EIS teams as well as the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads and offset service provider Ausecology,” he said.
