Rainforests of south-east Queensland bushfire region
The Rainforests of south-east Queensland bushfire region is defined by the south-east Queensland Natural Resource Management boundary and covers nearly 2.4 million hectares. It includes a portion of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.
The Traditional Owners of this region include: Jinibara; Kabi Kabi; Kombumerri, Ngaraghwal, Mununjali, Wangerriburra; Quandamooka and Yuggera Ugarapul. Collectively Traditional Owner groups in south-east Queensland identify as the Goori-Murri Nation.
Impacts of the 2019–20 bushfires
The 2019–20 bushfires burnt approximately 97,200 hectares in this region. Of this, 46 per cent was burnt at a high or very high severity. Approximately 36 per cent of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area in this region was burnt.
This map shows the extent and severity of the 2019–20 bushfires in the rainforests of south-east Queensland region.
This map shows the extent and severity of the 2019–20 bushfires in the rainforests of south-east Queensland region.
Important environmental values within the Rainforests of south-east Queensland region, that were impacted by the fires and that have been recommended for urgent management intervention, include:
- two natural assets: Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area and Moreton Bay Ramsar wetland.
- four Threatened Ecological Communities, including Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia.
- 34 animal species such as the freshwater crayfish Euastacus jagara, Albert’s Lyrebird, Fleay’s Frog, Oxleyan Pygmy Perch, and the Honey Blue Eye freshwater fish.
- eight plant species such as the Mountain Wax Flower, Mountain Zieria and the Bertya ernestiana shrub.
 Photo: Mike's Birds licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0. |
 Photo: Froggydarb licensed with CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 Photo: Geoff Derrin licensed with CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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Rarely seen but frequently heard, Albert’s Lyrebird has a spectacular call that rings out through winter. Around 18 per cent of its habitat in the region was burnt. |
Fleay’s Frogs often hide amongst the leaf litter on the rainforest floor near to fast-flowing streams. This endangered frog has 38 per cent of its habitat in this region, of which 12 per cent was burnt. |
The Mountain Zieria is a native citrus shrub found only in Queensland. It has 64 per cent of its range in the region, 84 per cent of this was burnt, 51 per cent at high or very high severity. |
Australian Government bushfire recovery funding in the region
As part of the Australian Government’s initial $50 million investment in bushfire recovery for wildlife and habitats, $1.95 million has been directly invested in south-east Queensland. This includes:
- $450,000 to Natural Resource Management organisations for recovery actions throughout the region including weed and pest control, and boundary fencing:
- $350,000 to Healthy Land and Water
- $100,000 to Southern Queensland Landscapes
- $1.5 million to the Queensland Government for post-fire evaluation and fire severity mapping, and field surveys of threatened plant and animal species.
Additional funds include:
- $2 million granted for projects where some activities are being undertaken in south-east Queensland. These include threatened species assessment and monitoring, habitat restoration work, establishing captive breeding colonies and collecting species for use in a breed-for-release program.
Next steps
Through the bushfire Regional Fund the Australian Government is investing $110 million to provide strategic on-ground support for the most impacted native species, ecological communities and natural assets across seven bushfire affected regions.
$4 million will be directly invested into the Rainforests of south-east Queensland region to increase the resilience and recovery of fire-affected species, ecological communities and environmental assets.
- $1.65 million will go to Healthy Land and Water to work closely with landholders to implement pest and weed management activities and to work with communities on fire management actions.
- $2.35 million to the Queensland Government to undertake work across four national parks, including three within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. Actions will include pest animal and weed control and fire management and planning, including fire line enhancement and additional water storage points.
These actions are based on recommendations from a co-design workshop held with stakeholders from south-east Queensland on 28 August 2020. The workshop included a wide range of regional stakeholders, who identified regional investment priorities for post-fire recovery of species and natural assets. The workshop report is available below.
Rainforests of south-east Queensland - Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report (PDF - 4.6 MB)
Rainforests of south-east Queensland - Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report (DOCX - 12.57 MB)