Finding an environmental offset site Guide
The Queensland environmental offset framework uses several tools to encourage land supply for offset implementation, including Advanced Offsets, Strategic Offset Investment Corridors (SOICs), Landholder Expressions of Interest and Direct Benefit Management Plans (DBMPs).
The tools help to reduce the time period between impact and offset. They also provide opportunities for landholders to receive an income in return for voluntarily agreeing to manage their land, or part of their land, as an environmental offset.
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Advanced offsets
What is an advanced offset?
An advanced offset is an area of land that has been registered by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation for potential use as an environmental offset in the future because it contains, or is capable of containing, one or more Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES).
Summary of key aspects of an advanced offset
- prioritised for environmental offsets
- all or part of the property can be registered
- baseline habitat quality assessment required
- procurement of environmental consultant and habitat assessment
- costs associated with environmental consultant delivering habitat assessment
- longer timeframe and complex process
- no legal binding upon completion of registration
- habitat management and restoration prior to offset invitation is considered
- landholders are encouraged to apply for an advanced offset given their circumstance.
A landholder can apply to register an advanced offset under section 14 of the Environmental Offsets Regulation 2014.
Advanced offsets may be used as part of an offset delivery approach to compensate for a significant residual impact on one or more prescribed environmental matters.
Approved advanced offsets are listed on a publicly available offsets register on the Queensland Government website, which offset providers (developers and brokers) can view and potentially match offset requirements with registered advanced offsets.
Advanced offsets are encouraged within strategic offset investment corridors because these are likely to provide a strategic landscape outcome for the impacted prescribed environmental matter.
Information for proponents
Information for landholders
Further information
- For further information regarding advanced offsets please contact: offsets@des.qld.gov.au
- Read more about environmental offsets.
Your privacy
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List of potential offset sites
A project is being undertaken to transform the way the department displays data for Queensland’s environmental offsets. While a new viewing platform is in development, sites where landholders have expressed an interest in delivering offsets can be viewed by downloading the Full expression of interest list . Currently, expressions of interest have been submitted from landholders within the following local council areas:
- Banana Shire
- Bundaberg Region
- Cairns Region
- Central Highlands Region
- Cook Shire
- Douglas Shire
- Fraser Coast Region
- Gladstone Region
- Gold Coast City
- Goondiwindi Region
- Gympie Region
- Ipswich City
- Isaac Region
- Livingstone Shire
- Lockyer Valley Region
- Logan City
- Mackay Region
- Maranoa Region
- Mount Isa City
- Noosa Shire
- North Burnett Region
- Rockhampton Region
- Scenic Rim Region
- Somerset Region
- Toowoomba Region
- Townsville Region
- Western Downs Region
- Whitsunday Shire.
Download this Microsoft Excel file for the
Full expression of interest listThis information is current to 22 January 2025 and is updated periodically. For more information about an individual site please email offsets@des.qld.gov.au quoting the relevant submission number.
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Direct benefit management plans
What is a Direct Benefit Management Plan (DBMP)?
A DBMP is a pre-approved plan that outlines activities to be undertaken as part of an environmental offset to improve or maintain the viability of one or more matters of State environmental significance (MSES).
Proponent-driven offsets may be delivered through undertaking all or some actions identified in a DBMP.
Summary of key aspects of a DBMP
- Can include research or education activities.
- Adaptable to meet offset requirements for multiple projects.
- Extend existing conservation programs.
- Costs related to development of plan.
Information for proponents
Information for groups wanting to develop a DBMP
Further information
- For further information regarding DBMPs please contact: offsets@des.qld.gov.au
- Read more about environmental offsets.
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Strategic offset investment corridors
Strategic Offset Investment Corridors (SOICs) identify some of the best places in the landscape for environmental offsets. They mainly consist of core areas of largely intact remnant vegetation, generally associated with protected areas such as national parks, or areas that provide important links between those core areas.
SOICs make offsets easier and cheaper to find. They provide income opportunities for landholders willing to provide offsets on their land. They also provide strategic conservation benefits for important environmental values, such as threatened regional ecosystems and species that have been significantly impacted by development elsewhere.
The Queensland Government is identifying SOICs in each bioregion of Queensland with local input from regional Natural Resource Management groups, ecology experts, landholders and local government.
Currently, there have been three SOICs identified in Queensland: Galilee Basin, Southern Brigalow Belt and New England Tableland and the Western Queensland - Gulf Plains, Northwest Highlands, Mitchell Grass Downs and Channel Country Bioregions.
The following maps and information on these SOICs is available:
- The Galilee Basin SOIC consisting of:
- The Southern Brigalow Belt and New England Tableland SOIC consisting of:
- The Western Queensland - Gulf Plains, Northwest Highlands, Mitchell Grass Downs and Channel Country Bioregions SOIC consisting of:
Detailed spatial mapping of the Galilee Basin SOIC, Southern Brigalow Belt and New England Tableland SOIC and Western Queensland – Gulf Plains, Northwest Highlands, Mitchell Grass Downs and Channel Country Bioregions SOIC are available for download from the Queensland Spatial Catalogue – QSpatial website (search “offset”). These spatial mapping datasets identify State environmental values included in each of the SOICs.
Please note that the spatial mapping datasets for each of the SOIC areas have been created for computers with GIS capabilities.
For further information in relation to SOICs, including information for landholders seeking to register their interest in providing environmental offsets, and proponents or offset brokers seeking offset sites for the potential provision of offset services, please email Offsets@des.qld.gov.au.
Finding an environmental offset site, 22 Aug 2025, [https://www.qldgovau.staging-services.qld.gov.au/environment/management/environmental/offsets/tools]
This document is uncontrolled when printed. Before using the information in this document you should verify the current content on https://www.qldgovau.staging-services.qld.gov.au/environment/management/environmental/offsets/tools.