Change in rural land use extent
Key Finding
Since 1999, the proportion of Queensland that is rural land not settled has increased by 6.9 million hectares (ha) (or 34.26%). Cape York Natural Resource Management (NRM) region has experienced the greatest increase (2,039,292ha or 38.1%) whilst Southern Gulf NRM region has experienced the least increase (53,072ha or 3.0%).
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Queensland
Mapping completed in 2017 found that 15.39% (or 27,007,155 hectares (ha)) of Queensland is rural land not settled (such as National parks and other conservation reserve tenures) and 84.08% (or 147,535,047ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 146,248,916ha (or 83.34% of the state) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 1,286,131ha (or 0.73% of the state) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Queensland that is rural land not settled has expanded (by 34.26% or (6,890,836ha since 1999) whilst rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 2.75% or 4,142,218ha since 1999) and rural land in intensive use has expanded (by 12.51% or 142,971ha since 1999).
Mining has contributed most to the expansion in rural land in intensive use across Queensland (96,975ha or 67.82% of total net change in the state) with the Fitzroy Basin Natural Resource Management (NRM) region most impacted (an increase of 69,400ha or 71.56% of total net change in that region).
When compared with Australia as a whole, a significantly smaller proportion of Queensland is rural land that is not settled (15.39% vs 40%) whilst the ratio of rural land in extensive use to rural land in intensive use is about the same (99:1).
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Burnett Mary
Mapping completed in 2017 shows that 13.19% (or 731,980ha) of Burnett Mary Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 84.02% (or 4,663,658ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 4,507,390ha (or 81.20% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 156,268ha (or 2.82% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Burnett Mary NRM region that is rural land not settled has expanded (by 9.97% or 66,381ha since 1999) whilst rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 1.58% or 72,302ha since 1999) as has land settlement in intensive use (by 7.78% or 13,186ha since 1999).
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Cape York
Mapping completed in 2015 shows that 54.34% (or 8,988,697ha) of Cape York Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 45.59% (or 7,541,298ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 7,518,985ha (or 45.46 % of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 22,313ha (or 0.13% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Cape York NRM region that is rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 8.42% or 691,233ha since 1999) whilst the area in intensive use has increased (by 89.04% or 10,510ha since 1999) as has the area of rural land that is not settled (by 68.01% or 3,638,530ha since 1999).
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Desert Channels
Mapping completed in 2016 shows that 12.37% (or 6,311,128ha) of Desert Channels Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 87.59% (or 44,676,868ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 44,668,158 ha (or 87.58% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 8,710ha (or 0.02% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Desert Channels NRM region that is rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 1.99% or 908,920ha since 1999) whilst the area in intensive use has increased (by 20.53% or 1,484ha since 1999) as has the area of rural land that is not settled (by 16.76% or 906,106ha since 1999).
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Fitzroy Basin
Mapping completed in 2017 shows that 12.70% (or 1,982,210ha) of Fitzroy Basin Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 86.44% (or 13,494,398ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 13,260,517ha (or 84.94% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 233,881ha (or 1.50% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Fitzroy Basin NRM region that is rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 2.71% or 368,728ha since 1999) whilst the area in intensive use has increased (by 58.24% or 86,076ha since 1999) as has the area of rural land that is not settled (by 15.62% or 267,774ha since 1999). Mining contributed 69,400ha or 80.62% of the total nett increase in the area of rural land in intensive use in the region since 1999.
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Northern Gulf
Mapping completed in 2015 shows that 12.67% (or 2,081,233ha) of Northern Gulf Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 87.28% (or 14,338,614ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 14,312,253ha (or 87.12% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 26,361ha (or 0.16% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Northern Gulf NRM region that is rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 3.84% or 571,915ha since 1999) whilst the area in intensive use has increased (by 5.19% or 1,300ha since 1999) as has the area of rural land that is not settled (by 37.71% or 569,927ha since 1999).
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North Queensland Dry Tropics
Mapping completed in 2015 shows that 9.18% (or 1,290,220ha) of NQ Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 90.42% (or 12,713,584ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement, comprises 12,564,342ha (or 89.36% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 149,242ha (or 1.06% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of NQ Dry Tropics NRM region that is rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 2.17% or 278,145ha since 1999) whilst the area in intensive use has increased (by 11.26% or 15,102ha since 1999) as has the area of rural land that is not settled (by 24.82% or 256,517ha since 1999).
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Reef
Mapping completed in 2015 found that 37.95% (or 347,327ha) of Reef Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 57.95% (or 530,369ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 374,663ha (or 40.94% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 155,705ha (or 17.01% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Reef NRM region that is rural land not settled has increased (by 5.24% or 17,308ha since 1999) whilst rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 2.92% or 11,264ha since 1999) as has intensive use (by 7.21% or 12,106ha since 1999).
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South East Queensland
Mapping completed in 2012–2013 shows that 24.74% (or 574,952ha) of South East Queensland (SEQ) Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 59.76% (or 1,388,890ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 1,294,386ha (or 55.69% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 94,504ha (or 4.07% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of SEQ NRM region that is rural land that is not settled has increased (by 19.17% or 92,505ha since 1999) whilst the area that is rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 8.33% or 117,603ha since 1999) as has the area in intensive use (by 6.92% or 7,025ha since 1999).
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Southern Gulf
Mapping completed in 2015 found that 9.31% (or 1,806,185ha) of Southern Gulf Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 90.63% (or 17,590,671ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 17,576,497ha (or 90.56% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and just 14,174ha (or 0.07% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Southern Gulf NRM region that is rural land that is not settled has increased (by 3.03% or 53,072ha since 1999) as has rural land in intensive use (by 104.35% or 7,238ha since 1999) whilst extensive use has contracted (by 0.35% or 60,931ha since 1999).
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Southern Queensland
Mapping completed in 2015 found that 5.43% (or 1,703,440ha) of Southern Queensland Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 94.28% (or 29,603,837ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 29,236,602ha (or 93.11% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 367,236ha (or 1.17% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Southern Queensland NRM region that is rural land that is not settled has increased (by 55.12% or 605,309ha since 1999) whilst rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 2.24% or 668,530ha since 1999) and the area in intensive use has increased (by 18.30% or 56,799ha since 1999).
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Torres Strait
Mapping completed in 2015 shows that 98.40% (or 26,759ha) of Torres Strait Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 0.15% (or 40ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 3ha (or 0.01% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 37ha (or 0.13% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Torres Strait NRM region that is rural land not settled has expanded (by 2.50% since 1999) whilst rural settlement has contracted (by 24.60% since 1999).
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Wet Tropics
Mapping completed in 2015 found that 52.72% (or 1,163,024ha) of Wet Tropics Natural Resource Management (NRM) region is rural land not settled and 45.01% (or 992,821ha) is rural settlement. Rural settlement comprises 935,120ha (or 42.39%% of the region) that is rural land in extensive use (such as pastoral properties) and 57,701ha (or 2.62% of the region) that is rural land in intensive use (such as horticultural properties).
Over recent decades the proportion of Wet Tropics NRM region that is rural land not settled has expanded (by 50.59% or 390,703ha since 1999) whilst rural land in extensive use has contracted (by 29.57% or 392,649ha since 1999) as has intensive use (by 5.35% or 3,258ha since 1999).
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Relevant Sustainable Development Goals’ targets
Download data from Queensland Government Open Data Portal
Metadata
Change in the extent of land used for rural purposes in each of the 11 NRM Regions that cover Queensland between 1999 and either 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 or 2017 (depending on the region) mapped using the standards the Australian Land Use and Management Classification (updated to the version most current at the time of mapping).