The Mount Peter Master Planned Area is one of the fastest-growing regional urban areas in Far North Queensland (FNQ). A strategic assessment of planned development will help to protect the environment and World Heritage Areas.
Strategic assessments are a collaboration between the Australian Government and an assessment partner. This collaboration allows for a big-picture approach to safeguarding protected matters from the impacts of development over a long time.
The Mount Peter (QLD) strategic assessment on this page is inactive. This means the Environment minister signed an agreement, but the Australian Government no longer anticipates receiving further documents to progress the strategic assessment.
The partner has no obligation to finalise the strategic assessment requirements. They may choose not to continue to seek approval for their development at any time.
Overview
The Mount Peter Master Planned Area, 15 km south of Cairns, is the top regional urban growth area for FNQ. Up to 50,000 people could live at the site over the next 20 to 30 years. This is about half of the predicted population growth for FNQ.
The Australian Government, Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council agreed to carry out a strategic assessment of development in the area. This was the first strategic assessment agreement signed by all 3 levels of government in Australia.
The Mount Peter Master Planned Area has significant ecological values that are protected under national environment law. The strategic assessment will look at the potential impacts of the development on:
- listed migratory species
- listed threatened species
- the values of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area
- the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area.
The strategic assessment will ensure the Mount Peter planning process considers these protected matters. The assessment will also look at activities in the area such as:
- urban
- infrastructure
- light industrial development.
Strategic Assessment Agreement
The strategic assessment was signed on 25 February 2010.
The agreement describes the:
- process to follow for assessment
- requirements under national environmental law.
Strategic assessment agreement and terms of reference (PDF 2.58 MB)
Strategic assessment agreement and terms of reference (DOC 552 KB)
Terms of reference
The terms of reference for a strategic assessment detail how the strategic assessment partner is to assess the impacts of their proposed development activities
The strategic assessment agreement includes the terms of reference.
Program and impact report
The assessment partners didn't finalise the strategic assessment process. This means they didn't develop a final program and impact report.
This strategic assessment is now inactive.
Get in touch
Contact our Referrals Gateway team:
- Email: epbc.referrals@dcceew.gov.au
- Phone: 1800 423 135 between 9 am and 5 pm Canberra time.