We have strong laws in place to protect our environment. They help us to protect our unique plants, animals, habitats and places. You can access data and publications that will help you understand the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Data and tools
- EPBC Act Business Portal - start referral applications and manage your account
- EPBC Act Public Portal - lists of referred projects, public comments and decisions
- Protected Matters Search Tool (PMST) - identify protected matters in a specific area
- Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT) - information about protected species and ecological communities
- Biologically Important Areas of Regionally Significant Marine Species (BIAs) - species lists and maps
- Australian Heritage Database
- Australian Wetlands Database
Significant impact guidelines
Use these guidelines to help determine whether an action is likely to have a significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance protected by the EPBC Act.
- Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 - Matters of national environmental significance - 2013
- Significant Impact Guidelines 1.2 - Actions on, or impacting upon, Commonwealth land and actions by Commonwealth agencies - 2013
- Significant Impact Guidelines 1.3 - Coal seam gas and large coal mining developments - impacts on water resources - 2022
New or increased impacts
Specific advice
Agriculture
- Agricultural actions exempt from approval under national environmental law - fact sheet - 2020
- Northern Territory cattle production and national environment law - fact sheet - 2014
Aquaculture
Bushfires and other natural disasters
- How does national environmental law apply to the natural disasters clean-up? - fact sheet - 2017
First Nations People and Community engagement
Energy sector
- Impacts on birds of offshore wind farms - report - 2022
- Wind farm collision risk for birds - report - 2006
- EPBC Act Policy Statement 2.34 - Wind farm industry - 2009
Environmental offsets
- EPBC Act environmental offsets policy - 2012
- Advanced environmental offsets under the EPBC Act - policy statement - 2016
Great Barrier Reef
- EPBC Act referral guidelines for the Outstanding Universal Value of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area - 2014
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protection: legislative changes - frequently asked questions - fact sheet - 2009
- Safeguarding the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - fact sheet - 2009
Marine areas
- Guidance on key terms within the Blue Whale Conservation Management Plan - 2021
- Marine bioregional plans - conservation values, pressures and priorities in the Commonwealth marine area for the South-east, South-west, North-west, North and Temperate East marine bioregions - 2012
- EPBC Act Policy Statement 2.1 - Interaction between offshore seismic exploration and whales - 2008
Regional guidelines
Policy statements for regions provide area-focused guidance for matters of national environmental significance and should be read in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines - matters of national environmental significance.
- Magnetic Island, Queensland - policy statement 5.1 - 2010
Strategic assessments
- Strategic Assessments policy statement - 2013
- Strategic Assessments Prospectus - 2013
- A guide to undertaking strategic assessments - 2013
- Strategic assessments frequently asked questions - 2013
- Strategic assessment under the EPBC Act brochure - 2013
See also: Strategic assessments of an endorsed policy, plan or program
Referrals, assessments and approvals
- Summary information to assist with a pre-referral meeting - Guidance for proponents and consultants - 2015
- Environmental Impact Assessment Client Services Charter - 2013
- Environment Assessment Manual - Implementing Chapter 4, EPBC Act - 2012
- National environment law - project assessments basics - fact sheet - 2013
- Local government and Australian environment law - fact sheet - 2009
- Particular manner decisions - section 77A - 2007
Learn more about referral and assessments
Approvals and conditions
EPBC Act policy statements
The policies and procedures included in these policy statements are intended to serve as guidance only and should be applied consistently with the requirements of the EPBC Act and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (EPBC Regulations). These policy statements do not represent legal or professional advice.
To the extent of any inconsistency, the EPBC Act and EPBC Regulations will prevail over these policy statements. If you consider that any of these policy statements may be inconsistent with the EPBC Act or the EPBC Regulations, please contact us. These policy statements may be subject to change at any time.
Where there is a reference in these policy statements to the exercise of a delegated power by a ministerial delegate, references to departmental officers do not imply that these officers will make a decision under the EPBC Act.
- Listing events - policy statement - 2013
- Expiry dates for approvals - policy statement - 2013
- Definition of 'action' - policy statement - 2013
- Reconsideration - policy statement - 2019
- Indirect consequences of an action - policy statement - 2013
- Change of person proposing to take an action - policy statement - 2013
- Definition of 'environment' - policy statement -2013
- EPBC Act delegations - policy statement - 2013
- Consideration of a person's environmental history - policy statement - 2013
- Staged developments - policy statement - 2013
- Translocation of listed threatened species - policy statement -2013
- Statements of reasons - policy statement - 2019
Threatened species, habitats and places
- EPBC Act nomination process flowchart - for listing threatened species, ecological communities and key threatening process under the EPBC Act
Species-specific information
- A review of ghost bat ecology, threats and survey requirements - 2022
- A review of Pilbara leaf-nosed bat ecology, threats and survey requirements - 2022
- A review of noise, light and dust impacts on grey-headed flying-fox camps - 2021
- Guide to greater glider habitat in Queensland - 2022
- A review of koala habitat assessment criteria and methods - 2022
- Revegetating koala habitat - 2022
- Effects of fire on koalas and their habitat - 2022
Ecological communities listed under the EPBC Act
Nationally threatened ecological communities guidelines provide guidance on specific threatened ecological communities and should be read in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines.
- Alpine sphagnum bogs and associated fens - 2009
- Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain: a nationally-protected ecological community - 2016
- EPBC Referral Guidance - Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain ecological community - 2019
- Blue Gum High Forest of the Sydney Basin Bioregion - 2005
- Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla dominant and co-dominant) information sheet - 2001
- Broad leaf tea-tree woodlands and Landholders - June 2012
- Central Hunter Valley eucalypt forest and woodland: a nationally protected ecological community - 2016
- Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest - 2010
- Farming and nationally protected Coolibah - Black Box Woodlands - 2011
- Farming and nationally protected grasslands and woodlands of the Victorian volcanic plain - 2009
- Farming and nationally protected Grey Box woodlands and grasslands - 2010
- Farming and nationally protected lowland native grasslands of Tasmania - 2009
- Farming and nationally protected Natural Grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains - 2012
- Giant Kelp Marine Forests of South East Australia - 2012
- Gippsland Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Associated Native Grassland - 2010
- Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-Eastern Australia - 2012
- Guide to the Eucalypt Woodlands of the Western Australian Wheatbelt - a critically endangered ecological community - 2016
- Kangaroo Island Narrow-leaved Mallee (Eucalyptus cneorifolia) Woodland: a nationally-protected ecological community - 2014
- Landholders & Upland Basalt Eucalypt Forests - 2012
- Littoral rainforest and coastal vine thickets of eastern Australia - 2009
- Lowland Rainforest and Landholders - 2012
- Lowland native grasslands of Tasmania - 2009
- Monaro grasslands - 2019
- The nationally protected Arnhem Plateau Sandstone Shrubland Complex - 2012
- Nationally Threatened Ecological Communities: Natural Grasslands on Basalt and Fine-textured Alluvial Plains of Northern New South Wales and Southern Queensland, and Natural Grasslands of the Queensland Central Highlands and the Northern Fitzroy Basin - 2012
- Nationally Threatened Ecological Communities of the Victorian Volcanic Plain: Natural Temperate Grassland & Grassy Eucalypt Woodland - 2011
- Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands: a nationally protected ecological community - 2016
- Peppermint box (Eucalyptus odorata) grassy woodland of South Australia and iron-grass natural temperate grassland of South Australia - 2007
- Posidonia australis Seagrass Meadows of the Manning-Hawkesbury Ecoregion: A Nationally Significant Ecological Community - 2018
- Proteaceae Dominated Kwongkan Shrubland ecological community - 2014
- Tasmanian Black Gum and Brookers Gum Forests and Woodlands: A Nationally Significant Ecological Community - 2020
- The Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland of the Sydney Basin Bioregion: A Nationally Significant Ecological Community - 2017
- Tuart Woodlands and Forests of the Swan Coastal Plain: A Nationally Significant Ecological Community - 2019
- EPBC Referral Guidance - Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) Woodlands and Forests of the Swan Coastal Plain ecological community - 2019
- Turpentine–Ironbark Forest of the Sydney Basin Bioregion - 2005
- Upland wetlands of the New England Tablelands and the Monaro Plateau - 2005
- Weeping Myall Woodlands - EPBC Act policy statement - 2009
- Western Sydney Dry Rainforest and Moist Woodland on Shale: a nationally-protected ecological community - 2015
- White box - yellow box - Blakely's red gum grassy woodlands and derived native grasslands - 2006
Survey guidelines for specific species
Survey guidelines provide advice on survey techniques for specific nationally threatened species. They give guidance on our expectations with regard to surveys. Read them in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines.
- Draft survey guidelines for Australia's threatened orchids - 2014
- Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened bats - 2010
- Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened birds - 2010
- Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened frogs - 2010
- Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened fish - 2011
- Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened mammals - 2011
- Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened reptiles - 2011
Read more about surveys and data.
Threatened species guidelines
- Black-eyed susan, Tetratheca juncea - August 2011
- Black-throated finch (southern) (Poephila cincta cincta) - 2009
- Brigalow Belt reptiles - draft, May 2011
- Camp management guidelines for the Grey-headed and Spectacled flying-fox - draft, 2014
- Four Tasmanian burrowing crayfish - draft. July 2011
- Golden sun moth - 2009
- Green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) - 2010
- Growling grass frog - 2010
- Industry guidelines for avoiding, assessing and mitigating impacts on EPBC Act listed migratory shorebird species - 2015
- Koala - 2014
- Southern brown bandicoot (eastern), Isoodon obesulus obesulus - draft - May 2011
- Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) Wet Tropics Population - March 2010
- Spectacled flying fox - 2003
- Spiny rice-flower (Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens) - 2009
- Spot-tailed quoll - 2009
- Striped legless lizard, Delma impar - August 2011
- Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) - 2006
- Tasmanian giant freshwater lobster (Astacopsis gouldi) - draft - 2015
- 3 WA threatened black cockatoo species - 2022
- Tiger quoll - 2004
- Wallum sedge frog, Litoria olongburensis - draft - September 2011
- Water mouse Xeromys myoides - 2015
- Western ringtail possum in the southern Swan Coastal Plain, WA - 2009
Archived documents
- Northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus - draft. March 2011
- Mabi Forest Information Sheet - 2004 [archived]
- Black Gum (Eucalyptus ovata) - South Esk Pine (Callitris oblonga) Forest (Tasmania) - 2004 [archived]
- Swamps of the Fleurieu Peninsula - 2003 [archived]
- Guidelines for Section 516A reporting – Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - 2010 [archived]
- Criteria for determining ESD relevance - 2003 [archived]
- Generic ESD and environmental performance indicators for Commonwealth organisations - 2003 [archived]
- New detention regime for suspected unauthorised non-citizen offenders - fact sheet - 2007 [archived]
- Operational review of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW), the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth) - 2009 [archived]
- How does the listing of gamba grass and four other grasses as a key threatening process affect me? - 2010 [archived]
- Protecting Australia's World Heritage properties - fact sheet - 2008 [archived]
- Recovery action for threatened species and ecological communities - fact sheet - 2007 [archived]
- Review of mitigation measures used to deal with the issues of habitat fragmentation - 2008 [archived]
- Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) Forest of South-east Queensland - 2005
- Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone - 2005
- Grey-headed Flying-fox - 2003
- Draft outcomes-based conditions policy and guidance - draft for comment - 2015 [archived]
- Draft policy statement: advanced environmental offsets under the EPBC Act - consultation - 2015
- Cost Recovery under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) - consultation - 2017
- Condition-setting under assessment bilateral agreements - consultation - 2015
Get in touch
For questions about the environmental assessment process under the EPBC Act, contact us by either:
- Email: epbc.referrals@dcceew.gov.au
- Phone: +61 1800 423 135 between 9 am and 5 pm Canberra time.