Fraser Coast Planning Scheme Changes: New Biodiversity Mapping and Environmental Assessment Requirements
Fraser Coast Regional Council has proposed a significant update to its planning scheme, and for anyone developing land around Hervey Bay, Maryborough or the wider region it is worth understanding early. Amendment Package 1 re-cuts the region’s biodiversity mapping to align with State environmental mapping, introduces a new policy for how ecological assessments must be done, and reshapes how vegetation is managed. Public consultation has closed and Council is now reviewing submissions, so nothing has commenced yet. Here is what is proposed, and why it matters if you are planning a project.
Proposed - not yet in effect
Consultation closed 1 May 2026. Council is reviewing submissions on Amendment Package 1.
What is Amendment Package 1?
Amendment Package 1 is part of Fraser Coast Regional Council’s broader “Building Better Neighbourhoods” review of the Fraser Coast Planning Scheme 2014. It bundles a large set of proposed changes across the strategic framework, zones, housing, overlays and natural hazards. The changes most relevant to ecology sit in the overlays and codes: updated environmental mapping, a new environmental assessment policy, and a reshaping of how vegetation clearing is controlled.
The package went through State Interest Review and received the Minister’s approval to proceed to public consultation, which ran from 27 February to 1 May 2026. Because submissions are still being reviewed, this is a “watch and prepare” moment - the detail could shift before anything is adopted, but the direction of travel is clear.
The three changes ecologists are watching
1. Biodiversity mapping realigned to State MSES
The overlay that triggers ecological assessment is being re-cut.
The headline change is to the Biodiversity areas, waterways and wetlands overlay. In Council’s own words, changes are proposed to this overlay mapping “to align with the mandatory State Planning Policy mapping for Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES).” In addition, High Ecological Value (HEV) water areas mapping is proposed to move out of the Water resource catchment overlay and into this biodiversity overlay. The practical effect: the local trigger for ecological assessment should track the State MSES layer more closely, so some parcels that were not previously captured locally may now fall within the overlay.
2. A new Planning Scheme Policy for environmental assessments
How your ecological reporting will need to be prepared.
The amendment introduces a new Planning scheme policy for environmental assessments and management, providing guidance on how to comply with the Biodiversity areas, waterways and wetlands overlay code. In plain terms, this sets Council’s expectations for what an ecological assessment must contain and how it should be prepared. Getting an ecological assessment report aligned to that policy from the outset is the difference between a clean assessment and an information request that stalls your application.
3. The standalone Vegetation Management Code is removed
The controls do not disappear - they move.
The proposal removes the standalone Vegetation management code and distributes its requirements across other codes and overlays. Importantly, Council has been clear that the substance remains: even with the code removed, “the requirements of the code relating to the conservation of vegetation of significance and the management of vegetation clearing activities still apply.” A new Water quality and management code is also proposed. So this is a restructure, not a relaxation - the obligations are simply relocated, and knowing where they now live matters.
Who this affects
What is proposed versus what applies now
| Element | Current scheme | Proposed under Amendment Package 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Biodiversity, waterways and wetlands mapping | Existing 2014 scheme overlay mapping | Re-cut to align with State MSES mapping; HEV water areas folded in |
| High Ecological Value water areas | Mapped under the Water resource catchment overlay | Moved into the Biodiversity areas, waterways and wetlands overlay |
| Environmental assessment guidance | No dedicated planning scheme policy | New Planning scheme policy for environmental assessments and management |
| Vegetation management | Standalone Vegetation management code | Code removed; requirements distributed to other codes; new Water quality and management code |
What to do while it is under review
Because the amendment is proposed rather than in force, this is the ideal window to get ahead of it. Three practical steps put you in front.
Check your land against the proposed mapping
See whether your parcel falls within the realigned biodiversity, waterways and wetlands overlay, or the State MSES layer it aligns to.
Verify the values on the ground
Mapping is a starting point. A flora and vegetation survey confirms what is actually present, which can materially change the picture.
Prepare assessments to the new policy
Where the overlay applies, an ecological assessment aligned to the proposed environmental assessments policy gives Council what it expects.
This is exactly the work we do across the Fraser Coast. Where a site is captured by the overlay, an ecological assessment report and, where State significance is triggered, an MSES assessment provide the evidence Council needs. Where vegetation or habitat is in question, a flora and vegetation survey grounds the assessment in what is really on site, and an early ecological constraints analysis flags the risks before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Has Amendment Package 1 commenced?
No. Public consultation closed on 1 May 2026 and Council is reviewing submissions. The changes are proposed and could be refined before any adoption. The current Fraser Coast Planning Scheme still applies until an amended version takes effect.
Will my land be caught by the new biodiversity mapping?
It depends on whether your parcel intersects the realigned Biodiversity areas, waterways and wetlands overlay, which is proposed to align with State MSES mapping. Because the overlay is being re-cut, some properties not previously captured locally may fall within it. A constraints check against the proposed mapping is the fastest way to know.
The Vegetation management code is being removed. Can I clear vegetation freely?
No. Council has confirmed the requirements about conserving significant vegetation and managing clearing still apply - they are being moved into other codes rather than deleted. State vegetation law also continues to apply. The controls are relocated, not removed.
What is the new Planning Scheme Policy for environmental assessments?
It is a proposed policy that sets out how to comply with the Biodiversity areas, waterways and wetlands overlay code - effectively Council’s expectations for how ecological assessments are prepared and what they must address. Aligning your reporting to it early helps avoid information requests.
Should I wait until the amendment is adopted before acting?
Not necessarily. The review period is a good time to understand your constraints and plan. Knowing now whether the proposed overlay captures your land lets you design around it and prepare the right assessments, rather than reacting once the changes are in force.
Planning a project in Hervey Bay, Maryborough or the wider Fraser Coast? Find out whether the proposed biodiversity mapping captures your land and what assessments you will need. Request a quote or call (07) 3018 7538.