Queensland Government Publications
Queensland Government Current Publications Search Engine
The Queensland Government has created a central point of access for gazettes, scientific and annual reports, current departmental strategies, etc. The Government also has an “open access” policy which means that in principle, all non-confidential material is available to the public free or for the cost only of reproduction. Scientists seeking data or previously published reports should check the official sources first.
However, large volumes of material that are not currently in print cannot be found through this portal.
Queensland Government historical publications
Scientific information compiled under previous administrations may still be of value to contemporary scientists and policy officers, even if policy and political attention may now be focused elsewhere. The NRM Resource Planning Guidelines are presented as an example. The Science Library may offer an alternative point of access for information that is otherwise difficult to track down.
Natural Resource Management – Resource Planning Guidelines
The following Resource Planning Guidelines from the Department of Natural Resources c.1995-2006 are posted here as examples of science-related material that has been officially published but is no longer readily accessible. (Please note that these documents are posted here in their original form – legislation and policy has in many cases changed substantially since then).
E3 Strategic Data Capture Plan
E51 Benefit/Cost of Land Resource Assessment: The Leichhardt Downs (Burdekin) Study
E51 Land Resource Assessment: The Leichhardt Downs (Burdekin) Study Appendix
WildNet
The WildNet Program within the Science and Technology Division, Department of Environment acquires and manages a range of information including species nomenclature, statuses and listings, species notes, species lists, survey data, wildlife records, images, documents and maps.
Metadata from relevant articles from the Proceedings of The Royal Society of Queensland have been incorporated within the WildNet database with links to the associated species and reserves.
Information approved for release from the WildNet database is made available from a number internet applications and products including Species lists, Species profile search and Biomaps.
Further information about the WildNet database and links to all its published applications and products can be accessed from https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/species-information/wildnet.
Vegetation mapping – State coverage complete
On 30 May 2017 Science Minister Leanne Enoch announced completion of the mapping of Queensland’s vegetation types – “Version 10.0 of the Regional Ecosystems mapping” – after a scientific initiative extending over 28 years.
Natural resource mapping is an input to the planning of a wide range of public sector, business and civil society projects. The value of information of this kind ripples through the economy in many more ways than simply supporting conservation planning.
Congratulations are due to a number of public-spirited scientists from a range of disciplines for investing their time and skills in this project; and to successive Queensland Governments for allowing them the budgets and intellectual space to fulfil this mission.
Member and Past President Paul Sattler OAM has written of the origin of the regional ecosystem program in his memoirs, published on this website. Paul as a prime mover of the project was invited to deliver an address at the launch following Ministers Leanne Enoch and Dr Steven Miles – published here.
Links
The Minister also released Queensland’s Regional Ecosystems: Building and maintaining a biodiversity inventory, planning framework and information system for Queensland. https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/redd/resource/42657ca4-848f-4d0e-91ab-1b475faa1e7d which documents the history and development of the regional ecosystem biodiversity inventory, planning framework and information system for Queensland.
Also released was Version 3 of the Vegetation of Queensland https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/redd/resource/78209e74-c7f2-4589-90c1-c33188359086
and version 4 of the Methodology https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/redd/resource/6dee78ab-c12c-4692-9842-b7257c2511e4.
A full media explanation is on http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2017/5/30/qld-ecosystems-mapped-and-online-in-worldleading-science-achievement.
The Society re-publishes these links as a service to the scientific community because of the close involvement of Members and because the links are not necessarily easy to find on the government website. However, they are vulnerable to restructuring of the government web pages.