Department of the Environment

Reef Trust Tender – Burdekin offers funding to sugar cane farmers in the Burdekin NRM region to improve nitrogen and irrigation management practices on their farms. Expression of interest stage open until 7 December 2015.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has sold 22.864 gigalitres of Commonwealth environmental water allocations for a return of $6.458 million that will be used to improve the environment of the Murray Darling Basin.

A competitive tender for groundwater purchasing will be conducted in Queensland’s Upper Condamine Alluvium, with a budget of up to $10 million. The tender will open at 9am AEDT on 30 November 2015 and will close at 5pm AEDT on 10 February 2016.

Conservation Management Zones of Australia dataset now available as open data and web services

The Minister has agreed that Turnix melanogaster (black-breasted button-quail), Erythrotriorchis radiatus (red goshawk), Geophaps scripta scripta (squatter pigeon (southern)) that these species should retain their current listing status effective 27 October 2015.

The Minister has approved the transfer of Malurus coronatus coronatus (purple-crowned fairy-wren (western)) from the Vulnerable category to the Endangered category effective 31 October 2015.

The Minister has approved the addition of Probosciger aterrimus macgillivrayi (palm cockatoo (Australian), Platycercus caledonicus brownii (green rosella), Strepera fuliginosa colei (black currawong (King Island)) to the Vulnerable category effective 31 October 2015.

Find out the latest updates on the Commonwealth Marine Reserves Review.

Application on ecological sustainability - public comments open from 5 November 2015 until 4 December 2015

The Australian Government is establishing a new program to assist irrigators modernise their on-farm irrigation infrastructure and return the resulting water savings to the environment. Public comments on program design are open until 11 December.

The call for applications for funding through the Reef Trust Gully Erosion Control programme is now open. Applications close 26 November 2015

The Minister has approved the inclusion of Atriplex sp. Yeelirrie Station (L. Trotter and A. Douglas LCH 25025) (a saltbush) in the Endangered category under the EPBC Act effective 22 October 2015.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder today announced the sale of 20 GL of temporary water from the Goulburn river catchment.

The Minister has approved the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Infrastructure project subject to 36 strict conditions to minimise its potential environmental impacts.

Great Barrier Reef Report Card 2014 and more information about Reef Water Quality Protection Plan outcomes in 2013-2014.

The Threatened Species Scientific Committee is seeking comments on the assessment of Hibbertia abyssa (Bandalup buttercup). The public consultation period will be open until 20 November 2015.

Comments are sought on the proposal to include the Chillagoe Karst Region on the National Heritage List. Comments close 2 November 2015

The Minister has approved the addition of Acacia leptoneura to the critically endangered category effective 24 September 2015.

Agency application on ecological sustainability - call for public comments open from 24 September 2015 until 26 October 2015.