Enviroplan Report highlights wins for Ipswich’s natural environment

Published on 18 December 2025

Ipswich’s first ever Voluntary Conservation Covenant and a 32-hectare land acquisition are the highlights of the recently adopted City of Ipswich Enviroplan Program and Levy Progress Report 2024-2025.

Environment and Sustainability Committee Chairperson Councillor Jim Madden said the 2024-2025 financial year had been another successful one for council’s Enviroplan Program.

“The Ipswich Enviroplan Program supports the identification, protection and maintenance of vital ecosystems and natural environmental values,” Cr Madden said.

“In the 2024-2025 year, under the program, council has spent $5,478,476 on four areas: acquiring significant nature conservation land and servicing associated loans; community nature conservation partnerships and support, nature conservation planning, and capital and operational management within the natural area estate.

“In March this year, council acquired 32 hectares of land at South Ripley and turned it into a conservation estate.

“This piece of land is another link towards building a corridor connection between council’s Flinders – Goolman Conservation Estate and White Rock – Spring Mountain Conservation Estate and will provide important habitat for rare and threatened species, from koalas to glossy-black cockatoos.

“Council also signed its first Voluntary Conservation Covenant with the owners of a sprawling, gumtree-laden property in Purga, protecting it for conservation purposes in perpetuity.

“The covenant partners council with landowners who have an existing commitment to protecting or restoring important vegetation and landscapes.”

Cr Madden said the report not only highlighted what council has done, but what it plans to do for the future as well.

“Council adopted the Ipswich Enviroplan Strategic Investment Plan in 2025 to provide a 10-year vision for meeting our city’s conservation challenges,” Cr Madden said.

“During the reporting period, council carried out more than 60km of fire trail maintenance and fuel reduction areas across 10 estates or reserves, a total of 40 hectares of hazard reduction burns at Paynes Road Reserve and Stirling Road Reserve, and more than 1,800 hours of pest management activity in natural area estates, including wild dogs, pigs, foxes, cattle and peacocks.

“Council is committed to managing Ipswich’s unprecedented growth responsibly and to protecting our natural environment.

“The results highlighted in the City of Ipswich Enviroplan Program and Levy Progress Report 2024-2025 demonstrate that council is headed in the right direction.”