Environment Levy

The Coast’s popularity as a place to live and work has led to increased development and urbanisation, which in turn leads to increased pressures on biodiversity and natural habitats.

As is common practice in many local government authorities throughout Australia, the former shire councils on the Sunshine Coast each introduced an environment levy to fund projects that would contribute to sustaining a healthy environment.

The levy remains current and is charged at $60 per property per year throughout the region. In this way, council and the community are working together to protect the long-term health of the environment. For example, the levy fund has been used to create the Mountain Creek Recreation Trail, creating environmentally friendly infrastructure to encourage appreciation and use of this special area.

Environment Levy project update

In August 2009 council endorsed the new regional Environment Levy Policy [PDF 48KB] that lays out five years of exciting strategic projects - impossible without the stimulus of Environment Levy funds.

Key objectives of the Policy are:

Protection of environmentally significant land through acquisition, as part of a wider strategy for landscape and habitat protection and rehabilitation.
Responding to the region’s key environmental challenges and produce on ground actions.
Open, transparent management of Enviroment Levy revenue
Partnering with a range of stakeholders, community based and government, to improve conservation and sustainability outcomes.

Key environment levy funded initiatives outlined in the Environment Levy Policy include:

$19.6m over five years for land acquisition. This will build on the existing conservation area network and focus on consolidating larger conservation areas for future generations to enjoy.
$7.1m over five years for developing and implementing a Waterways and Coastal Foreshores Strategy.
$317,000 over five years for developing and implementing a Regional Biodiversity Report Card.
$8.3m for community environment grants, voluntary conservation agreements on private lands and partnership agreements with community groups and non-government organisations to undertake environmental initiatives.

Community involvement

Council appreciates community input and is keen for residents to participate in the ongoing management of its natural assets.
If you have a property you think should be considered for acquisition under the environment levy program, please complete an Environment Levy Land Nomination Form [PDF 47KB].

Further information

Environment Levy revenue and expenditure is reported each year in council's annual report.

For further information on the Environment Levy contact council’s customer service centre.