By Jeremy Cook
The Queensland government has taken “appropriate action” against a landowner found at the centre of alleged illegal land clearing near Stanthorpe.
It ends an almost four month-long investigation by the state’s resource department, which refused to comment on the specific actions it took against the landowner.
“The department has completed its investigation into alleged unauthorised tree clearing on a road at Sugarloaf, near Stanthorpe and has taken appropriate action,” a department spokesman said.
“As per its usual practice, the department will not be commenting on specific actions it has taken in cases of alleged unauthorised clearing.”
Vision shared with media outlets in March revealed an excavator clearing trees from around an unpaved road reserve on crown land located along the New South Wales border.
The road acts as a buffer between the two states and includes vegetation considered “endangered” and “of concern” under Queensland’s State Planning Policy.
Southern Downs Regional Council and state authorities on both sides of the border confirmed no permits had been issued to clear land in that location.
In a statement to Warwick Stanthorpe Today in March, the New South Wales environment department confirmed it was investigating a report of “potentially unauthorised native vegetation clearing at a property at Willson’s Downfall” in the Tenterfield council area.
A New South Wales planning department officer said state authorities had visited the site that same month where the landowner allegedly admitted to having “not sought nor obtained any authorisations from Queensland authorities to undertake the clearing”.
“The clearing has largely occurred in Queensland,” the officer wrote in an email.
“I am now referring the information on to the Queensland authorities (state department and local council) for further investigation.”
