The future prosperity of northern Australia’s communities depends upon the sustainable expansion of current industries such as agriculture, grazing, mining, energy and tourism. It also depends on new and innovative approaches to economic development.
Better outcomes for people, the environment andthe economy are achieved only by careful planning, the support of a comprehensive knowledge-
base, and through greater partnerships between industry, the community, traditional owners and governments.
The research team, during NESP Project 1.32, and other reviews, have concluded that development planning has not always been done well, and that there are many obstacles to best-practice.
Guided by these previous findings, this project will undertake a range of complementary and integrated approaches to address the identified barriers.
Approach
Project 3.1 will achieve this by: establishing a strong regional planning network; analysing and informing new regional planning efforts; and, ensuring quality practice from the outset. Integral, will be:
- Indigenous, industry and general community inclusion;
- the incorporation of environmental and social sciences;
- knowledge sharing events; and
- targeted capacity building.
The work will be focussed through ‘sentinel’ case studies to obtain learnings for application in future planning.
Expected outcomes
- Approved approaches to ecologically sustainable development.
- Best-practice regional planning supported and refined.
- Prosperous communities and First Nations supported by well-planned, sustainable economic enterprises.
Project location
Project leader
Research partners
James Cook University
Collaborators
Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia
Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute
Research users
Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute
Queensland Government
NSW Government
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Technical report – Project 3.1
Creating a pipeline for sustainable and inclusive development: A research synthesis for developing new pathways for northern Australia
Dale A (2024). Creating a pipeline for sustainable and inclusive development: A research synthesis for developing new pathways for northern Australia. A joint report for the Cooperative Research Centre for Northern Australia (CRCNA), Townsville and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), Cairns.
Technical report – Project 3.1
Regional planning and assessment for sustainable development in the Gilbert River Catchment: Analysis Report
Dale A, Turnour J, Burns S, Burford M, Stewart-Koster B, Waltham N, Burrows D, Douglas M, Bock E, and Baresi U (2024). Regional planning and assessment for sustainable development in the Gilbert River Catchment: Analysis Report. A report to the National Environmental Science Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), Cairns.
Technical report – Project 3.1
Regional planning and assessment for sustainable development in the Gilbert River Catchment: Solutions Report
Dale A, Turnour J, Burns S, Bock E, and Baresi U (2024). Regional planning and assessment for sustainable development in the Gilbert River Catchment: Solutions Report. A joint report for the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), Townsville and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), Cairns.
Technical report – Project 3.1
Strengthening regional planning and development assessment in the Douglas Daly Region of the Northern Territory: Solutions Report
Dale A, Turnour J, Burns S, Bock E, and McHugh J (2024). Strengthening regional planning and development assessment in the Douglas Daly Region of the Northern Territory: Solutions Report. A joint report for the Cooperative Research Centre for Northern Australia (CRCNA), Townsville and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), Cairns.
Technical report – Project 3.1
Strengthening regional planning and development assessment in the Douglas Daly Region of the Northern Territory: Analysis Report
Dale A, Turnour J, Burns S, Bock E, and McHugh J (2024). Strengthening regional planning and development assessment in the Douglas Daly Region of the Northern Territory: Analysis Report. A joint report for the Cooperative Research Centre for Northern Australia (CRCNA), Townsville and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), Cairns.
Technical report – Project 3.1
Creating a pipeline for sustainable and inclusive development: A research synthesis for developing new pathways for the northern Australia
Dale AP (2024). Creating a pipeline for sustainable and inclusive development: A research synthesis for developing new pathways for the northern Australia. A joint report for the Cooperative Research Centre for Northern Australia (CRCNA), Townsville and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), Cairns.
Fact sheet – Project 3.1
Project 3.1 Information sheet
NESP Marine and Coastal Hub (2023). Planning for ecologically sustainable development in northern Australia. Project 3.1 Information sheet. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Cairns, Queensland.
Fact sheet – Project 3.1
Project 3.1 Information sheet
NESP Marine and Coastal Hub (2023). Building a northern Australian community of practice and sentinel case studies for supporting improved regional planning to achieve Ecologically Sustainable Development. Project 3.1 Information sheet. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Cairns, Queensland.