Queensland Consolidated Acts Queensland Consolidated Acts(1) The purpose of this Act is to—
(a) preserve the natural values of rivers that have all, or almost all, of their natural values intact; and
(b) provide for the preservation of the natural values of rivers in the Lake Eyre Basin.
(2) The purpose is to be achieved mainly by establishing a framework that includes the declaration of wild river areas that will or may include the following—
(a) high preservation areas;
(b) preservation areas;
(c) floodplain management areas;
(d) special floodplain management areas;
(e) subartesian management areas.
(3) Through the framework mentioned in subsection (2), this Act and other Acts achieve the purpose mentioned in subsection (1) by—
(a) providing for the regulation of particular activities and taking of natural resources in a wild river and its catchment to preserve the wild river's natural values; and
(b) having a precautionary approach to minimise adverse effects on known natural values and reduce the possibility of adversely affecting poorly understood ecological functions; and
(c) treating a wild river and its catchment as a single entity, linking the condition of the river to the health of the catchment; and
(d) considering the effect of individual activities and taking of natural resources on a wild river's natural values; and
(e) considering the cumulative effect of activities and taking of natural resources affecting a wild river area when further activities or taking are proposed; and
(f) if a wild river crosses a State border—working with the other State to encourage preservation of the wild river's natural values in the other State.