6. Factors influencing the Region’s values

The catchments, coastline and islands of the Region are human landscapes, accommodating approximately 1.2 million people and a range of different activities and land use practices (Figure 6.9). Coastal development includes all development activities, construction and land uses in the Catchment, coastlines and islands. Since the arrival of Europeans in the Region in the mid-1800s, broadscale changes have occurred in land use, resulting in widespread changes in landscapes. These historical changes, along with current activities, affect Reef ecosystems.¹⁷³⁴ 

Coastal development in the Region is driven by a range of factors, with major land use changes in the Catchment over the past 150 years linked to national and state development schemes and global market forces,³³² as well as the needs of the local population. Population growth drives coastal development, particularly in urban areas, intensifying infrastructure demands; for example, more roads and larger stormwater networks, more sewage treatment, increased food production and expansion into previously remote areas of the Catchment. Proposed infrastructure plans for Queensland now include renewable energy zones within the Catchment,¹⁷³⁶ upgrading infrastructure to encourage major energy projects such as large-scale wind, solar and hydrogen power stations, as well as the world’s largest pumped storage hydropower scheme which is proposed across the Pioneer Valley and Burdekin Basin catchments.¹⁵⁰⁹ Overall, a range of the land uses that can significantly impact the Reef's condition are at, or close to, historical highs of landcover and production, including cattle, cropping and aquaculture.