Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
| Division overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 5 June 1975 |
| Type | Protected area and wildlife management |
| Jurisdiction | Queensland |
| Headquarters | 400 George Street, Brisbane |
| Minister responsible |
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| Division executive |
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| Parent department | Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation |
| Website | www |
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is a business division of the Department of Environment and Science within the Government of Queensland. The division’s primary concern is with the management and maintenance of Protected areas and wildlife within Queensland to protect and manage them for current and future generations.
The QPWS managed areas include more than 1000 national parks, state forests, marine parks and other protected areas, and five world heritage areas. Of these, 220 are national parks.
Queensland’s first national park, Witches Falls (in today’s Tamborine National Park), was established on 28 March 1908, followed by Bunya Mountains National Park in July 1908, and then Lamington National Park in 1915. From modest early beginnings within the Forestry Department, a dedicated national parks service was established in 1975 — the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service. From that time, park rangers have proudly worn QPWS uniform badge featuring the symbol, Herbie (Herbert River ringtail possum), which has become one of the most well-recognised symbols in Queensland. The title was abbreviated to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service by a public service departmental arrangements notice in 1998 and the wording on the badge was changed.
The Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Marine Parks Act 2004 provide guiding legislation for the Service. Andrew Powell is the Minister responsible for the department. The agency's head office is located at 400 George Street in the Brisbane central business district.