Queensland
Soil is a critical nonrenewable resource that supports ecosystem function, which sustains our society. The state’s soil resources suitable for food, fibre and fuel production are finite.
Soil, regional climate and rainfall factors contribute to the suitability and capability for different land uses.
Agricultural land
In 2021, Queensland’s land resource suitable and available for cropping covered 12% (212,494km 2 ) of the state.
- Land highly suited (Agricultural Land Class A) — 7% (130,599km 2 )
- Land suitable but with limitations (Agricultural Land Class B) — 5% (81,896km 2 ).
In contrast, the land resource suitable for grazing (Class C) covered 70% (1,258,964km 2 ) of Queensland, while the land assessed as unsuitable for all types of agriculture covered 1% (15,033km 2 ).
About 17% (296,183km 2 ) of Queensland’s land resource is unavailable for agricultural production because it is under conservation or Indigenous cultural land use, is unsuitable, or developed for urban or industrial purposes.
- Land unsuitable for agriculture (Class D) — 1% (15,033km 2 )
- Land developed for urban or industrial purposes — 1% (11,689km 2 )
- Land under conservation status — 10% (170,106km 2 )
- Waterways and wetland landscapes — 4% (74,724km 2 )
- Indigenous cultural land use — 3% (45,800km 2 )
About 0.1% (1,563km 2 ) of the state has yet to be formally assessed.
In Queensland, agricultural suitability is determined using the agricultural land classification (ALC) system. This classification assesses the adequacy of land for a specified agricultural use and its ability to sustain production. Areas of alienation, conservation, Indigenous land management and waterways and wetlands are sourced from the Queensland Land Use Mapping Program (QLUMP).
