Protected Matters Search Tool: Help

About the Protected Matters Search Tool

This tool was designed to assist members of the public in searching for matters protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). For a selected area, the tool generates a list of protected matters that may occur in or near the area.

The tool draws from many sources of data including mapped locations of World Heritage properties, Ramsar wetlands, threatened, migratory and many marine species, threatened ecological communities and protected areas.

The report generated will assist anyone proposing a development to determine whether their development is likely to affect a matter of national environmental significance and consequently require referral for assessment and approval under the EPBC Act.

It will also highlight circumstances, for example the distribution of cetaceans, where a permit may be required under the EPBC Act and provides links to further information.

You can use this tool to:

Map your area of interest, such as a development project;
Overlay on your map, places of national environmental significance such as:
World Heritage properties; and
Internationally significant wetlands; and
Run the report to find where nationally threatened and migratory species occur.
The tool also provides some additional information that might be useful including lists of conservation reserves in the area selected.

You can find out about proposals that have been referred and related notifications via: EPBC public notifications.

Where does the information come from?

This tool has been designed bringing together an array of information from a range of sources including government, research and community organisations. Maps have been collated from a range of sources, at various resolutions. For example: the maps of boundaries of World Heritage properties, Ramsar wetlands and conservation reserves were provided by state government agencies, which have primary responsibility for land tenure. These are generally captured at a scale of 1:250K or better.

The tool also contains information on the distribution of threatened species. This information varies in resolution according to our scientific knowledge; some species are well known, while other species have yet to be fully investigated.

For threatened ecological communities where the distribution is well known, maps have been derived from recovery plans, State vegetation maps, remote sensing imagery and other sources. Where threatened ecological community distributions are less well known, existing vegetation maps and point location data are used to produce indicative distribution maps.

For species where the distributions are well known, maps have been digitised from sources such as recovery plans and detailed habitat studies.

For species whose distributions are less well known, point locations are collated from government wildlife authorities, museums, and non-government organisations; bioclimatic distribution models are generated; and these validated by experts. In some cases, the distribution maps are based solely on expert knowledge.

This tool represents the baseline of our scientific knowledge on the distribution of threatened species and is the first time such a consolidated national base has been put together.

Acknowledgements

This database has been compiled from a range of data sources. The department acknowledges the following custodians who have contributed valuable data and advice:

Environment Australia is extremely grateful to the many organisations and individuals who provided expert advice and information on numerous draft distributions.

Using the Protected Matters Search Tool

The Interactive Map provides a graphical means to identify areas of interest within Australia and its Territories. From the interactive map, display layers may be selected to show matters of national environmental significance to aid the work you do. If you need help using the interactive map, or wish to provide feedback, please contact ERIN via email on web-gis@environment.gov.au.

Browser Requirements

You will need to have a Javascript enabled web browser and accept all cookies. Works best on Internet Explorer V. 7 or higher and Firefox 3.6 and above.

If the map fails to load, please contact ERIN via email on web-gis@environment.gov.au. Please include a phone number where we can contact you.

Map Navigation

Drag the mouse to pan
Use arrow keys to pan
Double Click to Center and Zoom in
Mouse Scroll Forward to zoom in
SHIFT + Drag the mouse to zoom in
Use + key to zoom in a level
Mouse Scroll Backward to zoom out
SHIFT + CTRL + Drag the mouse to zoom out
Use - key to zoom out a level
SHIFT + Click to recenter

How can I use this tool?

The map search and the coordinate search both enable you to produce a report on potential matters of national environmental significance and other matters protected under the EPBC Act in your nominated area of interest.

This report can then be used as an information source for you to determine through your knowledge of the Act and its requirements whether a proposal needs to be referred for assessment and approval under the Act, or whether a permit may be required.

Guidance on whether a proposal needs assessment and approval under the Act, can be found through the Administrative guidelines on significance, at: http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/guidelines-policies.html

User Basics

1. I want a report from a pre-defined region
Select Report by Region and follow the on-page directions
2. I want a report based on my own coordinates
Select Report by Coordinates and follow the on-page directions
3. I want a map and/or report from navigating a map myself
Click the Interactive Map Tool link (or the map picture) from the home page
Use the Navigation buttons to zoom to your area of interest
Make layers visible and/or active to view data and identify features
Use the Report icon to define your area of interest, and to get a complete environmental report

	The map will zoom out to the full extent.
	The map will zoom out to the previous extent if one exists.
	The map will zoom in to the next extent if one exists.
	By selecting this button you can click on features on the map to identify them. Only features on the active layer will be selected. You can make one of the map layers active by selecting the corresponding radio button in the layer list under the image. The icon changes to green when it is on, and red when off.
	By clicking this button you see this help page.
	The red-arrow icon in the top right corner of the interactive map opens an overview map feature. When it is pointing down it indicates the feature is off. When it is pointing up the feature is on. The larger map may be moved by the mouse clicking the shaded/red area in the overview map, and relocating the area of interest around Australia and its territories. The larger map remains at the zoom level set at the time of actioning the change.

Tools

	Clicking on the Report icon opens the reporting pane which enables the user to draw an area of interest on the map and report on it. When drawing, please make sure the mouse is stationary when clicking, as dragging the mouse will not register a point. Double click to end the shape if drawing a Line or Polygon.
	Clicking on the Measure icon allows a polyline to be drawn on the map. The line will be measured once the map has been double-clicked which ends the line.

Layers

The Legend allows the user to change the visible layers that are displayed on the map.

A shaded out check box means the layer cannot be selected at this zoom level. When hovering over individual legend values, the visible scale the layer can be seen at is shown.

Clicking on the legend link will open up the metadata for the dataset behind the layer.

Search Options

	Address Search For an address you can enter all or part of a street name and/or suburb/town name, as well as a street number and state. The search is not case sensitive.
	The address search may be done on part or all of a street name or part or all of a suburb name, and restricts the data to the state in which it is most likely relevant. The example given is for Grant in ACT, returning one result.
	Geographic Search For a geographic location you can enter all or part of the location name. The search is not case sensitive.
	Geographic searches may be done on parts of names or land types such as 'mount' (see the example at left), lake, valley, ridge, rise, island, hill, or a known name like Taylor, Crack, Burley, George, Hamilton (or part thereof if the spelling is unclear)
	Zoom To Coordinate For a Coordinate search you can enter coordinates in either; decimal degrees, degrees minutes seconds, or decimal minutes. The coordinate and a label can be added to the marker. Click on Zoom to zoom to the coordinates that have been entered. Click on Clear to remove the content from the coordinate fields and the marker from the map.

Interactive Map

You can obtain a report on your nominated area of interest by using the Interactive Map to identify your area of interest, and report on it or produce a map of it.

To Report via the Interactive Map

1. Go to the home page of the Protected Matters Search Tool (PMST)
2. Click on the Interactive Map page
3. When the map screen opens, either:
Zoom to a place nearest your area of interest and click on the 'Report' icon - this will pop up a dialog box
OR Pick your area of interest from the Address search, and click the Search button (which will zoom to that area for you) and click on the 'Report' button then
4. Select type of Point, Line, Extent or Polygon
5. Click on the map of Australia, which will make a red point, and by moving the mouse, define an area of interest on the map (if you selected line, extent or polygon you need to click more than one point).
6. Back on the Create Report dialog box, define your buffer area to include in your search if desired.
7. Enter your email address eg first.last@environment.gov.au
8. Click on the 'Report' button.
9. A splash screen with your report generation ID will appear. Note this ID.
10. Check your email for the matching report generation ID and PDF report on the content on your area of interest.
11. If the email does not arrive within the hour, email web-gis@environment.gov.au with your report generation ID requesting assistance.

Report by Region

You can obtain a report on your nominated area of interest by using the report by region feature.

To Report by Region

The following regions may be reported on:

Local Government Area
Regions for National Resource Management, and
Postcode

To report by region, select the named region of interest, then

From the drop down list, select a feature.
Enter an email address, and
Click on the 'Report' button.
A splash screen with your report generation ID will appear. Note this ID.
Check your email for the matching report generation ID and PDF report on the content on your area of interest.
If the email does not arrive within the hour, email web-gis@environment.gov.au with your report generation ID requesting assistance.

Report by Coordinates

You can obtain a report on your nominated area of interest by using the report by coordinate feature.

To Report by Coordinates

Go to the home page of the Protected Matters Search Tool (PMST)
Click on the Report by Coordinates link
Enter a Feature Type (either Point, Line or Area)
Enter a Coordinate Type (either Decimal Degrees or Degrees Minutes Seconds)
Enter the Latitude and Longitude details
Click Add to List button
Repeat steps 4-6 until all coordinates are entered OR
Type in the coordinates for your area directly into the Coordinates box, below the Add to List button. If you don't know the coordinates, use a paper map, or a GIS, or use the map search.
If you make a mistake, click the Clear List button and repeat your entry.
Enter an optional buffer (in kms)
Enter your email address in the Email Address field.
Click on 'Report' button, and a report will be generated on your area of interest and sent to your email account.
A splash screen with your report generation ID will appear. Note this ID.
Check your email for the matching report generation ID and PDF report on the content on your area of interest.
If the email does not arrive within the hour, email web-gis@environment.gov.au with your report generation ID requesting assistance.

Protected Matters Search Tool