"This article focuses on planning and environmental law issues arising from management of Keswick Island (Keswick), located near Mackay off the Queensland coast. At issue is the extent to which head lease obligations have been performed by the head lessee, whether environmental and planning laws and lease conditions have been properly complied with and, where compliance is deficient, whether duly enforced by the Queensland Government, and the impact this has on island residents, including sublessees. Various questions arise about the transfer of the head lease to the current head lessee on Keswick, Oasis Forest Ltd, and their governance of the island, and relationship with sublessees. These questions are relevant to Queensland, and federal environmental and planning laws, administrative decision-making on Queensland lsland governance, including how head lessees on Queensland islands are chosen, and the future of Queensland Island tourism and governance."
