Draft Cape York and Torres Strait Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan 2026
Have your say
Consultation is open until 11.59pm Thursday 11 February 2027. To participate, you can:
Make a submission Post on the ideas boardThere are also online and in-person talk-to-a-planner sessions available.
Find out more about how you can participate.
Region at a glance
The Cape York and Torres Strait region is the northernmost part of Queensland and spans approximately 130,000km2, making it the state’s largest and most distinctive region. It has diverse landscapes, including tropical rainforests, wetlands, river systems, islands and extensive coastlines. It includes the local government areas of:
- Aurukun Shire Council
- Cook Shire Council
- Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council
- Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council
- Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council
- Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council
- Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council
- Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council
- Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council
- Torres Shire Council
- Torres Strait Island Regional Council
- Weipa Town Authority.
Around 25,000 people call Cape York and the Torres Strait home. The region has a significant population of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people, whose diverse cultures, histories and enduring connections are fundamental to its identity. Most local governments are Indigenous local governments, reflecting the strong connection between community, culture and place. While the population is expected to grow over the coming decades, the region will continue to be shaped by its small and geographically dispersed communities.
The region supports a diverse economy underpinned by its natural assets, connected communities and strategic location. Mining and extractive industries play an important role, as well as agriculture, tourism, fisheries and aquaculture, and construction, providing significant employment and economic opportunities across the region. Cape York and the Torres Strait is also well placed to grow its visitor economy, supported by its natural assets and unique sense of place.
While Cape York and the Torres Strait are distinct in geography, economies and communities, they both have strong cultural connections, rich heritage and unique natural environments. Their remoteness and local conditions create unique opportunities and challenges for planning and service delivery. Supporting housing, infrastructure, economic development and community services in ways that respond to local conditions will be critical to securing positive long-term outcomes across the region.
Population
25,387 (2021, ABS census), growing to 28,762 people by 2046 (Queensland Government Statistician’s Office (QGSO) 2025 edition, high series)
New home projections
up to 1,924 new dwellings required by 2046 (QGSO 2025 edition, high series)
Gross regional product
$2.176 billion (2025, REMPLAN)
Annual visitors
520,000 (2025, Tourism Tropical North Queensland)
National park
Approximately 20% of the region is designated national park
Plan at a glance
The Queensland Government is committed to developing new regional plans and supporting infrastructure plans covering every corner of the state.
The Cape York and Torres Strait Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan 2026 (draft regional plan) is a contemporary, fit-for-purpose plan, focused on strengthening housing and economic growth, while aligning infrastructure needs for the region.
The draft regional plan was prepared in consultation with local government and relevant state agencies. It sets out the 20-year vision and strategic direction for the region across three key themes: housing, and economy, and infrastructure.
For the first time, the Torres Strait will be included in the statutory regional plan.
The infrastructure plan is included as an appendix to the regional plan – linking land use and infrastructure planning in one place. This ensures transport, water, energy, digital and social and community infrastructure are planned together to support growth.
By 2046, Cape York and the Torres Strait’s population is expected to grow from 25,387 (2021) to 28,762 people, requiring 1,924 new homes across the region.
Key outcomes
- Increase supply to ensure housing is available for local residents, in line with expected population growth.
- Facilitating purpose-built workforce accommodation across the region for non-residents.
- Setting housing targets to align with the Queensland Government’s goal of one million new homes by 2044.
Cape York and the Torres Strait’s economy is supported by a diverse range of industries, including agriculture, resources, tourism, forestry and aquaculture. Building on these strengths, the region has opportunities for continued economic growth and diversification, while supporting the industries and natural and cultural assets that contribute to its unique character. Careful land use planning will help different activities coexist and support long-term economic opportunities across the region.
Key outcomes
- Growing and diversifying agriculture, aquaculture and forestry.
- Supporting resource industries and future opportunities, while enabling coexistence with other land uses and successful post-mining futures.
- Promoting tourism opportunities that showcase the region’s unique natural and cultural assets and create opportunities for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The draft Cape York and Torres Strait infrastructure plan provides the strategic direction for infrastructure planning, ensuring infrastructure priorities are aligned with growth, land use outcomes and broader Queensland Government initiatives.
The plan establishes a clear approach to coordinating infrastructure across the region through infrastructure planning policies, strategies and future planning considerations for transport, water, energy, digital connectivity, and social and community infrastructure. These elements support informed decision-making, help guide local planning, and provide a basis for responding to the region’s future infrastructure needs.
Key outcomes
- Improving transport connections and freight networks to strengthen access between communities, essential services and regional centres, and support reliable supply chains.
- Planning for safe, reliable and resilient water and energy infrastructure to support communities' future growth and economic development.
- Improving digital connectivity to strengthen resilience and access to services, education and economic opportunities across the region.
- Planning social and community infrastructure to meet changing community needs and improve access to health, education, training, public safety and other essential services.
All maps can be viewed within the draft regional plan and infrastructure plan.
Mapping can also be viewed on the interactive mapping for the draft regional plan platform.
You can also download the spatial data (
3.8 MB) of the draft regional plan layers.
More information
Draft regional plan (
85.6 MB)
Read the full document.
→Draft infrastructure plan appendix ( 85.6 MB)
Read the infrastructure plan appendix from page 89.
→2014 Regional plan ( 3.0 MB)
Read the current Cape York plan.
→Infrastructure plan ( 9.6 MB)
Read the Far North Queensland Infrastructure Plan 2024, which includes the local government areas of the Cape York Peninsula.
→Have your say
You’re invited to learn more about the draft Cape York and Torres Strait Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan 2026 and have your say by the following methods.
-
You can send a submission through by doing either of the below options:
- our online survey
- emailing CYTSRPIPSubmissions@dsdip.qld.gov.au; or
- posting your submission to PO Box 15009, City East QLD 4002.
As part of the legislative process, submissions must be “properly made” to be formally considered. The online survey makes sure your submission is properly made.
If submitting by other means, a properly made submission must:
- be made to the Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations
- include the name and residential or business address, and an electronic or postal address, of each person making the submission
- be made in writing and, unless the submission is made electronically, be signed by each person who has made the submission
- state the grounds of the submission and the facts and circumstances relied on in support of the grounds
- be made during the consultation period.
A template (
547.5 KB) is available to attach to any email or post submissions. -
Talk-to-a-planner sessions provide an opportunity for you to ask questions about your property or discuss other aspects of the draft plan.
Speaking with a planner is not considered a submission. If you want to formally have your say, submit feedback by the online portal, email or post.
Online
Online sessions are hosted via Microsoft Teams where you can talk with a planner from the comfort of your home.
Online sessions are available 1 to 3 December 2026 and 2 to 4 February 2027 during business hours:
In-person
Meet face-to-face with a planner in the region. Registration is not required to attend an in-person event. There are no speakers or presentations at these sessions, so you don’t need to arrive at the start of the session time. You can simply turn up at any time during the session times listed.
- Cairns – Monday 23 November 2026 – Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, 122 Lake Street, Cairns – 4:00pm to 7:00pm
- Cooktown – Tuesday 24 November 2026 – Cooktown Events Centre, 264 May Street, Cooktown – 12:00pm to 3:00pm
- Thursday Island – Tuesday 24 November – Neighbourhood Centre (Migi Boardroom), 156 Douglas Street, Thursday Island – 1:30pm to 4:30pm.
- Weipa – Thursday 26 November 2026 – Weipa Storm Surge Shelter, Hibberd Drive, Weipa – 10:00am to 1:00pm
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Share your feedback on the plan by leaving a post on our ideas board.
All posts will be considered in during the finalisation of the plan, however, these comments are not considered formal (“properly made”) submissions. If you want to formally have your say, submit feedback by the online portal, email or post.
Consultation open until 11.59pm Thursday 11 February 2027. Real success lies in every Queenslander being involved in shaping how their region grows and changes. This is your opportunity to help ensure that regional planning maximises local economic opportunities and enhances the things you love about where you live.
Stay up to date
Subscribe to keep up to date on the progress of the Cape York and Torres Strait regional plan and infrastructure plan.
Enquiries
If you have any questions about the draft plan, please email CYTSRPIPSubmissions@dsdip.qld.gov.au.
Last updated: 11 Nov 2026