When you make a payment into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund (BCF), you must provide us with mapping data of your development impact area. We use this information to deliver offsets for your development that meet the relevant regulatory requirements.

From 26th November 2025 onwards, you will be able to upload your development impact area mapping data via the Offsets Portal.

To ensure your Payment Application can be processed quickly, you'll need to ensure your mapping data meets our requirements.

A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialist such as the consultant who prepared the GIS data for your Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) may be able to assist you.

Information below is for GIS specialists

Development Impact Area

You must provide the development impact area submitted as a polygon layer in a shapefile that meets the requirements outlined below. The development impact area includes the total area impacted by the full development that requires offsetting, as mapped in the BDAR and described in the Development Application (DA) or other consent documents.

Do not submit other areas that are not impacted by the development.

Geometry Requirements

  • Polygons Only: All features must be submitted as closed 2D polygons. Please do not submit polylines or linework that does not form complete, enclosed shapes.
  • No Z or M Values: Geometry must be strictly 2D. Remove any Z (elevation) or M (measure) values.
  • Simplified and Dissolved: Where possible, simplify the geometry and dissolve internal boundaries to reduce complexity and ensure clean topology.
  • Closed Loops: Ensure all polygons are closed, with no gaps, overlaps, or dangling edges.
  • Export as Polygons: If using CAD or similar software, please export features directly as polygon objects, not as polylines or 3D entities.

Shape File Requirements

To upload into the Offsets Portal, your shapefile must include the following minimum required files:

  • .shp – Contains the geometry (the actual shapes).
  • .shx – Contains the shape index, which helps locate individual features.
  • .dbf – Contains the attribute data in tabular format (like a spreadsheet).
  • .prj – Contains the projection information (coordinate system).

Zip all files into one zipped file

It is important to zip all shapefile components into a single .zip file before uploading into the Offsets Portal. This ensures all required files are kept together and can be processed correctly and attributed to only your current application.

Providing data in the format requested above allows us to import and convert spatial data directly into GIS polygon features without additional clean-up or transformation. Thank you for your cooperation.

Staging

While the development may be delivered in stages, we do not require stage-specific GIS data (unless you choose to provide it). Staging may be relevant for payment or planning purposes and can be defined at the time of payment, but does not alter the Offsets Portal mapping data requirements.