One of the country's largest single land clearings is being investigated over concerns bulldozing in Queensland's Gulf Country may have affected threatened species, damaged wetland and broken the law.

Key points: Queensland Environment Minister requests investigation of "possible breaches" over clearing

Queensland Environment Minister requests investigation of "possible breaches" over clearing Environmentalists claim rare bird of prey habitat removed

Environmentalists claim rare bird of prey habitat removed Strathmore Station owner says changes will make land more productive, create jobs

Strathmore Station owner Scott Harris received permission under the former Newman government to clear 58,000 hectares — or 580 square kilometres — to develop high-value agriculture such as sorghum and soy beans.

But the ABC can reveal that despite the Queensland Department of Natural Resources issuing a "stop work" order because of concerns over "unexplained" clearing outside the approved areas in July, bulldozing has continued.

The clearing was allowed to go on after the order was appealed in court.

In a statement to the ABC, Queensland Environment Minister Steven Miles said video footage he had seen of large-scale clearing on Strathmore Station had left him "very concerned".

Dr Miles has requested Environment Department officers inspect the felling for "possible breaches of the State's environment protection and nature conservation laws".

"Officers will inspect the property to determine if there have been any breaches, and what impact there may have been on threatened and vulnerable flora and fauna," he said.

But the ABC can reveal that the Queensland Department of Natural Resources has been concerned for months about possible unlawful clearing on Strathmore Station.

In May the department issued Mr Harris a "show cause notice" and in July it issued an "enforcement notice", ordering him to stop carrying out all clearing of native vegetation.

According to court documents, the department received information about clearing outside the approved areas.

"As a result of the field inspection and analysis of satellite imagery, the [department] is of a reasonable belief that an offence... has occurred," a court document said.

The notice also ordered Mr Harris to restore specified areas covering watercourse buffers and wetlands to their "original condition".

But Mr Harris denied the areas in question contained any watercourses or wetlands as defined under the Vegetation Management Act.

He also denied committing any offence during the clearing works and appealed the order in the Planning and Environment Court, clearing on the 9,000 square kilometre property continued while the matter was referred by the court for mediation.

It is understood the clearing of the 58,000 hectares is now just days away from being finished.

'Bjelke Petersen-style clearing impacts bird of prey'

Wilderness Society's Tim Seelig said the area was home to threatened species and labelled the actions as "Joh Bjelke Petersen-style clearing".

The rare bird of prey the red goshawk relys on savannah woodland such as the area being bulldozed at the Strathmore Station. ( Wikimedia Commons: Summerdrought )

"[The] 60,000 hectares [being cleared] is of savannah woodland which is essential habitat for threatened species like the red goshawk, our rarest bird of prey and we should be protecting these species and keeping our savannah woodland intact," Dr Seelig said.

"This is Joh Bjelke Petersen-style clearing.

"This is two bulldozers and a very large metal chain dragging the chain through woodland destroying everything in its path.

"The Federal Department of Environment should have intervened in these situations in Strathmore and it should have required a full assessment under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

"There should have been a proper assessment of the impacts of this clearing before any of it was allowed."

Departments identify environmental issues

Strathmore Station owner Scott Harris has said the clearing would "improve the environmental health of the land" and create jobs. ( Supplied )

Strathmore Station is Queensland's biggest single pastoral lease.

Mr Harris declined to comment when contacted by the ABC but last year said that the clearing on the 9,000-square-kilometre property was aimed at improving the environmental health of the land, as well as making it more productive.

He said it would also create 200 jobs.

But it is believed the felling was never referred to the Federal Environment Department for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The ABC understands issues of environmental significance under both Queensland and federal law have been identified on Strathmore Station.

The office of the Federal Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, has been contacted for comment.

In May, the ABC revealed that just days before the January state election, the Newman government approved the clearing of nearly 32,000 hectares of land on Olive Vale station on Cape York, in a decision that was not publicly announced.

In response to the story, Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad referred the matter to the Federal Environment Department for investigation.

This month federal compliance officers finalised their investigation.

They found that while the felling was unlikely to have had a significant effect on matters of environmental significance, further works on Olive Vale could have impacts.

The owners of the station now must obtain state approval for a species management plan before submitting a referral to the Federal Environment Department.