State auditor-general Brendan Worrall found the Department of Environment and Science had no strategy or framework for conserving or managing threatened species.

The department often directed conservation efforts based on "iconic value" (such as the koala, wombat and bilby), departmental knowledge (such as marine turtles), or because of significant work done by external conservation bodies (seabirds and shorebirds) rather than by an objective assessment of appropriate priorities.

That was despite the Nature Conservation Act 1992 requiring the department to develop an integrated and comprehensive strategy for the whole of the state.

As a result, the department's efforts in managing threatened species "lack purpose, direction and coordination".

"The department has not determined its priorities, clear action areas or measurable targets for the recovery of threatened species and habits," the report said.

"As a result, its activities are generally focused on managing the threats to individual species rather than addressing the common causes of threats.

"Adopting a more strategic approach would provide a greater chance of achieving outcomes for a broader range of species."

The report said the lack of strategy made it hard for government, researchers and the community to understand what department did across its programs, and what it was trying to achieve.

It noted the department had previously developed a strategy in 2011 but did not put it into action.

While species at risk of extinction continued to increase, the department did not systematically plan where to deploy its resources and it was unclear how much it spent each year on threatened species management thanks to ineffective financial tracking.

Queensland is home to 85 per cent of Australia's native mammals, 72 per cent of native birds, more than 50 per cent of native reptiles and frogs and more than 11,000 plant species.

Statewide, 955 species are listed as threatened, of which, 33 are extinct in the wild, 301 are endangered and 621 are vulnerable.

Of the 922 species listed as endangered or vulnerable, the department managed only 30 conservation, recovery or species project plans.

With a few exceptions, the department did not know how threatened species were faring, could not detect population changes, and whether management actions were having the desired impact.

There was, however, collaboration with researchers, conservation workers and landholders, to analyse population trend data for some species such as estuarine crocodiles and koalas.

The Queensland Audit Office found the department did not proactively nominate species for listing or encourage conservation researchers to make nominations.

Therefore, the actual number of species under threat was likely to be understated, and they may not be afforded the same level of protection.

Delays between the assessment and the ministers' approval resulted in some species being assessed as threatened but not listed for years. Some delays were more than seven years.

Clearing of vegetation, invasive plants and animals, inappropriate grazing and fire regimes and climate change were listed by the department as the main concerns for Queensland's threatened species.

Since European settlement, 27 mammals, 22 birds, four frogs, one earthworm and 36 plant species have been declared extinct in Australia.

In response to the audit, Department of Environment and Science director-general Jamie Merrick said the department had begun to develop a comprehensive biodiversity conservation strategy.

Mr Merrick said the department had also engaged with threatened species experts to get advice on further opportunities to improve species outcomes.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said the new strategy would take a more coordinated and strategic approach to the conservation of threatened species.

"This strategy will guide future investment in research, threat reduction and population growth," she said.

Ms Enoch said the department had accepted all seven recommendations from the report and had already delivered major reforms to address some of the major threats to habitat, such as the land clearing bill.