The Bugle - 30 June 2006
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories
- Ghost Nets program shortlisted for prestigous award
- Riverine showcase on Gowrie Creek
- Regional tours on the way in south-west Queensland
- Fish to find the promised land
- Rural support for water quality and species richness in Mt Cotton
- Grants fund coastal management
- Cultivating NRM in the Belyando Suttor
Government updates
- Ministers tackle environmental pressure points of urban living
- Cape York receives $1.745 million to protect natural resources
- State protects the Daintree forever with further $10 million for landowners
- Torres Strait Land and Sea projects approved
Reef news
Natural resources news
- 44,000 hectares added to Queensland's national parks
- Queensland Landcare Foundation gets DGR status
- 200 people registered for Landcare conference
- What's in a name?
- White whale needs wide berth
Ghost nets program shortlisted for prestigous award
The Carpentaria Ghost Nets Program has been chosen as a finalist in the water category of the 2006 Banksia Environmental Awards.
Since their inception in 1989, the Banksia Environmental Awards have earned the reputation as Australia's most prestigious environmental awards.
Riki Gunn, coordinator of the project, said, "It is a great achievement of which we should all be proud. As a finalist, we are amongst a select few who have shown, through their submissions, that they embody what the awards represent."
Winners will be announced on 22 July 2006 at the Banksia Environmental Awards Presentation.
For more info about the project, visit the Ghost Nets web site or phone Riki Gunn on 4745 9661.
Riverine showcase on Gowrie Creek
The rehabilitation of a six-kilometre-long stretch of Gowrie Creek will become a model for riverine repair by the Condamine Alliance and could also solve a 'weed hole' puzzle.
Work will commence at a site near the Warrego Highway, south-east of Oakey, following completion of ecological and geo-morphological assessments and community consultation.
An independent assessment of the creek led to targeted and prioritised on-ground works, according to the Alliance's Penny Hamilton. "Spending will be targeted to maximise the 'ecological return' and gain a visible outcome," she said.
The creek banks are heavily infested with Johnson grass; removing it will expose the banks to the risk of severe erosion. This is a major planning consideration, and the Alliance has established a partnership with CSIRO and University of Queensland to address the 'weed hole' that results when weeds are removed from creek banks.
Johnson grass competes with tree seedlings, and if the grass is not controlled, tree growth is extremely slow.
Jondaryan Shire Council and the Jondaryan River Improvement Trust called a meeting of landholders and the public, all of whom welcomed the assessment findings and indicated a strong desire for work to begin.
For more information phone Penny Hamilton at the Alliance on 4620 0107
Regional tours on the way in south-west Queensland
South West NRM will be on the road to Thargomindah, Quilpie and Augathella with its next round of regional Information Exchange Days from 18-20 July.
A diverse range of topics will be covered, including an informative session on how to write successful funding applications. As the next round of FUTURESCAPES funding closes on 24 July, this is a day not to be missed!
Dan Skehan from AgForward will also be showcasing a number of AgForward products including their PMAV service, and Peter Taylor from the Environmental Protection Agency will be on hand to discuss the nuts and bolts of Vegetation Mapping and Interpretation—a subject close to many landholders' hearts.
If you are interested in joining in, or have a topic you think should be discussed at future Information Exchange Days, please call South West NRM on 4654 7382.
Fish to find the promised land
Barramundi, mullet and other native fish will soon be able to reach breeding lagoons in a migration that has been closed to them since 1932.
The Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) is managing a project to build a fishway around Bajool Weir—a challenge, as a major road between the Bruce Highway and Port Alma now crosses the weir.
Nathan Johnston from FBA says the project will involve earthworks and engineering design to build a small waterway that will run during the spawning season—the time of highest rainfall. The rock raceway will pass under the road through a box culvert into a holding pond and into the original watercourse of Eight Mile Creek below the weir.
This will allow fish to migrate during the spawning season and find their way upstream into the lagoons of the Eight Mile—ancient breeding grounds for many ocean-going species.
A field day was held earlier this year to consult with landholders, major partners and locals. Nathan Johnston says the feedback was positive. "Landholders who have land through which the fishway will run are willing and positive," he says.
"The design of the fishway is being developed by DPI&F's Northern Fisheries Group, and Main Roads appear willing to aid in construction, which has added benefits of reducing flooding over the weir onto the road."
FBA is bringing together interested parties to reach access, agreement and design of the project, including Landholders, Main Roads, DPI&F, NRMW, Fitzroy Shire Council, Traditional Owners and Fitzroy River and Coastal Catchments.
If all goes to plan, construction will start next financial year and during the following wet season central Queensland's barramundi will swim into waterways and lagoons they have been unable to reach for three-quarters of a century.
Rural support for water quality and species richness in Mt Cotton
Incentives for property owners to improve water quality and species richness in the Mt Cotton area are being provided through a partnership between SEQ Catchments and the Redland Shire Council's Rural Support Program.
Rural Support is a voluntary program offered by council. It provides advice, planning and financial assistance for environmental weed and feral animal management, fire management, environmental protection and rehabilitation.
Landholders will be able to receive support in any of the following areas:
- up to $1000 per financial year towards environmental projects
- development of pest plant and feral animal control programs
- development of fire management plans
- weed identification and control
- development of revegetation projects
- wildlife friendly fencing
- flora and fauna identification and monitoring
- free attendance at training workshops and field days.
This incentives project will help landholders to improve the ecological health of environmentally significant reserves and wildlife corridors, which effect both local and wider areas in the region.
For more information contact Gavin Hammermeister, Redland Shire Council, on 3820 1106.
Grants fund coastal management
FNQ NRM Ltd is assisting community and traditional owner groups, businesses and local governments with grants of up to $7500 to improve the way native vegetation is managed within the coastal zone of the Wet Tropics NRM Region.
According to FNQ NRM’s Coastal Program Coordinator Steve McDermott, native vegetation and fragmentation of habitat for native animals are two of the most pressing threats for coastal areas in the Wet Tropics.
"Improved planning and on-ground work is required to preserve and enhance the vegetation on our coasts," Mr McDermott said.
"A collaborative approach between the community, FNQ NRM and local government will help achieve the necessary on-ground results."
The grants are aimed at encouraging communities, businesses and other groups to undertake activities such as revegetation, fencing, defining public access points, site planning and weed control.
Applications for funding close on July 21.
For more information or an application kit contact Steve McDermott, Coastal Landscapes Program Coordinator, FNQ NRM on 4056 2851.
Cultivating NRM in the Belyando Suttor
Burdekin Dry Tropics (BDT) NRM and the Central Highlands Regional Resources Use Planning Cooperative (CHRRUP) are working together to improve natural resource management practices in the Belyando Suttor Catchments.
The Belyando-Suttor sub-catchment, which has seen extensive clearing, supports primarily beef-cattle grazing and broad-acre dryland cropping.
BDTNRM is investing $125,000 towards the first of this two-stage program.
Based in Clermont, project officer Anna Keetels is working closely with landholders to help develop on-farm natural resource management projects, and implement available incentive schemes.
Landholders can apply for funding for activities such as developing property management plans, fencing streams and waterways, installing alternative watering points, weed control, protection from salinity, grazing management training and other land management activities.
For more information contact Kate Masters BDTNRM Project Officer on 4724 3544
Ministers tackle environmental pressure points of urban living
Australian and New Zealand Environment Ministers and the Australian Local Government Association, who together make up the Environment and Heritage Council, last week agreed that air quality, waste management and water recycling were key issues for the coming year.
The Council also announced a review of the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 to ensure its relevancy to emerging environmental issues.
The Ministers released a communique that covers action on plastic bags, product stewardship, cigarette butts, water recycling, wind farms and nuclear power, among other things.
Read the Environment and Heritage Council communique
Cape York receives $1.745 million to protect natural resources
Australian and Queensland Government Ministers today announced a total of $1,745,000 in Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) funding for the Cape York region.
Most of the funding will be delivered through the Cape York Peninsula Development Association (CYPDA).
The funding will allow existing programs such as fire management and weed and feral animal control to continue, as well as enabling new ones to commence.
State protects the Daintree forever with further $10m for landowners
The Queensland Government has finalised the planning scheme for the Douglas Shire, including the Daintree's World Heritage-listed rainforest.
The scheme identifies areas in the Daintree that must be protected, and the Queensland Government will provide a further $10 million to fairly compensate landowners who are not allowed to build.
Environment Minister Desley Boyle said this took the Beattie Government's commitment to the Daintree land buy back to $15 million.
"The Daintree is one of the most ancient biodiverse places on earth. More species live in a square kilometre of the 150 million-year-old Daintree rainforest than anywhere else in Australia," Ms Boyle said.
Read the Minister's full media statement
Torres Strait land and sea projects approved
Queensland and Australian Government ministers have approved funding for four NRM projects in the Torres Strait.
The projects, worth more than $500,000, were the first to be approved under the Land and Sea Management Strategy for Torres Strait.
The water management project will develop a community education package and management tools for water conservation, recycling and reuse in small island environments. The capacity-building project will help develop the skills of native title holders to manage natural resources.
Under the Badu Island Land and Sea Management Program, rangers will continue their coastal surveillance and monitoring, undertake joint patrols with other government agencies, continue their beach clean up activities, and undertake community education and rehabilitation of culturally significant places.
A hydrology project will focus on a ground water hydrological survey of the Ugar Island bore to provide the Ugar community with a reliable source of potable water.
For more information, email Kate Eden or phone her on 3224 8408
Award-wining ILUA helps to implement Reef Plan
The Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water, through Native Title and Indigenous Land Services, were involved in negotiations for a number of Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs) in 2004–05.
These agreements were for river catchment areas adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, and supported Action D11 of the Reef Plan, which involves negotiating ILUAs in areas of particular significance to Indigenous peoples.
ILUAs are generally undertaken as part of the resolution of native title claims and provide for, among other things, Indigenous involvement in the management of protected areas.
ILUAs involving the following native title claimant groups and relevant river catchments were in progress during 2004–05:
- Yalanji—for the Daintree River
- Djabugay—for the Barron River (completed, and the first ILUA to include a National Park)
- Mandingalbay Yidinyi, and Gunggandji—for the Russell–Mulgrave rivers
- Mamu and Djiru—for the Johnstone River
- Djiru—for the Tully River
- Girramay—for the Murray River.
The Environmental Protection Agency is also involved in ILUA negotiations, having particular interest when they include National Parks and protected areas, World Heritage areas or other Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services-managed State land.
Environment Minister Desley Boyle and NRMW Minister Henry Palaszczuk travelled to Cooktown on 5 December 2005 to sign an ILUA with the traditional owners over the former Kalpowar pastoral lease aggregation. This resulted in the creation of areas of Aboriginal freehold land, the new Jack River National Park, an addition to the Cape Melville National Park, a new nature refuge, and public-purpose reserves.
Outside the ILUA process, effective formal and informal agreements with traditional owners that recognise the linkages between land, waterways and ecosystem integrity are being advanced. Examples include a multi-clan pact with the EPA to protect turtle and dugong, and the Wet Tropics Management Agreement (WTMA) for which EPA and traditional owners received a Premiers Award for Excellence.
New laws protect Queensland's waterways
The Queensland Government has set water quality targets to protect rivers, estuaries and coastal waterways in the state's most heavily populated and environmentally sensitive areas.
These new targets, which have come into effect, apply to waterways from the NSW border to the northern end of the Hervey Bay coast, and include Moreton Bay, the Great Sandy Strait and Fraser Island, as well as all waterways in the Douglas Shire in Far North Queensland.
Community feedback has helped form water quality targets, and indicated what the community considers are acceptable levels of suspended sediments, nitrogen, phosphorus and harmful bacteria.
Queensland's waterways range from pristine to poor and the targets vary accordingly to help maintain those waterways in top condition and working to improve those in poor condition.
Setting targets to protect waterways supports actions within the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan) and cares for the health, lifestyle and economy of Queensland communities.
To achieve the new targets, community groups can plant trees in gullies and along banks to stop erosion; primary industries can fence off wetlands and waterways; and residential developments may be required to filter storm water runoff before it reaches rivers.
Targets are incorporated in the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1997 and will be used by Queensland Government agencies and local governments when making decisions on development proposals that could affect adjacent waterways.
Failure to comply with a decision based on the new standards would constitute an offence under environmental and planning legislation.
The Queensland Environment Minister has also released the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines which provide a scientific base to assist future water quality planning work throughout the state.
For more information about the new water quality standards and the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines visit the Environmental Protection Agency's website.
44,000 hectares added to Queensland's national parks
The Queensland Government has created 12 new national parks and expanded the World Heritage-listed Main Range National Park as part of the ongoing forest transfer process.
Almost 44,000 hectares of forest reserve in southern and central Queensland have been added to the protected area estate.
Environment Minister Desley Boyle said the transfers helped fulfil a State Government commitment made more than five years ago to convert nearly 407,000 hectares of forests between Brisbane and Gladstone to protected areas.
"In this second group of land transfers, 31 forest reserves totalling just more than 33,082 hectares have been converted to national parks while 10,869 hectares have been transferred to the conservation park estate," she said.
Queensland Landcare Foundation gets DGR status
The Queensland Landcare Foundation recently announced that it has been designated a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) organisation, opening the gates to an expansion of donor programs for Landcare around the state.
As well as providing resources and support for landcare and environmental groups around the state, the Foundation also raises money from corporations and individuals to help fund small but important biodiversity and land management activities in Queensland's regions.
Manager of the Queensland Landcare Foundation, Samantha Morris said, "as a fundraising organisation, this is one of the final barriers to developing a full donor program for Landcare in Queensland." "DGR status allows donors to claim tax deductions for any donation over $2.00," Sam said. "Over the past three years we have raised more than $600,000 for landcare events and programs. Now that we've secured our DGR status, we hope to grow our donor base considerably and work directly with Landcare groups to help them do the same." Further information is available from sam@landcare.com.au or phone 3211 4413.
200 people registered for landcare conference
With early bird registrations now closed, registration numbers have hit the 200 mark for the Queensland Landcare Conference.
QLF Senior Project Officer, Kerri Woodcock said, "there's only eight weeks until the conference and registration is significantly cheaper now than closer to the event."
There are 35 concurrent sessions, eight field trips, a welcome reception and gala dinner, and several keynote speakers including Peter Andrews who has been a guest on ABC current affairs programs, Australian Story and Landline. Thirty trade exhibitors including the Premier's Department, Growcom, Geoimage, Greening Australia, Local Government Association of Australia, Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority, Rangelands Australia, TreeMax, and Landcare Australia Limited will also be in attendance. Standard registrations close 15 August. Further information is available at www.landcare.org.au or by calling Kerri on 07 3211 4413.
What's in a name?
Communities are being urged to name their local stream in the latest joint promotional activity of the Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group, BMRG, AquaGen, Queensland Waterwatch and Barung Landcare.
Maleny communities are being asked to think of names for streams in the Lake Baroon Catchment. These names will then be submitted to NRMW for official naming of our local waterways.
While naming local creeks won't provide them any special protection under existing legislation, a creek that is named by a community, based on the history of that community, generally has a higher chance of being looked after by the community.
Having a stream officially named will also end the debate on where a stream begins and ends. The streams with names in the Lake Baroon Catchment are Obi Obi Creek, Bridge Creek, Falls Creek and Walkers Creek. Any streams that join these creeks are given a simple geographic reference e.g. unnamed Northern Tributary of Bridge Creek, etc.
If you would like more information on the 'Name That Stream' promotional activity, email the Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group.
White whale needs wide berth
Migaloo the white humpback whale is about to enter Queensland waters on his 2006 migration and pilots, skippers, swimmers and snorkellers are urged to respect the special limits around the whale.
Environment Minister Desley Boyle said Migaloo had again been declared a 'special interest' whale in Queensland waters this year to ensure he could swim freely.
"A 'special interest' whale declaration means no-one can drive a boat or jet ski closer than 500 metres or fly an aircraft closer than 2000 feet to the whale without written permission," Ms Boyle said.
Read the Minister's full media statement
Thought for the week
While we can do much as individuals to live more efficiently, such actions gain far more power when we speak out. Remember, to remain silent is to consent.
The New Gaia Atlas of Planetary Management
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To view past issues of The Bugle visit the regional NRM web site.
Last updated 30 June 2006