The Bugle - 09 May 2008
In news this week
Regional NRM group stories- River Warriors really make a difference
- Feral camel tracking goes high tech
- Network seeks to support northern quoll
- Myrtle the turtle's travels intrigue island researchers
- Living green in Bundy just got easier
- Halting the spread of weed seeds in the Burnett
- Farm size no obstacle to high-tech land management
- Black dog forum all tied up
- Three more Indigenous rangers for the Cape and Gulf
- Want to learn more about MBIs?
- Lake Eyre Basin gets good environmental report
- Environment and heritage groups to receive funding
- Gambling Fund made easier for not-for-profit groups
- Plant collectors join the fight against declared plants
- Statewide education program teaches school children to save water
- Registrations now open for the 2008 Qld Landcare Conference
- Beach scrubs up nicely after community day
- Central Highlands students flock to lesson in NRM
- Australian weeds conference attracts international expertise
- AgForward workshop update
- Get a job in NRM!
Regional NRM group stories
River Warriors really make a difference
Over 350 River Warrior volunteers have made a difference to a seven kilometre stretch of the South Pine River upstream from Albany Creek which was heavily weed infested and had been neglected for many years.
Starting eight years ago, the warriors have now planted 87 277 seedlings on both sides of the river from Cash's Crossing bridge to Draper's Crossing as well as hacking out weeds and bushy undergrowth.
The group, part of the Pine Rivers Catchment Association, is now working to regenerate and revegetate 1.6 ha of creekline vegetation, thanks to a grant from SEQ Catchments and on-going support from the Pine Rivers Council (now Moreton Bay Regional Council).
Along with community volunteers, the River Warriors have racked up an incredible 25 690 hours of work and operate from the Kumbartcho Sanctuary at Bunya Pine Court.
SEQ Catchments Simon Brown said, "Ongoing surveys over several years showed there was initially little fauna usage as the area was too thick and too dense and had a low diversity of plants, with very long grass, however with all the new plants growing, there are now signs of native birds and small animals coming back, along with koalas."
The project is a partnership between the Pine Rivers Catchment Association, Moreton Bay Regional Council, SEQ Catchments and the community.
Feral camel tracking goes high tech
Recent media attention has shone the limelight on a project from outback Australia that traces the movements of feral camels.
The project, partly funded by Desert Channels Queensland, is being coordinated from South Australia.
Project coordinator, Phil Gee, says satellite collars have been attached to a number of camels and the data being collected will help in the development of strategic control methods.
Mr Gee says exploding camel numbers will one day be a huge problem.
"Without data and without information you simply cannot tap into the funding buckets that are available," he said.
"And we know that the feral camel problem is looming.
"We can't wait for the problem to occur before we can present a strong enough argument for the control actions to be funded."
For more information check out past stories from DCQ's Basin Bullet or The Voice of the Regions.
Network seeks to support northern quoll
Townsville Council and Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM (BDTNRM) have joined forces to try and gain an understanding of endangered northern quoll populations in the Townsville region.
The project aims to develop community awareness and appreciation of northern quolls in the Townsville area, as well as collect and present information on northern quoll populations.
Over the next three years Dr Scott Burnett will develop this local Quoll Seekers Network (QSN) under the auspices of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland.
Further details regarding the QSN launch on 31 May will be in the next edition of BDTNRM newsletter Burdekin Bites.
For further information or if you are interested in being a member of QSN please email Townsville City Council land protection officer Russell Warner, or phone 4727 9003.
Myrtle the turtle's travels intrigue island researchers
Mer Islanders are keeping a close eye on two green turtles in a bid to understand where the creatures travel after they finish nesting.
Research has shown turtles have set nesting locations in one region, but feed in other areas.
Female green turtles travel up to 2500km between sites.
In December, with help from James Cook University scientists, the community attached satellite transmitters to two turtles at Dowar, near Mer Island.
Students at the Mer Campus of Tagai State College dubbed the pair Myrtle and Ottil.
The turtle tracking efforts are part of the Torres Strait Regional Authority's Dugong and Turtle Project.
The project aims to involve indigenous people in managing the animals through a community based approach.
Story from Cairns Post
Living green in Bundy just got easier
Relocalisation group SustainaBundy have made it easier for Bundy locals to live greener with the release of The 2008 SustainaBundy Directory and Guide: how to live a GREENER life in and around Bundaberg.
Green from front to back, the 100 page, A5 guide was printed by Fishprint on recycled paper with vegetable based inks on a waterless press.
The guide will be an annual publication to help locals be more environmentally responsible at home and in the office, and includes how-to articles on reducing consumption and waste, harvesting, storing and conserving water, natural resource management, eating fresh, local food and many more.
Burnett Mary Regional Group provided funds to cover printing and promotion costs for the guide as well as for the forthcoming 'got local?' companion bumper stickers.
The guide is available for purchase from several local businesses and at the Shalom Markets at a suggested price of $2, and SustainaBundy 'got local?' bumper stickers will be available for a suggested price of $1.
Funds raised from advertising and guidebook sales will go to continuing SustainaBundy projects and activities. You can find out more about the guide and SustainaBundy's initiatives on the SustainaBundy website.
Halting the spread of weed seeds in the Burnett
The Brian Pastures Research Station in Gayndah was the location of choice for a weed seed spread workshop held on 2 April.
Funded by the Burnett Mary Regional Group and organised by the Burnett Inland North Local Government Authority Cluster, the workshop identified the major weeds associated with weed seed spread in the region, and the various ways the problem can be addressed. The weeds of most concern include parthenium, prickly acacia, and giant rat's tail grass.
Participants were shown ways to reduce weed seed spread by washing down vehicles and machinery and holding new livestock in yards for up to a week to allow seed to drop off, and to conduct regular monitoring of feeding areas, yards and animal enclosures.
The workshop also had a display of some of the declared weeds available so that participants could identify them in the future.
Lee Dorahy, of the North Burnett Regional Council, said, "It was great to see so many people conscious of weeds and their willingness to learn how to prevent future infestations."
For more information contact Lee Dorahy, local government NRM coordinator, on 4165 5406.
Farm size no obstacle to high-tech land management
A group of inner-eastern Darling Downs grain growers is proving that size doesn't matter when it comes to embracing the latest technology to improve land management.
The Clifton Allora Topcrop Group is taking the next step in the zero tillage pathway, with controlled traffic farming layouts and satellite-guided navigation systems. Typical of the 16 growers in the group, John Gilmour, Greenside, Cambooya, has changed from round-and-round farming on the contour to farming on a permanent herringbone pattern of tracks or tramlines.
Despite a slope of up to 8 per cent, Mr Gilmour says that by travelling up and down the paddock, he's achieved a 10 per cent saving in fuel costs, less travelling distance through improved layout, and reduced soil erosion.
The Gilmours are part of the Clifton Allora Topcrop project, partly funded by the Natural Heritage Trust via the Condamine Alliance.
Condamine Alliance industry partnership manager Andrew McCartney said the project demonstrated that strong farmer-agribusiness partnerships were essential in delivering improved land management outcomes. "This partnership brought the right skills together to address farming system issues in a sustainable way," he said.
Mr McCartney said that funding for farming projects would be more targeted under the new Australian Government initiative Caring for our Country, which replaces the Natural Heritage Trust.
"While it won't be business as usual, there is an aim to reduce red tape and deliver cost-effective change with groups like Clifton-Allora Topcrop," he said.
For more information contact Andrew McCartney on 4620 0133. Visit the Condamine Alliance website for the full media release.
Black dog forum all tied up
Over 270 people attended the 'Tie up the Black Dog Forum', held at Bassett Park in Roma last week to raise awareness about mental health issues in the bush.
One of the event organisers, Pam Fisher, from the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee, said that the response from the community was "overwhelming."
"I feel this was a really positive sign that the stigma associated with mental illness and depression is disappearing and people are looking to find out more about it," she said.
The day consisted of two sessions, afternoon and evening, with an array of speakers with experience in different fields including local psychologists and medical practitioners, and visiting speakers sharing their experiences with mental illness.
"It was deeply moving to hear personal stories of those having suffered from depression and bipolar disorder and also what it is like to live with a sufferer," said local Injune landholders, Puddy Chandler, also a member of the organising committee.
"The journeys these people have been on are amazing and should give everyone hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel," she said.
"I was particularly moved to hear the questions and statements that came from audience members - so many people were clearly there to find out how to help a friend or family member suffering from depression."
For more information about the forum contact Pam Fisher, QMDC, on 4622 8727.
Government updates
Three more Indigenous rangers for the Cape and Gulf
Three more indigenous wild river rangers will start work across the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York Peninsula regions to protect and promote Queensland's new wild river systems.
Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace announced a contract had been negotiated with the Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation for the three new rangers.
"The program not only provides protection for the world-class natural values of the area but also creates much-needed full-time jobs in remote Aboriginal communities," Mr Wallace said.
Last year the government declared Queensland's first six wild rivers – the Settlement, Morning Inlet, Gregory and Staaten in the Gulf and Hinchinbrook and Fraser Islands. Earlier this year, the government announced a total of 20 rangers are being appointed to manage these wild rivers.
Rangers already in place across the region, include:
- six rangers based in the Gulf of Carpentaria at Doomadgee and Burketown
- three rangers at the Pormpuraaw Land and Sea Centre
- three rangers at Mapoon
- a further ranger working from the Kowanyama Aboriginal Land and Natural Resource Management Office.
"These locally employed rangers will work with elders to preserve wetlands and ecosystems of high biodiversity or cultural significance," Mr Wallace said.
Key roles include recording traditional stories, local species and habitats; helping with visitor management; controlling weeds, feral animals, fire and other threats to the river systems.
Visit the Queensland Government website for the full media release.
Want to learn more about MBIs?
Learn more about market-based instruments (MBIs) by attending one of 18 two-day workshops which will be conducted throughout Australia.
The workshops are part of the roll-out of Designer Carrots, the national Market Based Instruments Capacity Building Program. The first workshop will be held in Townsville on 29-30 May. The next two Queensland workshops will be held in Brisbane with the first on 5-6 June.
Regional group and government staff with an interest in MBIs are invited to attend these free two-day workshops which aim to increase the capacity of government policymakers and regional groups to use MBIs such as offsets, conservation tenders and cap-and-trade mechanisms as tools to assist in the management of natural resources.
The training will provide information on what MBI policy options are available and how to use them. There will also be practical examples and hands-on activities that explore the design of MBIs. A number of products such as fact sheets, case studies, an online documents library, and support tools such as a decision support tool and a metric essentials tool will be shown, in addition to demonstrating the online MBI community developed for MBIs.
The workshop facilitators will help participants gain an understanding of how to use MBIs in their work and develop an online peer support group, using the Designer Carrots website, to enable participants to continue to gain support as they apply their learnings into their workplace. The Designer Carrots website will host additional online training electives which participants will be able to access.
Up to 30 places are available at each workshop, so registering for the workshops is essential. To register visit the Designer Carrots website.
Lake Eyre Basin gets good environmental report
The iconic Lake Eyre Basin, covering almost one-sixth of Australia and with 44 percent of its area in Queensland, is in good health, according to a new report into the unique system.
The State of the Basin 2008: Rivers Assessment Report says the Lake Eyre Basin is doing well in comparison with other dryland rivers in Australia.
The report, produced by the Lake Eyre Basin Ministerial Forum, says critical ecosystems are intact in the vast region.
The report also identified several threats to the basin, including water extraction, diversion of overland water flows, invasive pest species and pressure on key waterholes from grazing and recreational uses.
The basin is one of the world's largest internally draining river systems and includes rivers such as the Cooper, Georgina and Diamantina.
It is also is one of the last undeveloped dryland river systems in the world.
Visit the Queensland Government website for the full media release.
Environment and heritage groups to receive funding
The Australian Government has announced more than $600 000 in grants for vital projects across the country to protect the environment.
Funding for volunteer groups under the Grants for Voluntary Environmental and Heritage Organisations program, recognises the important and valuable work many groups play across the country in protecting our land, unique species and historic places.
Through this round of grants funding, 118 environment and 34 heritage organisations will receive more than $600 000 to assist their efforts to conserve and protect Australia's natural environment and historic heritage.
The focus of this program is on easing the burden of day-to-day running expenses by making funds available for administration costs.
Conservation councils, local organisations and national conservation organisations, largely through the dedication of many volunteers, have achieved great outcomes for all Australians in preserving many natural icons.
A full list of Australian Government environmental grants is available on the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website.
Gambling Fund made easier for not-for-profit groups
Queensland's tireless community and not-for-profit groups will no longer face a last minute rush during key annual holiday times to apply for one of the state's most generous funding grants programs.
A more streamlined and flexible timetable for applications to the government's Gambling Community Benefit Fund (GCBF) has been announced so deadlines no longer clash with the end of the financial year, the start of school holidays and the Christmas/New Year period.
The adjusted timetable will take effect immediately to better suit the thousands of community groups which benefit from the GCBF.
The new dates for each funding round were carefully selected with community groups in mind - avoiding dates that coincide with school holiday periods, at the end of the financial year and during the busy Christmas/New Year period.
This adjustment, based on feedback from the community, is expected to assist not-for-profit organisations in applying for funds.
For more information on the GCBF or, to obtain a funding application package, visit the GCBF website or call 3247 4284, or outside Brisbane freecall 1800 633 619.
Plant collectors join the fight against declared plants
A warning has been issued to all plant collectors in Mackay following the recent discovery of a class one plant on the premises of a local plant collector.
Biosecurity Queensland identified a Mexican bean tree after it was mentioned in a plant collector's newsletter.
This discovery has prompted Biosecurity Queensland to conduct property inspections around Mackay in the coming weeks.
It also highlights the how important it is for collectors to be aware that introduced species can adversely impact the region's delicate ecosystems.
The introduction, keeping or selling of a class one pest without a permit issued by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) attracts a fine of up to $60 000.
For more information on declared plants contact DPI&F on 13 25 23.
Statewide education program teaches school children to save water
The Queensland Government has released a new statewide water education program for Queensland schools.
Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said that Water: Learn it for life! was a comprehensive education program targeting students from prep to year seven. It teaches students about water conservation, water recycling and purified recycled water – information that will be vital to them throughout their lives.
Water: Learn it for life! introduces the character Whizzy to school students. Whizzy is a water-drop-shaped character and he has a series of adventures, recorded in a large colourful story book which is targeted for prep and first year. Students can choose which path Whizzy follows to learn about water saving, conservation and recycling.
For students in later primary years such as years 4 and 5, the Water: Learn it for life! resource kit allows more interactive involvement. "Students can become involved in what is known as a Resource Race where they form teams, and learn about the value of water, its scarcity and how to solve the challenge of diminishing supplies,'' Mr Wallace said.
For years 6 and 7, the resource program includes activities to teach students how to save water at home. In this lesson, students discuss how a reduction in rainfall would affect their region. Students are then asked to do a home water audit at their own homes, over a one week period.
"This is a powerful way in which students can see just how much water is used in their own homes, and where it is used.''
The Water: Learn it for life! curriculum resources are available on the NRW website.
Visit the Queensland Government website for the full media release.
Natural resources news
Registrations now open for the 2008 Qld Landcare Conference
Registrations for the 2008 Queensland Landcare Conference, to be held 21-24 September in Monto, are now open.
With more than 45 speakers, five keynote addresses, and seven field trip options looking at sustainability in a broad context, this conference has something for everyone. Registration fees start at just $120 (not including evening events) for a day or $430 for the full event including all social events (community delegates).
- community delegates - early bird (by 30 June) - $430
- everyone else - early bird - $530
- community day registration - early bird - $120.
The full registration package and preliminary program is available for download from the conference website or the Landcare Queensland website.
In other conference news...
Community display zone
A community display zone is being planned for one of the meal areas, located directly adjacent to the trade exhibition hall. Grassroots landcare and community conservation groups are welcome to book space in the community display zone at no cost. Space will be made available for posters, brochures and digital stories about landcare projects happening around the state.
For more information, please contact event manager, Samantha Morris at Wombat Creative, on 0421 709 519.
Take the Pioneer Shuttle to Monto
Thanks to the support of Pioneer Catchment & Landcare, conference organisers are able to offer a low cost alternative for travel between Brisbane and Monto. The Pioneer Shuttle leaves Brisbane the morning of Sunday 21 September and arrives back in the afternoon of Thursday 25 September. The cost of the return trip for conference delegates is only $40 but seating is strictly limited to 46 passengers, so please contact Samantha Morris, event manager, if you are interested in booking a seat on the shuttle.
Beach scrubs up nicely after community day
A huge community effort has seen more than 2000 square metres of scrub area near Fisherman's Beach in Emu Park cleaned up at a community event in April.
The successful Beach Scrub Community Day was held on 6 April and was organised by the Emu Park Community Bushcare Group.
The event attracted 27 people who put in around 100 man hours of work to enhance the area.
Coordinator Kaye Gardner said the day included weeding, mulching and an inspection of activities under the Bringing Back the Beach Scrub project.
"Our efforts concentrated on removing weeds including Guinea grass, Brazilian cherry, Mother of Millions, Lantana, and Coral Bush," Ms Gardner said.
The patch of beach scrub is one of twelve priority sites identified by the Bringing Back the Beach Scrub project, a cross-regional project aiming to improve the protection and condition of beach scrub areas between Townsville and Rockhampton.
Funded by the Australian Government, in the Rockhampton region, the project is being delivered by the Fitzroy Basin Association and the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, which supports grassroots groups like Bushcare to carry out on-ground works.
Central Highlands students flock to lesson in NRM
Over 1300 primary school children descended on the Emerald Showgrounds last week to attend an interactive expo designed to highlight the importance of managing natural resources in our local communities.
The expo was organised by CHRRUP (Central Highlands Regional Resources Use Planning Cooperative) with funding received from the Department of Natural Resources and Water.
Executive officer Anna Cochrane explained, "CHRRUP applied for this funding to host an expo for Year 4-7 staff and students on the Central Highlands. Educating our children about sustainable natural resource management is essential to Queensland's future economic growth, environmental well-being and social development."
Anna said, "The response was overwhelming. We hosted over 1300 students from 15 schools as far afield as Clermont, Blackwater and Tieri to attend, and smaller schools like Lochington and Mistake Creek made it a day out for the whole school.
"Many aspects of water management, catchment management, water quality and biodiversity are relevant to students of Science and Studies of Society and Environment. In order to provide students with a practical, hands-on experience with these topics, we invited a number of relevant businesses and agencies to provide interactive displays at the Expo."
The event included staff from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, AACC Emerald Campus, Greening Australia, local mines and the Fitzroy Basin Association.
Children were able to learn about local cultural heritage, water quality, endangered species in our region, and many other topics. There was no charge to attend, and bus transport was provided for all schools.
Australian weeds conference attracts international expertise
Some 400 national and international delegates will be attending the Australian Weeds Conference in Cairns on 19-22 May to discuss critical policy, research and management actions towards invasive plants.
Invasive plants cost Australia more than $4 billion dollars each year in lost agricultural production and countless more in the loss of environment and biodiversity.
Government, industry and community are continuing to collaborate to manage some of the key issues faced by rural and urban Australians in the area of biosecurity.
Presentations, a trade display and field trips will provide new information about weed issues, successful outcomes, research undertaken and some of the innovations and management techniques for controlling invasive plants.
The 16th Australian Weeds Conference will be held in the Cairns Convention Centre. The event is being hosted by the Weed Society of Queensland.
The conference is held every two years at various locations throughout Australia.
Story from Queensland Country Life
AgForward workshop update
The AgForward team present a range of workshops to landholders, including GPS essentials, computer mapping, vegetation management, and AgForest's native forest field days.
Between March and June this year AgForward will conduct around 107 workshops throughout Queensland. Upcoming workshops include:
- 20 May: Alpha - Computer mapping workshop
- 20 May: Normanton - GPS essentials
- 21 May: Clermont - Computer mapping workshop
- 21 May: Burketown - GPS essentials
- 22 May: Capella - Computer mapping workshop
- 22 May: Burke & Wills Roadhouse - GPS essentials
To register for the workshops contact Bree Robertson on 3238 6039. To register for the AgForests Field Day contact Rohan Allen on 0408 769 918.
More information on these workshops can be found on the AgForward website (under 'Workshops').
Get a job in NRM!
Are you interested in working with Queensland's regional natural resource management bodies? Then head to the Regional Groups' Collective website where current job opportunities are now available. Be sure to check back regularly to ensure you don't miss out on the job of a lifetime!
Here's a sample of what's on offer:
Regional body: South East Queensland Catchments Ltd
Title: Coordinator – Local Delivery Program, Bremer Catchment
Location: Bremer Catchment
Closing date: 09 May 2008
The purpose of the this position is to work collaboratively with landholders, agricultural industry groups, government agency extension staff and other project staff and apply participatory approaches to coordinate the planning, implementation and monitoring of on-ground waterways restoration works.
Call SEQ Catchments for an application package on 3816 9711. Enquiries should be directed to Tony McKew on telephone 3816 9718 or mobile 0439 852 162.
Thought for the week
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
Thomas Stearns (T.S.) Eliot (1888-1965)
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The Bugle is a weekly newsletter published by Community Partnerships, the Department of Natural Resources and Water, highlighting regional NRM activities around Queensland.
Last updated 22 January 2009