IN THIS SECTION

MEETINGS & CONFERENCES COMING SOON

Regenerative Agriculture Workshops
Want to make your farm more sustainable with less money spent on chemicals and fertilisers? This series of workshops will teach you how to work with your soil, build up its organic carbon content and natural fertility and not be fighting it all the time.

#1 : Holistic Management
with Kirk Gadzia (USA) - QLD - 16-18 August 2010

#2 : BioFertile Farms
with Paul Taylor (AUS) & Eugenio Gras (MEX)
QLD - 1-3 September 2010

#3 : Keyline Farming
with Darren J. Doherty (AUS) - QLD - 25-27 October 2010

#4 : Local Farms & Community
with Joel Salatin (USA) - QLD - 7-8 December 2010

Queensland Landcare Conference
15 - 17 September 2010
Caloundra, Sunshine Coast Qld

The annual Queensland Landcare Conference to be held in Caloundra from the 15 – 17 September with the theme Celebrating 21 years of Landcare, will capture the progress, achievements and future opportunities for one of the strongest community movements in Australia’s history.

This year’s Queensland Landcare conference program features 4 field trips exploring the Sunshine Coast Region and 12 workshop themes covering areas such as sustainable farming systems, indigenous land management, water quality, landcare as business and biodiversity.

Join the conference mailing list now
For all the latest news on the 2010 Queensland Landcare Conference, registration, program details and associated events, you can join the electronic mailing list by visiting www.landcare.org.au/CONFERENCE.htm. All Queensland landcarers are welcome in Caloundra in September!

13th International Riversymposium - Perth WA
11-14 October 2010
Managing our rivers has revolved around altering the movement of water – obviously through dams, extraction for irrigation, mining, water supplies, industry and water transfers and more cryptically when we consider groundwater use, virtual water, water sensitive urban design, water recycling and adjustments to environmental flows. The 13th International Riversymposium, 11-14 October 2010 will bring together a diverse audience for interactive and vibrant discussion. If you are interested in rivers, you can’t afford to miss it!

Go to www.riversymposium.com for more information.

The National Indigenous Land & Sea Management Conference
4 - 9 November 2010, Broken Hill, NSW
Over three and a half days, through plenary sessions and workshops, conference delegates can explore, discuss and debate themes such as Caring for Country-land and Caring for Country-water, governance and leadership, climate change and carbon markets and economic development and innovation. Further information can be found at:
www.caringforcountry.com/public/...........................................................................

NEWSLETTERS & ISSUES

Regenerative Agriculture Newsletter

Over the Fence #13 - Grazing Best Practice Newsletter

Tilapia found in the Walsh River Catchment

Electric Ants Alert!

Gamba Grass - Fire Hazard

Wild Rivers

Freshwater Sawfish Research

News from Australian Wildlife Conservancy
- From Dec. 2007 Wildlife Matters - Rare Chestnut Dunnart found at Brooklyn
- Wildlife Matters, Winter 2010 Issue

Alarming Decline in Small Native Mammal Populations in Northern Australia
In the past 10-20 years, there has been a catastrophic decline in the diversity and abundance of small mammals across northern Australia. From Cape York to the Kimberley, small mammals are disappearing. Urgent intervention is required to prevent a wave of mammal extinctions across Australia’s tropical savannas. Three years ago a team of AWC ecologists was carrying out a fauna inventory survey at a prospective property in the Northern Territory, to assess its conservation value for possible acquisition. Over two weeks, traps were set at a range of remote locations, accessible only by helicopter. The survey sites were positioned in combinations of topography and vegetation that seemed guaranteed to deliver high densities of several mammal species. In over 1050 trap-nights, only two species of native small mammal were caught - a demoralising experience. Sadly, this survey experience is not unique. Small to medium-sized mammals have vanished from vast areas of the north including some of Australia’s most famous national parks. This population collapse is undeniable with a growing body of unpublished survey reports and published research from across the north adding even more compelling evidence of a dramatic collapse in mammal populations.
Why are our northern mammals disappearing? Superficially, the tropical savannas of northern Australia appear intact. There has been very little clearing of vegetation. However, there are several factors which we know are having a profound influence on the ecological health and functioning of our northern savannas. These factors appear to be driving the decline of mammal populations. We do not yet fully understand how these factors are affecting mammal populations, or the relationship between these issues, but we are confident that the primary causes of the mammal decline are:
• Altered fire regimes (especially an increase in extensive and intense wildfires).
• Grazing by feral herbivores (especially feral cattle, buffalo, donkeys and horses).
• Predation by feral cats.
Weeds, disease and cane toads probably interact with, and compound the pressures from, altered fire and introduced species but, at this stage, there is no evidence to suggest they are the primary culprits.
AWC's Response - The Northern Mammal Recovery Project: This Project will involve creating large feral herbivore free areas at five AWC sanctuaries across northern Australia and measuring the response of native fauna at each of these sites. Replication at several sites is essential to give confidence that the recovery witnessed at Mornington, the only protected area in northern Australia containing a large feral herbivore-free area, can be reproduced elsewhere. This project will therefore be unique in creating a network of large feral herbivore-free areas across the north.
Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary is the only protected area in northern Australia where a recovery in mammal populations has been recorded. AWC’s Northern Australia Project will seek to replicate the Mornington model by implementing a series of large-scale land management interventions at eight AWC properties located in each key region from the Kimberley to Cape York. At each site, the Project combines an active land management response with an integrated research program addressing the key threats. The outcomes of thisgroundbreaking research will be invaluable in informing future land management decisions.

There is much more extensive discussion of the causes of this population collapse and the Northern Mammal Recover Project in the Winter 2010 issue of Wildlife Matters.

SPECIAL FEATURES, PROJECTS, REPORTS ON FORUMS AND MEETINGS

Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce - Final Report Released
The Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce Final Report was publicly released on 8 February 2010 and can be downloaded at:
http://www.nalwt.gov.au/reports.aspx

This major report examines the longer term, strategic potential for further land and water development in northern Australia, with particular emphasis on the identification of the capacity of the north to play a role in future agricultural development. The impetus for this study was changing water resource security in the south and the likely collapse of the whole Murray -Darling catchment and the irrigated agriculture that depends on it.

In particular the report identifies the potential for sustainable development through:

1. Expanding agricultural production by developing small scale, widely distributed appropriately located production units - mosaic agriculture.

2. Intensifying production in the billion dollar beef industry through the irrigated production of fodder crops across the north. An expanded beef industry also provides the potential for sustainable wealth creation in indigenous communities.

3. Protecting the north's natural ecosystems to ensure the long term sustainability of the multibillion dollar tourism industry.

4. The recognition of conservation and natural resource management across northern Australia as a valuable contributor to the region's economy.

5. Acting on the opportunities for indigenous people to build on their comparative advantage in providing customary and commercial services on the vast indigenous estate in northern Australia.

The proposed intensification of pastoralism would enable large areas of rangelands to be taken out of beef production and managed for cultural and conservation activities, including carbon storage.

Any grand dreams of more Ord River schemes with massive water storages and irrigated farmlands were severely limited by factors such as:
- despite high rainfall, the north is seasonally water limited; and
- the ability to capture and store water is constrained by climate (high annual evaporation rates) and topography (it's basically flat); and
- surface and groundwater systems and the biodiversity of the region are highly connected with the complex interactions between them being poorly understood.

Kowanyama Weed Forum -
25-26 June 2009:
This workshop brought together the Kowanyama Rangers, and other staff responsible for weed management on land under the community's control, with other stakeholders in the region. Information on current best management practices for weeds of concern in the area, both already present and on their way, was presented by experts from government agencies. A field trip highlighted existing weed problems, especially in wetland and lagoon areas. Information was also presented on other projects being carried out in the area.

Presentations:
Cape York Weeds & Ferals Program

Hymenachne

Grasses, Chinee Apple, Rubber Vine,

Bellyache Bush

Parkinsonia

Pond Apple

TRaCK Food Webs Project Update

Pest Management Planning in Indigenous Communities - Biosecurity Qld

Biofuels - Jatropha curcas
Presentations from Mt Molloy Meeting
13 March 2008
Peter Holden (DPI&F) & John Clarkson (QPWS)

TRaCK
Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge
Information and Updates

TRaCK in the Mitchell

Keeping Track Newsletter, October 2009

On TRack, Issue #4, July 2010

Palmer River Forum
16 May 2008, Mareeba
Report with Presentations

Tilapia found in Walsh River Catchment at Eureka Creek & Removed Tilapia such as this specimen were found in the Walsh River Catchment

During a DPI Fisheries periodic surveillance in January 2008, Tilapia were discovered in Eureka Creek, a tributary of the Walsh River and in the Mitchell River Catchment. Seven juvenile Tilapia mariae were caught. Subsequent monitoring found more specimens in the vicinity of the initial discovery site. “This is a nightmare for Mitchell River Watershed Management Group,” said Hilary Kuhn MRWMG Chairperson at the time of discovery of these pest fish. “We have worked very hard for over ten years on the establishment of regular surveillance, the installation of Tilapia exclusion  screens in the Mareeba Dimbulah Irrigation Area and education on Tilapia and its possible impacts. So to find a population in the catchment is very distressing news and should be a grave concern for recreational fishers and for the commercial Gulf fishery .” Tilapia, a highly invasive African species and as much a threat in our waterways as rabbits on land, are a declared noxious fish species in Queensland and there are heavy fines of up to $150,000 for their possession. Tilapia were popular, both as an ornamental fish and in aquaculture, due to their resilience and rapid reproduction and growth rates. Tilapia rapidly degrade aquatic habitats, they can easily  out compete native species and their tolerance of salinity means that they can readily exit rivers through estuaries and travel in marine areas to enter other river systems. “With Wet Season floods, Tilapia could easily be flushed down the Mitchell River to the Gulf,” continued Hilary Kuhn. “Then Tilapia could move from the Mitchell River estuaries to other catchments through coastal waters. This could be a march akin to the cane toad and Tilapia could eventually infest catchments all the way to Arnhem Land with huge impacts on the fishery.” After more monitoring in Eureka Creek, and consultation with irrigators, Sunwater, traditional owners and other interested parties, an eradication plan was developed. This involved: isolating a 5 kilometre length of Eureka Creek and stopping irigation flows; extensive electrofishing to remove as many native fish as possible for return to the stream outside the isolation zone; poisoning of all fish left in the exclusion zone with rotenone (a readily biodegradable natural fish poison); testing of the residual rotenone level and removal of stream barriers when this was safe. The attached powerpoint presentation is all about the Tilapia eradication campaign carried out in Eureka Creek in October 2008 and the successful return of native species. Some 30 Tilapia of various ages were recovered from the stream following the rotenone treatment and ongoing monitoring will detect any recurrence of Tilapia in this stream or its appearance in other streams in the catchment. Community awareness is an important aspect to controlling Tilapia and MRWMG and DPI Fisheries will continue to distribute information to people in the area. “It is difficult for people to identify  Tilapia,” stated Brynn Mathews MRWMG Projects Officer. “Juveniles are particularly difficult to recognise and people should not transfer bait fish from places that are already infested with Tilapia. Infested areas include Tinaroo Dam and some coastal catchments around Cairns. Anglers may not realise that it is Tilapia in their bucket and accidently introduce them to Tilapia-free catchments, such as the Mitchell River. Anglers need to be vigilant. It is the only way that we can control the spread of Tilapia to the Mitchell River and Gulf catchments. " Recently Tilapia has spread through 3,000 kilometres of the Burdekin River over a 4 year period and will become the dominant species in this catchment. The only way to prevent more waterways becoming overwhelmed by Tilapia is for the public to actively report any sightings and enable an early and effective response wherever possible. If you catch a fish that looks like Tilapia, take a photo of it, or put it in a plastic bag, contact the Pest Fish Hotline on 13 25 23 or 1800 017 116 (A/H) and pass the photo or fish on to someone who can confirm the identification and take action. Tilapia Do’s and Don’ts: Do: Find out what Tilapia look like from the information on this website or provided by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F)) Kill Tilapia in a humane way, disposing of the fish well away from the water (bury on the bank or wrap in plastic and place in a bin) Contact DPI&F of any Tilapia sightings on 13 25 23 Use bait native to the waterways you fish. Report anyone suspected of moving or dumping pest fish to the Fishwatch Hotline on 1800 107 116 Don’t: Do not use Tilapia as bait as they can release eggs or live young from their mouths even after death Do not move Tilapia between waterways Do not stock aquariums, dams or ponds with pest fish – use native fish from the same catchment instead Do not empty aquariums, dams or ponds into waterways either directly or indirectly via the sewer or stormwater drains.

Gamba Grass - Fire Safety Issues
Sue Lamb, a Fire Control Officer from the Northern Territory with extensive experience of fighting Gamba grass fires, addressed a forum in Mareeba on 30 April 2008 on the extra hazards associated with fighting these fires. Gamba grass can have a fuel load of 30 tonnes per hectare (see picture below), which is about 8 times that of native grasses and undergrowth. This produces a very intense fire that is not only a danger to firefighters and vehicles but can also destroy the tree canopy. To see Sue's presentation click here.

TRaCK - Information & Updates

http://www.track.gov.au

What is TRaCK?
TRaCK was established in 2007 as a research hub under the Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities Programme – the Australian Government’s commitment to world-class public good environmental research.

It brings together more than 70 of Australia’s leading researchers from social, cultural, environmental and economic disciplines to focus their expertise on the rivers and coasts in the both the wet and dry tropics stretching from Cape York across to Broome.

While not directly developing policy, TRaCK is providing independent, objective research to support decision makers and inform public debate in northern Australia. The TRaCK program will help ensure that any development proposals, especially for use of water resources, in Northern Australia will be sustainable.

What is the scope of TRaCK?
The Mitchell is one of several catchments in Northern Australia in which TRaCK researchers are focussing their attention. As noted by Hilary Kuhn (former chairperson Mitchell River Watershed Management Group Inc), “The Mitchell River has the largest annual flow of all tropical rivers in the country and is one of our most ecologically diverse aquatic systems. Yet there are few comprehensive biological and ecological studies of the catchment to date. Without the science, it is difficult for us to manage the catchment sustainably.”

To build our knowledge and capacity to manage the Mitchell, TRaCK researchers are working  with all levels of government, regional NRM bodies, Indigenous communities, agriculture, fishing, tourism and mining industries, local land owners and other researchers to conduct field work and build on the existing knowledge about tropical rivers.

This work is being carried out in the following seven research themes:

Values and assets
Building an understanding of the range of values the Mitchell River system has to different people and how these can be better incorporated in decision making.

Classifying tropical rivers
Classifying river systems across northern Australia based on features such as flow patterns. This will help us understand what makes rivers such as the Mitchell similar or different to other rivers and underpin consistent policy development and regional planning.

Water, carbon, sediment and nutrients
Developing tools to predict how changes in land use and climate will affect the source, amounts and movement of water, carbon, sediment and nutrients in the Mitchell.

Food webs and biodiversity
Investigating the sources of energy (carbon) and nutrients that drive ecosystems and how they are transferred through food webs plus patterns of aquatic biodiversity and what determines these patterns.

Sustainable enterprises
Identifying enterprises for remote and regional communities based on sustainable and culturally appropriate use of riverine and coastal resources.

Evaluating scenarios
Bringing together the information and tools developed in the other themes to explore the social, cultural, environmental and economic implications of change in the Mitchell.

Communicating and integrating
Synthesising knowledge from the different themes and tailoring it to local communities, catchment and regional bodies, and government.

TRaCK will respond to these research themes through 21 specific projects. At least six of these projects are planning to do on-ground data collection (including meetings and workshops) in the Mitchell during 2008. Other projects will start their work in the Mitchell in following years. Yet other projects will include the Mitchell in a broader-scale, regional perspective. These projects will primarily be desktop exercises using existing information including remotely sensed data.

Creek-side discussion at the initial TRaCK meeting at Karma Waters, July 2007

Palmer River Forum - May 16 2008, Mareeba

This forum was made possible by funding from the Cape York Peninsula Landcare Program and was well attended by almost 60 miners, graziers, Traditional Owners and other interested residents of the Mitchell River catchment. Speakers told the audience about a range of topics including best practice in road construction and maintenance for miners, stream management and diversion for mining, sediment budgets for the Palmer River, the Traditional Owner perspective on Native Title and Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs), an overview of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) project, controlling weed spread on vehicles and machinery, EPA management of small mining and the impact of historic mine sites in the Nevada City area of California (an area with a very similar mining history to Irvinebank/Herberton).

The forum then identified issues of concern and split into three groups to discuss them. The outputs of this discussion set a number of key issues to be addressed by a future working party that will develop a set of best practice guidelines for alluvial mining.

This portable weed hygiene trailer for cleaning equipment in the field attracted a lot of interest.

Wild Rivers
In October 2005 the Queensland Government passed the Wild Rivers Act. Since then 9 rivers have been declared as Wild Rivers - Staaten, Morning Inlet, Gregory, Settlement, Hinchinbrook Island and Fraser Island on 28 February 2007 and the Archer, Stewart and Lockhart Rivers on 3 April 2009. The Wenlock River has been proposed for declaration and public consultation closed on 29 May 2009. Natural Resources Mines and Water have released a revised Wild Rivers Draft Code, this document describes in detail what and how resource use activities will be assessed in the area of a declared Wild River. The Government carried out extensive public consulatation and sought submissions on both the nominations and the Codes of Practice.
                                      
When the first 6 rivers were declared in February 2007, there was also a moratorium declared on 13 rivers of the Cape York Peninsula. The moratorium applies to new permits for taking or interfering with water in streams, sub-artesian aquifers and overland flow and an information sheet can be viewed at:
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildrivers/cape_york.html

DERM has also prepared an information sheet especially to address the concerns of the indigenous community about what will and won't be allowed in a declared Wild Rivgewrs area. For further information on the Act, Policy declarations and more, go to the Department of Environment and Resource Management website

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Freshwater Sawfish Research
A Masters thesis study was undertaken on this remarkable creature Pristis microdon also known as Freshwater sawfish, Leichardt's sawfish or the Smalltooth sawfish. The Mitchell River appears to hold reasonable numbers of these animals. The dwarf and green sawfish are found more towards the mouth of the river in the estuarine section. The research looked at the biology and ecology of sawfishes within QLD. Part of the study involved a tag/release program operating in the Mitchell River. Research so far shows that the freshwater sawfish has a marine component to its life cycle. Mature animals come into the mouths of the rivers to drop their pups during the wet season and then juvenile to sub adult sawfish then venture upstream with the receding floodwaters.

The Marine Education Society of Australasia (MESA) chose the plight of the declining Freshwater sawfish as the theme for Seaweek 2008. As part of the weeks activities MESA released an on-line story titled "The Adventures of Sonya the Freshwater Sawfish". Click here if you want to read this story.
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