News

Building Sustainable Land Management on Wansey Downs

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 06:58:13 GMT

Slowing the movement of water at Wansey Downs

Fred and Emma Bryant are the current custodians of Wansey Downs , a 17,800 hectare cattle property west of Augathella, Queensland. Having inherited the land from his fat her, Fred carries forward a deep family connection to the country, one shaped by its rugged landscapes, rocky hard mulga jump‑ups, and productive grassy flats. The Ward River cuts through the property, feeding a network of creeks that support both livestock and native ecosystems.

From the moment they took over the property, Fred and Emma committed themselves to enhancing the health and long‑term resilience of the landscape. The latest focus of their efforts has been the installation of earth spreader banks in key areas across Wansey Downs with the help of Rehydration Practitioner, Glenn Landsberg. With the surrounding higher country and series of creek systems and floodplains, Wansey Downs has a lot of water to manage, some of which had begun channelling down the path of least resistance, eroding soil and depleting the vegetation.

When asked about the project, Glen said,

"I see an incredible amount of soil being lost all across Queensland, with so much rainfall washing away and doing more harm than good. For Wansey, this was just a way to slow that water down and reform the natural shape and function of the landscape, so we could take the water that was doing the damage and put it back to work."

These spreader bank structures slow and disperse water flow during rainfall events, increasing infiltration, reducing erosion, and helping rehydrate the surrounding country.

Through our Natural Resource Recovery Program (NRRP), Southern Queensland Landscapes (SQL) provided partial funding and support for this work, enabling Fred to implement these upgrades sooner and more effectively than would have been possible alone. Encouraged by the results, he plans to expand the spreader-bank network into other areas of opportunity on Wansey.

“Fred and Emma are really attuned to their landscape, and they can see where it’s struggling. It’s so wonderful to see them putting in so much effort to restore it through projects like this,”

says Glenn.

Building on this momentum, the Bryants are now preparing for their next major project in partnership with SQL, in which they will install approximately 13 kilometres of fencing as well as new waterpoints across the property. This infrastructure will significantly improve cattle grazing management by allowing more controlled stock movement, reducing pressure on sensitive areas, and promoting more even utilisation of pasture. Over time, these changes will help increase ground cover, improve soil condition, and enhance the overall productivity and ecological resilience of Wansey Downs.

Fred tells us,

“Emma and I are always looking for ways to improve our management for our stock and land. [This spreader-bank project] seems like a great opportunity for us to get more positive growth, minimise erosion and improve our soils in the process.”

Once again, Southern Queensland Landscapes' partial funding and technical support has helped Fred to accelerate vital land management improvements that will benefit both the property and the broader landscape. For Fred and his family, these investments represent more than just infrastructure, they are a commitment to honouring the legacy of the past while building a stronger, more sustainable future for Wansey Downs.

This project is funded by the Queensland Government's Natural Resources Recovery Program.

Managing Feral Pigs to Protect Brigalow Ecosystems

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 01:17:08 GMT

Coordinated Action Across Southern Queensland

To help protect Brigalow Belt Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs) and associated threatened species, Southern Queensland Landscapes partnered with landholders to deliver coordinated feral pig control across connected landscapes in the Murray–Darling Basin.

Through four aerial control campaigns, more than 100,000 hectares were treated and over 5,000 feral pigs removed. While ongoing monitoring highlighted how quickly populations can recover under favourable conditions, the project reinforced the value of coordinated, landscape-scale management. Participating landholders demonstrated a greater willingness to work together, aligning control activities across neighbouring properties to improve effectiveness and reduce the risk of reinfestation.

> 100,000 ha

treated in coordinated aerial

pest shoots between June

25 - June 2026

> 5000 pigs

86% increase

removed from Brigalow Belt Threatened Ecological Communities in Southern Qld

Feral pig populations increase by up to 86% annually

Feral pigs cause widespread damage to agricultural land and sensitive Brigalow ecosystems.

Feral pigs are one of the most significant pest animal threats facing Southern Queensland. Their impacts are felt across both agricultural landscapes and environmentally important areas, including the Brigalow Belt's Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs). Effective feral pig management plays a vital role in protecting productive farming enterprises while preserving the region's unique biodiversity.

For landholders, feral pigs can cause extensive damage. They destroy crops, disturb soil, damage fencing and water infrastructure, and degrade pastures through rooting and wallowing behaviour. This soil disturbance reduces ground cover, increases erosion risk, and can compromise the long-term productivity of grazing land. These impacts also make it more difficult for producers to implement best-practice grazing management strategies, such as rotational grazing, which are important for maintaining healthy landscapes and reducing pressure on sensitive ecosystems.

The challenge is that feral pigs are highly adaptable, resilient and capable of recovering quickly after control activities. Even with ongoing management efforts, populations can continue to increase when seasonal conditions are favourable. Without sustained and coordinated action, feral pig impacts are likely to worsen, resulting in increased agricultural losses and further degradation of vulnerable ecological communities.

Long-term success requires more than occasional control programs. It relies on landholders, community groups and organisations working together to implement integrated pest management approaches across the landscape. By improving awareness, sharing practical knowledge and supporting the adoption of effective control methods, we can reduce feral pig numbers and help protect the productivity, biodiversity and resilience of Southern Queensland's Brigalow Belt region.

Despite ongoing control efforts, feral pig populations continue to expand across Southern Queensland due to a combination of biological, environmental, and landscape-scale factors.

Despite ongoing control efforts, feral pig populations continue to expand across Southern Queensland. Their success is driven by a combination of biological, environmental and landscape-scale factors that make long-term management challenging.

One of the biggest contributors to the feral pig problem is their remarkable reproductive capacity. Female pigs (sows) can reach sexual maturity at just six months of age and may produce litters of up to 10 piglets, often twice each year. With a gestation period of approximately three months, three weeks and three days, populations can recover quickly following control activities. This means that one-off or isolated control programs are rarely enough to achieve lasting reductions.

The challenge is compounded by the scale of the feral pig population in Australia. An estimated 3.2 million feral pigs are present nationwide, with the majority found in Queensland. Their widespread distribution across private and public land means that fragmented control efforts often have limited impact. Effective management requires coordinated action across property boundaries and land tenures to reduce populations at a landscape scale.

Feral pigs also pose a significant biosecurity risk. In addition to damaging agricultural land and native ecosystems, they can act as carriers of serious diseases, including exotic threats such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease. An outbreak of such diseases could have major consequences for Australia's agricultural industries, regional economies and biodiversity.

Recent seasonal conditions have further accelerated population growth. Five consecutive years of above-average rainfall between 2020 and 2025 created ideal conditions for breeding and survival. Increased water availability, abundant food resources and favourable habitat conditions have enabled feral pig numbers to rise rapidly. Under these conditions, populations can increase by as much as 86 per cent in a single year.

Highly adaptable and resilient, feral pigs can thrive in a wide range of environments, from agricultural landscapes to ecologically significant areas such as Brigalow Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs). Their ability to exploit diverse habitats means they continue to spread and cause impacts across Southern Queensland. Reducing the impacts of feral pigs requires more than short-term control programs. Long-term success depends on coordinated, landscape-scale management supported by ongoing monitoring, strategic planning and collaboration between landholders, community groups and government agencies.

Effective control depends on the consistent adoption of coordinated, best-practice approaches across the landscape.

Core Principles

• Coordinated action across neighbouring properties

• Integrated control methods (aerial control, trapping, baiting, ground shooting)

• Timely intervention following favourable breeding conditions

• Ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up

Population Recovery Observed After Control

• Demonstrates resilience of feral pigs

• Reinforces need for ongoing, coordinated monitoring and management

Experience across Southern Queensland has shown that effective feral pig management requires more than isolated control efforts on individual properties. Control programs delivered across connected landscapes, including private land, forestry interfaces, National Parks and key waterway corridors, have demonstrated the importance of coordinated action.

Feral pigs move freely across property boundaries and are quick to recolonise areas where control has occurred. As a result, control efforts undertaken by a single landholder or within a limited area can be rapidly undermined by pigs dispersing from neighbouring untreated properties.

For this reason, successful long-term management depends on a coordinated, cross-tenure approach where landholders and organisations work together across the landscape. When neighbouring properties participate in control activities at the same time, the risk of reinvasion is significantly reduced, leading to more effective and lasting outcomes.

Protecting the Brigalow Belt's productive agricultural land and valuable ecological communities will require ongoing collaboration, strategic planning and sustained investment in integrated pest management. By working together, landholders can achieve greater reductions in feral pig populations and help build healthier, more resilient landscapes for future generations.

“Coordinated control is critical – without an “all-in” approach, progress is quickly lost.”

Landowner and Manager in Border Rivers Region

Download the project brochure, Managing Feral Pigs to Protect Brigalow Ecosystems .

Download the brochure.

Coolibah, Condamine Qld

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:59:41 GMT

Screen Type

Self Cleaning Cylindrical Screen

Screen Manufacturer

AWMA

River Catchment

Condamine River

David Grace, a highly regarded farmer and horse training instructor, has been using the fish-friendly screen installed by the Fish Friendly Water Extraction Project on his Condamine River property, Coolibah. David observed countless small fish that had been sucked into the lagoon after irrigation pumping. After running the pumps through the fish screen, zero fish were drawn through the system, a significant win for fish conservation and sustainable water use.

Though testing is in its early stages, the screen has already demonstrated its ability to protect native fish and prevent debris from entering the pump. Monitoring is being undertaken by Redleaf Environmental.

"A real positive outcome for native fish and farming."

David Grace

Features of the Installed Fish Screen

• Handles up to 10-12 megalitres per day, meeting the irrigation needs of the property.

• Designed to withstand high-flow events, ensuring durability during dynamic river conditions.

• Self-cleans using a propeller-driven system, keeping 2mm openings free of algae and silt.

Why This Matters

Protects native fish populations by keeping them in the river where they belong.
Prevents debris from entering the pump, improving efficiency.
Simplifies maintenance, even during high river levels or floods.

Struanville Farming Co, Bowenville Qld

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:50:07 GMT

Screen Type

Two Self Cleaning Cylindrical Screens

Screen Manufacturer

AWMA

River Catchment

Gowrie Oakey Creek

Southern Queensland Landscapes recently visited Matt Finch’s property, Struanville Farming Co, to gain insights into his water extraction system, discuss the upcoming installation of a fish-friendly screen, and explore modern irrigation practices' environmental and economic benefits.

Matt, a forward-thinking farmer, is committed to sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and efficient water use. His passion for protecting native fish populations while improving agricultural infrastructure makes his property an excellent case study in balancing farming with environmental responsibility.

The Filter Installation Plan

Two AWMA-manufactured fish screens will be fitted to Matt’s new pump station.
The screens will be self-cleaning, featuring a hydraulic retrieval system that can be controlled remotely via a mobile device.
A concrete headwall and protective rock structures will be installed to shield the screens from flood debris and enhance system longevity.

Why This Matters?

Protecting Fish Populations → Ensures native species thrive while maintaining biodiversity.
Reducing Infrastructure Maintenance → Fish screens help prevent debris blockages and extend the life of pumps.
Regulatory and Financial Advantages → Demonstrating environmental responsibility could support water license security and financial incentives from institutions.

Burradoo Plains, Hopeland Qld

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:46:01 GMT

Screen Type

Self Cleaning Floatation Fish Screen

Screen Manufacturer

KleenScreen, NZ

River Catchment

Condamine Branch (Chinchilla Weir)

Greg Bender, an entrepreneurial cotton and crop farmer from Hopeland, near Chinchilla, has been using the fish-friendly screen installed by the Fish Friendly Water Extraction Project on his property, Burradoo Plains. Greg observed countless small fish that had been sucked into the irrigation system after pumping. A self cleaning Floatation Fish Screen was installed by Warrego Water Services in 2024. Floatation is used to keep the fish screen at the surface for shallow water situations. The screen is designed to work with a third to a half sitting out of the water. It can operate in water depths as shallow as 125mm.

Features of the Installed Fish Screen

Efficient Cleaning: Adjustable rotation direction clears debris effectively.
Effective Water Intake: Draws water from below, keeping the screen mostly above water.
Superior Backwash: Above-water backwash ensures thorough cleaning and debris removal.
Built to Last: Made with durable stainless steel and thermoplastic materials.
Designed in New Zealand for Australian conditions.

Why This Matters

Protects native fish populations by keeping them in the river where they belong.
Prevents debris from entering the pump, improving efficiency.
Simplifies maintenance, even during high river levels or floods.

Wallumba Feedlot, Wieambilla Qld

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:40:13 GMT

Screen Type

Self Cleaning Cylindrical Fish Screen

Screen Manufacturer

AWMA

River Catchment

Condamine River

Southern Queensland Landscapes, as part of the Fish Friendly Water Extraction Project, recently installed a cylindrical fish screen on the property Nangram , part of the Wallumba Feedlot. Nangram is located on the Condamine River and is made up of nine irrigated centre pivots. As well as providing forage sorghum grazing to background cattle for the feedlot, Nangra m also grows all the silage to be used at Wallumba Feedlot.

Wallumba Feedlot operations embrace the principles of ecologically sustainable land management. They recognise that a healthy, diverse and resilient landscape is essential if beef production is to remain viable in Australia.

Though testing is in its early stages, the screen has already demonstrated its ability to protect native fish and prevent debris from entering the pump. Monitoring is being undertaken by Redleaf Environmental.

The Filter Installation

One AWMA-manufactured fish screen was fitted to the current irrigation system.
The screen is self-cleaning, driven via an internal propeller that rotates as water is pumped through the suction line.
Internal and external brushes ensure that the screen remains clean, and any entrained debris is returned to the river.

Why This Matters?

Protecting Fish Populations → Ensures native species thrive while maintaining biodiversity.
Reducing Infrastructure Maintenance → Fish screens help prevent debris blockages and extend the life of pumps.
Regulatory and Financial Advantages → Demonstrating environmental responsibility could support water license security and financial incentives from institutions.

Moolabah, St George Qld

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:31:02 GMT

Screen Type

Self Cleaning Floatation Fish Screen

Screen Manufacturer

KleenScreen, NZ

River Catchment

Balonne River

Hamish McIntyre is the Managing Director of McIntyre Agriculture, including the property Moolabah , a family owned farming and livestock business he runs with his wife, Mary and three sons, Stirling, Finlay and Campbell. The business comprises 143,800ha of grazing, dryland farming and irrigation country situated in the St George, Dirranbandi and Quilpie Districts. A self cleaning Floatation Fish Screen was installed at Moolabah St George by Warrego Water Services in 2023. Floatation is used to keep the fish screen at the surface for shallow water situations. The screen is designed to work with a third to a half sitting out of the water. It can operate in water depths as shallow as 125mm.

Features of the Installed Fish Screen

Efficient Cleaning: Adjustable rotation direction clears debris effectively.
Effective Water Intake: Draws water from below, keeping the screen mostly above water.
Superior Backwash: Above-water backwash ensures thorough cleaning and debris removal.
Built to Last: Made with durable stainless steel and thermoplastic materials.
Designed in New Zealand for Australian conditions.

Why This Matters

Protects native fish populations by keeping them in the river where they belong.
Prevents debris from entering the pump, improving efficiency.
Simplifies maintenance, even during high river levels or floods.

Whyalla Feedlot, Texas Qld

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:23:25 GMT

Screen Type

Self Cleaning, Self Propelled Cylinder Fish Screen

Screen Manufacturer

AWMA

River Catchment

Dumaresq River

Whyalla Beef has grown to become one of Australia’s largest, state-of-the-art feedlots. Located in Southern Queensland, Whyalla Beef produces premium grainfed cattle, two of the Group’s Wagyu brands – Wild Rivers Purebred Wagyu and Oakey Premium Wagyu – are all finished at the Whyalla Beef feedlot before moving to the Group’s processing plant-based at Oakey.

A Self Cleaning, Self Propelled Cylinder Fish Screen was installed at Whyalla Feedlot, Texas by Texas Pumps and Irrigation in 2022. The screen is driven via an internal propeller that rotates as water is pumped through the suction line. There are no external power requirements necessary to operate the screen. Internal and external brushes ensure that the screen remains clean, and any entrained debris is returned to the river. The screen is suitable for flows up to 12 ML/day based on approach velocity of 0.12 m/s.

Features of the Installed Fish Screen

• One AWMA-manufactured fish screen was fitted to the current irrigation system.

• The screen is self-cleaning, driven via an internal propeller that rotates as water is pumped through the suction line.

• Internal and external brushes ensure that the screen remains clean, and any entrained debris is returned to the river.

Why This Matters

Protects native fish populations by keeping them in the river where they belong.
Prevents debris from entering the pump, improving efficiency.
Simplifies maintenance, even during high river levels or floods.

Why Are Landholders Curious about Carbon?

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:10:29 GMT

Why are landholders becoming more curious about carbon and what could it mean on farm?

Carbon farming is taking shape as a practical land management and farm business resilience opportunity, supported by practical knowledge on how projects work, what is required to set-up a carbon project and how they fit into existing farm operations. For many Southern Queensland landholders the conversation around carbon continues to evolve. A growing share of early adopters of carbon farming who implemented carbon projects over ten years ago are earning additional income and stories of their successes are moving beyond the paddock.

Recent figures from the Clean Energy Regulator underline that this is no longer a fringe activity. As of February 2026, agricultural land management projects had been issued 86,230 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) from 56 registered projects, with many of these focused on soil carbon and improved land management. Across vegetation projects, the scale is even greater, with 26,915,109 ACCUs issued from 165 projects. These numbers show that landholders are not just talking about carbon, they are actively including carbon projects in on farm business models for productivity and diversified revenue streams.

However, like any agribusiness there are risks and challenges. Property baselines must be established, contracts and permanence obligations carefully understood, and projects designed so they do not undermine core production goals.

Community concerns remain about issues such as land management under absentee ownership, how large projects might influence weeds and pest management, and what happens when significant areas shift to carbon‑focused activities. These are valid questions that need to be addressed openly.

Landholders, in 2026 ask Southern Queensland Landscapes’ Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator similar questions.

What co-benefits carbon projects can deliver?

Carbon project co-benefits on farm;
restored native species habitats and corridors,
land management practices that improve drought,
erosion and flooding and nature repair market schemes
and ACCU’s trading that provide additional fiscal incentives.

The mix of interest and caution is an opportunity for Southern Queensland Landscapes to drive a program of awareness events on the topic of carbon farming, with subject matter partners. There is a need to bring up to date methods and information to help landholders understand the balance of benefits and risks before they commit to a carbon project on farm.

Carbon farming projects need to align to the regional Natural Resource Management Plan, which provides a framework for delivery of co-benefits to local environment, rural communities, landscape and economy.

Article References:

https://cer.gov.au/markets/reports-and-data/accu-project-and-contract-register

Guidance for landholders: A checklist for partnering on carbon farming projects

Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators are supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

Strengthening Partnerships at the 2026 Maranoa and South West Indigenous Business Expo

Thu, 07 May 2026 22:48:05 GMT

Southern Queensland Landscapes was proud to attend and present at the Maranoa and South West Indigenous Business Expo in Roma last month, an event that brings together businesses, community organisations and First Nations business leaders to share knowledge, build connections, and explore opportunities across the region.

A key focus of our involvement at the Expo was reinforcing our commitment to working alongside First Nations people as a priority. Strong partnerships with Traditional Owners and Indigenous businesses are essential to achieving sustainable land management outcomes across southern Queensland. We recognise that meaningful collaboration is about building long-term relationships, supporting capability development, and ensuring First Nations voices are central to project planning and delivery.

Showcasing Regional Projects

Our Projects Officer, Jackson Shillingsworth, presented on a range of our project initiatives that are creating real impact across the region, with a strong emphasis on funding opportunities, partnerships and innovation.

One of the highlights was the success of our Brigalow Project which focuses on reducing threats to the Brigalow Belt, one of Queensland’s most ecologically significant and endangered habitats. Through targeted land management practices and collaboration with landholders and communities, the project is helping to preserve biodiversity and improve landscape resilience.

We also shared insights into the Wandhala Drone Project , a project that supports First Nations business participants to explore how drone technology can be used for land management, cultural heritage monitoring and small business ventures.

Events like the Indigenous Business Expo are critical in helping organisations better understand and address barriers to engagement. We are committed to ensuring that our projects and funding opportunities are inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of First Nations communities and businesses.

Our Commitment: Reconciliation in Action

Our participation in the Expo reflects our broader commitment to reconciliation. We invite you to explore our newly launched Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which outlines the practical steps we will be taking to strengthen relationships, respect cultural knowledge and create meaningful opportunities for First Nations people.

�� View the RAP here:

www.sqlandscapes.org.au/reconciliation-action-plan

We thank the organisers of the Maranoa and South West Indigenous Business Expo for the opportunity to be part of such a valuable event. We look forward to continuing to build partnerships, support innovation and work collaboratively with First Nations communities across southern Queensland.

Blackfish Project

Fri, 01 May 2026 04:55:03 GMT

Fish in Crisis

Current expert opinion finds that River blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus), the target species for this Recovery Reach, are experiencing severe decline across the entire Murray-Darling Basin and are highly vulnerable to localised extinctions. Thus, the upper Condamine headwaters, being a cool upland area still containing essential habitat, is considered critical for maintaining blackfish presence in Queensland, if not the wider Basin.

Over two years, Southern Queensland Landscapes will work with land managers to undertake actions on their properties that will reduce sedimentation and increase thermal habitat in streams where blackfish persist to maintain their presence.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO LOOK AFTER BLACKFISH?

River Blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus), also known as Long Cod, is an important little native fish found in the Condamine River Headwaters near Killarney. Blackfish live in cool, spring fed water and the population is at risk due to the geographic isolation of the populations, climate change and land use. As an indicator of ecosystem health or ‘canary in the Condamine’, landholders have been implementing a number of activities to improve the habitat of Blackfish.

Nikki Longcod Keep Swimmin'

Josh Arnold and students from Killarney P-10 S.S.

Golden Guitar winning Australian Country Music artist, Josh Arnold has teamed up with students from Killarney State School to write and produce a music video aimed at highlighting the plight of a tiny native fish at risk of localised extinction.

River blackfish (or Nikki Longcod as they’re known by the locals) have been in severe decline across the entire Murray-Darling Basin; and scientists believe the headwaters of the Condamine, near Killarney, is home to the last populations in Queensland.

Recovering River blackfish with Ren Holz

Australian River Recovery Centre catches up with Recovery Reach Coordinator Ren Holz.

SQ Landscapes Project Delivery Officer Ren Holz highlights the importance of recovery efforts to save the River blackfish in the Upper Condamine Recovery Reach.

What is a Recovery Reach?

Click on the icons below to learn more.

Latest Project News

Small Town Takes Big Steps Towards Recovery of Blackfish Populations

Over two years, Southern Queensland Landscapes, local land managers, First Nations, government departments, environmental organisations, and members of the community worked together to undertake actions that will reduce sedimentation and increase the thermal habitat in streams - two vital requirements for Blackfish persistence and recovery.

Shrinking blackfish population near Killarney the 'canary in the coal mine'

By ABC Southern Queensland

A tiny species of fish once caught by the bucketful in Queensland's upper Condamine River is on the verge of extinction.

Scientists are worried the northern river blackfish – more commonly known as the nicky fish or the nicky long cod – could be the signalling an environmental collapse in the Murray-Darling Basin river system.

The species, already highly vulnerable to localised extinctions, is in severe decline.

Over the next two years Southern Queensland Landscapes will try to reduce sediment and increase natural habitat in the streams where the fish still live, including in Killarney, at the headwaters of the Condamine River in Southern Queensland.

Griffith University research fellow Mishca Turshwell hopes more people learn about the species as the effort to save it ramps up.

"They're an interesting little critter and, I think, definitely under-appreciated and undervalued," he said.

Watch: Blackfish Webinars

Project coordinator Senior Project Officer Jacinta Cox presented the Condamine Headwaters Recovery Reach to a group of fish enthusiasts with experts from the Aus River Restoration Centre. Watch the recording for free below.

Native fish recovery in the upper Condamine headwaters : https://vimeo.com/646285969

Scientist and President of Australia New Guinea Fishes Association, Dr Peter Unmack lead an exciting discussion on the Mysterious and wonderful fishes of the Upper Condamine including the River blackfish.

Watch the recording for free below.

Mysterious and wonderful fishes of the Upper Condamine : https://vimeo.com/650118583

Killarney Locals Secure Limited Edition Shirts

Killarney locals were stoked to receive a free limited edition ‘Blackfish’ shirt when Southern Queensland Landscapes visited recently.

Githabul artist Nathan Charles has been working with SQ Landscapes to create an Aboriginal art piece to visualise the important messages of the project; and his painting called ‘Blackfish’ was used as the centrepiece for the shirts.

Senior Project Officer, Jacinta Cox said the Killarney community have been great advocates for the blackfish project so it’s no surprise they love the shirts too.

The Condamine Headwaters Recovery Project aims to spread awareness about the threatened River blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus) and equip land managers and the community with the knowledge to halt the population decline of blackfish and protect them into the future.

The project aims to spread awareness about the threatened river blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus) in the Condamine Headwaters.

Githabul Artist Highlights Plight of Blackfish Through Art

River blackfish are in severe decline across the entire Murray-Darling Basin with some populations at high risk of localised extinction including those in the Condamine headwaters near Killarney.

That is the stark reality Githabul artist Nathan Charles wanted to portray through his piece ‘Blackfish’, when Southern Queensland Landscapes invited him and the Githabul Nation to help spread the word about the plight of this elusive yet charismatic native fish.

“I am so excited to be working with Southern Queensland Landscapes to help tell people about the blackfish that lives in the headwaters near Killarney and spread the message that if we don’t do something they will be gone,” Nathan Charles said.

“I was inspired by the description of the blackfish as ‘the canary in the coal mine’; which I believe means that the blackfish are an early warning sign of major changes in nature happening right across the catchment. And so I chose to use colours that nature uses to communicate danger or a warning…like reds and oranges,” Mr Charles said.

“As First Peoples we believe every animal has a place; every animal has a role and when one is lost its impact will be felt right across Country; it’s important that we do everything we can to protect our native plants and animals,” he said.

SQ Landscapes Project Coordinator and Freshwater Ecologist Jacinta Cox said the Australian Government is heeding the warning, investing in the region to try and reverse the trend.

Discover What Has Happened

Setting the Scene

Perched high in the mountainous region of the Condamine Catchment headwaters, the project area is a biodiversity hotspot flanking the QLD/NSW border; a tapestry of highly fertile grazing and cropping operations nestled amongst lush ‘Main Range group’ subtropical rainforest. Here, the Condamine headwater springs form the source of the entire Murray-Darling Basin. Along with the high altitude and forest, the springs give rise to very cold in-stream conditions essential to aquatic species that do not exist in the winding lowland rivers more synonymous with the Murray-Darling.

Home to a stunning array of genera, three niche in-stream species persist in the area; the mountain galaxias(Galaxias olidus), spiny crayfish(Euastacus sulcatus) and the obscure River blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus).

These species are considered interdependent with each other and are restricted to high altitude streams where temperatures must remain below 28°C, or they cannot survive.

To stay up to date with everything happening with this project and other SQ Landscapes projects in your region, subscribe to our E-newsletter.

Foundations for Change

Past research efforts on blackfish in the headwaters indicate local interest in blackfish conservation and allowed for

recent sampling work to establish blackfish presence in the targeted area to proceed. Early engagement efforts also

indicate a limited awareness of the plight of blackfish, and its vulnerability.

Many historical fencing projects, regeneration and pest mitigation activities have been undertaken by proactive landowners in the Condamine headwaters to conserve soil, protect and enhance assets. However, a dedicated fish

conservation initiative of this kind has never been attempted in the headwaters. If it can successfully demonstrate that land managers can continue their operations whilst contributing to conservation, there may be scope to generate similar recovery projects and other opportunities for the community in the future.

Working with the Community

There will be a number of activities with key stakeholders in the Condamine headwaters region to provide on-ground coordination and information sharing across fisheries related activities.

Southern Queensland Landscapes has been working with Githabul artist Nathan Charles to help spread the message about the decline of the river blackfish in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Recovering the River blackfish

Maintenance of blackfish in the Condamine headwaters can succeed only where essential habitat for resident blackfish populations is enhanced, extended, and reconnected – by mitigating impacts of land use and sedimentation on structural and thermal habitat.

Structural habitat is impacted primarily by sediment liberated by clearing for infrastructure, agricultural/pastoral use, and other activities such as recreational 4WDing. Sediment infills streams and deep pools, diminishes protective habitat such as undercut banks and smothers rocks/logs etc. that are essential for egg laying. Decades of sedimentation dramatically alters in-stream form, rendering it uninhabitable for blackfish.

Just as sediment reduces available physical habitat, it also reduces “thermal habitat”. That is, the availability of cool zones where blackfish can retreat during extreme heat events. The predicted increase in average temperatures of 1.17°C by 2030 for the Condamine headwaters region will intensify this threat as evidenced during recent catastrophic drought conditions. Condamine headwater flows had almost completely ceased and record temperatures triggered a blackfish rescue operation by the State of Qld in February 2020.

The Next Steps

Over two years, Southern Queensland Landscapes will work with landowners to undertake actions on their properties that will reduce sedimentation and increase habitat in streams where blackfish persist to maintain their presence.

One or more of several reaches in the Condamine headwaters have been identified for potential target. Of these a significant portion riverine reach in Spring Creek is sought for the first year. Contingent on success and support, an additional reach (also most likely in Spring Creek) will be targeted into the second year.

Southern Queensland Landscapes prides itself on being unbiased and evidence based in all we do. This project refers to a range of comprehensive, published resources including the following citations:

Turschwell, M. P., Balcombe, S. R., Steel, E. A., Sheldon, F., & Peterson, E. E. (2017). Thermal habitat restricts patterns of occurrence in multiple life-stages of a headwater fish. Freshwater Science, 36(2), 402-414. https://doi.org/10.1086/691553.

Turschwell, M. P., Stewart‐Koster, B., Leigh, C., Peterson, E. E., Sheldon, F., & Balcombe, S. R. (2018). Riparian restoration offsets predicted population consequences of climate warming in a threatened headwater fish. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 28(3), 575-586. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2864

Turschwell, M. P., Stewart-Koster, B., Balcombe, S. R., Sheldon, F., & Peterson, E. E. (2020). Multiscale relationships between stream temperature and juvenile recruitment in an imperilled freshwater fish. Marine and Freshwater Research, 71(10), 1269-1280. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19149

Researching Koalas in the Rangelands Project

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:22:51 GMT

Project Objectives and Outcomes

The Australian Government funded Researching Koalas in the Rangelands Project is part of a $200,000 investment to support koala research, knowledge sharing and on-ground works in Western Queensland. The project aimed at the continued conservation of the koala which was listed as endangered under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in 2022.

About Koala's in the Rangelands of Western Qld

Western Queensland includes a vast range of koala habitat, including the western-most reaches of their natural distribution between the Bulloo and Warrego River corridors. The distribution of these koala populations is determined by specialised food, habitat and environmental factors.

As one of Australia's most iconic species, you may think the status of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) would be extensively documented. Throughout the eastern parts of its range this is certainly the case, with research ranging from scientific publications to citizen science groups posting sightings online, which provides an extensive knowledge base. But for the species’ most western distribution, very little is documented. There has only been a small number of sightings of koalas in their western distribution since the 1980's and this project aimed to find out....

• Where are koala's still found?

• How are koala's faring in the rangelands?

• Why have their numbers decreased?

• What are their survival needs and major threats?

• And how can we best support koala's going forward?

By incorporating monitoring techniques with landholders and First Nations local knowledge, the project targeted koala records in areas across South West Qld in the Bulloo, Paroo, and Nibine and Patterson. Within these areas, the project aimed to locate hotspots for on-ground investment and monitoring.

The health of koalas throughout Western Queensland is intrinsically linked to the health of the waterways, soil, and vegetation. While natural events like droughts, floods, and bushfires pose significant threats to these vulnerable koala populations, other concerns that arise from future climate predictions – including more extreme temperatures, unreliable water availability, and food scarcity – are just as damaging to the health and security of these rural koala communities.

Other stressors Koalas in the rangelands face include:

• Disease

• Habitat loss and fragmentation

• Weeds that can harm both koalas and their environment (i.e. cactus)

• High populations of pest predators (like pigs and feral dogs)

• Infrastructure that may impede safe koala movement, including fences and roads

Project Objectives and Outcomes

Project Objectives:

• Improve the extent, quality and connectivity of the nationally listed Koala’s habitat and reduce local threats

• Increase understanding and management of disease and injury affecting Koala health and lift capability in on-ground care, treatment and triage of Koalas

• Improve data and knowledge of Koala populations and health across their range, to support effective decision making and conservation action

Project Outcomes:

Through the project, we gained a greater understanding of the current distribution and threats to koalas in Western Queensland and were able to identify strategies to ensure their continued survival. We also gained a greater understanding of the significance and cultural connection of koalas to First Nations peoples.

Southern Queensland Landscapes worked with landholders to encourage them to consider koalas in their land management planning and decision making , and adapt land management practices to better accommodate koala habitat. Koala resilience was also under the spotlight as we worked to reduce the impacts of climate change on koala habitat in key focus areas.

We have seen some landholders set aside areas of their property with different management strategies to allow for koalas and other threatened native species to flourish, including areas that are or will become nature refuges. And in other areas, koalas are just managed as part of the natural landscape along with all the other essential native species.

Koala habitats were improved by reducing threats through implementing targeted weed control and managing pest populations including feral dogs, foxes, pigs, and cats.

Exclusion fencing has been widely used in the area to deter pests, however, the plain and barb wire used can tangle and harm koalas as they travel between and along suitable natural habitats. Two properties in priority locations installed dedicated koala crossings – upright logs attached to fences to allow safe passage for koalas to cross these barriers. These designs encourage koalas to climb up and over fences without touching them, while still preventing access for predators like pigs and dingos.

Image 1. Koala Crossing Installation

Image 2. Koala Monitoring

Image 3. Collecting eDNA from a habitat site

This project received grant funding from the Australian Government.

Natural Resources Investment Program - Vegetation

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:59:29 GMT

Natural Resources Investment Program - Vegetation

The Natural Resources Investment Program (NRIP) - Vegetation is a $3.3 million dollar Queensland Government funded program that has been focusing on improving and promoting native vegetation, soil health and ground cover throughout Southern Queensland. Change has been driven through the reduction and management of threats from introduced plant species, feral animals, grazing practices and uncontrolled spontaneous bush fire. Southern Queensland Landscapes has been working with local communities, Aboriginal organisations and land managers over the past four years to finalise all projects under the program by 30 June 2022.

What Have We Achieved To Date?

53,062 hectares of improved vegetation has been achieved under the program through projects which have included 5,000+ hectares of weed control, 47,739 hectares of pest control and three cultural burning projects in collaboration with 33 land managers across three priority areas. These works have made a significant contribution to improving and promoting native vegetation, soil health and ground cover throughout Southern Queensland.

Latest Project News

Working with Local Land Managers

Southern Queensland Landscapes is working with land managers from High Camp Brangus south of Warwick to assess the condition of their relatively untouched native bushland.

Renelle and Nathan at High Camp Brangus are vegetation heroes for keeping their high-value regrowth vegetation uncleared for the past 15 years, allowing the ecosystems (and soil health) to thrive.

These ecosystems are starting to regain the structure and balance of the original systems, and it is vital to continue looking after them.

SQ Landscapes is looking forward to working with the guys at High Camp Brangus to continue improving this beautiful patch they call home.

The Coolatai Crusade Continues

The Coolatai Crusade continues! Project Officer Isabella Murphy headed down to her favourite 'office' recently, Girraween National Park, to catch up with neighbouring landholders to help control coolatai grass (Hyparrhenia hirta) infestations. Southern Queensland Landscapes has been working with Queensland Parks And Wildlife Service to create a buffer zone around Girraween National Park, to protect the high value remnant vegetation and important species that are present within the park.

This particular landholder has been burning off the large stands of Coolatai encroaching on Girraween, and plans to spray them when they start to reshoot. You can see what a beautiful part of the world they live in, and why they are so invested in protecting this special place.

About the Project

The Natural Resource Investment Program (NRIP) aimed to improve and promote native vegetation through the reduction and management of threats.

Common threats to native vegetation include:

Invasion of introduced species and feral animals
Impact by grazing practices
Bush fire from high fuel loads

Our main threat reduction strategies were:

Weed control
Fencing
Cool burning practices/improved management

Helping land managers take care of their native vegetation is an important focus for SQ Landscapes and we look forward to continuing our work collaborating with land managers through projects like NRIP - Vegetation to affect change across the landscape.

Controlling Tree Pear

Biosecurity Queensland, Toowoomba Regional Council and SQ Landscapes have been collaborating to help reduce the threat of velvety tree pear throughout the region.

SQ Landscapes Project Delivery Officer Isabella Murphy said the tree pear and other forms of cactuses are a huge issue across the landscape.

"We've been doing work through the Natural Resources Investment Program (NRIP), funded by the Queensland Government to try and help land managers get on top of this issue," Isabella Murphy said.

Watch the video and discover the three main methods of controlling velvety tree pear.

What is Native Vegetation?

Australia’s native vegetation is one of the most unique and diverse in the world, with southern Queensland home to a huge range of rich and beautiful ecosystems. This diversity sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish between what is native and what is introduced.

Native vegetation can include:

Grassland
Shrubland
Open forests and woodland - including ecosystems such as semi-evergreen vine thicket and Mulga scrub

REMNANT VEGETATION

We consider certain areas of native vegetation to be ‘remnant vegetation’. This means vegetation that has escaped clearing and remains in a predominantly original state. We want to protect these areas, as these remnant patches are very important, with some individual trees pre-dating European colonisation, and providing an insight into the history of our beautiful country.

HIGH VALUE REGROWTH VEGETATION

'High value regrowth vegetation' is also a focus for SQ Landscapes, and is classified as vegetation that has not been cleared for 15 years. These ecosystems are starting to regain the structure and balance of the original systems, and it is vital to continue looking after them.

Mulching reduces tree pear

Listen as land manager Jenelle Hurley explains how she has been using mulching to reduce tree pear and promote native ground cover on her property near Oakey.

Ms Hurley discusses how chemical solutions weren't really working for her which is why she opted to mulch.

"I tried chemical solutions on this block and I found that once the chemical was in the actual tree pear the tree pear would start to die, but then it would drop its limbs and wherever the limbs dropped on the ground there would be another hundred cactus plants come up," Janelle Hurley said.

Hear Janelle Hurley's full story now.

How can I reduce weed spread and help protect native vegetation?

Southern Queensland Landscapes is passionate about connecting land managers throughout Southern Queensland with information, resources and support to improve their landscape.

Check out the video on how you can help prevent weed spread through vehicle wash-down and discover the top five areas of your vehicle most likely to harbour weed seeds.

Plus find more resources from SQ Landscapes on promoting native vegetation, soil health and ground cover by clicking the LEARN MORE button below.

This project is funded by the Queensland Government's Natural Resources Investment Program (NRIP).

Northern Basin Riverbanks Project

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 02:17:50 GMT

Fencing Northern Basin Riverbanks Project

Good for farmers, Good for fish

The Australian Government funded Fencing Northern Basin Riverbanks Project (Qld) is a $7.5 million investment to support works to benefit farmers and fish. Southern Queensland Landscapes with support from the Queensland Government has been working with local communities, Aboriginal organisations and land managers to deliver the project before June 2023.

What Have We Achieved To Date?

From over 115 applications, 66 land managers have signed contracts to install some 538 km of fencing and off-stream watering points across five catchments within the northern Murray-Darling Basin region, which is an area spanning some 314,398 km2. These works will help protect more than 50 native fish species by improving water quality and managing weed spread along waterways.

Will & Sasha Treloar, Cooladdi

Farmers and fish are just the start of the beneficiaries of the Fencing Northern Basin Riverbanks Project, involving more than 500 kilometres of riparian fencing and alternate watering points across southern Queensland catchments.

The Treloars of ‘Boothulla’ are a good example. Situated north west of Cooladdi in south west Queensland, the family run a cattle trading operation and are creating multiple benefits having fenced off about seven kilometres of river frontage as well as installing multiple alternate watering points.

Mitchell Duff, Loch Lomond

Flood after flood along an unfenced stretch of the Condamine River near Warwick was proving to be a headache for land manager Mitchell Duff as he battled erosion and bogged cattle.

So when the Loch Lomond grazier saw an advertisement for fencing assistance from Southern Queensland Landscapes he jumped at the opportunity to participate and install fencing on ‘Benchmark’; a 650 acre property with river frontage.

Researchers push for carbon credit payments for Australian farmers who fence their dams

Scientists are lobbying for farmers to be financially rewarded in the form of carbon credits for cleaning up their dams.

Deakin researcher Martino Malerba has spent the past four years determined to show farmers the simple solutions that can reduce their carbon footprint, after a 2018 study found farm dams emit significantly more greenhouse gases than other waterways.

"Farm dams are among the highest emitters of methane of any freshwater system," Dr Malerba said.

"Just by fencing farm dams and excluding livestock from accessing the water has massive implications on methane emissions. In fact, it will reduce methane by more than half."

Via: ABC Rural

510kms of Fencing Rolling out in Queensland as Project Surges Ahead of Schedule

The Australian Government is providing another $2.4 million down payment to Queensland for fencing that will improve water quality, sustain native fish populations and help control stock in the Northern Basin.

Land Managers Gain Support for Fencing

Consultant Lisel Dingley has been out and about meeting with land managers, discussing eligibility and assessing applications for the Northern Basin Fencing Project. Ms Dingley said the government funded project is helping land managers restore the health of their riverbanks and water systems on farm.

"Land managers are finding that fencing off rivers and providing stock with off-stream watering points is much more manageable than the old “give and take” fencing, backwards and forwards across the river that needs repairs after each flood and also results in stock favouring riverbanks during hot or dry spells," Lisel Dingley said.

"It’s great that the Australian Government's Northern Basin Fencing Project is helping land managers build on other initiatives to secure outcomes that are good for their land and good for fish," Ms Dingley said.

Murray-Darling Land Managers Access Funding to Fence Riverbanks

Southern Queensland Landscapes is working with land managers in the Murray-Darling Basin to fence their creeks and rivers and install off-stream watering points with the view to improving the quality of the environment for native fish. Land managers taking part in the project to fence their creeks and rivers will benefit from:

Reduced stock damage to riverbanks
More fencing and off-stream watering
Improved water quality and weed control
Banking river paddocks for drought

More Project News

Fence funding helps land manager protect riverbanks and cattle

Flood after flood along an unfenced stretch of the Condamine River near Warwick was proving to be a headache for land manager Mitchell Duff as he battled erosion and bogged cattle.

Listen to the full story.

What to look out for when fencing the riparian zone

Fencing can be an effective management tool to protect waterways and native fish as well as exclude or control domestic stock and feral animals from the river channel and adjacent riparian areas or other wetland systems.

A variety of fencing materials and methods can be used depending on the target animals for exclusion, the scale of the site, adjacent land uses and native animal access requirements.

Following are some things to consider if you are thinking of using fencing to enhance management of animals in and adjacent to waterways or other wetlands.

Project Objectives

Control Livestock

By fencing riverbanks and installing off-stream watering points, access to the riparian zone by livestock will be reduced and controlled.

Protect Vegetation

Minimising the dwell time of stock along riverbanks ensures the area is not overgrazed thereby reducing erosion, compaction and water health.

Better Manage Weeds

Reduce the impact of weeds along riverbanks and put in place control measures to better manage them long-term.

Implement Off-Streem Watering

Drive the installation of off-stream watering points for livestock and encourage land managers to consider green water infrastructure.

Improve Water Health

Reducing erosion, sedimentation and compaction along riverbanks and encouraging native vegetation will result in improved water health.

Connect Water Corridors

By encouraging the connection of whole corridors along waterways the health and environment of native fish will be improved.

What is a Riverbank Zone?

Riverbank (or riparian) zones are the areas bordering rivers and other bodies of surface water . They include floodplains as well as the adjacent greenbelts of plants that buffer air and water temperatures as well as filter nutrient and sediments from overland flow.

Healthy and diverse riparian vegetation helps to moderate air and water temperatures, reduce stream bank erosion and maintain stable stream function; allowing native fish to thrive .

By fencing off riverbanks (riparian zones) you can:

Control stock & reduce erosion
Improve water quality
Enhance weed controls
Increase native vegetation
Moderate air & water temperatures thereby improving habitat.

How Does Fencing Riverbanks Improve the Landscape?

Helps Farmland

Fencing riverbanks helps to protect and improve existing healthy waterways and native bushland.

Helps Native Fish

Helps Farmers

The health of native fish is improved through temperature moderation, preventing run-off & reducing sedimentation.

Fencing riverbanks helps control stock, and improve weed controls while reducing erosion and compaction.

Off-Stream Watering

Off-stream watering allows livestock to drink without disturbing or damaging the riverbanks or plant buffer surrounding them (riparian zone).

By providing off-stream watering options you will:

reduce the dwell time of livestock along the riverbanks
minimise overgrazing & soil compaction
avoid erosion and sedimentation
& improve water quality

This could include the installation of pumps, tanks and troughs.

The Australian Government funded Fencing Northern Basin Riverbanks Project (QLD) is a 7.5 million dollar investment to support works to benefit farmers and fish. Southern Queensland Landscapes with support from the Queensland Government is working with local communities, Aboriginal organisations, and riparian land managers to deliver the project before June 2023.

Murray-Darling Basin Toolkit

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:35:36 GMT

Murray-Darling Basin Toolkit

As part of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan implementation, the Australian Government has allocated funding of up to $180 million in total for Queensland and New South Wales to implement a ‘toolkit’ of environmental works and measures in the northern Basin. SQ Landscapes has been engaged by the Queensland Government to implement the Northern Basin Toolkit Program in Queensland.

About the Toolkit Measures

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority conducted a four-year review into the northern Basin that resulted in a 70GL reduction to the 390 GL per year water recovery target in the north, on the basis that the New South Wales and Queensland governments adopted a range of ‘toolkit measures’ with assistance from the Australian Government. The Basin Plan was amended in 2018 and at the time, the Basin Commitments Package was also announced, with bilateral support for such initiatives.

The toolkit measures or initiatives complement and support the implementation of the Basin Plan which guides how water is managed and used sustainably in the Basin. (Source: Murray-Darling Basin Authority)

Toolkit projects include measures that achieve environmental outcomes in the Northern Murray-Darling Basin, without water buyback. This could include fish passages, structures to address cold water pollution, restoring priority riverine and riparian habitat and re-establishing threatened native fish species.

Work on the feasibility of possible projects has commenced to help identify those projects that will maximise environmental benefits for the Northern Basin and ensure that the best projects are being funded.

Riverbanks Fencing Program

The Northern Basin Riverbanks Fencing Program is part of the Toolkit measures and is also now underway to support graziers in managing riparian areas for production and environmental benefit as part of the $7.5 million program. The program will fund the implementation of individual fencing activities in sensitive riparian areas in the northern Murray-Darling Basin. It aims to improve river habitats, protect native fish, connect corridors along whole waterways and/or multiple properties and manage livestock access.

The delivery of the Riverbanks Program will also involve First Nation Peoples and organisations, as well as other community groups such as Landcare in the project implementation.

SQ Landscapes has been engaged by the Queensland Government to implement the Riverbanks Program in the northern basin over the next three and a half years.

Bushfire Habitat Recovery

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:14:12 GMT

Bushfire Habitat Recovery

Supported by the Australian Government

This project aims to help communities recover important wildlife habitat across the Main Range area as a result of severe drought followed by bushfires in late 2019.

In January 2020, the Australian Government made an initial investment of $50 million for emergency recovery of wildlife and habitat affected by bushfires.

SQ Landscapes has been engaged as one of many groups and teams selected to conduct these recovery projects on the ground with funding of $100,000.

The funds will be focused towards rebuilding ecological communities and helping the survival of native plant and animal species, and will be guided by field experts, research bodies, farmers and traditional owners.

About

We are working with a small group of landholders in the general Main Range area, Southern Downs Regional Council and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to assist with the recovery of the landscapes following the bushfire disaster in late 2019. The immediate priorities will include pest and weed control of species such as lantana, tree pear, boxthorn, feral pigs and wild dogs.

This environmental recovery effort is a collaboration between governments, environment organisations, scientists, farmers, communities, business, philanthropists and industry.

Further assessment of the impacts of the bushfires on the Main Range environment will inform the development and prioritisation of recovery efforts moving forward.

Related Projects

Brigalow Project

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:23:52 GMT

About the Project

Regional Land Partnerships - Environment is funded from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program with the goal to help land managers better manage their Brigalow scrub while at the same time improving and promoting these Threatened Ecological Communities (TEC).

Many land managers battle with weed infestations in their Brigalow country and this project aims to provide funding and knowledge resources to help minimise damage and eradicate weeds like harrisia cactus, mother of millions, tree pear and boxthorn to name but a few.

Mustering livestock in Brigalow can also be problematic for land managers and this project aims to provide funding and resources so livestock access to these scrub areas can be better managed.

Common threats to Brigalow scrub include:

Clearing and overgrazing
Fire
Weeds and feral pests

Main threat reduction strategies include:

Control/eradication measures for weeds and feral pests
Fencing to manage livestock access & promote regrowth of Brigalow to link patches of native scrub
Measures to reduce excess fuel loads and uncontrolled fire outbreaks.
Installation of watering points to reduce dwell time of livestock in your Brigalow

Latest Project News

Learn how Brigalow has enhanced and supported Toni Rissman's farming operations at "Weimea", north of Goondiwindi.

Joined by Southern Queensland Landscapes Project Delivery Officer Bradley Oleksyn, Toni discusses the environmental and economic benefits of maintaining healthy Brigalow on regional properties.

What is a Brigalow Threatened Ecological Community?

Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) is an endemic tree of Australia; known by the Gamilaraay Peoples as Barranbaa or Burril. Found in central and coastal Queensland and northern New South Wales, Brigalow can grow as tall as 25m and is usually identifiable by its distinct silver-foliage and dark brown/black hard, furrowed bark.

What are the Threats to Brigalow?

Click on the icons below to learn more about how exotic pest species, grazing practises and bushfires affect Brigalow.

What if my property isn't in the focus area?

Southern Queensland Landscapes is passionate about connecting land managers throughout Southern Queensland with information, resources and support to improve their land.

Although you may not be in the focus area for this project, we encourage you to check out the resources below. You can also become a member and be notified as further opportunities become available.

This project is supported by Southern Queensland Landscapes through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Regional Land Partnerships - Environment Project

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:44:45 GMT

Regional Land Partnerships - Environment Project is a $5.3 million dollar investment from the Australian Government through the National Landcare Program focused on improving three ecosystems in Southern Queensland including Brigalow and Weeping Myall remnants in the Murray-Darling Basin, Natural Grasslands and Poplar Box Grassy Woodlands of the Darling Downs and the Currawinya Ramsar Wetlands of south-west Queensland.

Associated Projects:

Brigalow Project

What Have We Achieved To Date?

Through the Regional Land Partnerships - Environment Project, 33 field days have been held, attracting some 568 participants; 50 of whom identified as First Peoples. Fifty-one people also took part in on-ground works through the project which included 28,159 hectares of weed reduction and 178,980 hectares of pest control and a further 93,686 hectares of practice change.

Latest Project News

Brigalow belt poised to bounce back thanks to plan

One of Australia’s most significantly diverse ecosystems is set to make a comeback after the Threatened Species Commissioner visited the Brigalow Belt west of Toowoomba.

Dr Fiona Fraser was touring Brigalow country to work with existing partners on the implementation of the Threatened Species Action Plan.

The once dominant brigalow forest now only covers five percent of its original land area extending from Townsville to central NSW; eight species traditionally found in the belt are now extinct and a total of 147 species and 100 ecological communities are listed as threatened.

Natural Resource Management group Southern Queensland Landscapes facilitated the tour following the release of the plan in October by Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek.

Threatened Species Action Plan

On 4 October 2022, Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek released the Threatened Species Action Plan: Towards Zero Extinctions.

The Threatened Species Action Plan maps a pathway to recovery for our nation's threatened wildlife, spanning terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments. It presents a vision to drive practical on-ground efforts and identifies critical action for the recovery of threatened species and ecologial communities guided by experts and the Australian public.

Protecting Yakka Skink

The Yakka Skink (Egernia rugosa) is native to the Brigalow Belt in Queensland. It is an omnivore, whose diet includes spiders, grasshoppers and beetles. It is at risk from loss of habitat. This project aims to maintain and enhance the Yakka Skink's habitat in the Murray-Darling Basin in Queensland.

(Image by Steve Peck)

Brigalow & Weeping Myall remnants in the Murray-Darling Basin

Brigalow is a species of silvery wattle that creates the open forests and woodland communities known as the Brigalow Belt. SQ Landscapes' region includes the Southern Brigalow Belt which is a highly fragmented landscape supporting numerous rare and threatened flora and fauna species: particularly reptiles such as the Yakka skink (Egernia rugosa) and Woma python (Aspidites ramsayi).

Through $1.8 million of funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program SQ Landscapes aims to assist land managers to improve the health of the Brigalow TEC (Threatened Ecological Community) by reducing threats from bush fire, invasive weed species, feral animals, overgrazing, soil erosion and salinity, and clearing.

Of the animal species that formerly occupied the Brigalow Belt, several are now extinct including the Paradise parrot (Psephotellus pulcherrimus) and Darling Downs hopping-mouse (Notomys mordax).

Bush fire

Bush fire poses a significant risk to Brigalow country and the species that it supports.

Invasive weed species

Invasive weeds compete for water and nutrient resources often outcompeting native flora.

Feral animals

Pigs, foxes, rabbits, cats and wild dogs compete for food sources with native animals and contribute to the spread of pests and diseases in Brigalow country.

Overgrazing

Overgrazing can put undue stress on the sensitive Brigalow ecosystem and contribute to weed set and infestations.

Soil erosion & salinity

Brigalow country is known for its high inherent salt loads and highly erodible soils which are prone to erosion and salinity.

Habitat fragmentation

Clearing of Brigalow country contributes to reduced agricultural productivity, rising soil salinity, declining livestock weights and leaching of the root zone.

Protecting Yakka skink in the Murray-Darling Basin

Through the Regional Land Partnerships - Environment Project, Southern Queensland Landscapes has been working with land managers throughout Southern Queensland to protect Brigalow remnants for fauna including the Yakka skink.

The Yakka skink (Egernia rugosa) is native to the Brigalow Belt in Queenlsand but it is at risk from loss of habitat owing to impacts from feral animals, weeds and threatening land management processes. The Yakka skink is large and secretive and as an omnivore feeds on a diet of spiders, grasshoppers and beetles.

Watch the video to learn more.

Currawinya Ramsar Wetlands

The Currawinya Lakes Ramsar site, located within Currawinya National Park in south-west Queensland is one of the Australia’s most important inland wetlands and is recognised internationally.

The wetlands include Lake Numalla (freshwater) and Lake Wyara (saltwater), clay pans, swamps, smaller lakes, springs and the waterholes of Paroo River. These wetland systems provide habitat and sanctuary for a spectacular array of waterbirds including waders and shorebirds migrating through inland Australia. Each lake supports a distinct community of waterbirds due to different water conditions.

$2.1 million dollars is being invested in the maintenance and protection of the Currawinya Ramsar Wetlands through the National Landcare Program’s Regional Land Partnerships.

Changes in water quality

Lakes Numalla and Wyara are some of inland Australia's most important wetlands supporting thousands of waterbirds from 41 different species.

Erosion

With high volumes of water running through the system erosion can threaten the watercourses.

Ground Cover

Ground cover is hugely important in slowing the flow of water through the system and reducing erosion risk.

Invasive Weeds

Invasive weeds pose a significant threat to the wetlands

Feral Animals

Regular feral animal control is applied to the wetlands in a bid to reduce impact to the sensitive ecosystem and the fauna it supports.

Waterbird Predation

Feral animals can have significant impact on waterbird populations, particularly at nesting time.

More Project News

Addressing Water Retention Issues

Watch how Eulo land manager David Meurant is transforming his sheep and cattle station, 'Wandilla Station' on the Paroo River with help from Southern Queensland Landscapes.

David's 45,000 acre property has water retention problems due to erosion and old bore drains channelling rain water off the landscape too quickly, causing soil loss and erosion damage.

It also aims to reduce sediment entering the Paroo River which feeds into the vital Currawinya Ramsar Wetlands downstream.

Preventing weed spread through vehicle wash-down

Southern Queensland Landscapes joins Western Downs Regional Council and Weed Society of Queensland members to display evidence-based vehicle wash-down techniques for preventing weed spread.

Brigalow Fauna Survey: Moonie, Qld

We have been busy using science to explore Brigalow remnants in our region to gather baseline data about biodiversity, vegetation types and overall ecosystem health, specifically in the Moonie area.

Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) is a species of silvery wattle that creates open forest and woodland communities known as the Brigalow Belt. Belah, Gidgee, Lancewood and Bendee trees grow alongside Brigalow as part of these forests and woodlands.

Natural Grasslands & Poplar Box Grassy Woodlands of the Darling Downs

Treeless grasslands dominated by Queensland bluegrass (Dicanthium sericeum) were once the most common vegetation type across the Darling Downs. Now, the grasslands have been reduced to approximately one percent of their former area.

Without a shrub and tree canopy layer, structural diversity in this ecological community is found in the well developed grass tussocks and inter-tussock spaces as well as in the forbs, twining herbs and decaying vegetation. The deep soil cracks are also important habitats for many native species.

Natural Grasslands & Poplar Box Grassy Woodlands on the Darling Downs provide habitat for a number of threatened flora and fauna species including Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), Austral cornflower (Rhaponticum australe) , King bluegrass (Dichanthium queenslandicum) , the Condamine earless dragon (Tympanocryptis condaminensis) and grey snake (Hemiaspis damelii).

The health of our grasslands and the species they support are under threat from weed invasion, feral animals, overgrazing and conversion of native pastures to improved species and cropping. SQ Landscapes are working across priority areas in our region to assist land managers with maintaining these grasslands remnants with an investment of $1.4 million dollars until 2023 from the National Landcare Program’s Regional Land Partnerships.

Poplar Box Grassy Woodland ecosystem & dominant grasslands of the Darling Downs

Join SQ Landscapes Project Officer Isabella Murphy and University of Queensland Researcher Dr Jennifer Silcock as they take you on a tour of the Poplar Box Grassy Woodland ecosystem and dominant grasslands of the Darling Downs.

You will discover Australia's only native thistle (Rhaponticum australe), learn how to identify Queensland bluegrass (Dicanthium sericeum), marvel at the Poplar box (Eucalyptus populnea), and uncover the production value of Tall Oats Grass (Themeda avenacea).

How to prevent weed spread with a thorough vehicle wash down

Join Environmental Consultant Lisel Dingley from Dynamic Environmental as she explores reducing biosecurity risks on your property with thorough vehicle wash down techniques.

As Lisel explains in the video prevention is better than a cure; so one hour of washing down your vehicle today can save you years of weed control in the future.

Bush Fire

Bush fires burn hot and can have a negative impact on germination rates of native grass seeds.

Invasive Weed Species

Invasive weed species can outperform native grasses and reduce biodiversity.

Feral Animals

Feral animals compete for food and water resources and add pressure to the sustainability of native populations.

Overgrazing

Overgrazing puts significant pressure on native vegetation giving weed species an opportunity to establish dominance.

Soil Erosion

Overgrazing and clearing can leave soils unprotected and at risk of soil erosion.

Improved species & cropping

Improved species and cropping reduces biodiversity and natural habitat of native species.

Using fire in the landscape with Victor Steffensen at Jimbour Station

In March 2020, SQ Landscapes hosted a series of fire workshops with Victor Steffensen which attracted over 250 people across five locations in Southern Queensland including Mitchell, Miles, Millmerran, Jimbour and Irongate.

At Jimbour Station,where this video was filmed, the focus was on using fire to heal Natural Grasslands.

Victor is an Aboriginal filmmaker, facilitator and fire practitioner. He works with communities and particularly young people to help protect cultural knowledge and heal the landscape through fire practice and understanding the relationships between ecosystems, the land and the people.

More Project News

Having a splash taking stock of the waters

Late last year, in partnership with Queensland Parks And Wildlife Service rangers, our team conducted fish surveys in the lower Paroo catchment and parts of Currawinya National Park.

The surveys follow on from previous activities and aim to assess the presence and relative amounts of alien fish in the system, as-well-as the return of native fish to the long droughted creeks, waterholes and lakes.

Successful pig shoot buoys western graziers

Graziers surrounding Currawinya National Park in western Queensland are set to maximise production this season following a successful aerial shoot which saw more than 600 pigs eradicated from the landscape.

The campaign was a joint initiative of Southern Queensland Landscapes, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, private properties surrounding Currawinya and Queensland Parks & Wildlife Services (QPWS).

SQ Landscapes Senior Project Officer Christine Crafter said the eradication program took in more than 450-thousand hectares.

Carp numbers down in western Murray-Darling Basin

One of the world’s most invasive fish species is in decline in the internationally acclaimed Ramsar listed wetlands of Currawinya National Park in south west Queensland.

Southern Queensland Landscapes, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and renowned aquatic scientist Dr Adam Kerezsy have been surveying the health of the park as part of the most comprehensive study undertaken in the catchment.

This project is supported by Southern Queensland Landscapes through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Tackling Erosion

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:01:40 GMT

Tackle Erosion

About the Project

The Regional Land Partnership (RLP) Agriculture Program is funded by the Australian Government, with the goal of helping land managers build capacity and improve the condition and productivity of their properties through erosion mitigation.

Common examples of erosion include:

Sheet & rill erosion
Scalding
Gully erosion
Tunnel erosion
Stream bank erosion
Erosion on floodplains
Mass movement
Wind erosion

Main mitigation strategies include:

Slowing & distributing water
Rehydrating the landscape
Reversing gully erosion
Increasing the quantity & health of ground cover
Strategic fencing to manage livestock

Backed by Land Managers

Paul & Julie Maher, Millmerran

Through working with Southern Queensland Landscapes, Paul and Julie Maher have had access to funding and support to engage soil conservationists and local businesses to repair decades-old gully erosion on their cultivation country.

Now the land is showing fantastic improvements, with the condition of the ground cover and vegetation improving with increases in soil health noticed. The eosion mitigation works allowed for a stable 'pocket' that now serves as a water storage area - providing further water security and hydration for surrounding pasture paddock.

Brendan & Kait Ballon, Maclagan

Brenden and Kait Ballon, livestock and regenerative farmers of 'Moola Park' near Maclagan said they were thrilled to see the positive results in their gully restoration project with Southern Queensland Landscapes.

"The results are amazing and you can barely tell there was ever a gully there!" Brenden Ballon said.

The Ballons wanted to address a large, heavily eroded gully forming in their cultivation, so they enlisted the help of SQ Landscapes who organised a project with funding from the Regional Land Partnerships program.

SQ Landscapes worked with the Ballons to identify the main concerns, and put a plan to work on how to address them.

SQ Landscapes Project managers then worked with the Ballons to implment restoration techniques and future-proof the land.

Latest Project News

Gully Restoration Using The Battering Technique

Erosion is detrimental for lots of reasons. It can threaten infrastructure like fence lines, access tracks and watering points.

It can be dangerous to stock crossing those gully lines and it also eats away at valuable soils.

Here, the team at SQ Landscapes show how using the battering technique can help you address erosion issues and reduce risk to infrastructure and stock.

What is Erosion?

Erosion is the process by which soil, rock or other surface material is worn away and transported by natural forces. There are many forms of erosion, and SQ Landscapes works across the region to restore landscapes, and reduce risks of further erosion.

Main erosion reduction strategies include:

Gully Battering
Landscape rehydration
Low profile contour banks
Strategic waterways
Timber windrows
Strategic fencing to manage livestock access and improve ground cover

Timber Windrows Helped Charleville Land Manager Optimise Four Inches of Rainfall

Anthony Glasson from Picarilli Merinos in Charleville said he couldn't survive on the rainfall his sheep farm was getting year after year in the drought. Watch to see how he is now optimising four inches of rainfall with timber windrows.

Click the button below to learn more about timber windrows.

What if my Property isn't in the

Focus Area?

Southern Queensland Landscapes is passionate about connecting land managers in the southern Queensland area with information, resources and support to improve their land.

Although you may not be in the focus area for this project, we encourage you to check out the resources below. You can also become a member and be notified as further opportunities become available.

This project is supported by Southern Queensland Landscapes through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Improving Vegetation

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:53:36 GMT

About the Project

The Regional Land Partnership (RLP) Program is funded by the Australian Government, with the goal to build the capacity of land managers to improve the condition and productivity of their properties.

Improving the extent and condition of native vegetation has a marked impact on the holistic functioning of our landscapes.

Common threats to native vegetation include:

Invasion of introduced species and feral animals
Impact by clearing and overgrazing
Bush fire from high fuel loads

Main threat reduction strategies include:

Control and eradication measures for weeds
Strategic fencing to manage livestock access and improve grazing management
Alternative watering points to reduce stock dwell time in native bushland

Louise and Tom Carroll, Goondiwindi

"We have worked with Southern Queensland Landscapes to manage big infestations of African boxthorn that were impacting on our paddock access and decreasing the biodiversity in our shade lines."

"We took the long hard road of mechanically pulling the majority of the boxthorn infestation, which we hope will significantly reduce the regeneration capacity. This technique was supported by spot spraying. Boxthorn is tricky as it can regenerate from splintered roots, so you need to be super careful when removing it."

It's a great sight to see all the clear pasture in the freshly rejuvenated paddocks." - Tom Carroll.

Sandra and Mick McLoughlin, Millmerran

Sandra and Mick McLoughlin have been working with Firesticks Alliance, through Millmerran Landcare and Southern Queensland Landscapes, to rejuvenate a patch of remnant vegetation using cultural burning techniques.

It was super interesting to listen to and learn from Victor Steffensen, Leeton Lee, and the Bunya People’s Association (BPAC) as they read the Country and carried out a test burn on Ironbark country.

Sandra and Mick are continuing the work based on the recommendations provided and have already seen a great response from the native vegetation.

Backed by Land Managers

What is Native Vegetation?

Native vegetation can include:

Grassland
Shrubland
Open forests and woodland - including ecosystems such as semi-evergreen vine thicket and Mulga scrub

REMNANT VEGETATION

HIGH VALUE REGROWTH VEGETATION

Diversity of Plants Builds Soil

Diversity of plants builds soil was the key message for more than 150 farmers and land managers who converged on Highfields near Toowoomba.

They were attending the Creating Functioning Soils conference hosted by Southern Queensland Landscapes and featuring international soil expert Dr Christine Jones and five local experts.

Watch the video to find out the three things we could all be doing now to improve the function of soils.

What if my Property Isn't in the Focus Area?

Southern Queensland Landscapes is passionate about connecting land managers in the southern Queensland area with information, resources and support to improve their land.

Although you may not be in the focus area for this project, we encourage you to check out

the resources below. You can also become a member and be notified as further opportunities become available.

This project is supported by Southern Queensland Landscapes through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Healthy Soils

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:01:55 GMT

About the Project

The Regional Land Partnership (RLP) - Agriculture Program is funded by the Australian Government, and aimed at building the capacity of land managers to improve the condition and productivity of their properties through the health and quality of their soils.

Increasing biodiversity, organic matter and ground cover is the bottom line for improving overall soil health and holistic property health and productivity.

Common threats to soil health include:

Reduction in biodiversity
Loss of soil structure & erosion
Overgrazing
Nutrient imbalances & soil salinisation
Weeds & invasive pests
Waterlogging

Main threat reduction strategies include:

Performing soil testing to set a baseline for improvement
Returning old cultivation to pasture
Installing fencing for grazing management
Investment in multi-species mixes & improved pastures
Installation of new watering points & troughs

Karen and Owen Betts, Millmerran

Karen and Owen Betts have been working with SQ Landscapes to return old cultivation paddocks to permanent multispecies mixed pastures.

Step 1 included taking soil samples at 'Yalda Downs' near Millmerran for analysis and determining what species would be best suited to their soil type. Step 2 saw the Betts' seeding the paddock with Gatton Panic, Premier Digit, Vetch, Reclaimer Rhodes, Progardes Desmanthus, and snail medic.

The combination of different species helped reduce runoff and erosion by slowing the water down and allowing it to rehydrate the landscape while at the same time growing soil and sequestering carbon through increased vegetation.

“I work with nature and let it do its thing.” - Owen Betts.

Liz & David Hill, Thallon

Liz and David Hill of 'Dunkerry South' in the Nindigully district wanted to increase their soil health and drought resilience after a prolonged period of drought.

SQ Landscapes worked with Liz & David Hill to conduct soil testing, then assisted with the purchase and reintroduction of dung beetle populations to the drought degraded areas.

Liz and David said the difference in the landscape is amazing.

"The native grasslands are flourishing helping to increase drought preparedness and the dung beetles are active in the soils, increasing the soil health." - Liz Hill.

Backed by Land Managers

Creating Functioning Soils

Diversity of plants builds soil was the key message for more than 150 farmers and land managers who converged on Highfields near Toowoomba.

They were attending the Creating Functioning Soils conference hosted by Southern Queensland Landscapes and featuring international soil expert Dr Christine Jones and five local experts.

Watch the video to find out the three things we could all be doing now to improve the function of soils.

Soil health is important because it provides ecosystem services which enable plants to grow, resist erosion, store water, retain nutrients and is an environmental buffer in the landscape. Soil supplies nutrients, water and oxygen to plants and is populated by soil bacteria and organisms essential for breaking down and recycling organic matter and waste. If there was no soil...there would be no plants...and if there were no plants...there would be no humans!

What is Soil Health?

Soil health is a soil's ability to sustain biological productivity by regulating air and water quality and sustaining ecosystem health.

Healthy soils maintain a diverse community of soil organisms that help to control plant disease, insect and weed pests, form beneficial symbiotic associations with plant roots; recycle essential plant nutrients; improve soil structure with positive repercussions for soil water and nutrient holding capacity, and ultimately improve crop production.

A healthy soil prevents pollution of environment and contributes to mitigating climate change by maintaining or increasing its carbon content.

To learn more about improving your soil health, download the free technical sheets and watch the videos below.

What if my Property Isn't in the Focus Area?

Southern Queensland Landscapes is passionate about connecting land managers with information, resources and support to improve their landscapes and their local communities.

Although you may not be in the focus area for this project, we encourage you to connect with SQ Landscapes through social platforms, or via the website so you can stay in the loop with what's happening in your patch and what funding opportunities are available for you to access now AND in the future.

See the 'Steps I can Take to Improve my Soil Health' section below to find out how you can connect today.

This project is supported by Southern Queensland Landscapes through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Regional Land Partnerships - Agriculture Project

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:18:04 GMT

Regional Land Partnerships - Agriculture Project is focused on improving the sustainability and productivity of agriculture across the Murray-Darling, Darling Downs and South-West regions through vegetation and soil health improvement and erosion mitigation. The aim of the project is to ‘future proof’ agricultural lands in Southern Queensland by increasing production and profitability while balancing biodiversity, waterway and landscape health.

Associated Projects:

Healthy Soils

Improving Vegetation

Tackling Erosion

What Have We Achieved To Date?

Through the Regional Land Partnerships - Agriculture Project, 40 land managers have been engaged to date, with 23 projects currently being delivered across three regions, in the Murray-Darling, South-West and Darling Downs. The project is currently involving: 153,192 hectares of soil health improvement projects, 8,306 hectares of vegetation improvement projects and 1,516 hectares of erosion mitigation projects.

Biodiversity Toolkit Webinar with Dr Teresa Eyre

Do you have biodiversity assets on your property you want to manage? Join SQ Landscapes and Eco-Logical's Dr Teresa Eyre for an interactive webinar which will teach you how to:

Identify practical and systematic approaches to condition assessments
Understand the structure of the MLA Biodiversity Toolkit
Explore local examples from research and land manager experiences
Discover the resources to help you baseline the biodiversity assets on your property and quantify options for participating in emerging environmental markets.

Latest Project News

Paul & Julie Maher, Millmerran

Now the land is showing fantastic improvements, with the condition of the ground cover and vegetation improving with increases in soil health noticed. The erosion mitigation works allowed for a stable 'pocket' that now serves as a water storage area - providing further water security and hydration for surrounding pasture paddock.

Liz & David Hill, Thallon

Liz and David Hill of 'Dunkerry South' in the Nindigully district wanted to increase their soil health and drough resilience after a prolonged period of drought.

SQ Landscapes worked with Liz and David to conduct soil testing, then assisted with the purchase and reintroduction of dung bettle populations to the drought degraded areas.

Liz and David said the different in the landscape was amazing! "The native grasslands are flourishing helping to increase drought preparedness and the dung bettles are active in the soils, increasing the soil health." - Liz Hill.

Karen & Owen Betts, Millmerran

Karen & Owen Betts have been working with SQ Landscapes to return old cultivation paddocks to permanent multispecies mixed pastures.

Step 1 inc luded taking soil samples at 'Yalda Downs' near Millmerran for analysis and determining what species would be best suited to their soil type. Stpe 2 saw the Betts' seeding the paddock with Gatton panic, Premier Digit, vetch, reclaimer Rhodes, Progardes desmanthus and snail medic.

"I work with nature and let it do its thing." - Owen Betts.

Improving soil health and stability while reducing artificial farm inputs

Working with nature, not against it is a well-worn cliche much eaiser to say than do but it's being achieved by Paul and Julie Maher at 'Pinelands', Millmerran, Queensland.

For much of their 21 years on their 405 hectare property, work off farm dictated how things were done with the Mahers running mainly a cropping enterprise with some beef production. However, in more recent years a move to full time farming has led to a better balance for people, animals, finances and perhaps most significantly the property itself.

Creating Functioning Soils

Diversity of plants builds soil was the key message for more than 150 farmers and land managers who converged on Highfields near Toowoomba.

They were attending the Creating Functioning Soils conference hosted by Southern Queensland Landscapes and featuring international soil expert Dr Christine Jones and five local experts.

Watch the video to find out the three things we could all be doing now to improve the function of soils.

More Project News

Sandra and Mick McLoughlin, Millmerran

Sandra and Mick are continuing the work based on the recommendations provided and have already seen a great response from the native vegetation.

Louise & Tom Carrol, Goondiwindi

"We have worked with SQ Landscapes to manage big infestation of African boxthorn that were impacting on our paddock access and decreasing the b iodiversity in our shade lines."

"We took the long hard road of mechanically pulling the majority of the boxthorn infestation, which we hope will significantly reduce the regeneration capacity. This technique was supported by spot spraying. Boxthorn is tricky as it can regerate from splintered roots, so you need to be super careful when removing it."

"It's a great sight to see all the clear pasture in the freshly rejuvenated paddocks." - Tom Carroll.

Brendan & Kait Ballon, Maclagan

Brenden and Kait Ballon, livestock and regenerative farmers of 'Moola Park' near Maclagan said they were thrilled to see the positive results in their gully restoration project with SQ Landscapes.

"The results were amazing and you can barely tell there was ever a gully there!" - Brenden Ballon.

The Ballons wanted to address a large, heavily eroded gully forming in their cultivation so they enlisted the help of SQ Landscapes who organised a project with funding from the Regional Land Partnerships program.

SQ Landscapes worked with the Ballons to identify the main concerns and put a plan to work on how to address them. Project Managers then worked with the Ballons to implement restoration techniques and future proof the land.

Addressing water retention issues near Eulo in south west Queensland

Discover how land manager David Meurant is transforming his sheep and cattle station, 'Wandilla Station' on the Paroo River with help from SQ Landscapes.

David's 45,000 acre property has water retention problems due to erosion and old bore drains channeling rain water off the landscape too quickly, causing soil loss and erosion damage.

SQ Landscapes' Project Delivery Officers have helped 'Wandilla' slow these damaging flows, improve infiltration and soil stability, restore native grasses and ground cover and encourage the recovery of ecological function and livestock production.

Pip & Dion Jones, 'Enmore Farm', Goondiwindi Case Study

Pip & Dion's long term vision and goal for the farm is to maintain the biodiversity; and tree lines form an important part of that work through creating connectivity and green corridors throughout the landscapes.

To date they've planted about 120 trees over about a hectare and overtime the duo hope to reestablish lost tree lines and get connectivity back.

Manage Livestock

By strategically fencing and using alternative watering points, we aim to disperse grazing pressure to rejuvenate the landscape.

Protect Vegetation

Minimising dwell times of stock within vegetation allows the landscape to recover and also reduces difficulty of mustering and organising stock.

Manage Erosion

Improving awareness and knowledge of the preferred techniques for managing impacts of erosion, by providing technical advice for recovery works and future proofing.

Build Knowledge and Capacity

Project managers are committed to sharing knowledge and networking communities to drive Flourishing Landscapes and improve their capacity to do good things on-ground.

Improve Soil Health & Ground Cover

Returning old cultivation paddocks to permanent pastures to reduce soil disturbance, maximise annual green cover, reduce topsoil risk and erosion risk.

Improve Biodiversity

By replenishing biodiversity in cropping, pasture, and vegetation we begin to restore balance to the ecosystem functioning. This allows maximum nutrient absorption and water infiltration.

This project is supported by Southern Queensland Landscapes through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Natural Resource Investment Program

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:50:42 GMT

We are working to achieve three key outcomes as part of our project delivery under the Natural Resource Investment Program (NRIP).

Improve soil health and stability, primarily by increasing ground cover quality and working with graziers to identify and implement improved livestock management, undertake strategic pest and weed control, and use appropriate burning regimes.
Improve the condition and extent of high-value native vegetation by working with land managers to reduce key threats such as invasive pests and weeds, vegetation thickening, and inappropriate fire and grazing regimes.
Reduce the amount of sediment flowing into our region’s waterways and improve riparian condition by supporting priority erosion remediation works.

Our NRIP project represents a $3 million investment from the Queensland Government from January 2019 to June 2022.

About

To achieve the three key outcomes, there are a wide range activities that have been and will continue to be rolled out by our team and delivery partners until 2022.

Activities include field and demonstration days, peer-to-peer learning, expert presentations, working with First Peoples, monitoring land and vegetation condition and water quality, and sharing project stories with community.

Check the priority area maps on our 'Resources' page to see where the priority action areas are for the our NRIP project throughout the Condamine, Maranoa-Balonne and south west regions.

Project Update: Protecting the Brigalow Belt in Southern Queensland

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 03:16:00 GMT

With our team working alongside landholders to turn planning into practical, lasting outcomes on the ground, our project,Protecting the Brigalow Belt in Southern Queensland , is well underway.

This project supports landholders to protect remnant and fragmented Brigalow vegetation, while strengthening the long-term sustainability and productivity of agricultural systems across the region. By aligning conservation outcomes with grazing enterprise needs, the project recognises that healthy landscapes and productive businesses go hand in hand.

Across southern Queensland, we are currently partnering with around 50 landholders to address priority challenges such as weeds and pest animals, alongside targeted property improvements that benefit both production and nature. Supported on-ground activities include both weed and pest management, fencing to improve grazing control and protect remnant vegetation, and infrastructure such as alternative watering points to better manage livestock access and reduce pressure on the Brigalow scrub.

A key focus of the project is improving the condition and connectivity of Brigalow habitats, particularly along important corridors and remnant patches. These areas can provide critical habitat for nationally significant species including koalas, the Yakka Skink and the Northern Quoll. Strengthening these systems helps conserve threatened Brigalow Belt ecosystems while maintaining the shade, shelter, soil health and water retention benefits that are so valuable to grazing.
We sincerely thank every landholder who is partnering with us on this project. Your stewardship, local knowledge and commitment are central to the success of this work. Collaboration between landholders, First Nations people, government and local communities remains at the heart of achieving lasting improvements for the Brigalow Belt, now and into the future.

This project is funded by the Australian Government under Saving Native Species and delivered by Southern Queensland Landscapes, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners Panel.

Working Together to Protect Koalas and Riverine Woodlands at Biddenham, Augathella

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:20:00 GMT

West of Augathella, along the winding Nive River, sitsBiddenham , a family-owned cattle property run by Guy Newell and his wife Natalie. The river forms a defining feature of the property, supporting riparian landscapes and providing important habitat for native wildlife alongside productive grazing land.

In early 2025, we approached Guy to explore opportunities to work together on landscape and biodiversity projects. At the time, our Western Koala Project was underway, alongside the Coolibah–Black Box and Poplar Box Project, both of which strongly aligned with the natural values present atBiddenham . With extensive areas of Coolibah–Black Box and Poplar Box Grassy Woodland threatened ecological communities (TEC's), particularly along the Nive River corridor, the property was well placed to support these initiatives. These TEC's also provide important habitat for native fauna including Koalas and Rufus Bettongs, with existing records and on-ground evidence confirming their presence in the area.

As part of the project activities, we collected an environmental DNA (eDNA) water sample from a local waterhole to investigate the presence and abundance of native fauna, as well as potential pest species. An acoustic recorder was also deployed to help monitor wildlife activity across the site, providing valuable data to inform ongoing conservation and management efforts.
A key focus of our support atBiddenhamhas been weed management, particularly targeting Mother of Millions and Tiger Pear, invasive species that can significantly impact native fauna and degrade threatened ecological communities. Through a combination of biological control and targeted herbicide treatments, we have worked alongside Guy to reduce these weed pressures and protect the health of the riparian corridor.

Guy has also actively participated in pest management programs, taking part in the initial aerial pest control operation in May 2025, followed by a second program in November 2025. These efforts targeted feral pigs and feral cats, helping to reduce threats to native species and safeguard the ecological integrity of the TEC's along the river.
Building strong relationships with landholders is central to Southern Queensland Landscapes’ work, and it has been a pleasure to collaborate with Guy and Natalie atBiddenham . Their willingness to engage in conservation projects while continuing productive land management demonstrates the value of partnership in achieving positive outcomes for landscapes, wildlife and rural communities.

This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by Southern Queensland Landscapes, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.

Our Visit With The Bunya People’s Aboriginal Corporation

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:30:00 GMT

Members of the Southern Queensland Landscapes team recently spent time on Bunya Country with the Bunya People’s Aboriginal Corporation, whose work involves Healing Country and strengthening Songlines through on-Country projects and partnerships.

We were grateful to be welcomed onto Country to listen, yarn and learn, and to introduce the Growing Climate Smart Grazing in the Condamine River Basin project, which forms part of the national Climate Smart Agriculture Program. Spending time together on Country created space for open conversations, allowing shared priorities to emerge naturally and respectfully.

These early discussions explored healthy Country, cultural burning practices and caring for landscapes in ways that honour First Nations knowledge systems that have guided land stewardship for tens of thousands of years.

By walking gently alongside Traditional Custodians, these conversations are helping shape the Growing Climate Smart Grazing program so that works will:

Respect and align with First Nations land management knowledge
Support cultural aspirations and practices
Strengthen connections to Country
Build genuine partnerships

We recognise that First Nations peoples are the original land managers of southern Queensland, and their knowledge, cultural obligations and connection to Country remain vital to how we care for landscapes today and into the future.

Southern Queensland Landscapes sincerely thanks Bunya People’s Aboriginal Corporation for welcoming our team and sharing wisdom and perspectives that will help guide this work.

Media Release - Southern Queensland Landscapes Announces New Board Director Appointments

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:44:00 GMT

Southern Queensland Landscapes is pleased to announce key leadership changes following its 2025 Annual General Meeting, including the appointment of Anthony Glasson as the organisation’s newest Board Director.

Anthony, who operates Picarilli Merinos near Thargomindah, brings broad experience in primary production, regional leadership and natural resource management. His long-standing involvement in rural industries and commitment to sustainable land stewardship will be pivotal in supporting Southern Qld Landscapes delivery under its NRM Regional Plan, Flourishing Landscapes, Healthy Communities .

Southern Qld Landscapes also confirms the reappointment of Directors, Louise Winten from Morven and Pippa Jones from Goondiwindi. Both Directors bring substantial governance experience and strong regional perspectives, and their renewed terms will continue to support their commitment to community-led outcomes. Additionally, Southern Qld Landscapes acknowledges the contribution of retiring Director Hollie Grimwade, whose service has strengthened their strategic direction and regional engagement.

Board Chair, Kimberley Swords said “these appointments reflect the stability and capability of Southern Qld Landscapes governance and the organisation’s strong focus on delivering real outcomes for our communities.”

In welcoming and recognising the Directors, Ms Swords said: “I am very pleased to welcome Anthony Glasson as a new Director of Southern Qld Landscapes. Anthony brings a wealth of practical knowledge from his leadership of Picarilli Merinos and a deep commitment to our region. His understanding of land stewardship and his passion for community-led change will be invaluable. I also congratulate and warmly acknowledge the reappointment of Directors Louise Winton and Pippa Jones. I also want to sincerely thank our retiring Director, Hollie Grimwade. Her commitment, professionalism and regional understanding have been significant assets throughout her tenure.”

“I would also like to acknowledge our dedicated staff, who continue to deliver meaningful outcomes for landholders, partners and communities. This year, we delivered more than $9 million worth of project activity across the region, with on-ground and in community work to support sustainable agriculture and build community resilience,” said Ms Swords.

Members also voted at the AGM to adopt a new modernised, constitution in line with contemporary not for profit governance expectations. Southern Qld Landscapes looks forward to working under its renewed Board leadership to advance regional priorities, continue strong partnerships, and deliver tangible benefits across the Southern Queensland region.

Media Release - Southern Queensland Landscapes to Deliver $9 Million Projects to Improve Grazing Land Along Key Waterways and Protect Koala’s in the States Southwest

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 02:26:00 GMT

Southern Queensland is set to benefit from a major investment in Queensland’s natural assets, with more than $9 million allocated through the Queensland Government’s Natural Resource Management Expansion Program and delivered by Southern Queensland Landscapes.
Southern Queensland Landscapes will receive $6.6 million to work with landholders to improve more than 124,000 hectares of land and vegetation adjacent to key waterways by installing fencing and watering points to better manage grazing. A further $2.5 million is allocated to the improvement of priority koala habitats and support animal movement and survival across Southern Queensland. This targeted action to remove key threats including wild dogs and invasive cactus species.

Southern Queensland Landscapes CEO, Gillian Meppem said “the investment highlights the vital link between healthy landscapes, productive agriculture, resilient koala populations and thriving waterways.”
“We are looking forward to delivering two key projects in partnership with landholders, through the Natural Resource Management Expansion Program. These projects are focused on protecting our waterways through improved grazing management and supporting thriving koala populations across Southern Queensland.”

“Better grazing management, strategic fencing, and improved stock water infrastructure will enhance ground cover and protect waterways, ensuring our landscapes are more capable of resisting and recovering from natural disasters and the impacts of a changing climate.”
“We are improving koala habitat by tackling key threats such as wild dogs and invasive cactus and supporting greater genetic diversity to ensure thriving koala populations across southern Queensland,” she said.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development, The Honourable Dale Last, said “the funding demonstrates the Queensland Government’s strong commitment to supporting regional communities and natural resource management.”
“When we came into government, we promised we would double funding for NRM organisations, and we would ensure our regional workforce would benefit, and we are delivering on that promise.

“These NRM organisations are leading the way in safeguarding our natural resources, and that’s why we’re proud to support them and invest in Queensland’s future.”

The NRMEP is a partnership between the Queensland Government and NRM Regions Queensland to deliver $117.84 million in on-ground land, water and biodiversity programs over the next three years.

Natural Resources Recovery Program Update

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 06:01:00 GMT

We are seeing fantastic momentum across the region, with strong interest from landholders in improving land condition. Even better, clusters of neighbouring properties are getting involved, a promising sign for achieving landscape-scale change that supports water infiltration, soil health, and resilient groundcover.

To help visualise this, Projects Lead Payel Sinha, developed a set of clever graphics that capture the essence of the NRRP program. The circular diagram below shows how water, soil, vegetation, grazing, and ecosystem balance are interconnected, all working together to support healthier landscapes.

Right now, our team is working closely with participants to develop agreements and monitoring plans. You’ll hear us talk about LCATs, the Land Condition Assessment Tool, an app we use across Queensland to track improvements in land condition.
We are proud to be engaging with Mardigan and Bidjara Nations, exploring how our program can support knowledge sharing and upskilling for First Nations involvement in natural resource management. Want to see what that looks like in action? Check out Mardigan’s plan we are supporting . We look forward to broadening engagement to support other Nations.

In May, we hosted a Landscape Restoration Day near Mungallala with 18 landholders. It was a fantastic day of on-site learning, mingling, and sharing ideas for improving property health. Let us know what kinds of events you would like to see in your area, as we are interested to support initiatives that matter most to you.

This project is funded by the Queensland Government's Natural Resources Recovery Program.

The 2025 National Landcare Conference

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:56:00 GMT

We were honoured to have CEO Gillian Meppem, Richard Turnbull, Dr Payel Sinha and Uncle Kevin, a Margany Elder from near Quilpie, come together on the Gold Coast for this year’s Landcare Conference, representing our vision, work and cultural partnerships across the region.
Dr Payel Sinha delivered a presentation on the Natural Resource Recovery Program:A Holistic Approach to Restoring Landscapes , showcasing how integrative, place-based strategies can unite ecological health, cultural values and community resilience.

One of the highlights of our participation was the poster we presented on the Manu Manu Creek Fish Traps at Quilpie, telling the story of Uncle Kevin Collins and the heritage of the Margany People.

Here are some of the poster highlights:
• The fish traps along Manu Manu Creek are estimated to be over 5,000 years old. These sites were integral gathering places for First Nations peoples, especially for catching Gulu (yellowbelly fish).
• The project builds on a cultural heritage agreement made in 2008 between the Margany People and the Tully family landholders to jointly protect and restore the traps.
• Supported by funding from the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program, the project includes activities such as:

Traditional cool burning
Water quality monitoring
Pest management

The project aims to integrate First Nations knowledge, culture, and science with sustainable land management. Margany Elders guide youth involvement in understanding seasonal flows, restoration techniques, and mapping tools (like drone mapping), building capacity and cultural continuity.
As Uncle Kevin shares, “My people have a deep connection with the land and water, the animals and plants. Country is at the heart of our spiritual identity. We have a responsibility to protect not just the physical aspects of our heritage, but also our stories, language and lore.”
This is more than a heritage project, it’s a model of collaboration between Traditional Owners, landholders, youth, and government, aiming for outcomes that respect culture, restore landscapes, and build legacy.

The 2025 Australian Cotton Research Conference: Supporting Sustainable Cotton Farming in Australia

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 01:52:00 GMT

The rapidly evolving global market for agricultural commodities, including cotton, was front and centre at the recent Australian Cotton Research Conference held in Narrabri, NSW. A key theme throughout the event was the increasing pressure climate change places on cotton production and how the industry is adapting through innovation and research.
Andrew Davidson of Southern Queensland Landscapes introduced an innovative national project funded by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC). The project focuses on mapping woody vegetation across cotton farms in Australia, a crucial step toward better understanding on-farm biodiversity and supporting sustainability goals.
The project uses a cutting-edge methodology developed by Southern Queensland Landscapes, drawing on a national dataset curated by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). What makes this approach unique is its ability to consistently measure vegetation across state and territory lines, overcoming long-standing challenges caused by fragmented and inconsistent regional datasets.
The initiative is a true collaboration between the cotton industry, Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups, and NRM Regions Australia. Together, they aim to build a national picture of woody vegetation cover, including how much of it connects to larger, regional biodiversity corridors.

Why It Matters...

This vegetation data will provide a scientifically robust and cost-effective indicator of potential biodiversity on cotton farms. In practical terms, it can help:
• Support cotton growers in meeting environmental standards for market access
• Inform risk management strategies and conversations with financiers
• Align with international frameworks such as:
- The Science-Based Targets for Nature
- The Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework
- The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)

As the cotton industry looks to remain competitive and resilient in a changing climate, initiatives like this are critical. They help position Australian cotton as a globally trusted, environmentally responsible product.

Board Update July 2025

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 01:33:00 GMT

A Message From Our CEO, Gillian Meppem

During our recent board meeting in Charleville, held with our new Chair Kimberley Swords, we were pleased to formally recognise former Southern Queensland Landscapes Director and respected Charleville local, Karen Tully, for her outstanding service to both Southern Queensland Landscapes and its predecessor, South West NRM. The board also took the opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contributions of past Director Bruce ‘Barcoo’ Scott, who was unable to attend as he was supporting the Charleville community in his role as CEO of Murweh Shire.

As Karen spoke of her experience working in the NRM sector, I reflected on how much the sector has changed but also on how much remains the same. The funding has certainly changed significantly, with the reduced expenditure now directed toward specific programs of work, often across specified geographies, rather than the previous model of funding local community organisations whose stakeholders would then determine the local priorities. It is not for me to judge which is better but simply acknowledge that it has changed. What remains the same is the humbling dedication of individuals and organisations across communities and landscapes who remain willing and able to support natural resource management.

Whilst we will always have significant seasonal variability across southern Queensland, recent long drives have provided me with an opportunity to marvel at the current winter landscape, by and large it’s looking lovely for this time of year. Hearing from colleagues around the nation at a recent NRM Regions Australia event, reminded me to appreciate these bountiful times, we know the season can change swiftly.

June Board Meeting in Charleville

The Southern Queensland Landscapes Board recently gathered in Charleville to acknowledge and celebrate retired Board Members Karen Tully and 'Barcoo' Bruce Scott. Director Graham Cooke took a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding contribution of long-time supporters, Karen and Bruce.

Board Director Graham Cooke said, "Bruce Scott joined the board in 2020 and with him, he brought excellence in governance knowledge and financial skills. His understanding of the country in South West Queensland is unparalleled, as is his connection to the community in the region. Fellow Board Members were very fortunate to learn from and work with Bruce throughout his time as Director. Bruce retired from the Board in 2024 after accepting the role of CEO at the Murweh Shire Council."

"On behalf of the board, I am also delighted to recognise Karen for the dedication, support and personal sacrifice she has made over the years. I first met Karen in 2018 when she was an active member of the Southern Queensland Landscapes Foundation Committee. At the time, we were navigating the complex process of bringing together three Regional NRM organisations into one. It was no small feat."

"Those early days involved long meetings, often in Toowoomba, requiring hours of travel and time away from home. But Karen’s commitment never wavered. After much collaboration and negotiation, Southern Queensland Landscapes came together as the new NRM late in 2018. Karen’s objectivity, impartiality and were always obvious, she demonstrated a grass roots know how and played a key role in helping shape what Southern Queensland Landscapes is today."

We would like to thank Karen and Bruce for their contribution and dedication to Southern Queensland Landscapes over the years and wish them well into the future.

Monitoring to Protect Threatened Habitat in Southern Qld

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:53:00 GMT

Project Officers Katrina Higgins and Erin Landsberg recently joined Rose and Weston from Boobook Ecological Consulting in Roma, to complete field monitoring in the Murweh and Maranoa districts. This monitoring measures the value and health of Coolibah, Poplar Box, and Brigalow habitat. During this time, we deployed acoustic recorders and motion-sensor wildlife cameras, and took DNA samples from nearby water sources to ascertain the fauna within these threatened habitats.

We recorded the species present, level of recruitment, and evidence of ecological impacts (from drought, flood, fire, and/or human and pest), as well as measured the health, condition, and average size of the relevant species. This is recorded in the form of digital surveys, photos, and physically collecting samples. We collected over 100 samples over the two sites (Morven and Surat), and these samples are sent away to be evaluated and catalogued at the Herbarium and may even be archived ... where they could outlive us!
Monitoring was completed at: • Poplar Box habitat in Morven common/reserve • Coolibah habitat in Surat Reserve • Brigalow habitat in properties around Mitchell

Southern Qld Landscapes to Support the National Soil Monitoring Program

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:17:00 GMT

Playing a Leading Role in the National Soil Monitoring Program

Queensland’s regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) organisations are playing a leading role in the National Soil Monitoring Program (NSMP), one of Australia’s most ambitious efforts to assess and improve soil health. Funded by the Australian Government through the Natural Heritage Trust and led by CSIRO, the NSMP will involve sampling at approximately 3,000 sites nationwide over three years, more than 850 of those in Queensland, with a focus on key agricultural zones. Queensland’s NRM groups have formed northern and southern clusters to deliver the program, contributing valuable expertise from over 25 years of on-ground experience. Southern Queensland Landscapes will lead delivery for the QLD South cluster of regions. The data collected will provide a nationally consistent picture of soil condition and health, enabling better decision-making for farmers, land managers, and policymakers to support sustainable, climate-smart agriculture.

Jayne Thorpe, Business Development Manager at Southern Queensland Landscapes said, “In total, the QLD South cluster will collect 565 soil samples over the course of the project. That will work out as 11.3 tonnes of soil sent for analysis!”

Understanding Natural Capital Markets

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 03:00:00 GMT

1. What is Natural Capital?

Natural capital refers to the natural resources and ecosystems, like soils, native vegetation, water, and biodiversity, that underpin productive farming and provide essential services such as clean water, healthy soils and carbon storage. For Queensland landholders, this means your land’s value now includes the environmental benefits it delivers, not just crops or livestock.

While the term Natural Capital has risen to prominence with government, industry and the public in recent years, the sustainable use of our natural capital, its maintenance and improvement have been fundamental to regional NRM organisations since inception. Identifying and assessing our natural assets are foundational to the development of our regional NRM strategies and plans which guide our operations and provide us with the knowledge and expertise to play a key role in Australia’s efforts to manage and enhance our Natural Capital.

2. Why Does Natural Capital Matter in Agriculture?

Australian agriculture is experiencing a shift where nature and production are seen as interconnected assets. This approach is being driven by both market demand and new government policies, with natural capital now influencing land values, investments, and farm business resilience.

3. How Can Farmers Monetise Natural Capital?

Natural capital markets allow landholders to earn income by improving or protecting their land’s natural assets. The most common ways to participate include:

Carbon Credits:  Under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme, farmers can generate credits by adopting practices like reforestation, soil carbon improvement, or avoided clearing. These credits are regulated by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) and can be sold to the government or private buyers.

Biodiversity Certificates:  The new federal Nature Repair Market, established by the Nature Repair Act 2023, allows farmers to earn tradable biodiversity certificates for projects that restore or protect native ecosystems. The CER also administers this market, ensuring robust oversight and scientific credibility.

Land Restoration Fund (LRF):  Queensland’s LRF builds on the federal framework, offering extra incentives for projects that deliver both carbon abatement and environmental co-benefits, such as improved water quality or habitat restoration. The LRF works in tandem with the ACCU Scheme and prioritises projects that support regional sustainability.

More Information:
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/natural-capital/explained
www.cer.gov.au/schemes/australian-carbon-credit-unit-scheme
www.qld.gov.au/environment/climate/climate-change/land-restoration-fund
www.nrmrq.org.au/queensland-nature-fund-natural-capital
www.legislation.gov.au/C2023A00121/latest/text

Southern Queensland Landscapes appoints Kimberley Swords as Board Chair

Tue, 06 May 2025 05:23:00 GMT

The Board of Southern Queensland Landscapes is pleased to announce Kimberley Swords has been appointed as Chair of the Board of Directors. Kimberley began her working life as a large animal country vet, after student practical experience across Southern Queensland in Goondiwindi and Injune. Kimberley’s strong interest in natural resource management and regional communities has led her to contribute across a wide variety of industries including the public sector, where she rose to the role of Deputy Secretary in the Australian Government and led environmental approvals, heritage and marine. Her extensive leadership experience incorporates many board roles, including as a current serving member of the CS Energy board.

“Following an extensive recruitment phase, where the Southern Queensland Landscapes Board were gratified to receive several high-quality applications, we are delighted to announce the subsequent overwhelming member endorsement of Kimberley as Board Chair. The appointment of a new Chair in any organisation represents an opportunity for refreshment and renewal and the Southern Queensland Landscapes Directors and staff are looking forward to working with Kimberley to deliver our Strategic Plan” said acting Southern Queensland Landscapes Chair, Louise Winten.

Kimberly looks forward to engaging with stakeholders across Southern Queensland, with her first full board meeting set down for late June in Charleville. “It is an exciting and challenging time for the region, as we lean into the changing climate, different economic opportunities, and the next generation of regional leaders. I look forward to connecting and collaborating across our communities to better understand how Southern Queensland Landscapes can support sustainable environmental outcomes that materially improve the lives of people living and working in Southern Queensland,” she said.

The position of Chair became vacant following the retirement of founding Chair, and long term supporter of regional natural resource management, The Honourable Bruce Scott, AM, at the end of February 2025. Bruce made a significant contribution to Southern Queensland Landscapes during his time as Chair and the Board thanks him for dedication, time, energy, and commitment to the organisation.

Southern Queensland Landscapes is one of 11 Queensland-based Natural Resource Management (NRM) organisations. Spanning 314,398 square kilometres, the our footprint encompasses the Condamine catchment, Qld Murray Darling Basin and the south-west Mulga Lands. Southern Queensland Landscapes relies on evidence based information, supported by First Nations knowledge, to effectively balance productivity and environmental outcomes that support the regional communities within our landscapes.

We Farewell the Outgoing Board Chair, The Hon Bruce Scott AM

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:51:00 GMT

This week marked the final Board meeting for retiring Southern Queensland Landscape Chair, The Hon Bruce Scott AM. The Southern Queensland Landscapes Board hosted a function at Gip’s restaurant in Toowoomba, joined by past Directors, industry stakeholders and the Southern Queensland Landscapes Management team, where Bruce was warmly acknowledged and thanked. Bruce offered special thanks to his dear wife Joan for her support during his period of service to Southern Queensland Landscapes, in particular the warm country hospitality she has offered to many visitors to Roma. Bruce also recognised and thanked Southern Queensland Landscapes Company Secretary Pam Murphy, who has supported Bruce in his service to Southern Queensland Landscapes since the organisation’s inception.

As is well known, Southern Queensland Landscapes is the result of combining stakeholders from Condamine Alliance Limited, Queensland Murray Darling Committee Incorporated, and South West NRM Limited. Mark O’Brien was chair of South West NRM, Graham Cooke was President of the Queensland Murray Darling Committee, and George Moore was chair of Condamine Alliance. The three companies formed an interim committee to establish Southern Queensland Landscapes which Mark O’Brien chaired. This committee became the interim Board on 1 July 2018. The first general meeting of the company was held on 28 October 2018 in Roma with the first chair, Hon Bruce Scott AM duly elected. From that day onward, Bruce immersed himself in the role giving many hours of his time to ensuring the success of the organisation. Through his role as Chair of Southern Queensland Landscapes, Bruce became a director of NRM Regions Queensland, the state level organisation representing 12 NRM groups in Queensland. Bruce leaves a legacy of understanding and advocating for Southern Queensland people and places, politics in general, business leaders, agricultural and community leadership and an ongoing commitment to First Nation Peoples across the region.

Following Bruce’s retirement, current Deputy Chair Louise Winten will step into the role of acting Chair whilst the Board undertakes recruitment for Southern Queensland Landscapes’ next Chair. Director Chris Joseph will step in as acting Deputy Chair during this time.

Revitalising the Condamine Headwaters: A Testament to Community and Conservation

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:09:00 GMT

The Condamine Headwaters, a critical ecosystem in Southern Queensland, has long faced threats from sedimentation, habitat degradation, and thermal regime changes. The Blackfish Project, dedicated to reversing these impacts, unites scientists, landowners, and the community in a shared mission to restore and protect this vital environment. At its core lies the river blackfish, a sensitive indicator of the overall ecosystem health. Central to the project's success is the unwavering commitment of landowners like Paul Graham. Inspired by the project's vision, Paul reached out to SQ Landscapes seeking support for a solar pump and tank to divert his cattle away from waterways on his property. Paul's deep-rooted love for his land, captured in his humorous quip "I love my land more than I love my wife," is a testament to the powerful connection between people and place that drives conservation efforts.

Paul Graham and Project Officer Bree Humes observing Paul's native aquatic biofiltration system with visually clear water during a site visit.

Paul's property near Killarney serves as a living example of the project's impact. With funding from the Native Fish Recovery Strategy, the installation of a solar pump has already yielded positive results. Project Officers Breanna Humes and Agaba Hannington were impressed by Paul's dedication to land management, as evidenced by his extensive property tour showcasing thriving waterways, pastures, and innovative energy solutions.
Paul's journey reflects the broader community spirit that underpins the Blackfish Project. His willingness to adopt sustainable practices, such as fencing off natural springs and piping water overflow, demonstrates the power of individual action in driving collective change. Moreover, his efforts to control invasive species like wild tobacco contribute to a healthier ecosystem for both blackfish and other native species.

The Blackfish Project extends beyond scientific research and on-ground actions. It is a catalyst for fostering strong community connections. By working closely with landowners like Paul and incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge from the Githabul Nation, the project has created a powerful platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration.

As we look to the future, the Blackfish Project stands as a beacon of hope for the Condamine Headwaters. It is a testament to what can be achieved when science, community, and passion converge. By prioritizing the health of the river blackfish and the broader ecosystem, we are safeguarding a vital resource for generations to come.

SQ Landscapes is honoured to have been part of this transformative journey, working alongside dedicated individuals like Paul Graham to create a lasting legacy for the Condamine Headwaters.

This project is funded by the Native Fish Recovery Strategy. The Native Fish Recovery Strategy is funded under the joint programs and coordinated by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. The joint programs promote and coordinate effective planning, management and sharing of the water and other natural resources of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Learn How Sophie and Adrian Transformed Their Wallet and Soil at “Bellhaven Brook”

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 21:52:00 GMT

When Sophie and Adrian McInnerney began adopting their “paddock to plate” experiment into their lambing business, they quickly discovered how a new and exciting approach to running their enterprise transformed their resilience and soil health.

Multi-species cover cropping was the answer, and now their business has become a diverse enterprise that has embraced variations in livestock feed and crop rotation, building riparian fencing, and investing in healthier soils.

This has opened the young couple to new opportunities to create new revenue streams, protect their business against natural disasters, drought, and prepare for economic hardships.

Their property, “Bellhaven Brook”, located just an hour east of Goondiwindi, was the site of Macintyre Ag Alliance’s latest Multi-Species Cropping Field Day. With the support of Southern Queensland Landscapes (SQ Landscapes), the event aimed to promote the McInnerney family’s new land practices, offering an opportunity to educate land managers in the region of new ways to strengthen their property and enterprise.
SQ Landscapes’ Goondiwindi-based Project Delivery Officer Keith Walker joined land managers for the workshop and highlighted how multi-species cover cropping could pave the way to rebuilding healthy soils and farming enterprises.

“What was great about visiting ‘Bellhaven Brook’ is that you don’t have to be a scientist to understand this stuff. The idea is to just try and experiment like the McInnerneys did,” Keith Walker said.

“These cover cropping systems are all about building your experience, experimenting and slowly developing a healthier and richer soil profile; which is the basis of all businesses; cropping and grazing alike.” Mr Walker said.

“It was interesting to see the range of people, the ages from young and old, and the differences in enterprises. It’s a reminder that this genre of agriculture is starting conversations,” he said.

“It’s all about implementation on the ground and getting the results for less money and experimenting with what people are doing.”

Multi-species cover cropping involves planting a diverse range of plants including native grasses, legumes, and vegetation to provide a wider selection of feed for livestock while also returning nitrogen to the soils.

Transitioning to multi-species pasture might pose initial challenges, but the results are easy to notice on properties like “Bellhaven Brook” and Keith believes it's worth the effort to experiment.

“With these visits, you can see the planning, the process, the implementation of what they wanted to do and now we’re seeing the results,” Keith Walker said.

“They’ve done well in not only building healthier soils and redefining how they manage their property, but also adopted a paddock-to-plate mentality with their lambing products which has been diversifying their business,” Mr Walker said.

“As a result, their demand is growing more. The value-adding of their grazing with the cover cropping adoption and new grazing management are all enhancing their soil health and creating greater fertility, greater opportunity and enhancement,” he said.

The workshop also featured guest speaker Ian Beard, an experienced melon farmer from Chinchilla and Millmerran, who discussed his journey in experimenting with cover cropping on his own properties for over ten years.

“I’m here to talk about multi-species from a farmer’s perspective. I’m just trying to pass on practical applications and encourage people to try small areas to see if it works for their areas,” Ian Beard said.

“It all comes down to soil health. It draws out the nutrients that are difficult to ordinarily reach and helps to stop things like erosion and evaporation in the process. When it’s managed well, it’s one of those things that makes your property more profitable and sustainable,” Mr Beard said.

“As years go on more people are doing it. It was great to interact with growers and see the engagement and interest,” he said.
“The McInnerneys still have a way to go in their own journey, but they’ve made a great start by introducing simple changes like crop rotation, cover cropping, and giving their soil the right attention it needs.”

“Cover cropping is giving extra diversity and synergies for the soil. The soil is reasonably light on their property and it can only do what it can do…but with a bit of help we can slowly make it do more!” Ian Beard said.

Visitors for the field day also enjoyed a field walk with the McInnerneys and listened to Ian Moss from F.A.R.M. Agronomy who discussed the changes in the soil first-hand.

Tommy Carroll, Macintyre Ag Alliance’s Vice Chair remarked on the opportunities of this workshop and its wide lineup of presenters tailor-made for the local community.

“We’re really grateful to be given the opportunity to promote such a valuable event for our community and spread the word on these useful practices,” Tommy Carroll said.

“What the McInnerneys are doing here is producing a great product, with a regenerative focus, and it’s in line with what we want to advocate for,” Mr Carroll said.

“Our field days are often about sustainability and creating solutions; improving outcomes,” he said.
“Increasing year on year their production and marketing; without damaging and actually improving their soil.”
“So it was a very interesting day, to go on a paddock walk and look at the condition of the soil and the impact of what multi-species cover cropping is having…which is evident with these changes to their practices,” Tommy Carroll said.
“I hope people go away from this with something new and are encouraged to experiment on their property to build on damaged or vulnerable soil to improve profitability and production,” Mr Carroll said.

“We’re really grateful to be given the opportunity to promote such a valuable event for our community and spread the word on these useful practices,” Tommy Carroll said.

Queensland Department of Resources Senior Project Officer Kate Brandon remarked that the government was proud to support local events like the field day.

“We funded today’s field day with the Macintyre Ag Alliance as part of the Natural Resources Recovery Program; so this is the product of the funding,” Kate Brandon said.

“These events are important because we have a commitment to our natural resources and building the capacity of land managers like the McInnerneys,” Ms Brandon said.

“We’re really proud to be doing our part in assisting the community in building healthier and sustainable landscapes,” she said.
This project was funded by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program and the Australian Government’s Murray Darling Healthy Rivers Program.

How Camels and Cool Burns are Transforming Risdon Stud

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 22:03:00 GMT

Cool burns, camels, and funding for local farmers were on the agenda at 'Risdon Stud' as land managers Nick and Liz Suduk hosted the Southern Queensland Landscapes and Department of Resources site visit to showcase the success of the Natural Resources Investment Program 2018-2022 (NRIP).

Risdon Stud, south of Warwick, was primarily a high-intensity horse stud, but under new ownership with the Suduk family, the focus has been on restoring productivity and landscape health.

“The Suduks participated in the NRIP project, where they received on-site guidance from First Nations fire practitioner Robbie Williams from Fire Lore, for cool burning in native vegetation areas,” Project Delivery Lead Natasha Mylonas said.

“This was their first exposure to this type of burning and they have since embarked on a journey towards building their confidence in applying it elsewhere on the property,” Ms Mylonas said.

“The NRIP project also supported livestock fencing, largely to exclude cattle from a large patch of remnant vegetation, combined with weed management in that remnant vegetation,” she said.

“It is really difficult to muster out of the remnant vegetation, so the fencing has meant easier mustering of the cattle, as well as reduced weed spread and damage to the native vegetation in the patch.”

“Outside of the NRIP project, they maintain a herd of agisted camels as part of their weed management strategy and experimented with fire to manage wattle regrowth,” Natasha Mylonas said.

The Suduks have experimented on their property with a diversified business model including utilising camels for weed eradication and opening up their property for tourism and camping.

“During the COVID-19 lockdowns, we were given the opportunity to find new ways to bring income into the property and find better ways of managing the land,” Liz Suduk said.

“This opened us up to the idea of cool burning, which was very different from the much quicker, hotter, and destructive techniques we were previously using,” Mrs Suduk said.

“While cool burning is a lot slower, it’s a safer and more effective method as it burns what it needs to burn and is easier to manage. Following Robbie Williams’ visit last year, we have been given the tools and knowledge to conduct safe burning on our own and this has allowed us to eliminate or nearly eliminate stubborn Black Wattle in some of our Category X country that we’ve previously struggled to clear,” she said.

“The use of camels have also helped, as they clear weeds and other pests that cattle don’t eat or fire can’t reach. They’re a funny, awkward animal, but they have a dramatically smaller impact on the land than other livestock might.”

“Cool Burning has been a far more successful method for us than anything else we’ve tried in the past,” Nick Suduk said.
“I’m spending less on diesel, I’m less dependent on looking at chemicals or other control methods, and this has been a far better way to control bushfires for us,” Mr Suduk said. “The burning, alongside diversifying our practice, has allowed us to stay viable and to manage the land in a more productive way,” he said.

“The burning, alongside diversifying our practice, has allowed us to stay viable and to manage the land in a more productive way,” Nick Suduk said.

Staff from the Department of Resources, including Acting Manager Daniel Savill, joined SQ Landscapes’ Acting CEO Leanne Stevens, Acting Chief Operating Officer Andrew McCartney, and Project Delivery Lead Natasha Mylonas at the property south of Warwick to learn about the on-the-ground successes of the NRIP project the Suduks demonstrated.
“It was really good to see the ongoing change in land management practices that occurred because of previous investment with SQ Landscapes in the NRIP program,” Daniel Savill said.
“Seeing the change in attitude and the ability for land managers to take this knowledge and apply it has been great to see,” Mr Savill said.
“This project was funded by the NRRP, and SQ Landscapes have worked with the land managers to do a wonderful job of rebuilding our natural landscapes and assisting farmers to adopt a more sustainable practice, including at Risdon Stud,” he said.
“In 2022 we launched the Natural Resource Recovery Program (NRRP), so there is opportunity for natural resource management groups to apply for funding to do programs just like this.”

“This project was funded by the NRRP, and SQ Landscapes have worked with the land managers to do a wonderful job of rebuilding our natural landscapes and assisting farmers to adopt a more sustainable practice, including at Risdon Stud,” Dan Savill said.

SQ Landscapes Acting CEO Leanne Stevens highlighted the project’s successes and remarked that the on-ground works at Risdon Stud was just one of many recovery sites as part of the program.

“Seeing Risdon Stud take on the project so well is always great to see. We’re particularly pleased with the level of First Nations involvement in demonstrating how Cultural Burning can assist in maintaining the healthy balance between Black Wattle and other vegetation to assist land managers in maintaining a healthy landscape,” Leanne Stevens said.

“Ultimately these practices help drive healthier landscapes, particularly with the reduction of weeds and fuel loads which protect land managers from dangerous bushfires and reduce costs incurred in managing the land,” Ms Stevens said.

“We’re excited to work with land managers like the Suduks in future projects like the NRRP program which will target bare ground, reduce erosion, and improve soil infiltration,” she said.

“SQ Landscapes is very grateful for the funding we have received from the Queensland Government to make these changes a reality and without this vital support, many of the land managers we have worked with would not have seen the same level of improvement as we have seen here today.”
This project is funded by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Investment Program.

Cultural Burning Returns to Mt Tabor on Bidjara Country

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 20:57:00 GMT

Fire is crucial to maintaining our landscapes. That’s according to fire practitioner Robbie Williams, who accompanied Southern Queensland Landscapes earlier this year to bridge fire practitioner knowledge with First Nations Peoples across the southwest.

Robbie has since returned to the region - this time accompanied by members of our Charleville team as he hosted training along the slopes of the culturally significant site of Mt Tabor, just outside Augathella.

“This is the continuation of what we achieved last time we were in the southwest,” Robbie Williams said.
“Last visit, SQ Landscapes connected me with local First Nations mobs including Kunya, Bidjara, Mardigan, Boonthamurra, Kooma, Kullilli, and Murrawurri,” Mr Williams said.

“During this visit, many of these mobs agreed to trial fire practitioner training for young men in the area to bring burning back onto Country; and that is exactly what we’re here to do today!” he said.

“It’s really inspiring to see these communities taking on the opportunity to learn about burning and we’re hoping this will develop into businesses the local mobs can build to manage their Country.”

Growth Facilitator and Gomeroi man Geoff Reid, lead the facilitation during the last trip, and assisted by Cunnamulla-based Mardigan man and Project Delivery Officer Jackson Shillingsworth. Geoff was also joined by members of the Charleville Team including Project Delivery Officers Kat Best and Ollie Scully; along with the Queensland Rural Fire Service, Murweh Shire Council, and Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
“This was a particularly special trip as we embarked on a journey to Goorathuntha (Mt Tabor) - a sacred place of the Bidjara Peoples,” Geoff Reid said.
"The main goal of this event was to foster collaboration between different agencies; including Fire Lore and the Bidjara Peoples," Mr Reid said.
"By combining Western and First Nation sciences, we aim to pass on invaluable knowledge to the next generation and establish an Indigenous ranger and fire practitioner crew," he said.
“Not only that, but Robbie is providing valuable training for local mobs to open new businesses and revenue streams and encourage younger people to take a more active approach in helping heal Country.”

"The main goal of this event was to foster collaboration between different agencies; including Fire Lore and the Bidjara Peoples," Mr Reid said. Photo courtesy of Kat Best.

Cultural Burning doesn’t just open up new business opportunities however. It also performs a crucial role for agencies and landholders, by preserving native landscapes, reducing fuel loads, supporting vulnerable soil health, managing pests like weeds, encouraging rain and improving water infiltration.
"Mt Tabor is an absolute gem, and we were in awe of the Bidjara Peoples' dedication in caring for this remarkable site," Geoff Reid said.

"Witnessing the new connections formed and future plans being made left us inspired and hopeful for what lies ahead!" he said.
The visit also provided Project Delivery Officers Kat Best and Ollie Scully an appreciation for the local sites and were a reminder of the benefits Cultural Burning poses for native wildlife and vegetation.

“It’s an ecologically significant site; you have Mt Tabor in the foothills which has a unique topography that hosts a wide range of ecological communities and habitats,” Ollie Scully said.

“Cultural Burns are integral to promoting ecological growth; without destroying. It’s a hazard reduction and also focuses on landscape maintenance,” Mr Scully said.

“By its way of promoting biodiversity, it accounts for the small and large animals; there’s such a high survival rate and lots of research showing the benefits,” he said.

“A lot of the young fellas were coming from all over and getting integrated; people from council, government, Rural Fire Service, working with First Nations and with nothing but positive outcomes. It’s one of those awesome moments where you’re not there to talk about conflicts or problems.”
“You’re there to promote a management technique that is culturally important and beneficial from a land manager’s perspective as well,” Ollie Scully said.
“Being on Bidjara Country and making those connections and getting to know each other is so important and as ecologists we love to learn from First Nations,” Mr Scully said.

“We can provide a western science perspective that compliments their rich understanding of Country,” he said.

“Being on Bidjara Country and making those connections and getting to know each other is so important and as ecologists we love to learn from First Nations,” Ollie Scully said. Photo courtesy of Geoff Reid.

The training conducted at Mt Tabor marks the beginning of a continued relationship that has been fostered between First Nations communities, local government, emergency services, and SQ Landscapes to build the capacity of rural communities to better manage Country.
With continued training across regional communities, the foundations laid at Mt Tabor can be utilised as a blueprint for other communities to return Cultural Burning practices to Country, build businesses and shared opportunities, and reduce the destructive impacts of bushfires.
To learn more about Robbie Williams and his fire practitioning you can visit fire-lore.earth.

Digital Artist Named Overall Grand Prize Winner of First Nations Art Competition

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 20:41:00 GMT

Winners in the Southern Queensland Landscapes and University of Southern Queensland’s 2023 First Nations Art Competition have been announced to a crowd of more than 150 people in Toowoomba.
Overall Grand Prize and Digital Medium Category winner has gone to Robert Claude Manns for his piece ‘Mandan’.
"I wanted to express the fractured relationship that I have with some of the Mandandanji People. Unfortunately many of us feel connected to our Nation, but not always the people," Robert Manns said.
"My piece was assisted through artificial intelligence (AI) art and I found that to be a really powerful tool in discovering how I wanted this art to go," Mr Manns said.
"I've always been artistic, and I wanted to explore Indigenous art, but I wasn't great at it and I found the style difficult to personalise. AI and digital art has allowed me to connect with Indigenous art in my own way and explore things the way I wanted," he said.
"I'm really glad it worked out and people liked the art!"
"In truth, I thought I might only get an encouragement award, but to first see I won the digital art and then the Overall Grand Prize was just spectacular. There were tears in my eyes. I wasn't expecting to get so far!" Robert Manns said.
"I want to thank everyone who made Indigenous art through the millenia; otherwise I wouldn't have done it," Mr Manns said.
"Shortly before he passed away, my dad put me onto the competition and I thought I'd give it a go. I wish he was here to see it, as he was my inspiration for making this art." he said.
"He was my inspiration and my supporter through it all."

'Mandan' by Robert Claude-Manns

Category awards also went to Tamay Beam for ‘Never Giving Up’, and Ella-Louise Knox for ‘River Links’, and Valerie Murray for ‘Connectiveness Through Every Stitch’; meanwhile Highly Commended was Andrew Nelson for ‘Part 2: Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up on Country Kooma’, Chris Valle for ‘Beginning of Creation’, Sienna Wilson for ‘Circle of Life’, Adrian Bauwens for ‘Bonye Jairowar Connections’, and Jo Chapman for ‘Pink Women’.
SQ Landscapes Acting CEO, Leanne Stevens said it’s been an amazing night celebrating the incredible talent of First Nations artists from across 15 of the 28 Nations right throughout Southern Queensland.
"Of the 28 Nations in our patch, it was great to see 15 Nations represented in the entries for the competitions," Leanne Stevens said.
"In particular the two Mardigan and one Gamilaroi junior entries which were amazing to see as well. It's inspiring to see more young people taking part in the competition this year," Ms Stevens said.
"It's really exciting to see the competition to expand to the 3D mediums and the digital mediums as well and sets the stage for future expansion with next year's competition,' she said.
"The competition has grown and grown over the year and it's great to see some of the organisation improving alongside the University of Southern Queensland coming on board as a partner to help make this even bigger and better than last year."

"The competition has grown and grown over the year and it's great to see some of the organisation improving alongside the University of Southern Queensland coming on board as a partner to help make this even bigger and better than last year," Leanne Stevens said.

Meanwhile, University of Southern Queensland Curator (Arts and Exhibitions), Brodie Taylor said it was an honour to host the collection and celebrated the university's partnership with SQ Landscapes.
“It was a special project for us to be involved in this year, not only to host the gallery, but also to partner directly with SQ Landscapes to make a second year of the competition a reality,” Brodie Taylor said.
“The university generously assisted in the sponsorship of the award night and we were delighted to take part again this year,” Mr Taylor said.
“I think the artists can be proud of what they have achieved tonight. They represented their region and community with pride and what is on display here sets a high standard for Southern Queensland,” he said.

“I think the artists can be proud of what they have achieved tonight. They represented their region and community with pride and what is on display here sets a high standard for Southern Queensland,” Brodie Taylor said.

Competition judges Uncle Colin Jones and Sue McMaster remarked that the quality of artists’ work had only improved in the competition’s second year of running.
“Quality is very important. The entrants demonstrated they upped their game this year and we can see better quality control on the works present,” Uncle Colin Jones said.
“Our art is a story. It’s a language and it differs from what a Western concept of language is, so it’s far more profound and makes art like this so special to see,” Mr Jones said.
“I was really impressed with the calibre of artwork we saw tonight. There’s a real improvement in technique, materials used, and you can start to see their individual tone really shine through the art,” Sue McMaster said.
“It was very difficult to narrow it down to a handful of artworks to award!” Mrs McMaster said.
Artwork from finalists in the 2022/23 First National Art Competition will be on display at the University of Southern Queensland Art Gallery from 8 July to 1 September 2023.
Some of the art on display is for sale and all enquiries regarding purchases should be emailed to art@sqlandscapes.org.au
SQ Landscapes is an independent non-government-organisation (NGO) owned by its community, and is dedicated to helping landholders understand their landscapes, adapt to challenges and be excellent stewards of their country.
SQ Landscapes acknowledge, respect and learn from the First Peoples of the 28 Nations in the Southern Queensland Landscapes area and further afield. We pay respect to the Elders: past, present and future for they hold the memories, traditions, culture, science and knowledge and hope of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples across our nation.
Learn more: https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/2023-first-nations-art-competition

Diversifying Your Agricultural Business into Retirement to Lever Off Natural Assets

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 23:45:00 GMT

When land managers Phil & Anne Donges entertained the idea of retirement they looked to the natural assets of their property located between Yelarbon, Inglewood and Texas to provide the answer.
For almost 90-years ‘Glenarbon’ had supported generations of the Donges family; with key crops and land use pivoting numerous times as a result of market demands, economic climates and practice change.
“Glenarbon was established back in 1932; our family came out then and it was to grow tobacco, that was in the middle of the depression,” Phil Donges said.
“Five years ago we sold our main farm about 10-kilometres down the road and we decided to go into semi-retirement keeping about 100-acres of the original farm along about 1-kilometre of the Dumaresq River,” Mr Donges said.
“We’re using Glenarbon now to run a few head of steers and then we’ve also gone into this eco-tourism where people can come and enjoy the environment like we like it ourselves,” he said.
“We saw the ecotourism as an opportunity to give us some extra income by going into the camping side of things, but also to diversify our business so that we could in tougher seasons rely less heavily on livestock and more on the natural assets of the farm.”

By excluding livestock access to the river Phil Donges has stabilised the riverbanks, improved vegetation cover and increased biodiversity.

In 2022 the Donges partnered with natural resource management group Southern Queensland Landscapes to further protect the pristine stretch of the Dumaresq River by fencing off the riparian zone to livestock.
SQ Landscapes Project Delivery Officer Sophie Parker said by removing livestock access to the waterway the Donges have increased biodiversity, and improved the water quality for native fish living there.
“The State and Federal Government have invested in the Northern Basin Fencing Program to reduce erosion along the riverbanks, help farmers maintain their stock and exclude them from the waterways and to improve the water quality and biodiversity of the rivers as there are over 50-species of fish in these waterways,” Sophie Parker said.
“Part of that funding was given to Phil and Anne to fence off their waterways from stock and maintain some of the beautiful riparian areas that they have on their property,” Ms Parker said.
“Phill and Anne have diversified the business on their property multiple times; they make a point of not interfering where they can and allowing nature to take its course; by doing this they’re ensuring that the biodiversity values remain high,” she said.
“This is a win-win all round for Phil and Anne as they enter retirement, but also for their business which has pivoted again to embrace changing environments and for this stretch of the river which is being protected and valued for its natural beauty and the role it plays in maintaining a sustainable and healthy river system and the native animals that supports.”

The Donges partnered with SQ Landscapes to install fencing along the riverbanks and exclude access to the river by livestock with the view of improving water quality for native fish.

The Donges also believe the ecotourism side of their agricultural enterprise now plays a very important role in educating people about the importance of sustainable land management practices.
“Most of the people that come out, do like to spend some money in the country towns and working in with other local businesses just shares that money around and the fact that we are only two hours from Toowoomba and three hours from Brisbane, people don’t mind travelling out here and the fact that we have been getting a large number of return visitors who love to come here and most times they bring other family and friends out too or introduce others to come out and enjoy it as well; you know they have the opportunity to kayak here, and swim or fish in the river which is really great,” Anne Donges said.
“Working with nature and you know you can always see the improvement in the soil and the pasture that grows and the camping side of things you’ve got the people you meet and it’s really great to give them an education and for us to see them happy makes us happy,” Mrs Donges said.
“Most people when they arrive say “wow” and in five minutes they say yes we will come back and we will be bringing mum and dad or whoever and that does happen,” Phil Donges said.
“It’s just a combined thing, the livestock and the ecotourism together, that has made it really worthwhile,” Mr Donges said.

Landscape restoration and rehydration reverses years of damage

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 05:47:00 GMT

It’s amazing how quickly a landscape can rebalance itself according to Jarrod and Sam Thomson of ‘Gum Gully’, located some 14 kilometres south of Drillham in Queensland.
The couple purchased the 820 hectare property in 2020 and since then have been working to reverse landscape damage caused by years of drought and overgrazing.
“Gum Gully is a very diverse farm with a lot of timber ranging from Mallee box to belah, sandalwood and a lot of native pastures,” Jarrod Thomson said.
“It’d been really knocked around by the droughts and our main goal was how do we bring back this place to make it a viable enterprise again?” Mr Thomson said.
“Quickly realising that we had to rehabilitate the land and rehydrate it fast; desertification had set in and we were struggling to grow galvanised bur,” he said.
Rehydration works included some contouring and soft engineering works combined with farm dams to slow the flow and manage water across the property to maximise each rain event regardless of whether it was 10mm or 100mm.

Some contouring, soft engineering work and farm dams are helping to slow the flow, and improve the soil moisture profile, so the Thomsons can maximise their rainfall regardless of whether it is 10mm or 100mm in an event.

These works to slow the flow on ‘Gum Gully’ were timely with the next two years providing good rainfall and the infrastructure in place to minimise sheet erosion on sparsely vegetated pastures while at the same time improving the soil moisture profile through increased infiltration.
“We’ve been here coming up three years now. We’ve also done a heap of pasture improvement and we’re now starting to see higher quality pastures come through which is obviously more beneficial for our livestock,” Sam Thomson said.
“Currently we’ve just got a handful of goats on the place and they’re really here as a weed management tool, but we project in the next 18 months to two years that we will have saved enough of a vegetation bank to reintroduce cattle through a cell grazing system,” Ms Thomson said.
“And that the pastures will be mature enough and have established enough ground cover and seed bank to self-generate and support a permanent livestock enterprise,” she said.
The Thomsons also reached out to natural resource management group, Southern Queensland Landscapes for advice and funding assistance to break up the compacted, pan-soil layers and improve biodiversity through multi-species pastures.

Native grasses have quickly reestablished the landscape and the Thomsons project they will be able to permanently support livestock in the next 18 months to 2 years.

Project Delivery Officer Isabella Murphy said it’s been a pleasure working with two such motivated and out-of-the-box thinkers.
“I met Jarrod and Sam after they applied through our online Facebook application process for some assistance and funding for soil health and vegetation improvement through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program,” Isabella Murphy said.
“They’ve only been on property about three years but they are doing some amazing things out here and we’ve been able to work with Jarrod and Sam on planting some multi-species pastures to improve soil health and naturally cultivate the soil through deep tap roots; as well as trialling vegetation mulching to improve vegetation condition,” Ms Murphy said.
“We've been able to help them out on their journey to make that land a little bit more productive while maintaining habitat values and the ecosystem,” she said.

Contouring has enabled the Thomsons to slow the flow thereby reducing sheet erosion from unvegetated pastures, and improved soil moisture content due to increased infiltration.

Partnering with SQ Landscapes has provided the pair with a good sounding board and source of knowledge and advice.
“It was a huge help from Southern Queensland Landscapes; we reached out to them via Facebook and it’s been great in the way that we have had people backing us and giving us different perspectives and ideas that we might not have considered or thought about,” Jarrod Thomson said.
“Being out in the paddock, taking a shovel out and having a look at the soil; looking up at the trees, the birdlife that has come back 10-fold from when we first got here, just with what we have done to date is really gratifying and just shows how quickly the system can correct itself when given the chance,” Mr Thomson said.
“Seeds are naturally there. The environment is going to fix itself, the important thing to take away from it is weeds aren’t your enemy; they are friends that are covering the ground, so leave them be and more of your grass species will come up eventually,” he said.

‘Gum Gully’ is a 820-hectare property located 14 kilometres south of Drillham, Queensland and featuring Mallee box, belah, sandalwood and native pastures.

When asked what can others learn from their story, the Thomsons said just listen and learn everything you possibly can from anyone who is willing to share what they are doing because it's all valuable.
“Be a sponge and soak up every bit of information that you can get. Everything! It might be miniscule, but it's all relevant,” Sam Thomson said.,
“Everything brings a different perspective, you might not need it at that time, but there’s no reason why you won't think of it and remember it 10-years down the track,” Mr Thomson said.
“We’re on track to both be full-time on the farm within the next three years; that’ll give us enough time to finish putting up the infrastructure and to get cattle in, which is that next phase so ideally we kind of want to have as much done as what we can before we both settle on farm,” he said.
The Landcare Farming Program (LFP) is a joint partnership between the Landcare Australia and National Landcare Network, and funded by the Australian Government's National Landcare Program to strengthen the connection between landcare and Australian agriculture.

Tree Planting and Truth Telling at Gummingurru

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 05:25:00 GMT

Reconciliation was on the agenda at Gummingurru for National Reconciliation Week. First Nations, local community, and avid gardeners came together for a round of truth telling and tree planting.
Located north of Toowoomba, Gummingurru is an ancient and sacred site for Western Wakka Wakka Peoples, serving as a stopping point for First Nations Peoples on their way to the Bunya Mountains.
Western Wakka Wakka man Shannon Bauwens, a First Nations man from the Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation (BPAC) led the event with a smoking ceremony and a round of truth-telling at the yarning circle near Gummingurru.
“Reconciliation is about talking to each other. Coming together and making something positive as a community,” Shannon Bauwens said.
“This yarning circle we are standing in now represents thousands of years of storytelling,” Mr Bauwens said.
“Today is all about sharing our stories and finding new ways to come together as a community; whether you are Indigenous or not,” he said.
“We have people from all different Nations, from Western Wakka Wakka, to Bunjalung, Gomeroi, and more.”

“Reconciliation is about talking to each other. Coming together and making something positive as a community,” Shannon Bauwens said.

Reconciliation was on the agenda at Gummingurru for National Reconciliation Week. First Nations, local community members, and avid gardeners came together for a round of truth telling and tree planting.
Located northwest of Toowoomba, Gummingurru is an ancient and sacred site for not only the traditional owners, but for many First Nations Peoples serving as a ceremonial staging ground on their way to the gatherings in the Bunya Mountains.
Shannon Bauwens, a First Nations man from the Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation (BPAC) led the event with a smoking ceremony and a round of truth-telling at the yarning circle near Gummingurru.
“Reconciliation is about talking to each other. Coming together and making something positive as a community,” Shannon Bauwens said.
“This place we are standing in now has thousands of years of history and has always been a place of imparting traditional knowledge and cultural observance, where K’gippa (the initiates) would go through their rites of passage on their journey into manhood,” Mr Bauwens said.
“Today is all about sharing our stories and finding new ways to come together as a community; whether you are Indigenous or not, as this celebrates and honours the traditions of this place; coming together and sharing” he said.
“We have representatives from many different Nations with us today, just as it was in the old days.”

“Gummingurru represents reconciliation in ways very few sites today can.” Shannon Bauwens said.

Gummingurru represents a significant cultural and spiritual site in First Nations history and highlights the interconnectedness that First Nations Peoples had.
“In the old days, you had thousands of people traveling vast distances, some hundreds of kilometres, to visit the Bunya Mountains and partake in the Bunya Nut Festival; thought to be the largest known gatherings in pre-colonial Australia,” Shannon Bauwens said.
“Gummingurru was one of these staging points and also served as an initiation site for young men,” Mr Bauwens said.
“This site is estimated to be around 4000 to 6000 years old and was used until the late 1800’s before First Nations Peoples were forcibly removed from their tribal lands and relocated to missions such as Taroom, Purga, Cherbourg, and Palm Island,” he said.
“They were then were forbidden to practice our customs, speak our language or even function as normal families, due to the segregation in these institutions.”

“Toowoomba is full of avid gardeners, so we had lots of people who even brought in their own shovels, trowels, and just started planting!” Mr Reid said.

“Gummingurru is now under the First Nations stewardship once again, thanks to relationships our ancestors had with some of settlers in the region,” Shannon Bauwens said.
“Gummingurru represents reconciliation in ways very few sites today can.” Mr Bauwens said.
“The property where the bora ground lies was selected by Alfred and Jane Walker in 1882. It was they who saw the Aboriginals using the bora ground, and were of the belief, “to let them be, as so much had already been taken from them already” which was a very enlightened position at the time,” he said.
“Ben Gilbert, purchased the property from Jane Walker in 1948. After hearing reports of stone circles from Errol Beutel, who collected stone artifacts in the area, and from Ben's young daughter who had been playing in the “Fairy Rings”, Ben decided to investigate further,” said Jean Gundry, Ben Gilbert’s daughter who attended the event.
“In 1960 the Queensland Museum confirmed the existence of significant initiation grounds and the site was mapped and properly recorded by the Queensland Museum. Ben then took care of the site until the hand-over in 2000,” Mrs Gundry said.
The bora ground was returned to First Nations People 2000 and was named Gummingurru by the elders meaning “man of the river”, referring to the southern extent of the Wakka Wakka Language, the Condamine River,” Shannon Bauwens said.
“The site is under the direct custodianship of the Gummingurru Aboriginal Corporation. Unlike other Indigenous sites, it was the care of non-Indigenous people like Ben that ensured the site’s original condition was maintained,” Mr Bauwens said.
“That’s why Gummingurru is such a special place for reconciliation because it proves that we can all work together and that we can move forward as a nation towards reconciliation,” he said.
Following the yarning, guests took part in planting over 200 trees from three different native ecosystems including rainforest, semi-evergreen vine thicket, and open woodland species.
Led by SQ Landscapes’ Toowoomba-based Regional Agricultural Landcare Facilitator and Gomeroi man Geoff Reid, the guests were supported every step of the way through the event.
The Toowoomba team assisted in coordinating with guests on planting, signing in guests as they arrived, and providing logistical support to BPAC and the Gummingurru Aboriginal Corporation in running and promoting the event.
“It was an energetic day. Everyone really soaked in the yarning and truth-telling and then when it came to planting, folks rolled up their sleeves and got into it,” Regional Agricultural Landcare Facilitator Geoff Reid said.
“Toowoomba is full of avid gardeners, so we had lots of people who even brought in their own shovels, trowels, and just started planting!” Mr Reid said.
“It’s not often that you see communities so eager to do things together like this and it really sang home that today was about coming together, reconciling over the past, and building something new and positive for the future,” he said.
“We had over 70 people come to this event from all walks of life to participate and without that whole community involvement, this event wouldn’t have been possible.”

This project was funded under the Queensland Government’s Celebrating Reconciliation Grants program.

Small Town Takes Big Steps Towards Recovery of Blackfish Populations

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 03:51:00 GMT

The Killarney community came together at Browns Falls to celebrate the achievements of the River Blackfish project, which saw people from all over the Southern Downs join to save a locally threatened fish species. It’s a success story of hope, science and community coming together.
Over two years, Southern Queensland Landscapes, local land managers, First Nations, government departments, environmental organisations, and members of the community worked together to undertake actions that will reduce sedimentation and increase the thermal habitat in streams - two vital requirements for Blackfish persistence and recovery.
“What makes the Blackfish such a fragile species is that they can only survive in very specific temperatures; below 28 degrees celsius,” Project Delivery Officer Breanna Humes said.
“That means that when temperatures rise beyond that, Blackfish really struggle and you start seeing populations decline,” Miss Humes said.
“We are so fortunate to see these populations persisting and it was inspiring to see the broad mobalisation and passion of the local community to help the plight of Blackfish,” she said.
“Today also demonstrated how proud Githabul Nation was to be involved in this project at every step - not only in driving the promotion and raising awareness of this issue, but also in sharing valuable Traditional Ecological Knowledge.”

“When I started on this project, I wanted to showcase what the River Blackfish and the waterways on Githabul Country mean to us,” Nathan Charles said.

The project saw Githabul Nation members including Melissa Chalmers and artist Nathan Charles use their skills, local knowledge, and connections to raise awareness and support the project.
“When I started on this project, I wanted to showcase what the River Blackfish and the waterways on Githabul Country mean to us,” Nathan Charles said at a recent community day for Blackfish near Killarney.
“The riverways are vital and we all hold a special connection to the land,” Mr Charles said.
“It was a real privilege to take part in this project and see that our local mobs are involved in the issues that affect Country,” he said.
“We have a lot to offer as First Nations Peoples and I’m proud of what we were able to give to these efforts.”

“Land managers were supportive of this project and they were enthusiastic to explore actions they could take on their properties to be a part of something positive,” Natasha Mylonas said.

The project also saw SQ Landscapes work alongside land managers to identify localised risks, mitigate threats on properties and drive community change and recovery.
“Land managers were supportive of this project and they were enthusiastic to explore actions they could take on their properties to be a part of something positive,” Project Delivery Lead Natasha Mylonas said.
“They were vital in ensuring actions were taken now so that the River Blackfish populations have an increased chance of surviving and thriving in the long run,” Miss Mylonas said.
“Our approach was largely focussed on mitigating livestock impacts on streams by installing new fencelines, creek crossings and off-stream watering points. We also initiated tree planting along bare sections of the creek on some properties ,” she said.
“So, by revegetating banks and reducing the need for livestock to access the stream, sediments entering the waterway will reduce, stream banks will stablise, and shady and cool zones will offer Blackfish reprieve, especially during extreme heat events. We couldn’t have done this without the support of land managers who really put in the hard work to make this happen.”
“We extend our gratitude to the community for their interest and support. Moving forward, we remain committed to fostering partnerships with Githabul Peoples, land managers, government, and the wider community,” Natasha Mylonas said.
“While we celebrate our achievements, we acknowledge that the journey to restore Blackfish is far from complete. We emphasise the importance of ongoing action and vigilant habitat monitoring to ensure the sustained recovery of Blackfish,” she said.
This project was funded by the Native Fish Recovery Strategy.

Project to recover bare ground in Southern Queensland

Fri, 05 May 2023 01:31:00 GMT

A project aimed at reversing damage causing non-productive bare ground is underway in Southern Queensland.
The ‘Creating Flourishing Landscapes to Support Healthy Communities’ project is a $2.1M investment through Queensland Government’s Natural Resource Recovery Program.
Southern Queensland Landscapes Chief Executive Officer Paul McDonald said the project will help land managers improve some of the state’s most important environmental, grazing and cropping assets.
“In the next 14 months SQ Landscapes is working with land managers in the Lower Warrego, Traprock and Mitchell areas to improve soil health and land condition directly across more than 46,000 hectares initially, working towards 162,000 hectares later in the program,” Paul McDonald said.
“This work helps land managers to mitigate the impacts of drought, flood, fire and climate change as well as further develop local knowledge and foster strong community partnerships,” Mr McDonald said.
“We will be working with land managers to target weeds, address erosion, install off-stream watering points and fencing for better grazing management; soil testing to inform appropriate actions to improve land condition; slowing the flow of high velocity water; and, assisting land managers to improve pasture composition,” he said.
“By addressing bare ground areas in these three priority areas, the landscape’s resilience and ability to respond to natural disasters and climate change improves while at the same time supporting land managers to adopt more sustainable practices, and ultimately, their local economies.”

The project will focus on improving soil health and land condition across approximately 162,000 hectares of land within the Lower Warrego, Mitchell and Traprock regions.

While there are many contributors to a lack of landscape health, bare ground is a classic sign of poor soil health.
“Bare ground amongst other impacts, raises soil temperatures well beyond ideal conditions for microbes to flourish and starves them through reduced soil organic matter,” Paul McDonald said.
“Bare soil can reduce soil carbon storage and increase carbon entering the atmosphere contributing to global warming and leaving soil at risk of being blown or washed away through wind and water erosion,” Mr McDonald said.
“Australia’s ancient soils are typically low in organic matter and nutrients and highly susceptible to erosion. Inappropriate grazing, drought, poor water infiltration, soil compaction, pasture dieback, unsuitable pasture species, erosion, weeds and pests contribute to bare ground potential and further compound the major challenges land managers have with successful management of their country” he said.
“We estimate in the Lower Warrego area there is more than 499,000 hectares of above average bare ground on grazing floodplains across 104 rural properties."

Bare ground is unproductive and at greater risk of erosion or being blown away.

“Eight percent of the grazing flood plains in the Mitchell region also have above average bare ground…and in the Traprock area, bare ground is impacting the important headwater of the Border and Upper Condamine Rivers.”
“This project will help land managers address the impacts of bare ground in these three regions, and in turn, may benefit graziers, viticulturalists and agriculturalists supplying some of the best Queensland produce both domestically and internationally.”
Land managers in the Lower Warrego, Mitchell and Traprock areas interested in finding out more about the project and how to apply for funding assistance to address bare ground on their property should visit https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/natural-resource-recovery-program.

Sustainable Farming Techniques Secures Future for Next Generation

Wed, 03 May 2023 23:07:00 GMT

Looking to the past has enabled an Inglewood land manager to seek solutions for the future sustainability of his farm and secure its viability for the next generation.
Peter Ramsey was inspired to reinstate exclusion fencing around his 2,000 acre grazing property after he noticed the original fencing coming out to ‘Old Paisley’ in a 1927 black and white photo found in the local museum.
“My wife Julie and I live on a property here called ‘Old Paisley’ and her family have been here almost 100 years and we mainly run goats, cattle and a few sheep; and we have a 200-hectare soil carbon project,” Peter Ramsey said.
“We’ve been here two years full time, and our son Angus and his wife Emily and their daughter Zara are becoming part of the farm so they’ll be fourth and fifth generation people who have been on this property,” Mr Ramsey said.
“The things we are doing, I might not see some of them, but hopefully they’ll get the benefit of that,” he said.
“Behind me here is the original exclusion fence and in the last five years we have replaced that fence; my brother-in-law organised to get all the local farmers together, we had a meeting and as a result of that meeting, Ross and I went ahead and did the exclusion fence and since then they’ve all jumped on board and they are all getting the benefits of the State Government’s initiative and that is to fund these exclusion fences.”

Peter Ramsey of ‘Old Paisley’ at Mosquito Creek, discusses the positive effects of their new exclusion fence with SQ Landscapes Project Delivery Officer, Sophie Parker.

The reinstatement of exclusion fencing has allowed the Ramseys to better control wild dogs predating their goat herd and minimise unrestricted grazing of native pastures by large mobs of kangaroos.
“The fence has allowed us to do what we want to do now which is goats, cattle, sheep and the carbon but to control the kangaroos and the wild dogs,” Peter Ramsey said.
“First step for us was to put the exclusion fence up and then everything else followed. The goal going forward is to try and have the least number of livestock mobs possible so you can increase the intensity of the animals in the pasture while they are there,” Mr Ramsey said.
“We have a paddock that I did do some deep ripping and having contours helps to hold the water for a bit longer and the water has gone from leaving the paddock in two hours to about four days,” he said.
“We also have a Land for Wildlife area which Southern Queensland Landscapes set up seven years ago and we have a lot of koalas there.”

The ‘Land for Wildlife’ area at ‘Old Paisley’ was established seven years ago, and Peter Ramsey, pictured here with SQ Landscapes Project Delivery Officer, Sophie Parker, has noticed a significant increase in the numbers of koalas in the area.

Partnering with natural resource management group, Southern Queensland Landscapes (SQ Landscapes) has enabled the Ramseys to target harrisia cactus.
“So the harrisia cactus is a problem that we have in this country here in Goondiwindi and out to St George. SQ Landscapes, with an initiative they had, we were able to purchase some chemical and we’re eradicating harrisia from here,” Peter Ramsey said.
“I think the connections in the industry are really important because there is a lot of people out there that can help us and that’s the beauty, you are not here on your own; there’s a lot of real good local knowledge with Landcare and SQ Landscapes and congratulations on doing a great job,” Mr Ramsey said.
SQ Landscapes Project Delivery Officer Sophie Parker said it’s been a pleasure working with Peter and his family and sharing the success of the sustainable practices he is implementing on his farm.
“As part of the National Landcare Program Peter had received funding from the Regional Land Partnerships Program to specifically target harrisia cactus,” Sophie Parker said.
“But, Peter has also done a range of sustainable trials off his own back and he’s always keen to have a go at anything; this is important as he is able to share his own experiences with neighbours, the local community and then the global community,” Ms Parker said.

Exclusion fencing was the first of a raft of sustainable agriculture practices employed by Peter Ramsey and his family at ‘Old Paisley’, with a view to increasing the grass cover, water holding capacity and eventually stock levels on the property.

Since reinstating the exclusion fence, tackling harrisia cactus and focussing on slowing the flow of water across his property Peter Ramsey said these improvements have translated to an uplift in income.
“Our income has gone up because we were running 50 cattle and selling the weaners and now we are running 25 cows and about 700 nannies but we are producing more kilos,” Peter Ramsey said.
“And with the soil carbon project its a win-win-win because as the soil carbon goes up it's the first time farmers are being paid for something that doesn’t leave the farm; infiltration will go up, our water holding capacity will go up and we’ll grow more grass and we will be able to hopefully run more animals, but run them so we have got more resilience,” Mr Ramsey said.
The Landcare Farming Program (LFP) is a joint partnership between the Landcare Australia and National Landcare Network, and funded by the Australian Government's National Landcare Program to strengthen the connection between landcare and Australian agriculture.

Fire Practitioner Shares Fire Lore with First Nations Elders

Wed, 03 May 2023 22:48:00 GMT

Robbie Williams' job is far from ordinary. A unique set of skills and over 60,000 years of First Nations lore is key to what makes him the first line of defence against devastating bushfires. Now he is sharing that knowledge with the First Nations mobs of Southern Queensland.
Robbie is a Fire Practitioner, a trained First Nations individual who manages and protects Country by regulating excessive fuel load through cool burns - a strategic burning of vulnerable landscapes to mitigate available fuel for bushfires during dry seasons.
“Because our landscapes get so dry during the summer periods and drought, cool burning allows us to minimise the amount of fuel those bushfires can use,” Robbie Williams said.
“Unfortunately, due to poor management in many areas and excessive clearing, we have an imbalance on Country which actually makes us more vulnerable to bushfires; fortunately, cool burns are essential to managing this,” Mr Williams said.
“We can stop bushfires in its tracks by targeting what is most likely to get those fires going and to direct it away from particular areas,” he said.
“This is a slow method that’s controlled and strategic; we don’t just light a fire and leave it to go wherever it wants.”

Robbie is a Fire Practitioner, a trained First Nations individual who manages and protects Country by regulating excessive fuel load through cool burns - a strategic burning of vulnerable landscapes to mitigate available fuel for bushfires during dry seasons.

Fortunately, Robbie isn’t on his own in the vast stretches of Mulga. Rather, he is joined by his father, Uncle Rob, and the local Elders of the land.
Joined by Elders and members of the Boonthamurra, Bidjara, Kooma, Budjiti, Kunya, Kullilli, Murrawarri and Mardigan Peoples, Robbie is here to share with local communities to reconnect with their fire culture of ages past and to provide new opportunities on Country.
“We’re not here to visit someone else’s Country and tell them what they should do. What we’re doing is introducing ourselves, sharing our stories and offering resources and support so they can do their own fire practitioner work on Country,” Robbie Williams said.
“One of Fire Lore’s biggest advantages is our insurance. Most fire practitioners have to be accompanied by Rural Fire Service or National Parks for insurance, but as ours are the same type as those organisations, we can do this work on our own which is really powerful for these mobs,” Mr Williams said.
“We have developed modules and training programs so we can visit Country, share with the local mobs how to manage fire, and then let them run it on their own terms. This allows them to heal Country and to get paid while doing it through Indigenous-lead employment,” he said.
“As Githabul People, we don’t want to be doing fire management for Budjiti mobs. We want Budjiti to manage their own Country.”

“We’re not here to visit someone else’s Country and tell them what they should do. What we’re doing is introducing ourselves, sharing our stories and offering resources and support so they can do their own fire practitioner work on Country,” Robbie Williams said. (Pictured: Uncle Rob Williams)

The visit allowed Robbie an opportunity to meet regional communities and to understand their lore, histories, and culture. Some of these sites included 3,500-year old Mardigan fish traps, the Kullilli sand hills at Thargomindah, and a sacred Mardigan men’s initiation site near Yowah.
“Seeing so many different sites really puts into perspective that this isn’t just one mob’s stories and lore. You find everywhere you go that we have the same rules and stories and that these mobs want to get back onto Country,” Robbie Williams said.
“They all believe in caring for Country. For building a healthy community. They have the same fire rules as Githabul does; like not burning the canopy and going against the wind,” Mr Williams said.
“They want to get back onto Country to start that healing of Country, but also to heal their communities. To bring employment and meaning to their young fellas and to finally start reconnecting with their history and Elders,” he said.
“We’re hoping that these Fire Lore branches can be the catalyst for that, because once we’ve got it started, there’s no going back. This is going to revitalise Murri communities in ways we’ve never seen before.”

“Catching up with Elders and men from Cunnamulla out at Jandell was also an amazing experience for us and for Robbie. Seeing how enthusiastic everyone was and we were all wanting to move in the one direction - caring for Country.” Geoff Reid said.

The visit was organised by Regional Agricultural Facilitators (RALF) Geoff Reid (Gomileroi) and Jackson Shillingsworth (Mardigan) through the Regional Land Partnerships program (RLP) and between them, they brought together their mutual connections throughout the region to make the tour possible.
“It was great to catch up with Elders and community around the Mulga Lands. Everyone was really engaged and they cared for Community and Country so much.” RALF Geoff Reid said.
“Going out to the Mardigan fish traps was really amazing; seeing how the First Peoples of this Nation found smart and innovative ways to catch fish was mind blowing. It felt like I went back in time! It was so special,” Mr Reid said.
“Spending time with the directors of Kullilli was also a great experience for us. We were able to bring SQ Landscapes, Bulloo Shire Council and Kullilli together for a yarn about bringing Traditional Burning back to the region,” he said.
“Catching up with Elders and men from Cunnamulla out at Jandell was also an amazing experience for us and for Robbie. Seeing how enthusiastic everyone was and we were all wanting to move in the one direction - caring for Country.”

“Overall the Fire Lore trip did what we were hoping. We wanted to bring the community together and see what interest there was to bring Traditional Burning back to the Mulga Lands,” Geoff Reid said.

Mr Reid also highlighted the success of the trip, pleased with the direction that the tour had taken and reflecting on the new connections that formed between Fire Lore and the local mobs.
“Overall the Fire Lore trip did what we were hoping. We wanted to bring the community together and see what interest there was to bring Traditional Burning back to the Mulga Lands,” Geoff Reid said.
“Everyone we met were super keen and optimistic about the future where we would get more people back to Country, caring for it and creating employment,” Mr Reid said.
“I don’t think we could have hoped for a better outcome than what we received,” he said.
“We were very fortunate to have Robbie and his father on Country to share their knowledge and help make this a reality.”
Learn more about Fire Lore: https://www.firelore.earth/
Learn more about the Regional Land Partnerships: https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/environment-project---regional-land-partnerships
This program was funded by the Australian Government's Regional Land Partnerships program.

CEO’s Farewell to Poly Polglase

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:37:00 GMT

Contributed by Paul McDonald

I headed out to Charleville on 17 March to join around 150 people to help Neil (Poly) Polglase celebrate his retirement from his position as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Murweh Shire Council. Poly has led the Council’s team as CEO for over eight years and has been serving local government for over 36 years. As a key member of the Charleville and South West Community, he leaves a great legacy.

Since taking on the role as Chief Executive for Southern Queensland Landscapes, Poly has been a supportive partner in many initiatives including the work to re-life the former Department of Primary Industries “Croxdale” Research Station. Our company is the Trustee for the property and is keen to ensure it is again a knowledge centre for Rangelands agriculture and environmental understanding.

In Charleville, Cunnamulla, St George, Roma and Goondiwindi, local government is the cornerstone of the communities and Poly’s contributions to Charleville and surrounds leaves the town in great shape. Thanks very much Poly for all you have done over many years. No doubt you will have more time for the RSL and Bowls Club volunteering. We will miss your support and advice.

We also welcome Sabine Taylor as the incoming CEO. I had the pleasure of meeting Sabine on Poly’s night and discussing many issues of concern to the Rangelands communities. Sabine is a very capable CEO and will bring a new and exciting dynamic to the Shire and the South West. She outlined many initiatives she would like to pursue and I look forward to our company doing our part to support her efforts and those of Council. I predict exciting times ahead for Charleville and its communities.

Welcome Sabine and all the very best Poly. No doubt I will see you both around town.

Jobseeker turned business owner now to grow her own produce

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:33:00 GMT

Thai-born Toowoomba resident Nayada Hansopa (aka Kanon), is a successful business woman.
Three years ago, with the help of the Australian Government’s NEIS scheme and for-purpose economic development group Many Rivers, she started the transition from Jobseeker and part-time cleaner to owner of a Thai cooking school and handmade condiments.
Chilli Kanon now supplies seven Toowoomba retail outlets and restaurants with delicious hand made curry pastes, oils and jams and is a regular at the Cobb & Co Farmer’s Markets; plus her chillikanon.com website hosts a convenient online shop supplying people throughout the Darling Downs.
This year, Kanon has set herself a new target to also grow the majority of raw produce used in her condiments right here in Toowoomba; which will not only ensure that her product is the freshest on the market but also boast the lowest food miles.
Food miles is a term used to describe the distance or journey your food takes to get to your plate. The average grocery shopping basket in Australia has travelled a staggering 70,000 kilometres*.
Over the past 8 months, Kanon and Irish born partner Jim Kelleher have transformed a half acre paddock on their small Hodgson Vale farm (8 acres) to a lush, green Thai garden.
“I love to cook and owned a beachside restaurant on Ao Yon Beach in Phuket for about seven years cooking traditional Thai meals for tourists and locals,” Nayada Hansopa said.
“Cooking has been my passion forever and I love to grow much of the produce I cook, so I know it is organic and with no chemicals and fresh,” Ms Hansopa said.
“When I first started Chilli Kanon I would buy most of my product from the markets, but when winter came I had to buy product from Bundaberg and the price was so dear; so being able to grow our own produce and dehydrate the chillis to be used in winter when we can’t grow them means we can keep our costs down and better manage our supply,” she said.
“Niche and boutique. We can’t compete with Coles. But we can offer a niche, boutique product that is grown here on the Downs where we live and that’s where we want people to be eating our product.”

Over the past 8 months, Kanon and Irish born partner Jim Kelleher have transformed a half acre paddock on their small Hodgson Vale farm (8 acres) to a lush, green Thai garden.

Currently the pair (who jokingly refer to themselves as ‘Thai-rish’) are getting their heads around how much product they actually need to grow to meet their current and growing demand.
“We bought a little tractor to prepare the soil and create the garden beds and incorporated tonnes of manure from Henry’s dairy on Hodgson Vale Road,” Jim Kelleher said.
“The garden is surrounded by an exclusion fence to keep the kangaroos and rabbits out; and there’s 30 rows, set one metre apart and 60 metres long which we have heavily mulched to control the weeds and retain moisture,” Mr Kelleher said.
“About a quarter of the garden is dedicated to chillies which is the main ingredient in much of Kanon’s handmade curries, oils and pastes, and the first crop we lost a lot to the mice and rats, which don’t seem to mind the hot chillis; so we’ve introduced some cats within the exclusion fence to control the pests and that seems to be working really well,” he said.
“We installed a drip fed irrigation system off the bore, which we had tested at Mt Kynoch and although it is high in calcium it has been found to be potable.”
Kanon is everyday all day in the garden tending to it.
“I am daily weeding, watering and training plants. I give the left overs or spoilt garden cuttings, fruit and vegetables to the chickens and ducks,” Nayada Hansopa said.
“I use white vinegar and chilli water to spray the plants with and keep them healthy of bugs; and I plant marigolds next to the cucumbers, melons, potato, lettuce, pumpkins and tomatoes because the bugs don’t like the smell” Ms Hansopa said.
“I used to water in the morning and the evening, but we found we were having problems with mould, so we’ve adjusted the water to just one hour in the morning and we’ve found we don’t have any problems with the mould anymore,” she said.
“With the strawberries, I grow the Japanese Jumbo and I challenge you to find a sweeter strawberry; you just have to make sure to prune off the runners to encourage the energy to be put into fruit rather than growing more plants and use egg hormone to really boost the fruit.”

This year, Kanon has set herself a new target to also grow the majority of raw produce used in her condiments right here in Toowoomba; which will not only ensure that her product is the freshest on the market but also boast the lowest food miles.

Kanon swears by ‘egg hormone’ to stimulate plants and productivity which is commonly used and widely accepted as a gardening practice in her native Thailand.
“I’m from northern Thailand up near Loas so the galanga and lemongrass in my recipes is influenced from my home; even though I wasn’t allowed to cook at home because my Mum said I was too slow!” Nayada Hansopa said.
“The lemongrass grows like a weed here. It does drop off a little in winter, but we find if you cut off the leaves at the end of the season where the frost has damaged it, then it just goes again,” Ms Hansopa said.
“We’ve planted mock orange hedges around the edge of the gardens and bamboo to protect it from the weather and frosts, and this year I’ll put some plastic up around the plants that feel the cold to protect them better” she said.
“I think in another 8-12 months we will really be where we want to be with the garden.”
For more information on ‘egg hormone’ check out this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsCcba65jUs
Kanon and Jim have recently bought a machine from Thailand to assist with cooking the chilli.
“It was quite a sight when it was cooking time. Kanon would have five woks going simultaneously and she’d be wearing a mask and goggles because the chilli vapour would burn her skin and make her eyes red and sore,” Jim Kelleher said.
“The chilli burns if you don’t stir it constantly and poor Kanon would get tennis elbow from stirring the woks, because it could take up to 8 hours to reduce the fresh chilli to make her products,” Mr Kelleher said.
“So we bought this machine from Thailand to be able to stir and reduce the product for her, rather than Kanon having to do it by hand,” he said.
“JL Laboratories have done the nutritional value testing and longevity tests on her product. There is a lot to consider when you are manufacturing a food product in Australia and Kanon is determined to offer the best product she can.”

“We’ve got many, many mint because the bees love it; and with the rosella’s we are trying to mix up the list of plants in the garden and try new things and be inspired to use them in my cooking,” Nayada Hansopa said.

The heat of chillis is measured by the Scoville Scale and Kanon’s chocolate chillis must be harvested wearing gloves.
There’s a temporary bee hive in the corner with its residents busily buzzing around the garden naturally pollinating the plants.
“We’ve got many, many mint because the bees love it; and with the rosella’s we are trying to mix up the list of plants in the garden and try new things and be inspired to use them in my cooking,” Nayada Hansopa said.
“A long time ago we’ve been told the farm used to be an asparagus farm so we find little asparagus growing up in the paddock on occasion too,” Ms Hansopa said.
“The Rosella and asparagus are not Thai, but cooking and food is dynamic and it's exciting and fun to try new things and tastes,” she said.
“It’s like the pig weed for Australians, you don’t eat it, but in my country the Naturopaths believe it is very good for you and we use it in stir frys and salads.”
Check out this link to pig weed as a bushfood https://tasteaustralia.biz/bushfood/pig-weed/
The garden also sustains the household food needs for both Kanon and Jim, with oversupply being offered as fresh produce at the markets.
“About the only thing that we buy from the store is a little meat and some carrots. It’s traditional in my country to kill your own ducks and chickens but we don’t eat them on the same day as we kill them so that your body and spirit forgets. We wait a couple of days to eat,” Nayada Hansopa said.
“We’ve also got lambs which we will get a farm butcher to kill for us,” Ms Hansopa said.
“We’re hoping to offer cooking classes right here at the farm where people will be able to go down to the garden to collect the vegetables and herbs they need for cooking and see just how easy it is to have your own garden, cook your own food and taste just how good it is,” she said.
“We dream of being entirely self-sufficient, eat not much chemical in our food, no preservatives and if we can manage this with no idea, people can do it.”
Here is a list of all the plants growing in Kanon and Jim’s garden: Tumeric, lemon bitter, cucumbers, winter melon, marigolds, lady finger ginger, white choko, pumpkin, galango, Thai spring onions, Thai sweet basil, Thai melon, rosella, asparagus, sweet potato, lemon grass, habanero chilli, cayenne chilli, chocolate chilli, thai spicy chilli, sweet corn, waxy corn, capsicum, strawberries, bananas, purple sweet potatoes, figs, white radish, black Russian tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, white turmeric, cucamelon, Thai snake beans, peanuts, bell peppers, ocra, pig weed, mint, taro, zucchini, artichokes and peaches.
To find out more visit: Chilli Kanon : https://www.chillikanon.com/ Many Rivers : https://manyrivers.org.au/ NEIS : https://www.dewr.gov.au/new-business-assistance-neis/neis-training-support-and-payments
* https://www.ethical.org.au/3.4.2/get-informed/issues/food-miles-buying-local/

Art competition boosts confidence for Indigenous artists

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:17:00 GMT

Southern Queensland Landscapes (SQ Landscapes) and the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) invites First Nations people from our 28 Nations in Southern Queensland to showcase their original works created within the last two years. The competition's theme, "Get up, Stand Up, Show Up," highlights the deep and enduring relationship between First Nations peoples and their land and environment, and to encourage artists to share their unique perspectives and beliefs.
The winners of the competition will receive a range of prizes that is valued up to $18,000, including cash awards and art supplies, and will be displayed at the University of Southern Queensland gallery.
Breanna Humes, the coordinator for the competition at SQ Landscapes, emphasizes the competition's importance in recognizing and supporting First Nations artists. She believes that First Nations art is an integral part of Australia's cultural identity and heritage, and the competition provides an opportunity to celebrate the creativity and diversity of First Nations artists and promote their works to a wider audience.
“The First Nations Art Competition is an important step to recognising the significant cultural value that art plays in Indigenous communities,” Breanna Humes said.
“Last year’s competition featured a wide range of contestants, from young Indigenous people all the way to some of our most recognisable Elders,” Miss Humes said.
“There’s also a diversity in Nations that participated, from Kooma to Bidjara, Gamileroi and more,” she said.
“We’re really excited to see who, and what, is submitted this year; particularly with the addition of new digital and 3D mediums.”

“Last year’s competition featured a wide range of contestants, from young Indigenous people all the way to some of our most recognisable Elders,” Miss Humes said.

The competition is also a way to address the ongoing issues and lack of recognition faced by First Nations artists, increasing public awareness and appreciation of their art and culture.
The competition panel includes renowned artists and First Nations experts including Uncle Wayne Fossey, Elder-in-Residence for the University of Southern Queensland, Uncle Colin Jones a Kaladoon and Nunuckle artist and Elder, and Sue McMaster from Murray’s Art and Framing. The judges bring a wealth of experience and expertise in contemporary art and a deep understanding of the cultural significance of First Nations art.
The 2023 First Nations Art Competition is currently accepting entries, with a submission deadline of Friday June 2, 2023. The winners will be announced by Friday 7 July, and the selected artworks will be exhibited in the University of Southern Queensland’s gallery.
The competition is also an opportunity for businesses and organizations to support and promote First Nations artists, either by sponsoring the competition or purchasing artworks for their corporate collections, providing valuable support to the First Nations arts community.

“The art competition has opened a lot of doors for me. I’m taking on commission work at the moment as well as a piece that will be on display at the UniSQ gallery next month,” she said.

Melinda Luscombe, the 2022 Overall Winner and 25+ Winner overwhelmingly encourages anyone interested to apply.
“When I entered, I was very shy and I felt that my art wasn’t going to be good enough compared to the other entries,” Melinda Luscombe said.
“But to my surprise, I actually won and that was a huge boost to my confidence. I didn’t expect to win, but seeing that I won the overall prize it really reminded me of the importance of being proud of our heritage and art and showing it to the world,” Ms Luscombe said.
“The art competition has opened a lot of doors for me. I’m taking on commission work at the moment as well as a piece that will be on display at the UniSQ gallery next month,” she said.
“This year’s theme is Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up; which is what I did last year. I am excited to enter again this year and really extend this theme into my art by showing up and acknowledging that there’s something to be proud of as an artist and to give it a go.”
To enter the First Nations Art Competition, visit: https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/2023-first-nations-art-competition
The First Nations Art Competition is an initiative by Southern Queensland Landscapes and is supported by the University of Southern Queensland.

Scent training readies latest detector dog for koala spotting

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:05:00 GMT

Meet Hercules, Southern Queensland Landscapes’ latest Springer spaniel who after several months of extensive training will become the latest addition to the Conservation Detector Dog team. Nicknamed ‘Hakka’, when he graduates from training, he will be a recognised expert in detecting fox and koala scents; with those skills going on to assist in a variety of pest management and conservation projects.
Hakka’s handler, Project Delivery Officer and former Ugandan Wildlife Ranger Hanington Agaba is optimistic about Hakka’s transition into the team.
“Hakka is a massive upgrade for our team, particularly as our oldest detector dog, Rocky, begins to retire,” Hanington Agaba said.
“He’s already mastering the fox and koala scents, which is a terrific achievement given we only started training in late January,” Mr Agaba said.
“We hope to train him in as many scents as we need, but currently we are teaching him to identify fox dens and endangered koalas,” he said.
“While the training does encompass identifying scents, there’s other components too including bonding, obedience, and commands which will help him do the best job he can while in the field.”

Conservation dogs find, focus, and indicate on a particular scent, which is achieved through various training aids and exercises like use of a scent wall.

The training hones and builds on Hakka’s natural instincts and abilities. Dogs are uniquely skilled with excellent scent detection capabilities and intelligence for training that makes them ideal for this line of work.
So how do you train a young puppy to become a conservation detector dog? Well, there are a variety of methods which Mr Hanington employs to train new scents and behaviours; both at home and out in the field.
“We will often start our day with a walk, which gets him some exercise and also to help him become used to things like traffic, other dogs, and different environments. We never know where we might be working next, so being used to a variety of situations is very important,” Agaba Hanington said.
“Then, after a brief rest back home, we will start on the scent wall, which is a wall we have constructed with various holes carved out, which we then have fixed with different scents in a PVC pipe, moving them around every time so Hakka has to really work to locate them,” Mr Hanington said.
“I will use commands like “Find fox” or “Find koala” and he will know what I’m looking for. He will dart around trees, shrubs, and different obstacles where I may have hidden scents in the past, which helps him identify where foxes may lie,” he said.
“He will eventually make his way back to the wall, and will tap the right pipe with his nose and paws when he’s found it, repeating at least ten times to properly hone in on that behaviour and by the end he will know not only to search for the scent in different environments around the yard, but also learn that it won’t be the same spot, thanks to the scent wall.”

Conservation dogs are trained to develop absolute focus on their handler's directions and to ignore distractions.

Mixing scents around scent boards and different vegetation is key to training the puppy and the scents used vary between animals, but will often include different items such as fur and tails for foxes, and scat or skin for koalas; all are ethically sourced.
Different scents can be used to differentiate the animal, with koala scat generally placed at the base of a tree, while skin is hidden higher in the canopy to teach Hakka to identify particular scents and characteristics in different locations and to avoid him only looking for koala scents on the forest floor.
“Having koala scents near trees, and fox scents in deep shrub and waterways helps him identify where these animals might live. If we only relied on the scent wall, he would only look there, which isn’t what we want,” Agaba Hanington said.
“Once we’ve finished with the scent wall, we will then move to a nearby park or nature reserve for “field” training, which is very important as the parks, national forests, and hike trails we visit to simulate the environments he will work in,” Mr Hanington said.
“I will hide the scents in water pipes, in thick brush, under trees, in river banks, and many other areas which really push Hakka to search for the scents,” he said.
“It doesn’t take him long; he’s a very smart dog and there’s a real sense of accomplishment when he finds his scent.”

Despite beginning training on foxes at the start of February, already by March Hakka began showing signs of mastering his basic commands and scent locating abilities.
“He’s progressing really well in this stage, which is a great milestone for the team. Soon we hope to have him move towards our next milestone,” Agaba Hanington said.
“The next milestone will involve him working with the other dogs in the team, Rocky and Cooper, with whom he is related by litters,” Mr Hanington said.
“This chapter of his training will ensure he is able to work flexibly with his fellow detector dogs in a positive way with the right behaviours we want to develop. It will also help us identify what behaviours he emits in the field when he locates the right animal,” he said.
“For example, if he finds a fox den, we want to know how he reacts; whether he dives into the den, tries to dig them up; or if he sits and stays put when he finds one.”
As a former Ugandan Wildlife Ranger, Agaba Hanington has worked extensively with Springer spaniels for conservation projects in the past, and is excited for his future work with Hakka.
“We already share a strong bond and he reminds me greatly of my previous dogs Mia and Pippa,” Agaba Hanington said.
“I’m very excited to get out in the field with him for some of our conservation projects,” Mr Hanington said.
“He will really thrive with our fox detection programs, as well as the recently-announced Koala project, which he will be instrumental in,” he said.
“I hope that we can train him in other areas as well, such as detecting native bird carcasses or different feral pests.”

“We are supporting the conservation power of these detector dogs by providing the team with koala scat collected from the floors of our exhibits for use in training.” Frank Mikula said.

The curator of Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Frank Mikula, said that the use of detector dogs like Hakka help support conservation efforts for endangered Koala populations.
“The use of detector dogs for conservation work is becoming more and more popular. The ability of the dogs to locate wildlife through scent is amazing and can certainly increase the accuracy of any field study,” Frank Mikula said.
“Koalas are arboreal animals and as much as you may think that they are easy to spot from the ground, their fur colouration and body shape does a great job of hiding them amongst the branches and leaves of the forest,” Mr Mikula said.
“Utilising detection dogs will mean that greater areas can be covered and surveyed more accurately. More accurate surveys mean better information to base management of the species off and hopefully improve the chances of making a positive difference to the koala population in Southeast Queensland,” he said.
“We are supporting the conservation power of these detector dogs by providing the team with koala scat collected from the floors of our exhibits for use in training.”
With the rising rate of extinction among many native species, the work of detector dogs and other programs to mitigate feral pests and support endangered species will only continue to grow more important.

Learn about how the Conservation Detector Dog team protects endangered species here: https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/conservation-detector-dog-program
Learn more about Agaba’s story from Uganda to Southern Queensland here: /decorated-ugandan-wildlife-warrior-takes-queensland-post-to-help-save-native-australian-animals
Federal government throws outback koalas a lifeline: /federal-government-throws-outback-koalas-a-lifeline
Visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary: https://lonepinekoalasanctuary.com/

Simulation tests control of foot and mouth disease

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 23:42:00 GMT

If foot and mouth disease (FMD) hit Australia; could it be controlled?
That’s the $24 billion* dollar question being put to the test by scientists and biosecurity experts leading a simulated FMD outbreak on 60,000 hectares in the New South Wales region of Nullamanna.
Northern Tablelands Local Land Services (NTLLS) is heading up the $1.4M simulation in conjunction with the NSW Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NRM organisation Southern Queensland Landscapes (SQ Landscapes), 46 private land managers, 3 National Parks and 12 travelling stock reserves.
NTLLS Project Officer for FMD Prevention & Preparedness, Mark Tarrant said Nullamanna will be a world first proof of concept that an FMD outbreak could be managed through the intensive pest control of major disease carriers like pigs, deer and goats.
“We had a million options of sites to choose from, but the reason why we chose Nullamanna was because this is the first time that we have had the opportunity to apply research to onground outcomes; we’ve never had this opportunity anywhere else before on the back of research on the Nullamanna site by SQ Landscapes’ Darren Marshall,” Mark Tarrant said.
“There’s also multiple land uses, private land, grazing, cropping, private conservation, national parks and feedlots; so a lot going on there, plus because of the work Darren Marshall and the team from SQ Landscapes have been doing in the area we already had a semi-engaged community,” Mr Tarrant said.
“The simulation kicked off in November with a community engagement meeting where we announced the project and obtained consent from land managers for onground works. Then we used a thermal drone to survey 10,500 hectares, which was really critical for us to set a baseline of pig, deer and goat numbers; and that’s an actual count, no modelling,” he said.
“Then because we knew the core home ranges of pigs on the Nullamanna site we selected one of the travelling stock reserves as the simulated site of the outbreak; applied a 5km radius around that for intensive pest control and a further 10km radius as a buffer.”

“Feral pigs are social and live in family groups of up to 30 individuals; so when you collar one pig and GPS track it you know where the other 29 are”. - Lachlan Marshall

January 2023, saw the team from SQ Landscapes move into the 5km zone to set up 40 traps and put GPS collars on 20 pigs to map their movements during the six month simulation; and on February 1 the LLS Feral Animal Shooting Team (FAAST) moved in to commence an intensive seven day aerial shoot.
SQ Landscapes Project Officer Lachlan Marshall said aerial shooting will continue on the Nullamanna site for the first week of the month, every month until May; with each aerial shoot followed by intensive onground trapping and baiting.
“During the first week of February FAAST got 833 pigs, 101 fallow deer, 75 feral goats, 31 foxes and 3 cats; then in the remaining three weeks of February we trapped a further 62 pigs,” Lachlan Marshall said.
“In the first week of March FAAST got a further 460 pigs, 65 deer, 126 feral goats**, 26 foxes and 4 feral cats; and another 6 pigs were trapped following the shoot,” Mr Marshall said.
(**Goat numbers increased from January results owing to an increase in land manager participation).
“In those first couple of days of an aerial shoot, the FAAST team will focus on the 5km radius wholly and solely; but by the third or fourth day the ferals have moved out to the 10km radius so they sweep out there and then move back into the 5km radius for the fifth, sixth and seventh day of aerial shooting,” he said.
“As feral numbers decline we’re hoping to really lever off the onground trapping, baiting and collars to zero in on where the remaining populations are in the landscape and really target our efforts with the aim of completely eradicating pests within the 5km zone.”
“It’s really exciting for us as this is the first time anywhere that this level of control has happened. If we are going to have an impact on feral pig populations and the risk they pose as carriers of diseases like foot and mouth, this is the project that is going to show it.”

“It’s really exciting for us as this is the first time anywhere that this level of control has happened. If we are going to have an impact on feral pig populations and the risk they pose as carriers of diseases like foot and mouth, this is the project that is going to show it.” Lachlan Marshall said.

Mark Tarrant said 833 pigs shot in the first week of aerial shooting was quite a high number given control programs on the site prior to the simulation.
“To shoot more than half of that number of pigs again 4 weeks later is hugely concerning and that is what I am finding really interesting with this project and we’ve got so many questions about that,” Mark Tarrant said.
“Even with the intel we had on the pigs whereabouts based on the GPS tracking of the collared pigs, our aerial shooters found it difficult to locate the pigs which shows you they are really good at hiding when they hear a helicopter,” Mr Tarrant said.
“So we’re going to overlay the collared ‘Judas’ pigs’ movements with the route of the helicopter and animate what the pig was doing when the helicopter flew over to learn more about their behaviour and find out how we can maximise our opportunity during an aerial shoot,” he said.
“Potentially the numbers in the second shoot may also have been achieved through a vacuum effect where neighbouring pigs are coming into the area because there are no pigs there.”

“Even with the intel we had on the pigs whereabouts based on the GPS tracking of the collared pigs, our aerial shooters found it difficult to locate the pigs which shows you they are really good at hiding when they hear a helicopter,” Mr Tarrant said.

Originally the plan was to see if they could achieve local eradication within the 5km zone, but Mark Tarrant said eradication without fencing or some sort of barrier to minimise the vacuum effect would make it highly unlikely as an achievable goal.
“We’ve gone for the intensive control program which is where you go down the numbers path of reducing risk through reducing population numbers; the smaller you get the less risk,” Mark Tarrant said.
“But we’re going to have to deploy every trick in the play book to make that a reality, that is probably the screaming pig for me in this simulation; where ever a land manager is applying pest control it’s got to be an integrated pest control; aerial doesn’t stop it, onground doesn’t stop it, it’s got to be everything thrown at it in a coordinated and strategic way,” Mr Tarrant said.
“Historically we’ve undertaken one off aerial shooting programs and yielded over 3,000 pigs, which is a great result; but concerningly what we’ve learnt here with this program is there could still be 2,000 pigs left in the landscape which means we’ve actually had minimal impact,” he said.
“This simulation is teaching us that real control of ferals, particularly pigs is possible, but the effort and resources that have to be thrown at it to make a real difference is alarming; it’s a huge amount of work to reduce the numbers in a quick period of time and one that simply wouldn't be possible without the help and engagement of land managers.”

“Historically we’ve undertaken one off aerial shooting programs and yielded over 3,000 pigs, which is a great result; but concerningly what we’ve learnt here with this program is there could still be 2,000 pigs left in the landscape which means we’ve actually had minimal impact,” Mark Tarrant said.

Meanwhile SQ Landscapes Vertebrate Pest & Wildlife Management Lead, Darren Marshall couldn’t agree more.
“We know that the ecology of a rainforest is hugely complex, but what we have tended to ignore or not think about is the complexity of humans in these scenarios and what my research has found is that you can’t save the forest without engaging the humans,” Darren Marshall said.
“I’m not sure it is possible to have a pig free Australia because people are the problem not the pigs and it’s the human dimension that doesn’t allow us to implement strategic control at a landscape level because land managers get side tracked on what they think are more important issues as pig populations decline,” Mr Marshall said.
“Some people like shooting pigs so they make sure they keep a few around and others keep pigs in the landscape because they make money out of them, so in addition to Mark Tarrant’s advice that this problem needs every tool in the tool kit to solve, it also needs 100% uptake and engagement of land managers,” he said.
“So to answer your original question, ‘If foot and mouth disease hit Australia, could it be controlled?’; I think we are going to find through this simulation that the answer is yes, but that it will be costly, a lot of work and will almost solely depend on everyone, not just some people, obsessively working together to blast these things out of existence.”
*It’s estimated that foot and mouth disease could cost Australian agriculture $23.6 billion dollars over a ten year period. - ‘ Consequences of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak ’

CEO's Report - ARTC Southern Darling Downs Community Consultative Committee

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:33:00 GMT

By Paul McDonald

I joined the Chairs of the Inner and Southern Darling Downs Community Consultative Committees, several fellow committee members, and Inland Rail staff and contractors on a two-day tour of the proposed route in Queensland and tour of the almost finished construction which has reached North Star as well as the now finished and in use section south of Moree.

As an aside, we were shocked at the very poor condition of the secondary roads and the obvious signs that the State maintained roads and highways were not coping well with the volume and nature of the freight loads they were carrying in New South Wales (and parts of Queensland). The effects of the recent wet period, along with the volume of produce which comes from the highly productive regions from Boggabilla, North Star, Croppa Creek, and across to Moree have left the local road network in a poor and in some cases, dangerous state.

The number of recently installed on-farm grain storage and handling facilities, all of which have been serviced by road freight since the closure of the NSW rail service in that region some years ago was notable. No doubt the new rail corridor will play a huge role in taking the burden off those roads which were never designed to perform the current tasks. The increased heavy vehicle traffic on these roads due to construction work will also be a factor to track in Queensland is New South Wales experience is repeated.

While it is not practical to report every detail of the discussions between CCC members and Inland Rail staff, the issues around impacts on individuals and communities are large in number. What became obvious was that those landholders that raised issues with the proponents had their concerns and impacts worked through with the result that some landholders were able to use the project to solve long term issues on their properties as well as mitigate the impacts.

Some of the impacts are serious and costly to deal with and in the instances discussed with us, they were addressed properly from what we saw. Members realised that we weren’t able to talk directly with those affected people and given the sensitive nature of those ongoing discussions, it would be highly improper for us to be involved at this stage. Importantly, we were assured that at the right time, we will have that opportunity, and it will be before construction comes to our communities.

Lastly, I have been personally concerned about several issues in representing our communities on the CCC. The major concerns lie around the construction of linear infrastructure on our Brigalow Belah ecosystems and soils. I am also concerned about the cumulative impacts of the infrastructure on our threatened ecological communities as well as the voracity of the flood modeling and practical outcomes.

What I observed and was told on the two-day trip has allayed many of my concerns; however, as always, these issues will need constant vigilance. Please contact either Andrew McCartney or myself if you wish to discuss community concerns about the project.

A summary of the trip on the 4th and 5th of February 2023 provided by our Chairs is:

Inland Rail Staff

All staff we encountered were professional and passionate about the project and were working hard to meet the needs of the project, affected landholders along the alignment and the various communities which will be affected during design, construction and operation.

They have an intimate knowledge of the alignment and the people and communities which are likely to be impacted.

We Visited:

The proposed site for the Goondiwindi Workers’ Camp at the Goondiwindi Showgrounds – up to 650-person capacity
Moree Workers camp – 350-person capacity
Laydown areas including one on private property
Active crossings
Completed bridges and significant sections of large culverts and measures to manage water flows during flood events
Quarry near completed sections of the line on the Narrabri to North Star (N2NS) Phase two section of the Inland Rail Program
The proposed site for the Whetstone Material Distribution Centre
The proposed site for the Moree Special Activation Precinct (SAP)

Observations

Goondiwindi will have several legacy assets /outcomes including capacity for 72 passenger planes to land, showgrounds which will have upgrades of several services and infrastructures such as access roads, power and water.

2. Efforts made to reduce impact on landowners and communities include:

Locations and design of rail crossings
Pedestrian safety features near a school
Land leased for a car park in Moree so local shops are not affected by vehicles using public car parks
Completed works where there has been 1 in 200-year flooding with no major structural or water flow issues
All Inland Rail and some contractor vehicles are monitored for compliance purposes and tracking
All Inland Rail and contractor vehicles are branded. Not all sub-contractor vehicles are branded. Unfortunately, a number of branded Inland Rail vehicles have been stolen so some have had branding removed but magnetic signage is used when on-site
One small township had a number of truck movements where it was not possible to deliver materials to site by rail. Inland Rail worked with the community and contractor(s) to ensure the safety of the community
Contractual penalties may be applied if there is significant non-compliance with contractual or other requirements
Most of the area we visited were brownfield sites, that is, existing track which is completely upgraded
Working with local authorities on a range of issues so the best outcomes are achieved for Inland Rail, the local authority and the communities
The processes for approval in New South Wales are different to Queensland however similar standards apply to the whole project
Staff, contractors and property owners are updated on events which may impact them on any given day, for example, there was a serious accident which resulted in a road closure so a text was sent to all people who might be impacted
The Community Engagement number is monitored 24/7 during construction.
In one instance where a Landholder owned land on both sides of the corridor, he successfully requested the water flow across the corridor be altered from where it currently goes to lessen the impact on a sensitive cropping area, and increase the flooding in a less sensitive area

Bulloak butterfly buoyed by community backing

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:33:00 GMT

A native butterfly species may be on the brink of extinction, but this community in Southern Queensland won’t go down without a fight.

Local community organisation Macintyre Ag Alliance is hosting its second Bulloak field day and planting event to raise awareness of the plight facing a little-known native insect; the bulloak jewel butterfly (Hypochrysops piceatus).

Held near Goondiwindi, Queensland, the upcoming field day aims to promote the protection of the bulloak jewel butterfly, a highly endangered species found in small pockets across the Goondiwindi region.

“The butterfly has only been spotted in the last 20 years at a very small road site at Leyburn and at a state forest and national park north of Goondiwindi,” Louise Carroll said.

“So it’s vital that we involve the community to protect the butterfly and part of that includes running community events like this field day to raise awareness of the butterfly’s plight,” Mrs Carroll said.

“This project involves land managers who are on the properties directly bordering the habitat and we hope by planting more trees and caring for this environment, we can create stepping stones of habitat to increase the butterfly's spread,” she said.

“Unfortunately, opportunities to extend and improve the habitat are only available on public land, which means community investment and interest, including land manager involvement, is essential for the butterfly’s survival which is why our project is so important.”

The initiative is part of a broader effort to protect the environment in the Goondiwindi region, which is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. Through initiatives like this, the community is working together to protect the environment for future generations while learning about the rich cultural heritage of the area.

Mrs Carroll hopes that by coming together to plant trees and learn about indigenous knowledge, locals can help protect the Bulloak tree and the bulloak jewel butterfly, ensuring their survival in the Goondiwindi region.

“We got a community sustainability action grant from the Queensland Government three years ago for the rehabilitation of private land for the Bulloak butterfly,” Louise Carroll said.

“Additionally, we’re very fortunate to have a variety of experts speaking at this event, including Dr Viv Perry and Yinarr-Ma woman Kerrie Saunders, who will discuss First Peoples’ knowledge and bush tucker in the area,'' Mrs Carroll said.

“Last year, we had a strong showing from the Goondiwindi community which included local schools, biology students, local organisers, and government employees from a variety of levels including at the federal level,” she said.

“We’re always interested in involving schools and hope to increase community investment and interest in the survival of the butterfly so we can continue on the successes from last year to really bring some positive change to the critically endangered bulloak jewel butterfly.”

The Bulloak tree (Allocasuarina luehmannii), which is vital to the survival of the bulloak jewel butterfly, is a keystone species in the Goondiwindi region, providing habitat for various flora and fauna while preventing soil erosion with its deep root system.

However, the species has been threatened by various factors, such as land clearing, grazing, and climate change; which has dramatically impacted the butterfly’s survival.

But it’s not just butterflies these efforts will help save, with even koalas reaping the rewards of this project.

“What’s really exciting is that local land managers have also spotted koala tracks in this same region, so it really demonstrates the importance of protecting this land not just for butterflies, but also for other native animals that may be at risk; which include koalas and black cockatoos,” Louise Carroll said.

“At the event we will be hosting Aboriginal Ranger Malcolm Brown to discuss koala tracking and to highlight how we can make these sites more koala-friendly such as installing canopy ladders, watering points, and more,” Mrs Carroll said.

“And this has a cascading effect by providing a stronger habitat for other animals too which really highlights why conservation is so important; what goes to help one species can sometimes help a bunch more,” she said.

“These efforts are only possible through community involvement. Despite experiencing long dry, hot summers, the local land managers have been watering the planted trees to keep them alive and with more community awareness, we can spread these efforts to other similarly-affected regions. This is just one example of how community involvement can transform habitats for the better.”

“Last year, the land managers planted a lot of trees at Dunworrie; a few have died, so we’re replanting them and also extending the spread of these native trees.”

“This is a long-term investment by the community to ensure that the butterfly has protected habitat for years to come.”

The event is organised by Macintyre Ag Alliance and will take place on March 23rd from 9:00 am to 11:30 am at "Dunworrie", Tenomby Road. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of the Bulloak tree, Brigalow communities and the butterfly to the local ecosystem and participate in tree planting to help protect the species.

The event has received funding support from the Queensland Government's Community Sustainability Action Grant Program and the Goondiwindi Regional Council, and Southern Queensland Landscapes is supporting it through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program.

Federal government throws outback koalas a lifeline

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:33:00 GMT

A $200,000 project aimed at identifying and reducing threats to Queensland’s most western population of koalas is about to get underway.

Minister for the Environment and Water, The Hon Tanya Plibersek has announced funding for the project under the Australian Government’s Koala Conservation Protection Community Grants, Round 1.

Community-owned, natural resource management organisation, Southern Queensland Landscapes is leading the project.

Chief Executive Officer, Paul McDonald said first-step will be using mapping of likely koala habitat around Morven, Cheepie, Bulloo River North of Adavale and the Warrego River corridor from Charleville to Cunnamulla to identify potential koala locations.

“There’s only been 17 official sightings of koalas in these western areas since the 1980’s so we will be targeting where we think they will be based on cutting-edge habitat mapping; then further fine tuning our search sites through local knowledge of koala locations, especially that advice from our First Nations’ peoples,” Paul McDonald said.

“Then through volunteer spotters, citizen science and SQ Landscape’s own koala detection dogs, we will be accurately pinpointing and mapping those existing koala populations so that we can begin to investigate how to support those remaining strongholds,” Mr McDonald said.

“We will work with land managers surrounding these populations, to protect water sources and promote the health of riparian zones, foster habitat regrowth, improve stock grazing practices, implement weed control and the reduction of feral pest populations and improve habitat value through landscape rehydration techniques,” he said.

“Together with land managers, we aim to have restored or improved more than 1,000 hectares of koala habitat for these key western populations over the life of the project.”

With work starting immediately, Paul McDonald said it’s not a moment too soon for these western koala communities who have been doing it tough.

“These key koala populations throughout Queensland’s Rangelands are at the western edge of the species range,” Paul McDonald said.

“These fringe populations have been facing huge challenges owing to declining habitat, predation from feral animals like wild dogs, foxes and cats, drought, heatwaves and other impacts of climate change,” Mr McDonald said.

“Southern Queensland Landscapes is really excited to be leading this project with funding from the federal government and we look forward to positively impacting the future of these key western koala communities so that they are there for our children’s children,” he said.

The Australian Government’s Threatened Species Commissioner, Dr Fiona Fraser said projects like this play an important role in supporting the recovery of the koala.

“We all want to see koalas thrive for generations to come. This will take a collective effort to combat the threats facing our beloved koala. It’s encouraging to see SQ Landscapes and passionate community members take up this challenge.”

Keep up to date with the progress of this project by subscribing to receive SQ Landscapes’ monthly Enewsletter https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/about-us#SubscribetoourE-Newsletter or following SQ Landscapes on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

The combined koala populations of Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory were listed as endangered on 12 February 2022.

Wetland appraisal set to validate catchment value

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 02:09:00 GMT

The conservation value of wetlands in Queensland’s Murray-Darling and Bulloo Basins (QMDBB) have been re-evaluated in a comprehensive assessment, updated by the Department of Environment and Science (DES).
Natural resource management group Southern Queensland Landscapes said DES has completed its Aquatic Conservation Assessment of the region using Aquatic Biodiversity and Mapping Methodology (AquaBAMM); with the full report released in December 2022.

Knowledge & Information Support Officer Dr. Paul Webb said Aquatic Conservation Assessments (ACA), undertaken using AquaBAMM, provide a non-social, non-economic and tenure-blind assessment of wetland conservation values at a user-defined scale.

Riverine and non-riverine ACA results.

“Assessments have been completed for the Border Rivers, Moonie, Condamine-Balonne, Maranoa, Wallam, Warrego, Paroo and Bullo hydrological basins; and separate assessments have been done for both riverine and non-riverine freshwater wetlands,” Paul Webb said.
“This method draws on a combination of available data and expert opinion which provides a powerful decision support tool that is easily interrogated through Geographic Information Systems (GIS),” Dr Webb said.
“ACA’s undertaken using AquaBamm are based on a series of criteria, indicators and measures founded upon a large body of national and international literature,” he said.
“Measured data is then mathematically combined into scores at the indicator and criterion level and referenced against a filter table that is composed of a series of if/else statements that are then used to calculate the overall aquatic conservation score or AquaScore.”

The AquaBAMM hierarchical structure.

Aquatic Conservation Assessment results have a variety of applications.
“ACA’s can be used to determine Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES), or determining priority areas of aquatic ecosystems to protect, regulate or rehabilitate,” Paul Webb said.
“They can also drive on-ground investment, add to local and regional planning processes, or contribute to the understanding of impacts from large-scale developments.” Dr Webb said.
“Water resource management and planning processes would also draw upon results from Aquatic Conservation Assessments,” he said.
“All in all we look forward to using the revised assessments in our natural assets prioritisation to drive and support flourishing landscapes and healthy communities.”
The AquaBAMM methodology and assessment results (including summary report, expert panel reports and GIS data) can be accessed from the following websites:

WetlandInfo - https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/assessment/assessment-methods/aca/queensland-murray-darling-bulloo.html

WetlandMaps - http://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/get-mapping-help/wetland-maps/

Queensland Spatial Catalogue - http://qldspatial.information.qld.gov.au/catalogue/custom/index.page

Queensland Globe - https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/

Biomaps - http://qldspatial.information.qld.gov.au/biomaps/

Environmental Reports Online - https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/report-request/environment/

Further details about AquaBAMM or the ACAs can be obtained by emailing: biodiversity.planning@qld.gov.au

CEO's Report - ARTC Environmental Impact Statement

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 01:07:00 GMT

Southern Queensland Landscapes was invited onto the Inner Darling Downs and Southern Darling Downs Community Consultative Committees in mid-2020. At that time, we invited people to let us know their thoughts and concerns about the project to ensure the project proponents knew how our community felt about the project and what it needed to know from them. We received little comment; however, we did receive an offer to tour the affected area by one of our members which we gladly accepted.

Since that time, the ARTC people have worked toward an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which has been submitted to the Coordinator-General. The submitted material was not enough for the project to be approved for several reasons and these have been progressively addressed. As at today, the EIS has not been approved.

This project is very complex and affects the Eastern Downs in many ways, both positively and negatively. As with all projects “of State Significance” assessed under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971, the project will happen unless there is an unresolvable issue identified in the EIS; the proponent ceases to be an entity for whatever reason; or some other external factor cancels the project. Assuming the ARTC is here to stay and the political will continues, we can assume the project will happen.

We are very conscious that people who live on and near the rail corridor are deeply affected by the project, and while there is ample legislative protection for the people directly affected to be adequately compensated for the affect of the project on their lives, many of these people have strong and long ties to their places. The impacts on them are real and should not be dismissed.

The Community Consultative Committees have a wide representation from people directly indirectly impacted by the project as well as potential beneficiaries. Our place on the Committees is two-fold. To reflect any views our communities and members may wish expressed, and to keep a careful eye on the technical issues associated with the conduct of the EIS and associated processes where there are inadequate skills available from others.

Our role by virtue of the Charter for the Committees, is not to “take sides” and advocate for sectional interests or other reason that lies outside our technical competence. It is to ensure the ARTC people receive issues and concerns from our members and communities. The details of the Committee, minutes of all its meetings, its membership and Charter can be found at:

Inner Darling Downs Community Consultative Committee: https://inlandrail.artc.com.au/building-inland-rail/working-with-communities/community-consultative-committees/idd-ccc/

Southern Darling Downs Community Consultative Committee: https://inlandrail.artc.com.au/building-inland-rail/working-with-communities/community-consultative-committees/sdd-ccc/

From what we understand, the technical issues of most of concern are:

The Condamine Floodplain impacts on the project and assurance that these impacts can be managed without negative impact

The issues associated with soil types and structures on the construction and long term sustainability of the rail

The potential impacts of construction on the groundwater aquifers and their viable use

The impacts of the infrastructure on biodiversity (including Koala populations)

The short term noise and pollutant impacts of the construction phase as well as their long term impacts when trains are active on the line.

Needless to say, there are many other issues needing to be resolved which is the job of the EIS. There has been much debate and concern around the adequacy of consultation for the alignment and the viability of the project given potential cost blowouts and the like. These are all in the public domain and have been the subject of a Senate Enquiry and are now under review led by Kerry Schott for the Australian Government. These are not matters for the Community Consultative Committee.

It is timely to again invite thoughts and concerns from our members and communities as the project nears the end of its development stages. We are very keen to hear from you if you do have concerns, praise or any other thoughts we can offer ARTC people through the committees. We would also like to know if members wish to receive a regular briefing on the project now that it is approaching its final development stages.

Cluster fencing helps land managers get back to business

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 01:00:00 GMT

By Kim Woods at the National Wild Dog Action Plan
A year down the track from three cluster fences being finished in Southern Queensland and the participating pastoralists are back in the business of farming with an air of confidence.
SQ Landscapes worked for over two years with land managers in the Eromanga, Eulo and Bollon areas to deliver 446km of new exclusion fencing to encompass around 325,000 hectares of sheep, cattle and goat production across 12 properties for protection from wild dogs.
Funded under Queensland Feral Pest Initiative round three, the project filled the gaps between private and previously funded exclusion fences to improve the management of total grazing pressure and predators across the region.
The journey wasn’t an easy one as landholders struggled with drought followed by the impacts of drought, flood, rain, a pandemic, increasing costs of materials and delays.

SQ Landscapes worked for over two years with land managers in the Eromanga, Eulo and Bollon areas to deliver 446km of new exclusion fencing to encompass around 325,000 hectares of sheep, cattle and goat production across 12 properties for protection from wild dogs.

Eromanga East Cluster is 156km enclosing six properties with an area of 130,000ha while Mirage Garrawin Cluster is 227km enclosing three properties with an area of 145,000ha and Lower Nebine Cluster fence is 63km enclosing three properties with an area of 50,000ha.
SQ Landscapes Project Delivery Lead Chris Crafter, Charleville, said those landholders who initially registered for the clusters had their livelihoods severely impacted by wild dogs and feral pigs.
“They couldn’t spell country due to the total grazing pressure of other species and every one of them said getting an exclusion fence was a no brainer if they wanted to run sheep or goats,” Chris Crafter said.
“Some of them had switched into cattle while others are now keeping their cattle and diversifying into small stock whilst changing their grazing regimes inside the fences to take advantage of new opportunities," Ms Crafter said.
“Eromanga East Cluster is a number of properties surrounding Eromanga township and nestled between several other clusters, and they were being impacted by wild dogs coming from several different directions," she said.
“That cluster was very well organised with all the people working together, sharing equipment and labour. They had incredible challenges during the construction of the fence including floods."
“When we began working with these clusters it was at the end of severe drought and with the change in the weather sections of the fence were going under metres of water. They had issues with material supply and the pandemic but they managed to keep on track," Chris Crafter said.
“We facilitated the funding while the landholders organised the materials, supplier contracts and co-funding.” Ms Crafter said.
Ms Crafter said the Mirage Garrawin Cluster was reasonably isolated and the three properties have since erected exclusion fencing around their boundaries and internally.
“There have been no wild dogs detected within the exclusion area for a while and macropod grazing pressure is back to manageable levels but feral pig control is an ongoing task,” Chris Crafter said.
The Lower Nebine Cluster comprises three properties on the Wallam Creeks floodplain east of Cunnamulla," Ms Crafter said.
“The fencing has made a huge difference to them to be able control predators, pests and total grazing pressure,” she said.
“All three clusters were challenged by the wet weather but they have a good system of flood gates which allow debris through then swing back down.”

“The fencing has made a huge difference to them to be able control predators, pests and total grazing pressure,” Chris Crafter said.

Ms Crafter said the fences have given landholders confidence to diversify into small stock, using goats to browse on the woody vegetation followed by rotationally grazed cattle and sheep.
She said lambing and kidding rates post-fencing had risen significantly and SQ Landscapes was facilitating shearing schools in the region at the Croxdale Learning Centre to help fill the skills gap.
“The clusters certainly boosted the local economies with materials, trucks, fuel, and labour. There has been extra employment on the fences and working with livestock – some assisted by the good seasons but also by landowners being much more optimistic about the future and they can see a way forward,” Chris Crafter said.
SQ Landscapes collaborated on the clusters with the local shire councils, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biosecurity Queensland.
“The exclusion fences are not a silver bullet and the landholders do need to continue their pest control and adjust their grazing practices. Some are using remote cameras or drones to monitor the fences while others use professional wild dog controllers,” Ms Crafter said.
“When it comes to those outside the clusters, some have benefited from being on a boundary but other people in the bottlenecks have transient pest animals putting pressure on them. They are turning to electric fencing and other strategies to deal with wild dogs and feral pigs," she said.

“The landholders in the clusters are happy they have done the fencing and are now reaping the benefits after a few good seasons. They have been able to get their lambing and kidding rates up, and get a bit of cash turnover to pay debts."
“The change in grazing pressure and diversification of animals have changed the dynamics in the landscape with some properties in much better condition. The increase in environmental condition does lead to increases in other wildlife such as quails, reptiles, small mammals, and water birds," Chris Crafter said.
“For SQ Landscapes, we saw landholders at the start of the projects at the lowest low, they were in a bad way. Once they started to work together and see results, we started to see them smile and get a bit of hope back, and now three years on, I can see a big change in people.” Ms Crafter said.

“The change in grazing pressure and diversification of animals have changed the dynamics in the landscape with some properties in much better condition. The increase in environmental condition does lead to increases in other wildlife such as quails, reptiles, small mammals, and water birds," Chris Crafter said.

A member of the Eromanga East Cluster, Brendan Murphy described his sheep enterprise as being on its “last legs” due to wild dog predation before the erection of 380km of external and internal exclusion fencing.
“The flock was just getting eaten. We had no real hope at all. We went from 100 per cent lambing in the crossbred flock down to 70 then 60 and finally 40 per cent on a double joining. It was just hopeless,” Brendan Murphy said.
“The wild dogs were even taking the sheep while we were mustering. We had never slacked off on our dog control but there was just too many," Mr Murphy said.
“Once the first section of fence was up, the ewe flock in one year went to 100 per cent lambing," he said.
“For the first time in 20 years we shore 10,000 sheep this year and we haven’t bought any. It has made a massive difference to us, otherwise we would be out of sheep altogether and probably off the land.”
Mr Murphy said the floods had caused damage to 100km of exclusion fence resulting in incursions of wild dogs.
He has modified his wild dog control program by strategically baiting year-round in areas of activity rather than blanket baiting three times a year.
Cunnamulla grazier Ben McKenzie was almost completely destocked due to drought when he started on his section of the Lower Nebine Cluster.
After experiencing low wild dog activity for many years, his rangeland goat herd had been impacted by wild dogs being funnelled into his property from other recent exclusion fencing clusters despite a ground baiting program.
Mr McKenzie, who has now completed 130km of internal exclusion fencing with 40km remaining, said the fencing resulted in improved control over total grazing pressure and stocking rates.
He has now restocked the property with goats, cattle and sheep, and strategically baits for wild dogs, foxes and feral cats whilst participating in regional aerial baiting programs.
“Fencing is not the be-all end-all, it’s not the last tool or a final measure by any means but is definitely the best tool we have, and baiting, trapping and thermal scopes are complementary," Ben McKenzie said.
“SQ Landscapes made the whole process straight forward and simple.” Mr McKenzie said.

Restoring wetlands in the Southwest Queensland Rangelands

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 00:34:00 GMT

Wetlands and floodplains in Queensland’s arid southwest are experiencing remarkable restoration through a range of targeted interventions including slowing high velocity runoff flows, scald and erosion repair and mitigation, rehabilitating bore drains, managing property infrastructure and changing grazing practices and water management.
Southern Queensland Landscapes has been working with land managers and community to address the long-term decline of the once highly productive and biodiverse floodplains and wetlands of the Bulloo, Paroo and Warrego River systems. The works on these properties help reduce threats to other wetlands including the internationally important Currawinya Ramsar Wetlands in the lower Paroo.

Southern Queensland Landscapes has been working with land managers and community to address the long-term decline of the once highly productive and biodiverse floodplains and wetlands of the Bulloo, Paroo and Warrego River systems.

There has been general acknowledgement that the Rangelands have become more susceptible to droughts and floods and the impacts of climate change. Some areas are so degraded that up to 90% of rainfall can be lost through runoff leading to severe erosion, flooding and contributes to the early onset of drought through reduced soil moisture. When your average annual rainfall is only around 300mm, every drop counts.
Land managers and communities have been key to restoration success bringing property knowledge and their passion to see the country flourish again through restoring ecological function, biodiversity and regenerative productivity. The results are already contributing to flood and drought resilience and social and economic benefits to the wider community.

The scale of restoration that is now economically viable due to a combination of new technology, a strong spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and knowledge sharing continues to inspire. The future for these wetlands is full of promise.

There is growing excitement among restoration partners as they share their experiences and develop new cost-effective ways to address rangelands decline. Combining land manager and community knowledge with innovative technologies such as satellite remote sensing, more efficient laser levelling techniques for laying out works and identifying key areas of the landscape that can be restored for the most economical return.
On-ground, the process includes changes to land use and management as well as the strategic placement of “slow the flow” works where the country can no longer heal itself. Constructed of timber, soil, stone or other materials that slow, spread and filter runoff in high velocity flows, rehabilitate bore drains, repair erosion, reduce soil loss and rehydrate areas as the water travels down the system.
The scale of restoration that is now economically viable due to a combination of new technology, a strong spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and knowledge sharing continues to inspire. The future for these wetlands is full of promise.
These projects are supported through the funding from the Queensland and Australian Governments. For further information, contact Chris Crafter at chris.crafter@sqlandscapes.org.au or visit https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au

Bush medicine in Australia’s backyard

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 03:33:00 GMT

Bush medicine is a powerful and ancient part of the culture and heritage of many of Australia’s First Nations. For centuries First Peoples have passed down and shared their practices and stories of how Australia’s native flora can be prepared and used for healing.

Bush medicine involves taking the leaves, fruit, bark, sap and/or roots of specific native plants, and preparing them in such a way that their medicinal properties (e.g. antibacterial, anti-inflammatory) are activated. These remedies have been used to treat conditions ranging from upset stomachs and infections, to burns and rashes, and many illnesses in between.

In recognition of 2020 being the ' International Year of Plant Health ' , and with respect to the First Nations of the SQ Landscapes region, here are three native bush medicine plants worth noting.

A word of caution:

Many Australian native plants are highly toxic and difficult to identify. Unless you are experienced in the identification, collection and safe preparation of bush medicine, or accompanied by someone who is, it is inadvisable to harvest or use bush tucker for medicine or food.

P lease also be aware that the harvesting of plants is restricted in some areas e.g. national parks.

Quandong ( Santalum acuminatum )

Quandongs (or Wild Peach) are a native fruit found in arid and semi-arid areas of southern Australia. The mature fruit is bright red and around 15-25mm in diameter. It grows as a shrub or tree and is parasitic in nature, sucking water and nutrients from a host plant to survive. It is a tart-tasting fruit, but the sugar content increases as it dries.

Quandongs contain twice the Vitamin C of an orange, and are a valuable source of Vitamin E, folate, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.

An incredibly versatile fruit, quandongs can be eaten raw, made into jams, pies and other desserts, frozen, dried, or utilised in bush medicine. Their centre kernels are ground to create powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory pastes for treating skin conditions and toothaches, the roots are made into an infusion to treat rheumatism and the leaves to treat stomach aches.

Quandong grind stones have been found in First Nation sites throughout the Murray-Darling Basin and are believed to have been used for more than 50,000 years. They can be difficult to grow domestically but dried quandongs can be found in health food/bush tucker stores throughout Australia and online.

Quinine Tree ( Alstonia constricta )

The Quinine Tree (or Native Quince or Bitterbark) is part of a family of plants known as alkaloids. A common characteristic of alkaloids is a bitter taste, which can indicate either a therapeutic or, equally important if used effectively, poisonous quality.

The ripened fruit is small, round and bright yellow or orange. It grows on full shrubs or trees which can grow up to 6 metres high. As the fruit dries, it sheds its flesh and explodes, shooting the seeds in all directions. Native to coastal areas of northern Australia, north-east New South Wales and the Darling Downs region, the quinine tree grows commonly in thickets on sunny hill sides.

Traditionally, the bark and roots of the quinine tree would be prepared into liquids for treating diabetes and other illnesses including sores and headaches. The fresh fruit can be used to ease toothaches, malarial symptoms including fever, and as birth control.

The potent astringent and antiseptic qualities of the plant can make it difficult to control the outcomes of quinine when used medicinally.

Despite the bitter taste, emus eat quinine fruit which also helps to disperse seeds for regrowth.

Eucalyptus ( Eucalyptus sp )

One of the most prevalent and iconic native Australian plants, the eucalyptus is easy to identify due to its distinct look and aromatic aroma.

There are more than 700 different species of eucalyptus in Australia.

From short and bushy garden species, to the world’s tallest flowering tree (Eucalyptus regnans), eucalypts are incredibly diverse plants. Eucalypt flowers range in size and colour, producing white, yellow, pink and red blossoms. These blossoms attract native stingless bees that help pollinate the plants while producing honey from nectar known as 'sugarbag' bee honey - another bush tucker produced with the help of eucalypts.

Eucalypt aroma can be described as having likeness to peppermint, lemon or pepper. In bush medicine, aromatic plants are regarded as important for treating respiratory diseases. The bark, leaves, flowers and resin known as 'kino' of different eucalypts offer a variety of healing qualities.

Eucalyptus leaves and bark can be infused for body pains, fevers and chills, while the kino can be used to treat wounds and the oil (harvested from glands in the leaves) is used not only by First Nation peoples, but also commercially as an antimicrobial in mouthwash, lozenges, cough suppressants and topical balms.

Fossilised eucalypt flowers have been dated as 52 million years old, while the genome of the Australian rose gum (Eucalypt grandis) indicates these plants have been around for at least 109 million years.

To learn more about this native treasure, visit ABC Science’s Eucalypts: 10 things you may not know about an iconic Australian .

News

Building Sustainable Land Management on Wansey Downs

Slowing the movement of water at Wansey Downs

Managing Feral Pigs to Protect Brigalow Ecosystems

Coordinated Action Across Southern Queensland

> 100,000 ha

> 5000 pigs

86% increase

Feral pigs cause widespread damage to agricultural land and sensitive Brigalow ecosystems.

Despite ongoing control efforts, feral pig populations continue to expand across Southern Queensland due to a combination of biological, environmental, and landscape-scale factors.

Effective control depends on the consistent adoption of coordinated, best-practice approaches across the landscape.

Core Principles

Population Recovery Observed After Control

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Coolibah, Condamine Qld

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Struanville Farming Co, Bowenville Qld

The Filter Installation Plan

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Burradoo Plains, Hopeland Qld

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Wallumba Feedlot, Wieambilla Qld

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Moolabah, St George Qld

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Whyalla Feedlot, Texas Qld

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Strengthening Partnerships at the 2026 Maranoa and South West Indigenous Business Expo

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Our Commitment: Reconciliation in Action

Blackfish Project

Fish in Crisis

WHAT CAN WE DO TO LOOK AFTER BLACKFISH?

Nikki Longcod Keep Swimmin'

Josh Arnold and students from Killarney P-10 S.S.

Recovering River blackfish with Ren Holz

Australian River Recovery Centre catches up with Recovery Reach Coordinator Ren Holz.

What is a Recovery Reach?

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Researching Koalas in the Rangelands Project

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About Koala's in the Rangelands of Western Qld

Project Objectives and Outcomes

This project received grant funding from the Australian Government.

Natural Resources Investment Program - Vegetation

Natural Resources Investment Program - Vegetation

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About the Project

Controlling Tree Pear

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Mulching reduces tree pear

How can I reduce weed spread and help protect native vegetation?

This project is funded by the Queensland Government's Natural Resources Investment Program (NRIP).

Northern Basin Riverbanks Project

What Have We Achieved To Date?

Will & Sasha Treloar, Cooladdi

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Mitchell Duff, Loch Lomond

Researchers push for carbon credit payments for Australian farmers who fence their dams

510kms of Fencing Rolling out in Queensland as Project Surges Ahead of Schedule

Land Managers Gain Support for Fencing

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Murray-Darling Land Managers Access Funding to Fence Riverbanks

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Project Objectives