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Autumn 2016 Bushheritage.Org.Au from the CEO Bush Heritage Australia Who We Are Twenty-Five Years Ago, a Small Group There Is So Much More to Do
BUSH TRACKS Bush Heritage Australia’s quarterly magazine for active conservation Maggie nose best Tracking feral cats Since naturalist John Young’s rediscovery Evidence suggests that feral cat density on of the population in 2013, a recovery the property is low, but there are at least two in Queensland team led by Bush Heritage Australia, and individuals prowling close to where Night Meet Maggie, a four-legged friend working ornithologists Dr Steve Murphy and Allan Parrots roost during the day. Just one feral hard to protect the world’s only known Burbidge, have been working tirelessly to cat that develops a taste for Night Parrots population of Night Parrots on our newest bring the species back from the brink of would be enough to drive this population, reserve, secured recently with the help of extinction. The first step – to purchase the and possibly the species, into extinction. Bush Heritage supporters. land where this elusive population live – Continued on page 3 has been taken, thanks to Bush Heritage It’s 3am. The sun won’t appear for hours, donors, and the reserve is now under In this issue but for Mark and Glenys Woods and their intensive and careful management. 4 Happy 10th birthday Cravens Peak ever-loyal companion Maggie, work is 8 Discovering the Dugong about to begin. The priority since the purchase has been 9 By the light of the moon managing threats to the Night Parrot After a quick breakfast they jump in the ute 10 Apples and androids: The future population, chiefly feral cats. of wildlife monitoring? and drive 45 minutes to the secret location 11 Bob Brown’s photographic journey in western Queensland where the world’s Mark Woods and trusty companion Maggie are of our reserves only known population of Night Parrots helping in the fight to protect the Night Parrot 12 Yourka family camp has survived. -
Bushtracks Bush Heritage Magazine | Summer 2019
bushtracks Bush Heritage Magazine | Summer 2019 Outback extremes Darwin’s legacy Platypus patrol Understanding how climate How a conversation beneath Volunteers brave sub-zero change will impact our western gimlet gums led to the creation temperatures to help shed light Queensland reserves. of Charles Darwin Reserve. on the Platypus of the upper Murrumbidgee River. Bush Heritage acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the places in which we live, work and play. We recognise and respect the enduring relationship they have with their lands and waters, and we pay our respects to elders, past and present. CONTRIBUTORS 1 Ethabuka Reserve, Qld, after rains. Photo by Wayne Lawler/EcoPix Chris Grubb Clare Watson Dr Viki Cramer Bron Willis Amelia Caddy 2 DESIGN Outback extremes Viola Design COVER IMAGE Ethabuka Reserve in far western Queensland. Photo by Lachie Millard / 8 The Courier Mail Platypus control This publication uses 100% post- 10 consumer waste recycled fibre, made Darwin’s legacy with a carbon neutral manufacturing process, using vegetable-based inks. BUSH HERITAGE AUSTRALIA T 1300 628 873 E [email protected] 13 W www.bushheritage.org.au Parting shot Follow Bush Heritage on: few years ago, I embarked on a scientific they describe this work reminds me that we are all expedition through Bush Heritage’s Ethabuka connected by our shared passion for the bush and our Aa Reserve, which is located on the edge of the dedication to seeing healthy country, protected forever. Simpson Desert, in far western Queensland. We were prepared for dry conditions and had packed ten Over the past 27 years, this same passion and days’ worth of water, but as it happened, our visit to dedication has seen Bush Heritage grow from strength- Ethabuka coincided with a rare downpour – the kind to-strength through two evolving eras of leadership of rain that transforms desert landscapes. -
Summer 2013 Newsletter
BUSH HERITAGE In this issue 3 Rock‑wallabies unveiled on Yourka 4 Around your reserves 6 Falling for the Fitz‑Stirling NEWS 8 From the CEO Summer 2013 · www.bushheritage.org.au Charting the change Cockatiels bathing at a waterhole on Charles Darwin Reserve, WA. Photograph by Dale Fuller Your Charles Darwin Reserve in Western In a landscape with three times the Under current climate models, the region Australia is situated at the junction of biodiversity of Australia’s tropical rainforests, where the reserve is located is predicted two major bioregions, in a landscape of the animals found in the traps are many and to become rapidly hotter (particularly its extraordinary biodiversity. Its location makes varied, ranging from spiders, to centipedes, summer minimum temperatures) and drier it ideal for a long‑term study into how climate small mammals like dunnarts, geckos and – with an increasing proportion of its rainfall change is impacting native plants and animals. even the occasional brown snake. occurring in the summer months. As the morning sun sheds its first light across Within one of Australia’s only two a subtle landscape of undulating sandplains, internationally recognised biodiversity “It’s at these sort of contact dense mulga scrub and shimmering salt hotspots, Charles Darwin Reserve provides points where you’re going to lakes, Bush Heritage staff and volunteers essential habitat and vital insights into the are already up and on the go on your conservation of thousands of plant and first see the changing ecology Charles Darwin Reserve. animal species. of plants and animals due to At dawn, each of the strategically placed pitfall It’s also ideally located for gathering the effects of climate change.” traps needs to be checked, and the overnight information about the long‑term effects Dr Nic Dunlop, Project Leader, catch recorded and released as quickly of climate change in such a biodiverse area. -
Bush Heritage News Winter 2003
Bush Heritage News Winter 2003 ABN 78 053 639 115 www.bushheritage.org In this issue New land at Liffey Reserve values Carnarvon springs Currumbin Charles Darwin Reserve update Chereninup update the blocks purchased by Bob Brown in receiving the tax deduction now available Another reserve 1990 to become the first Bush Heritage for gifts of this kind, the benefits of reserves. Like these reserves it backs onto which can be spread over five years. at Liffey the Central Plateau World Heritage Area Bush Heritage will manage the property beneath the great dolorite and sandstone along with its neighbouring Liffey In 1992, as Bob Brown was building a escarpment. Majestic trees cling to the reserves.Your valuable donations will fledgling organisation into the Australian walls of the steep-sided valley beneath help cover its modest management costs. Bush Heritage Fund, Dr Judy Henderson the Great Western Tiers.A creek tumbles was buying land. Her motivation, like down over a series of spectacular waterfalls Judy is pleased to have the land protected Bob Brown’s, was to save the magnificent to feed the Liffey River with its platypus for the long term. Bush Heritage is trees on this property in Tasmania from and native fish.This creek gully supports grateful for this generous gift that is a being clear-felled. At the time, Judy a mix of wet sclerophyll and rainforest valuable addition to the land in its care. Henderson was one of the founding species and an abundance of ferns.The directors of Bush Heritage. Bush Heritage is one of the best initiatives area is also home to white goshawks, that I have ever been associated with. -
WWF0107 the Web Summer.Indd
THE WEB The national newsletter for the Threatened Species Network WELCOME TO SUMMER 2007 The Threatened Species Network is a community -based program of the Australian Government and WWF-Australia Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore MP, WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne and Earth Hour Youth Ambassador Sarah Bishop at the launch of Earth Hour on 15 December 2006. Sarah Bishop will walk from Brisbane to Sydney in early 2007 as a way of voicing young Australians’ concerns about global warming. During the two-month, 1000-kilometre walk, Sarah will exchange ideas and make presentations to communities along the way, illustrating the simple things people can do to make a difference. © WWF/Tanya Lake. COMMUNITY ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE By Katherine Howard, TSN Program Officer, WWF-Australia Welcome to the Summer Web! In the last couple of editions we’ve talked about the topic that’s on everyone’s lips – climate change. Here at the TSN we are very excited about an upcoming event called Earth Hour, organised by WWF-Australia and Fairfax Publishing. At 7.30 pm on 31 March, businesses and households all over Sydney will switch off their lights for one hour. Earth Hour is part of a major effort CONTENTS to reduce Sydney’s greenhouse gas pollution by 5% in one year, and will send NATIONAL NEWS a very powerful message that it is possible to take action against global warming. What’s On 2 The threat of climate change needs to be tackled by a two-pronged approach: mitigation and adaptation. We REGIONAL NEWS need to both lower our greenhouse emissions to reduce the extent of climate change (mitigation) and to build SA 3 the resilience of our native species and natural ecosystems to the changed conditions (adaptation).1 The TSN’s Queensland 4 speciality is community-based, on-ground conservation, so we particularly focus on building resilience, but we Arid Rangelands 6 certainly haven’t forgotten how crucial it is to also reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases. -
25-Year Anniversary Newsletter
From little things... 25 Years of Bush Heritage Australia 25 years Front cover: Laila and Skye Palmer, daughters of Scottsdale Reserve Manager Phil Palmer, with volunteer Will Douglas at Scottsdale Reserve, NSW. See inside back cover for their story. Photo by Anna Carlile. This page: Numerous Bush Heritage reserves across Australia protect the habitat of the Sugar Glider, shown here nesting in a tree hollow. Photo by Steve Parish. From little things... Contents 2 18 1 Bob Brown Rod and Annette PROFILE PROFILE Founder Donors 4 20 Gerard O’Neil Sydney University PROFILE at Ethabuka CEO CASE STUDY Research partnership 6 A Giant Leap 26 CASE STUDY Heike Eberhard Red-tailed Phascogale PROFILE Volunteer 8 Partners in 28 conservation Olivia Barratt CASE STUDY PROFILE Indigenous partnership Young Advocate 12 30 Timeline Cover story 25 YEARS PROFILE 14 Contributing writers Leigh Johnstone Boolcoomatta is like Kate Cranney a homecoming CASE STUDY Boolcoomatta 25 years 2 From little things... Bob Brown A true success story PROFILE In the very early days of Bush Heritage Over the years, as I moved from the tiller 3 Founder Australia, I remember buying a black and to become its patron, Bush Heritage has white strip advertisement in the Business been blessed with talented Directors, Review Weekly. I had just bought the CEOs and staff, a committed Board and an two properties in the Liffey Valley and army of volunteers and donors who have our very small team was helping me raise put us at the forefront of environmental money to meet the loan repayments. science and practical conservation. -
Bush Heritage News Edgbaston Reserve »» Focus on Bon Bon Station Reserve Summer 2009 »» Enter Our Competition!
www.bushheritage.org.au In this issue » Bio-blitz at Yourka Reserve » New discoveries from Bush Heritage News Edgbaston Reserve » Focus on Bon Bon Station Reserve Summer 2009 » Enter our competition! Getting to grips with Yourka Reserve Queensland Herbarium botanist Jeanette Kemp joined Above: Staff members (L-R) Jim Radford, Ecological Monitoring Coordinator Jim Radford and Clair Dougherty and Paul Foreman undertaking vegetation survey in eucalypt woodlands of Yourka other Bush Heritage staff in an exploration of one of Reserve, Qld. PHOTO: JEN GRINdrod. Inset: Scenic landform and vegetation of Yourka Reserve, Bush Heritage’s newest reserves. Qld. PHOTO: WayNE LawlER/ECOPIX. hump! We felt the jolt of the Hilux and potholes into the tracks around The primary aim of the blitz was to learn Tshuddering to an abrupt stop before Yourka Reserve had also delayed more about the ecology of Yourka by we registered the sound of the front axle ecological surveys because much of gathering information from focused field ramming into the chalky roadbed as the the reserve was inaccessible until surveys and investigation. An intensive track gave way beneath us. Opening autumn. When we arrived we could mammal survey program, using infra-red the doors, we tumbled out into a gaping see flood debris, including uprooted motion-triggered cameras, cage traps and spotlighting, was conducted in the hole in the road. The deceptively solid trees, lodged in the limbs of towering moist forests and woodlands in the east surface was merely a thin crust over paperbarks and river she-oaks a full of the property. Although the presence a treacherous pothole, excavated by 20 m above the creeks. -
Spring 2011 Newsletter
BUSH HERITAGE Thank you for 20 years of conservation Special edition Spring 2011 www.bushheritage.org.au Bob Brown Founder of Bush Heritage Australia Bob Brown at Oura Oura Photograph by Peter Morris I walked through a gully dense with Thanks to you, Bush Heritage has “I’ve supported Bush rainforest and carpeted by ferns. weathered the seasons along the Heritage for 20 years” A small creek bubbled away nearby. road to today, our 20th anniversary. I found some hand-worked shards of I’d like to invite you to celebrate your stone – a reminder of the Aboriginal part in those 20 years. In this newsletter, “I was walking in Tasmania’s Liffey Valley people who’d been going there for you’ll see stories of others who love our on a sunny day in 1990 when I made a thousands of years, to enjoy the morning bush just like you do.” decision that began the journey we now sun. I felt a connection with humanity that know as Bush Heritage Australia. stretched back to generations past, and “These are your stories – forward to generations yet to come. I often walked in the bush to collect my I couldn’t stand by and watch that spirit the stories of our bush, thoughts – I still do. On that day, I was die. With encouragement and support walking high above two beautiful bush our creatures and our people, from a group of like-minded friends, blocks that had come up for sale and I decided to go into debt to buy this from 20 years of conservation.” that logging companies were keen to natural part of the Australian bush. -
Bush Heritage News | Winter 2012 3 Around Your Reserves in 90 Days Your Support Makes a Difference in So Many Ways, Every Day, All Across Australia
In this issue BUSH 3 A year at Carnarvon 4 Around your reserves 6 Her bush memory HERITAGE 7 Easter on Boolcoomatta NEWS 8 From the CEO Winter 2012 www.bushheritage.org.au Your wombat refuge The woodlands and saltlands of your Bon Bon Station Reserve are home to the southern hairy-nosed wombat. These endearing creatures have presented reserve manager Glen Norris with a tricky challenge. Lucy Ashley reports Glen Norris has worked as reserve manager – and he has to work out how to do this “It’s important we reduce rabbit in charge of protecting over 200,000 without harming the wombats, or their hectares of sprawling desert, saltlands, precious burrows. populations, and soon,” says wetlands and woodlands at Bon Bon The ultimate digging machine Glen. “Thanks to lots of help Station Reserve in South Australia for two-and-a-half years. Smaller than their cousin the common from Bush Heritage supporters wombat, southern hairy-nosed wombats Right now, he has a tricky situation on his have soft, fluffy fur (even on their nose), since we bought Bon Bon and hands. long sticky-up ears and narrow snouts. de-stocked it, much of the land Glen has to remove a large population of With squat, strongly built bodies and short highly destructive feral rabbits from legs ending in large paws with strong is now in great condition.” underground warren systems that they’re blade-like claws, they are the ultimate currently sharing with a population of marsupial digging machine. Photograph by Steve Parish protected southern hairy-nosed wombats How you’ve help created a refuge for Bon Bon’s wombats and other native animals • Purchase of the former sheep station in 2008 • Removal of sheep and repair of boundary fences to keep neighbour’s stock out • Control of recent summer bushfires • Soil conservation works to reduce erosion • Ongoing management of invasive weeds like buffel grass • Control programs for rabbits, foxes and feral cats. -
Winter 2015 Newsletter
BUSH TRACKS Bush Heritage Australia’s quarterly magazine for active conservation Double the impact in outback wetlands A black-winged stilt, photographed here at Naree, is among the native birds to use these wetlands. Photo Peter Morris. On most days if you could see our A major rain event – enough to flood the “At the moment there’s a lot of red sand, Naree Station Reserve, or neighbouring ephemeral wetlands and flip their natural cycle silver trees and very dry grass. The heart Yantabulla Station, it would be hard to into a ‘boom’ – only happens once every five to of it is still wet though,” says Sue Akers. believe the parched outback landscape ten years. In between it’s a very different story. Sue and husband David are our managers transforms into one of Australia’s most at Naree. Walking into the wetlands when they’re breathtaking inland wetlands, teeming dry, as they are now, is an extraordinary Earlier this year we had our first glimpse with water birds. experience. Ancient black box, coolabah since Bush Heritage purchased Naree in These properties sit at the heart of trees and elegant yapunyahs are found 2012 of just how quickly these ephemeral the Paroo-Warrego wetlands (the last around the swamp margins. The deeper you wetlands can transform. remaining free-flowing river catchment go the larger the river wattles and tangled in the Murray-Darling Basin) about lignum shrubs become. In certain spots you In this issue 150km north-west of Bourke in NSW. can see dozens of old nesting platforms left 4 Science: Expanding our horizons behind by previous generations of waterbirds. -
Biodiversity Hotspots
Biodiversity Hotspots 15 1 14 13 2 12 3 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 1 Einasleigh and Desert Uplands 6 South East of South Australia 11 Mount Lesueur Eneabba and South West Victoria 2 Brigalow North and South 7 Mt Lofty / Kangaroo Island 12 Geraldton to Shark Bay sand plains 3 Border Ranges North and South 8 Fitzgerald River Ravensthorpe 13 Carnarvon Basin 4 Midlands of Tasmania 9 Busselton Augusta 14 Hamersley / Pilbara 5 Victorian Volcanic Plain 10 Central and Eastern Avon Wheat Belt 15 North Kimberley Data s ource: Australia, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) 9 seconds (c) Geoscience Australia, 1996. All rights reserved. Topographic Data - Australia - 1:10 million (c) Geoscience Australia, 1989. All rights reserved. Caveats: Data used are assumed to be correct as received from the data suppliers. The Department of Environment and Heritage doesnot representor warrantthat the Data is accurate,complete, current or suitable for any purpose. (c) Commo nwe a lt h of A ust ra lia 20 0 3 Map produced by ERIN, Department of Environment and Heritage,Canberra, August 2003. Australia's 15 National Biodiversity Hotspots 1. Einasleigh and Desert Uplands (Queensland) In this region of North Queensland, the high ranges and plateaus of Einasleigh contrast sharply with the plains and low ranges of the Desert Uplands. Einasleigh basalt lava flows and lava tunnels provide habitat for threatened and geographically restricted plants and animals. Water enters the Great Artesian Basin aquifers here and important artesian spring complexes contain endemic plants, snails and fish including the Edgbaston Goby and the plant Salt Pipewort (Eriocaulon carsonii). -
2009–10 Conservation Report
365 Days ANNUAL CONSERVATION REPORT 2009–2010 The sun rises over forested ridges at Yourka Reserve Photograph by Wayne Lawler / Ecopix 3 CEO’s Report “This year, images of our western Queensland reserves in fl ood have gone around the world. Our presence and profi le in the media has grown and our support base has increased as more of our supporters share the Bush Heritage story.” Doug Humann, Chief Executive Offi cer My fi rst view of the far-west Queensland property These changes refl ect larger changes in the of Ethabuka Reserve was from 6000 ft above the landscape under Bush Heritage’s stewardship. ground. It was 2002 and we were assessing the A recent report on our fi rst fi ve years of management 213,300-hectare property by light plane, in view at Ethabuka illustrates how our practical science of a potential purchase. The desert loomed as a and management is driving conservation outcomes: veil of red approaching from the dusty clay of the protected springs; reduced impacts of feral animals; Diamantina channel country. The dunes were and return of rarely seen fauna such as the desert devoid of vegetation following recent massive short-tailed mouse (read about it on page 17). wildfi res. The earth was parched, the cattle poorly At the same time we are building relationships nourished and an air of desperation hung over with partners, neighbours and collaborators: the the landscape. country’s traditional owners (the Wangkamadla In 2010 Ethabuka’s landscape tells a very different people, who’ve recently conducted cultural values story.