Issue 3 October 2009

One size does not fi t all in the remote north In this issue By Jenni Metcalfe One size does not A child living in the Gilbert River catchment, a remote fi t all in the remote north 1 area south-west of Cairns in Queensland, is likely to speak only English among their small family. Foreword 2

The family earns $900 a week from grazing and residents are widely dispersed with the Ngan’gi seasonal cattle on natural pastures. They own a car exception of Broome in Western Australia, knowledge and have internet access. The child will areas in and around Darwin in the NT, and immortalised 4 attend school for at least 10 years. Mount Isa in Queensland. Another child living in the equally remote Despite the remoteness, TRaCK has found Giant gullies Goyder River catchment east of Darwin in considerable social and economic differences threaten the Gulf the Northern Territory is likely to have a both between and within catchments in the of Carpentaria 5 very different experience. They are part of north. These fi ndings add to the knowledge a large Aboriginal family whose members that water planners need to make decisions. Threatened pig-nosed speak their own Indigenous language in ‘TRaCK has proven that knowledge gained turtle depends on their rented home where they have lived through robust science can have an nutrient cycles in for at least fi ve years. This family earns less immediate infl uence on water management northern rivers 7 than $600 a week, does not own a car and and planning’, says says Chair and Chief does not have internet access. This child will Executive Offi cer of the National Water Biodiversity—you’ve attend school for just a few years. Commission Ken Matthews. ‘As the impacts got to know where TRaCK has been researching the social, of climate change hit home in southern it is to manage it 9 demographic and economic make-up of Australia, important socioeconomic 60 catchments across northern Australia. analysis like this, combined with ecological Valuing our rivers Together, tropical river catchments make up and hydrological evidence, will inform in dollars and cents 12 about a quarter of Australia’s land, but only development options for northern Australia.’ two per cent of the population live there Continued page 3 Fitzroy River update 14

Mitchell, Flinders and Norman Rivers update 14

Daly River update 15

Fact sheets 16

Contact TRaCK 16

The Darwin, Daly, Goyder and Gilbert catchments

TRaCK – Research to support river and estuary management in northern Australia Foreword

Dr Danielle Warfe collects samples in the Edith River Associate Professor Michael Douglas near Katherine. Photo: Jenni Metcalfe TRaCK Research Director

Welcome to the third issue of On TRaCK. The north’s potential as a food bowl for the nation is currently under debate. This debate needs to be underpinned by good information that allows people to make informed decisions about the benefi ts and trade-offs of future development in the north. Through TRaCK, we are fi nding out why people value tropical rivers. We are improving our understanding of the physical, biological and Indigenous cultural processes that sustain the rivers. We are examining economic opportunities for Indigenous people in developing the rivers. And we are bringing this knowledge together in ways that will help water managers make informed decisions. Two of the research projects featured in this issue of On TRaCK explore the socioeconomic characteristics of our tropical river catchments. While most people appreciate the great diversity of river systems across the north in terms of river size and patterns of fl ow, we can now compare these catchments in terms of TRaCK receives major funding for the make-up of catchment communities. For the fi rst time, we can also consider its research through the Australian the economic value that Australians put on the ecosystem services provided by Government’s Commonwealth tropical rivers. Environment Research Facilities Other stories in this issue describe new insights we have gained into how our initiative; the Australian Government’s tropical river systems work: how fl oodplains are major sources of sediments, not Raising National Water Standards just sediment sinks; where nutrients in the rivers come from and how critical Program; Land & Water Australia; the the balance of nutrients is to aquatic plants and animals; and how different Fisheries Research and Development populations of the same species of fi sh, such as Mouth Almighty, have evolved Corporation; and the Queensland differently and adapted to local conditions. Government’s Smart State Innovation Funds. Through this research, we are providing new ways of looking at our northern rivers, the services they provide and the communities they support, which is vital information for evaluating future options for the region. TRaCK brings together leading tropical river researchers and managers from Charles Darwin University, Griffi th University, The University of Western Australia, CSIRO, James Cook University, Australian National University, Geoscience Australia, Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Institute of Marine Science, North Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance, and the governments of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

2 Issue 3 October 2009 Continued from page 1 Characterising catchments The TRaCK researchers characterised each catchment according to: Comparing catchments • population characteristics such as age, the percentage of people that have Having categories of similar moved in the last fi ve years and the percentage of Aboriginal people living in catchments means river managers can the catchment better target and manage development • economic factors such as the type of employment and amount of income opportunities. • infrastructure and housing, such as the number of schools and the percentage ‘This avoids the one-size-fi ts-all of homes with internet access approach to development and management, but requires less effort • social factors such as educational levels and the number of people than in targeting each individual volunteering in community organisations catchment’, says Larson. • the local environment, culture and land use, such as the number of listed Despite not having all the data they heritage sites would have liked, the researchers The researchers then sought to fi nd out what was different, and similar, about identifi ed eight distinct categories the characteristics of catchments. TRaCK researcher Silva Larson from CSIRO says of catchment. there were some overall social and economic features of the north which appeared They found, for example, that the distinctive. child from the more affl uent Gilbert ‘For example, the percentage of people speaking Indigenous languages at home, River catchment would experience rather than English, is relatively high. Only 42 per cent of homes have an internet similar social and economic conditions connection, and government is the largest employer’, she says. as children from Settlement Creek, Staaten, Keep, Holroyd and Norman ‘The region is the most remote in Australia, with limited basic infrastructure. River catchments. This group of Transport infrastructure is just a weak network of all-weather sealed roads and catchments has high levels of there are few all-weather airports and very few ports.’ employment in agriculture, a relatively Table 1 compares the Goyder and Gilbert catchments, which the children referenced mobile population, and the mainly non- above belong to, with catchments where the population is increasing—the Daly Indigenous population are likely to own River catchment in the Northern Territory and the urban catchment around Darwin. their homes and cars and have internet We can see that children from the four catchments are likely to have very different access. experiences.

Catchment Population Economic Infrastructure / Social Environment / housing land use

Goyder River 600–700 people 15% employed by 40% own car 38% speak only All land in government or English at home natural condition 92% Aboriginal services 20% internet access and under 20% have >10 years 0.1 people per km2 0% own home traditional Median family of school Indigenous use income / week - $592 Average household size – 5.8

Gilbert River 800–1000 people 25% employed by 100% own car 96% speak only All land use grazing the land English at home is grazing 1.6% Aboriginal 22% internet access (agricultural Median family 60% have >10 years 2 production) 0.02 people per km income / week - $910 20% own home of school Average household size – 2.8

Daly River 10,000 people 35% employed by >80% own car 80% speak only 60% under government or English at home grazing, some 27% Aboriginal services >60% internet dryland and access 60% have >10 years 0.2 people per km2 irrigated Median family of school agriculture income / week - 25% own home $900 Average household 30% traditional size – 2.9 Indigenous use

Darwin (Finniss, 110,000 people 30% employed by 95% own car 80% speak only Urban Elizabeth and government or English at home environment Howard rivers) 8.8% Aboriginal services 79% internet access 78% have >10 years of 2 12 people per km Median family 40% own home school income / week - $1,300 Average household size – 2.4

Continued page 4

Issue 3 October 2009 3 Continued from page 3 However, the child from the less Dr Natalie Stoeckl from James Cook require training, education, and fl exible affl uent Goyder River catchment is University who is leading the TRaCK purchasing systems. ‘ typical of children from the Fitzmaurice, project believes it is simply not Andrew Taylor believes the second Goomadeer, Koolatong, Liverpool, fi nancially viable to undertake the scale solution is to support development that Moyle, Blyth and Walker catchments. of investment that would be needed to is appropriate in remote areas where In these catchments, there is a high make remote areas less remote. infrastructure is limited. proportion of Aboriginal people who ‘The alternative is to stop seeing are less mobile, and have lower incomes ‘This means avoiding pie-in-the-sky remoteness as a problem that needs and lower rates of employment. People developments in favour of locally to be solved through large-scale in these catchments are less likely directed small-scale projects, such as development and population growth. to attend school, own a car or have providing fresh local produce or carbon Rather, remoteness constrains what is internet access. trading opportunities’, he says. feasible and desirable development, The third solution proposed is a more Addressing the disparity but also offers lifestyle and cultural opportunities that are unique’, she says. radical rethink of ‘development’, looking It is this disparity between many at the cultural and social wellbeing of Dr Stoeckl and her team pose three catchment communities that concerns local communities rather than just at possible solutions for developing the TRaCK project team, given the push fi nancial wealth. the remote and disadvantaged to further develop northern Australia. communities of the north. In the future, the child from the ‘There is a very small group of “haves” Goyder River catchment may grow up The fi rst is to support the communities and a much larger group of “have not” and choose their career from a range to participate in regional development, communities’, says Andrew Taylor, of options while still maintaining giving people the opportunity to a TRaCK researcher from Charles their culture. Perhaps they will teach fi nd jobs within new and existing Darwin University. ‘And much of the others about their local environment enterprises. development in the north depends on by accessing new internet-based “fl y in, fl y out” workers with expertise ‘This may require new training schemes, resources that showcase the activities and resources imported from southern new approaches to education, and more of Indigenous ranger groups. Australia.’ fl exible human resource management For a full report on the socioeconomic systems that work with, rather than Australia’s tropical rivers are central characteristics of northern Australia fi ght against, cultural differences’, says to what the north has to offer to and short profi les on each catchment, Dr Stoeckl. the rest of Australia for economic visit: www.track.gov.au/ development and water resources. But ‘Local communities also need to be research-projects/301 TRaCK researchers believe that people given the opportunity to become an interested in improving the lot of the integral part of the supply chain of new ‘have nots’ need to take a fresh look at and existing enterprises. This too may what development means.

Ngan’gi seasonal knowledge immortalised Ngan’gi language speakers know that ‘Ecological knowledge contributor and with the calendar and hope it can be when yerrwire (Darwin woollybutt) Nauiyu resident Patricia Marrfurra used to educate local children about starts fl owering, akerre (the native McTaggart was keen to have this the Ngan’gi names for the plants and honey bee) will be attracted to its information documented before it was animals that they eat and see around fl owers and soon you will fi nd yerrwire- lost’, explains Emma. ‘Patricia and the them every season.’ fl avoured (native honey) in other contributors are really pleased fungguli For more information visit: http://www. tree hollows, old ant nests and ground track.gov.au/publications/registry/429 hives—if you know where to look! Now Ngan’gi Seasons calendar, Nauiyu – Daly River this seasonal knowledge has been immortalised in the Ngan’gi Seasons calendar. Eight Ngan’gi-speaking women from Nauiyu Nambiyu on the Daly River Emma Woodward worked with TRaCK researcher Emma Woodward from CSIRO to document the interconnections between weather and bush resources which tell the story of the Ngan’gi seasons. After ten months of work the calendar was launched at the Merrepen Arts Festival in May.

4 Issue 3 October 2009 Giant gullies threaten the Gulf of Carpentaria By Melanie McKenzie

Kilometre-wide erosion gullies eating their way across thousands of hectares of Australia’s northern landscape are proving likely culprits as the main source of the sediments that are fl ushed Alluvial gully erosion typical of the land around the Mitchell River into the Gulf of Carpentaria each year. Photos: Melanie McKenzie

The Mitchell River These sediments could affect fi sheries in the Gulf by smothering the prawn, crab ‘We get a “fi ngerprint” that can tell meets the Gulf and barramundi breeding and rearing habitats of the coast and estuaries. The the difference between sediment from of Carpentaria gullies also mean landowners and managers are losing valuable land. surface and subsurface sources’, says Dr Caitcheon whose team has also been The Mitchell River in Far North Queensland deposits more sediment into the looking closely at the Daly River in the Gulf than any other river, but TRaCK researchers are not sure how much it is Northern Territory. increasing by or what impact an increased sediment load will have on the Gulf. ‘It looks like more than 90 per cent Fishermen report that during the wet season the Gulf is full of sediment-laden of the sediment in both the Daly freshwater plumes fi ve kilometres or more out to sea. and Mitchell rivers comes from the The currents around the Gulf move in a clockwise direction, and the sediment subsurface soils’, he says. This is the that is carried into the Gulf by the Mitchell River moves southward down the opposite of what might be expected coast toward the big seagrass beds on the southern and western sides of the if hillslope erosion was the dominant Gulf. There is a danger that the seagrass feeding grounds of dugongs and turtles sediment source, as was previously could be swamped by this sediment. assumed. Different rules for gullies in the north Dr Caitcheon says it is hard to tell whether the subsurface soils eroding ‘An increase in sediment from the Mitchell is likely to affect the whole Gulf’, into the rivers come from the adjacent says TRaCK researcher Dr Andrew Brooks from Griffi th University. river banks or are washed down from This is why TRaCK researchers are trying to understand more about how the nearby alluvial gullies. erosion starts, where the sediment comes from and how best to manage it. Alluvial gullies tend to be found in They have already found that the rules that apply to gullies in southern parts tropical environments where there is of Australia do not apply to gullies in northern Australia. a lot of rain and high weathering rates, ‘We used to assume that sediment sources in tropical rivers were dominated by but the researchers are fi nding that erosion from nearby hills—a type of erosion we know a lot about’, says Dr Brooks. climate is not the only driver of erosion. ‘But from this TRaCK research we have found that heavy rain and fl ooding erodes When they compare erosion in the the sediment within the fl oodplains themselves, creating “alluvial” gullies. two tropical environments of the Daly ‘Under the old model it was assumed fl oodplains were and Mitchell rivers, they are seeing a different pattern of results. sediment sinks, or depositional areas, but now we know they are also major sources of sediment.’ ‘We don’t see nearly the same extent of alluvial gullies in the Daly—there This means that the current models used to predict where gullies might start, aren’t as many, and they are not as big’, how much sediment they produce, and where the sediment ends up do not work says Dr Brooks. ‘Instead we think the for northern Australia. dominant sediment source in the Daly ‘This is a problem for making decisions about how best to manage the impacts is from riverbank erosion rather than of sediment from a river fl owing into the sea’, says Dr Brooks. ‘These fi ndings nearby alluvial gully erosion.’ could also have signifi cant implications for managing sedimentation in the Remote sensing has shown that the Great Barrier Reef, given that alluvial gullies have also been identifi ed in the channel of the Daly River is expanding catchments fl owing into the Reef area.’ and is causing the riverbanks to slump. Other TRaCK research in the Daly is Where is the sediment coming from? looking at whether fl oods in the Daly TRaCK researcher Dr Gary Caitcheon from CSIRO is investigating whether have got bigger over the last 30 years sediment washed into the river through erosion comes from the surface or due to increased rainfall in the area. subsurface soils of nearby alluvial gullies or river banks. To do this, he looks for Continued page 6 traces of Caesium-137 in the sediment, a product of nuclear weapons testing in the 1950–60s which was deposited on surface soils all over the planet.

Issue 3 October 2009 5 can compare it with measurements Dr Andrew Brooks at taken upstream, and the rangers are the Mitchell River in the 2009 dry season getting training and experience in data capture and water quality monitoring. Viv Sinnamon, Manager of the Kowanyama Aboriginal Land and Natural Resource Offi ce (‘the Lands Offi ce’) says that the relationship they have with the TRaCK research team is a mutually benefi cial partnership. ‘The work TRaCK is doing is very valuable to the north,’ he says. ‘Kowanyama is particularly worried about making sure that appropriate development projects recognise that Photo: Melanie McKenzie a large slice of the north is Aboriginal Continued from page 5 The shoreline erosion of the southern land and waters.’ ‘That’s not to say that gully erosion side is a concern for Kowanyama, Kowanyama, ‘the place of many waters’, isn’t happening too—there is more with the ongoing loss of burial sites is under increasing pressure from work to be done to tease out bank and other archaeological sites of outside interests, including mining. signifi cant cultural heritage. versus gully erosion’, says Dr Brooks. ‘We see the research as informing the ‘We’re looking at all sources of erosion, Dr Brooks and his team have been assessment of developments such as but it looks like gully erosion is the building a relationship with the mineral exploration proposals for the dominant process in the Mitchell River. Kowanyama community since the Mitchell River delta in areas that are We think it’s likely caused by land use beginning of TRaCK’s research in regularly inundated with water instead of climate—partly because the area. during the monsoon season’, we don’t see the same kind of fl ood ‘The people at the Kowanyama Lands says Mr Sinnamon. changes in the Mitchell as we do in Offi ce have been helping us with our TRaCK’s survey of the Kowanyama the Daly over the last 30 years, but also research by showing us around erosion area includes satellite imagery, remote because geomorphic changes started sites and helping us get oriented to the sensing and aerial photographs, which much earlier in the Mitchell.’ area’, says Shellberg. ‘The Traditional are being shared with the Lands Offi ce. Owners of the land often come out The arrival of cattle in the Dr Brooks and his team have been with us and make sure that we’re not Mitchell catchment in the using historical aerial photographs of impacting any cultural sites.’ 1880s appears to coincide the coast (some going back to 1943), with the start of a major Anzac Frank and Phillip Mango, rangers the Kowanyama community and the phase of alluvial gully erosion, from the Kowanyama Aboriginal Land wetlands to fi nd out how much the and Natural Resources Management according to TRaCK researcher area has been changing—information Offi ce, helped the research team install that Viv Sinnamon says is also useful Jeff Shellberg, a PhD student a rain gauge, a time-lapse camera and for the Lands Offi ce programs. at Griffi th University. a stage recorder that measures how ‘Kowanyama maintains that the right high the Mitchell River gets. This helps Given the high level of grazing in the combination of local and traditional the researchers keep an eye on how area, he hopes to determine whether ecological knowledge with western gullies are formed and how much they it is possible to prevent gullies from sciences from around the world is a grow over time. starting, and, in particular, to slow powerful combination for making them down once started. ‘The time-lapse pictures are great informed decisions. Some of the TRaCK because we get to see what the scientists are members of the Wetlands The changing Mitchell delta fl ooding looks like in the Mitchell Program Technical Advisory Group A new research question that the during the wet season’, says Jeff formed by Kowanyama this year’, researchers are also pursuing is the Shellberg. ‘The rangers’ knowledge Mr Sinnamon says. relationship between increased about the geography, waterholes ‘As an Aboriginal land management sediments in the Mitchell River and and other water bodies in the area agency, we are looking for partnerships recent changes to the river’s delta. is invaluable.’ like the ones we have with TRaCK that ‘The northern side of the south Kowanyama rangers are collecting river recognise and respect the need for the Mitchell mouth has changed a lot in samples and measuring turbidity in people of Kowanyama to develop their recent decades and is building out into nearby Magnifi cent Creek, downstream own programs to manage their own the Gulf, whereas the southern side from the Mitchell River. This data is country.’ has eroded a lot’, says Dr Brooks. useful to the researchers because they

6 Issue 3 October 2009 Pig-nosed turtle

Photo: Carla Eisemberg Threatened pig-nosed turtle depends on nutrient cycles in northern rivers by Tom Dixon

The Daly River in the Northern Territory is one Modelling nutrient and of only two breeding grounds of the highly- sediment fl ow To understand the effects of changes specialised pig-nosed turtle. to nutrient levels, TRaCK researchers Considered to be one of the best adapted aquatic turtles in the world, the turtle is are building a ‘nutrient picture’ of all on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It feeds on aquatic insects and plants northern rivers. Because not all rivers such as eel weed, which thrive in the Daly River. are like the Daly, which is relatively clear Eel weed is just one of a number of plants in the Daly under potential threat from and fl ows all year round, they are also pressures such as diversion of water for agricultural irrigation, and increased examining a contrasting river system— nutrient load from agricultural run-off. These plants have evolved to grow with low the Flinders River system in Queensland. nutrient inputs but, with an increase in farming around the Daly River, nutrient The Flinders River carries more sediment levels are expected to rise. and shrinks back to a series of isolated waterholes in the dry season. During the wet-season fl ooding, nutrients equivalent to 350 ten-tonne truck- loads and sediments weighing as much as 1500 Airbus A380s are washed into the By sampling and recording Daly. While these are large quantities, it does not take much to upset the nutrient data for water quality, algal balance. Even a small rise in levels can increase algal growth in the dry season, and growth, insect feeding and fi sh limit the amount of light and the available area which plants need to grow. numbers, the researchers are Before TRaCK’s current study, very little was known about where these nutrients able to build computer models came from, where they went, and how they became food for fi sh and land animals. that give water planners a ‘If we change the fl ows of rivers such as the Daly to irrigate crops, or we increase better understanding of how nutrient levels from agricultural run-off, we don’t know what the effects on the nutrients move through plant and animal life will be’, says TRaCK researcher Dr Barbara Robson from CSIRO. the two waterways.

Continued page 8

Issue 3 October 2009 7 Continued from page 7 ‘Models of the nutrient and sediment The contrasting environments of the Insects carry nutrients into fl ow are invaluable for ongoing tropics make predicting the movement the larger food web monitoring of the northern rivers’, of nutrients even more complex, and Nutrients that enter the river do not says Ian Lancaster, Director of Water results from one river cannot be directly always stay in the river. Dr Erica Garcia Resources in the Northern Territory’s transferred to the other. from Charles Darwin University is Department of Natural Resources, While the Daly River fl ows year round, investigating insects that start life Environment, the Arts and Sport animals and plants in the Flinders as larvae feeding in the rivers and (NRETAS). ‘Their primary use is to River system rely on waterholes to get waterholes. These insects transfer allow us to evaluate the impacts of the them through the dry season. Flooding nutrients to land-based systems when current low levels of development in in the wet season ‘resets’ the system, they emerge as adults and move onto the area, and predict what will happen fl ushing excess nutrients and decayed the land. with any new developments, such as material into the ocean. These increased tourism or more inputs ‘Aquatic insects are thought to stay from agriculture.’ seasonal cycles in the Flinders quite close to the rivers from which are critical to maintaining the they emerge’, says Dr Garcia. ‘But there Dr Robson’s team is looking at how nutrient balance that allows is evidence to suggest that some water fl ow and nutrients in the water insects are found up to 120 metres away control plant and algal growth, and animals such as turtles to from the river. So they may be more how this growth changes in relation to survive. important than we thought as a food changing fl ow. Grazing versus nutrients source for the surrounding birds, bats ‘Whenever there’s a change in land use and lizards. Grazing may have a large effect on near a river—either through diverting the composition of aquatic plants and ‘The further from the river bank you get, water away for irrigation, or switching algae—not cattle this time, but fi sh the less aquatic insects are found. But from bush to grazing—the nutrient and turtles. Associate Professor Michele not much has been done in the tropics composition changes’, says Dr Robson. Burford and student Stephen Faggoter looking at this, especially not in the wet ‘And with this, the plants in the system from Griffi th University are comparing season. We need to fi nd out if more change, affecting the quality and type the effects of nutrients on plant and insects emerge in the wet season, and of food available for animals such as the algal growth with the effects of fi sh and also what species are around. We simply pig-nosed turtle and fi sh such as the other animals grazing in fi ve waterholes don’t know how important the wet rainbowfi sh and the sooty grunter.’ in the Flinders River system. To establish season is for the insects around here.’ Ian Lancaster is keen to understand the impact of grazing, they are using how land-use changes may affect the cages to exclude fi sh and turtles from The future Daly River. ‘The northern rivers are parts of one of the waterholes. With water becoming an increasingly susceptible to even small changes in ‘By establishing whether plants and valuable commodity, gaining nutrient composition, especially in the algae grow more due to an increase of knowledge about the pressures exerted dry season. Water planners and local nutrients, or because of less grazing on aquatic ecosystems is important to users need to be able to predict what from fi sh and turtles, we can reveal their survival. The north of Australia changing inputs will mean for the clues as to how resilient the ecosystem experiences heavy rainfall during the plants and animals in the rivers. We will be against changes in the water wet season, and its unique ecology need to fi nd acceptable, allowable levels availability—for example, if large depends on water reserves to survive of nutrients from human discharge, volumes are diverted for irrigation’, the dry months. such as from farming and urbanisation says Assoc. Prof. Burford. ‘Large-scale diversion of water from the of areas around the Daly’, he says. northern rivers to the southern states is highly unlikely in the short term’, says Ian Lancaster. ‘But, by understanding the underlying biology of the area, we can begin to understand the effects of diverting large volumes of water away from the systems should the need ever arise. ‘We can use this understanding to ensure that our northern rivers remain productive, and that animals such as the pig-nosed turtle can live here into the future.’

Photo: NRETAS Eel weed has evolved to grow with low levels of nutrients.

8 Issue 3 October 2009 Biodiversity—you’ve got to know where it is to manage it

By Mary O’Callaghan Photo: Michael Hammer

Five genetically divergent lineages of Mouth Almighty have been found in When fi ve identical-looking Mouth Almighty fi sh the north, one of which appears to be are each found to be genetically different, you restricted to Queensland’s Tully River. know you cannot rely on physical traits alone to assess biodiversity. Clearly, what you see is not TRaCK researcher Dr Ben Cook from always what you get. Griffi th University has been using Some populations of freshwater fi sh and shrimp species in northern Australia have genetic analysis over the past two evolved in ways that are only apparent by looking closely at their genetic makeup. years. ‘The aim of our project is The key to this genetic diversity is the complete isolation of a river from other rivers to fi nd areas that need to be for millions of years—a situation to which water grids and pipelines which connect managed as separate units’, catchments pose a huge risk. says Dr Cook. ‘If we don’t know where the biodiversity is, we What genetic analysis can tell us can’t manage it. Populations that have been isolated over millions of years gradually accumulate ‘It’s important that animals are not genetic differences. Eventually they can become so genetically different from one moved between these units because another that they become what scientists call ‘genetically divergent lineages’. it poses risks of hybridisation and Representing millions of years of independent evolution, these genetic lineages potentially extinction. Hybridisation are a signifi cant component of biodiversity. In some cases, they can turn out to can cause animals to lose some of the be previously unknown species. adaptive traits that they have evolved ‘If we know where these genetic lineages are, we can help protect them by to survive under local conditions. selecting appropriate management regimes’, explains Dr Mark Kennard, a ‘Genetic analysis can tell us about fi sh ecologist from Griffi th University who is working to identify areas of high patterns of biodiversity, as well as what conservation value in the north. evolutionary processes were involved ‘Grids and pipelines are not the only human threats to endemic species. There in the formation of current biodiversity might be threats from agricultural development, such as pesticides in farm run-off. patterns. Knowing how biodiversity has If we can’t take the development somewhere else, we can at least mitigate the risk evolved could help us know how it will if we know the area has a high number of endemic species.’ evolve in the future.’

Continued page 10

Issue 3 October 2009 9 Genetic changes in our for as long, perhaps only hundreds of Working closely with the Uunguu and tropical rivers thousands of years, rather than millions Dambimangari rangers, Balangarra of years. Time is the factor here’, Traditional Owners and project staff Working with Griffi th University’s explains Dr Cook. from the Kimberley Land Council Land Professor Jane Hughes, Dr Cook is using and Sea Management Unit, Dr Cook genetic tools to assess freshwater Of the fi ve different genetic lineages and his team carried out extensive biodiversity throughout the rivers of of Mouth Almighty found by the sampling in river systems in the North northern Australia. Interesting patterns team, one appears to be restricted to Kimberley. On the basis of this work and of genetic diversity have been found in Queensland’s Tully River. ‘This is an the samples provided by the Wungurr the Kimberley, the Top End and eastern interesting result because two species rangers, Dr Cook has identifi ed two Cape York Peninsula. of crayfi sh, one shrimp, and genetic lineages in a few other freshwater fi sh lineages of Mouth Almighty in the ‘We’ve found divergent lineages are also restricted to the Tully River. Kimberley, one in the east and one in in some species, especially in the This means that the Tully River is a real the west. ‘This highlights the extreme Kimberley and the Top End, and hotspot for freshwater biodiversity.’ isolation of rivers in the Kimberley, distinct populations in other species many of which have been isolated throughout northern Australia.’ Mouth Almighty is a mouth brooder— from one another for very long periods the female lays eggs, the male picks So far, highly divergent genetic lineages of time.’ them up and incubates them in his have been found in Hyrtl’s catfi sh mouth. When the fi ngerlings can Some species, such as the (Neosilurus hyrtlii), Mouth Almighty swim and forage, they move away. Hyrtl’s catfi sh, were chosen (Glossamia aprion) and the Caridina for analysis because they are shrimp. ‘This possibly means greater So, unlike some other fi sh species diversity in these animals than whose eggs can get washed an important household food we previously appreciated’, explains downstream, Mouth Almighty source for many Aboriginal Dr Cook. does not stray far from its people. ‘They’re not that hard to catch when they’re migrating in big Other species, such as spotted blue- place of birth. As a result, numbers at the beginning of the wet’, eye, pennyfi sh and MacCulloch’s individuals do not interbreed explains Dr Brad Pusey from Griffi th rainbowfi sh, were also found to have with individuals from other University. ‘They can get caught up genetic differences among some rivers and the chances of behind waterfalls. And at the end of populations, although the differences local genetic adaptations the wet they are quite fatty.’ are much smaller. ‘This is because their are higher. populations have not been isolated

Local Uunguu rangers helped researchers collect samples in the Kimberley. Left to right: Dr Ben Cook, ranger Sylvester Mangolamara, Dr James Fawcett (Queensland Government), ranger Raphael Karadada and Griffi th University PhD student Kate Masci

10 Issue 3 October 2009 The team also selected species with different traits; for example, early breeders ‘When you move water, you’re also and late breeders, mouth brooders, species that lay eggs in nests and those that likely to be moving freshwater broadcast their eggs. ‘It’s interesting to compare genetics of species with different animals. Moving water between rivers traits when you are trying to link landscape processes with traits, to fi nd out what containing different genetic lineages factors are important in shaping biodiversity’, says Dr Cook. can have negative consequences for biodiversity, with extinction of the Historically the landscape has shaped biodiversity resident lineage being a possibility’, Across the north, genetic differences in some freshwater species appear to be lower says Dr Cook. in rivers that fl ow into the Gulf of Carpentaria. According to Dr Cook, this is possibly He cites an experiment with two due to fl uctuating sea levels over the last 200,000 years. When sea levels dropped, glass shrimp lineages in south-east the Gulf became a lake, changing through time from brackish to totally fresh water. Queensland about 15 years ago. Over The last time this happened was around 10–14,000 years ago when Australia and the course of seven generations, all Papua New Guinea were joined by an exposed land bridge. males of both lineages bred with the Lake Carpentaria, which was smaller than the Gulf today, but still very large, came females of only one lineage, the other and went with the glacial cycles. Several rivers from northern Australia and Papua becoming extinct. New Guinea fl owed across the land bridge into the lake, and many freshwater ‘Hybridisation is the main concern. animals were able to move between rivers via the lake and breed with individuals When you put two lineages together, from other rivers, thereby mixing their genes. This also explains why some you start losing local adaptations.’ freshwater species, such as cherabin (long-armed river prawns) and black catfi sh, are found in both northern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea. Informing water resource In contrast, many rivers in the Kimberley and western Northern Territory fl owed planning through deep gorges and, so, did not connect when sea levels dropped during Dr Jon Marshall is a Queensland glacial phases. ‘This long-term isolation of rivers is probably why there are multiple Government scientist who advises genetic lineages of Mouth Almighty and other species in different parts of the water planners about how to use this Kimberley and Northern Territory’, says Dr Cook. kind of information to inform water resource planning. What can happen to biodiversity when two rivers meet? ‘To manage the viability of a population For rivers like those in the Kimberley and other parts of northern Australia, which of aquatic organisms, the fi rst thing have been isolated for a long time, what might the consequences be of transferring we need to understand is the genetic water between catchments? structure of the population’, says Dr Marshall. ‘For example, we might have a species that readily disperses between catchments; so degradation in one catchment might be compensated for in the other. But if a population is unique to one catchment, we need to make sure that decisions made protect that population—that’s the unit we’re trying to protect in managing fl ows. ‘When you’re moving water, there’s a possibility that animals will be moved with it. Ben’s research will be important for working out how big a risk the movement of water is for the population. ‘Our water resource planning for the Wet Tropics is in its early stages so this research will feed directly into decisions about the way water is allocated and balanced between human use and the environment.’

Considerable genetic differences have been found among populations Photo: Dave Wilson of spotted blue-eye.

Issue 3 October 2009 11 Valuing our rivers in dollars and cents By Amanda Hodgson

Twin Sisters Billabong in the Wildman River region, south-east of Darwin Photo: Ian Lancaster

Defi ning the monetary value of our river systems human wellbeing than that they have a value within the market system,’ in terms of their contribution to agriculture, Ian Lancaster, Director of Water pastoralism and tourism is easy. But how do you Resources in the Northern Territory’s put a dollar value on shady camping areas, great Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport fi shing spots, beautiful landscapes or places of (NRETAS), wants to know the value cultural signifi cance? of all ecosystem services. ‘Putting a dollar value on river systems is of great How do you compare the value of river systems in providing irrigation water for benefi t to planners in our department crops with that of providing habitat for wildlife or regulating the local climate? to guide the development of our water This is a challenging question that governments face when they are deciding allocation plans. It provides a basis for how to manage our use of river systems. us to give high priority to protecting Our river systems sustain us and our environment. They provide us with ecology and the environment’, he says. opportunities for recreation and they are important for our spiritual wellbeing. We can defi ne all of these contributions to our quality of life as ‘ecosystem services’. How much are we For people living in northern Australia’s catchments, the rivers are an integral part willing to pay? of their daily lives. Indeed, for all Australians, there is a seemingly endless list of the So how much do Australians value the ways in which rivers contribute to our survival and wellbeing. But because defi ning ecosystem services provided by our the true value of our rivers is diffi cult, the benefi ts that have an economic value tropical rivers? Which services do we often get priority by default. value the most? Dr Straton designed a questionnaire that asked a sample ‘Often when governments are making decisions about which development of Australians how much they were pathway to follow, they’re looking at costs and benefi ts of alternatives’, says Dr willing to pay for ecosystem services, Anna Straton, a TRaCK researcher from CSIRO. ‘Those things that can be expressed focusing on the Fitzroy, Daly and in dollar values are easy to incorporate in that framework but often the benefi ts Mitchell River systems as case studies. and costs that aren’t easily valued are left out of these decisions. For many ecosystem services it’s more about the fact that they exist and contribute to

12 Issue 3 October 2009 ‘We gave people a hypothetical People were also prepared to pay for improve the river systems. For example, scenario’, she explains. ‘If you were in a preserving high quality fl oodplain if an environmental group applied for supermarket and there were different habitat and keeping the rivers in the funding to replant native vegetation to versions of the Fitzroy, Daly and Mitchell best condition for recreational fi shing. improve the fl oodplain habitat, water river systems on the shelves and each However, if they had to pay for rivers to planners can now get a feel for how came at a different price, which one be in a condition to support irrigated much that might be worth. agriculture, they were only prepared to would you go for?’. ‘Dr Straton has done a fantastic job of pay for them to be kept in fair condition. providing a direct and comprehensive The hypothetical ‘versions’ of the river ‘Overall, people value the three rivers understanding of how we value our systems provided four ecosystem being in the best condition to provide northern rivers so we don’t have to rely services: for the environment, recreational on information from southern Australia • fl oodplain habitat use and Indigenous people. While or overseas’, says Mr Lancaster. He says • an environment for recreational people value some expansion of he would like to see more research on fi shing irrigated agriculture, they prefer a the value of ecosystem services to help • species and species habitat medium expansion rather than a large him and his staff with developing water important to Indigenous expansion,’ says Dr Staton. allocation plans. customary activity at waterholes • production from irrigated Ian Lancaster did not expect people in ‘This report allows us to put a dollar agriculture the southern cities to place such a high value on things that are not normally monetary value on the river systems. a commodity in the way we think of For each ecosystem service, people were ‘I was surprised given they wouldn’t things like fruit and vegetables or the asked whether they would be prepared necessarily get the chance to visit and supply of electricity. Money talks and to pay to have it preserved in the best enjoy the rivers. They seem to value just this report gives farmers and people condition, in fair condition or not at all. knowing they are there in case they get in industry a better idea of how others Dr Straton sent almost 3000 the opportunity to go there.’ value all ecosystem services,’ he says. questionnaires to randomly chosen ‘You could think of the environment households in the Fitzroy, Daly and How will this information as an industry in its own right and the Mitchell River catchments, and to be used? information from the report is a good households in Perth, Darwin, Brisbane, Dr Straton has now provided water basis to present that argument.’ Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. planners in the north with a report Dr Straton has recently travelled to Indigenous people living in the of her fi ndings, which will help them the Mitchell catchment to talk with catchments were interviewed in person. decide how much water may be Traditional Owners about the outcomes ‘We wanted a wide range of opinions extracted from the river systems. of her research. ‘Making sure I deliver because we know the use of Australia’s ‘We consult the community about the the results is important because northern rivers is a national issue, level of extraction they’re comfortable local people and organisations need particularly with the increasing with’, says Mr Lancaster, ‘and this the knowledge to back up their own awareness of water use,’ she says. gives us a basis in the argument for a arguments for maintaining ecosystem ‘These are nationally and internationally balance between people making money services’, she says. ‘Local communities signifi cant questions.’ through development and the value of can also benefi t from knowing that Interestingly, most of the conserving the environment.’ other Australians value their local tropical river ecosystems.’ people who responded, The report can also help water planners including city people, placed work out the dollar value of efforts to the highest monetary value on preserving, in the best possible condition, waterholes important to Indigenous people. The message here, according to Dr Straton, is that whether they were Indigenous or non-Indigenous, whether they lived in the catchment areas or thousands of kilometres away in the city, people were prepared to pay the most amount of money for maintaining waterholes of cultural signifi cance to the highest level.

Waterhole, Darwin River

Photo: NRETAS

Issue 3 October 2009 13 Fitzroy River update

The collection of ‘river change’ stories about their interest in trialling a has begun in the catchment. A local river-health monitoring program that youth organisation, the Yiriman uses indicators of healthy country Project, is coordinating the recording of relevance to Aboriginal people. Photo: Paul Close of oral histories about changes to river Community members are also working Researchers sampling at systems and wetlands over people’s with the team to develop materials for Mugungoor, West Kimberley lifetimes. A group of young local people local use and of local interest, such as will record senior people telling their seasonal calendars. has expressed interest in having the stories on fi lm. The researchers hope In June, several teams presented their project work with its members. to integrate the oral history with research at the Fitzroy Catchment the scientifi c knowledge that they After much planning with staff of Group (FitzCam) and the FitzCam have assembled to establish a more the Kimberley Land Council Land and Aboriginal Reference Group meetings Sea Management Unit, Ben Cook complete picture of the ways that in Fitzroy Crossing. At the event, Paul rivers and wetlands work, and the and his team spent a fortnight in the Close and Rebecca Dobbs consulted north Kimberley working with ranger relationships people have with landholders about their research for the these systems. groups and council project offi cers. Framework of the Assessment of River They collected samples of fi sh, shrimp Marcus Finn, Pippa Featherston and Wetland Health project. As a result, and snails from the May, Robinson, and Emma Woodward continued they are now working closely with local Mitchell, Carson, Drysdale, King and their intensive fi eld research in the cultural advisors, research assistants Pentecost rivers. As part of TRaCK’s catchment. The economic survey of and pastoralists to collect samples at work to identify aquatic ecosystems household catches is progressing; an extensive range of sites along the of high conservation value, the team the team has been talking with a Fitzroy River. And in response to Neil is analysing the samples to identify number of Traditional Owner groups Collier’s talk about the Power Tools populations that have changed project, the Aboriginal Reference Group genetically in adapting to local conditions.

Mitchell, Flinders and Geomorphologists Norman Rivers update converge on the Mitchell Andrew Brooks and Jeff Shellberg travelled Fish fi ndings in October, mainly at Kowanyama. Ian is the length of the Mitchell River in July developing the same type of datasets as with delegates from the 7th International Field work has been ongoing in the those that he previously incorporated Conference on Geomorphology. Australian Mitchell and early results relating to into the Fitzroy River Water Resource and overseas visitors alike were impressed fi sh and what they eat are starting to Plan, which examine barramundi with the rugged isolation of the landscape emerge. Tim Jardine and the team from populations and risks posed from water and the scale of the geomorphological Griffi th University were conducting resource development. processes at work. fi eld work and picking up depth loggers Continued page 15 in the middle and lower reaches of the Mitchell in June and July. They are tracing the primary food sources of large and small fi sh to trace where they are found in the system of river channels, waterholes and fl oodplains. It seems that an as yet unidentifi ed source of food supply is contributing to fi sh food webs in the Mitchell. Ian Halliday from Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries is continuing his August survey work in the Mitchell

Visiting geomorphologists inspect gully erosion, Dying Pig Gully, Wrotham Park Station, Mitchell River catchment

Photo: Melanie McKenzie 14 Issue 3 October 2009 Daly River update Highs and lows The trial of the Framework for the Assessment of River and Wetland Health reached new heights recently as the team were airlifted, with the assistance of the Jawoyn Association’s chopper, into hard-to-reach stone country in the Katherine region. Ranid May and Alistair Danger from Charles Darwin University have joined the project Andrew Raith sets up a fl ow and were welcomed by the team for an intense round of dry-season fi eld work. tracker in the Edith River. Photo: Peter Novak

Fish and fl ows The workshop aimed to help water In an experiment to examine the effects of fi sh, shrimp and increased nutrients managers and planners understand on the growth of algae, Erica Garcia, Simon Townsend, Peter Novak and Andrew the implications of where and how Raith deployed large fi sh-exclusion cages and nutrient-diffusing substrates in the much water they allocate to different Edith River. uses and users. Thirty people from community groups and government Danielle Warfe, Peter Kyne, Mark Kennard and Courtenay Mills sampled fi sh at agencies attended. Danielle will permanent monitoring sites in the Daly, Katherine and Fergusson Rivers. This conduct a similar workshop with sampling is contributing to a long-term dataset on fi sh assemblages, and will also northern water management and increase our understanding of the hydraulic and hydrological needs of fi sh in the planning agencies in Perth. A workshop Daly River catchment. For this round of sampling, the TRaCK team was joined by for Queensland representatives was Wagiman elders and rangers whose input was invaluable, especially as a Wagiman held in April. fi sh-names poster is currently being created. Danielle and Peter also conducted sampling on the Edith and Fergusson Rivers with Peter Novak and Neil Pettit. They are investigating how food webs change over the Wet and dry wet and dry season, and if/when there are peaks in the production and movement artwork at Nauiyu of food web components such as algae, insects and fi sh. community Thor Saunders and Ian Halliday have been analysing barra and threadfi n salmon Emma Woodward has been working otolith (ear bone) data. Initial fi ndings indicate that the impact from fl ow on fi sh with Nauiyu community members at recruitment is discernable. Daly River on initiating a community Charles Darwin University hosted a workshop and seminar in June where Michael art project. Community members Douglas, Mark Kennard and Brad Pusey presented fi ndings from the Daly River Fish hope that their artwork will depict the and Flows project. difference between wet and dry river systems and engage everyone involved in two-way learning and expression.

Continued from page 14 Laura Aboriginal Flinders and Dance Festival Norman Rivers Through the Mitchell River Watershed Stephen Faggoter and his team from Subsequent algal blooms in the Flinders Management Group, TRaCK was well Griffi th University have been doing a and Norman Rivers are of concern to represented at the Laura Aboriginal series of intensive fi eld sampling in graziers in the region. There was major Dance Festival in June. The festival is Flinders river waterholes, investigating disruption to grazing operations and revered as one of the most important the drivers of plant growth in this some loss of stock and property. TRaCK cultural events in the region. It was system. has been liaising with the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group to a good opportunity to liaise with Heavy fl ooding in the Gulf during the share knowledge and provide insights members of several language groups 2008–09 wet season caused major into post-fl ood processes and recovery. and clans, and visitors from all across deposits of sediment on grazing lands. the north.

One of the waterholes being studied in the Flinders River catchment

Photo: Jon Marshall Issue 3 October 2009 15 Fact sheets Contact us Visit www.track.gov.au The following Phone +61 (0)8 8946 7444 fact sheets are Email [email protected] available on the Mail TRaCK, C/- Charles Darwin University, Casuarina Campus, TRaCK website: Building Red 1 Level 3, Darwin NT 0909, Australia www.track.gov.au Subscribe to On TRaCK On TRaCK is the fl agship publication of the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge program. To subscribe, email us at [email protected] Scenario evaluation fact sheets 1: River futures in Australia’s tropical north 2: Building better Indigenous About TRaCK participation TRaCK was established in 2007 as a research hub under the Commonwealth 3: Collaborative water planning Environment Research Facilities Program to provide the science and knowledge that governments, communities and industries need for the sustainable use Assets and values fact sheets and management of Australia’s tropical rivers and estuaries. 1: The economic value of rivers 2: Indigenous values and river fl ows The research consortium is led by Charles Darwin University, CSIRO, Griffi th University, the North Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance and the University of Western Australia. River and coastal settings fact sheets 1: People and the economy 2: Classifying river landscapes 3: Sorting Australian rivers by On TRaCK Issue 3, October 2009 Disclaimer ecology and fl ow ISSN: 1836-0998 TRaCK has published the information contained in this publication to assist Published by Charles Darwin University, public knowledge and discussion and to c/- TRaCK, Casuarina Campus, Building Red Material budgets fact sheets help improve the sustainable management 1 Level 3, Darwin NT 0909 Australia 1: Sediment and waterholes of Australia’s tropical rivers and coasts. 2: Sediment and nutrient loads Writing, editing and publication Where technical information has been coordination: Econnect Communication prepared by or contributed by authors 3: Nutrients in rivers Design: See-Saw Illustration and Design external to TRaCK, readers should contact 4: Water budgets the author(s), and conduct their own 5: Water quality monitoring Printed on a waterless press using enquiries, before making use of that environmentally responsible print information. No person should act on techniques and sustainable paper stocks. the contents of this publication whether Food webs and biodiversity fact sheets Copyright as to matters of fact or opinion or other 1: River food webs content, without fi rst obtaining specifi c This publication is copyright. Apart from 2: Waterhole food webs independent professional advice which any fair dealing for the purpose of private confi rms the information contained within 3: Floodplain food webs study, research, criticism or review as this publication. 4: Healthy estuaries permitted under the Copyright Act, no part While all reasonable efforts have been 5: Flows and ecological assets may be reproduced, by any process, without written permission from the publisher. made to ensure that the information in 6: Estuarine fi sh this publication is correct, matters covered 7: Environmental fl ow tools by the publication are subject to change. Charles Darwin University does not 8: Diversity of river life assume and hereby disclaims any express or implied liability whatsoever to any party Sustainable enterprises fact sheets for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether these errors 2: Indigenous rights in water or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.

16 Issue 3 October 2009