Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy

Queensland Regional Natural Resource Management Investment Program Final Report 2018 CS9925 05/19

This publication has been compiled by Natural Resources Programs, Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

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Front cover photo: Well managed riparian vegetation 1km north of Murray’s Bridge south east of Warwick. (Photo Condamine Alliance) Back cover photo: Back Photo Confluence of Farm Creek and Emu Creek, Crows Nest (Photo Condamine Alliance) Contents

Introduction. 2

Snapshot of key achievements: 2017–2018 . 3

Theme 1: Managing priority and invasive weeds . 4

Case study: Tackling Devil’s Rope Pear through an integrated management approach. 6

Theme 2: Managing priority and invasive animal pests. 7

Case study: Working together to reduce feral animal threats. 8

Theme 3: Restoring soil condition. 9

Case study: Protecting the Nankin Wetlands. 10

Theme 4: Adoption of best practice landscape management. 11

Case Study: Targeted grazing management practice adoption to reduce sediment and pollutants—riparian fencing. 12

Property management planning and monitoring . 13

Theme 5: Restoration of native riparian vegetation on priority waterways. 14

Case study: Ward River Waterhole. 15

Theme 6: Restoration of native vegetation in priority wetlands. 16

Case study: Wetland restoration ‘Susan helping Mary’. 17

Theme 7: Engaged, knowledgeable, skilful communities. 18

Case study: Improving water quality in Cape York east flowing receiving waters: an exercise in collaboration . 19

Paddock to Reef program . 20

Project list. 21

Further information. 23

1 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Introduction

A long–term collaborative approach is required to manage Queensland's natural resources in a responsible way, to support the economic and social needs of the community, and to maintain healthy and resilient ecosystems. Partners across all levels of government, industry and the broader community have contributed to the success of the Queensland Regional Natural Resource Management Investment Program (program).

2017–18 was the fifth and final year of the program. The program supported improved natural resource management (NRM) outcomes throughout the state, providing an $80 million investment over five years from 2013–2018, including $30 million to protect the Great Barrier Reef. A total of $55 million of the $80 million was provided through Queensland's regional natural resource management bodies (NRM bodies).

NRM bodies have built strong relationships with their communities and provide an important link between community and governments. In 2017–2018, they continued to facilitate and deliver NRM projects collaboratively with local councils, volunteer organisations, Indigenous groups, rural industry groups, local community groups and landholders. These collaborations added significantly to their capacity to deliver NRM outcomes and maximise the benefit of the investment to Queensland.

In July 2017, 39 projects were funded for 12 months (of these six will contribute to Reef Plan outcomes). Nearly half of these were continuing projects from the 2016–2017 program. Projects focused on on–ground activities that restore waterways and landscapes by addressing weeds and pests, and improving soil, vegetation and water quality at a catchment or landscape level. By facilitating capacity–building workshops and forums, land and water managers are able to continue best practice landscape management into the future.

This report summarises outcomes from investment from July 2017 to June 2018 against seven themes. A bar chart is included under each theme to report achievement against target outputs for the year. Seven NRM bodies had projects extended into the 2017–2018 financial year, refer 2017–2018 funding project list for details.

All program targets for 2017–2018 have been exceeded.

2 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Snapshot of key achievements: 2017–2018 Investment Actions

The Queensland 14 regional 50 984 ha of 2.5 million ha of pest animal control Government NRM bodies wetlands have been invested nearly have helped restored more than 149 ha of soil 268 restoration partnerships established with $7.5 million key stakeholders 56 farmers 4270 during landholders 2017–2018 to improve land engaged in management Riparian more than practices across Weed control vegetation has across Assistance to been protected along 363 000 ha 66 community to protect priority organisations for 133 km of ecosystems and priority waterways 39 projects 23 883 ha agricultural land 370 NRM capacity-building activities

3 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Theme 1: Managing priority and invasive weeds

Target: Achieved:   ha   ha • Condamine Alliance focusing on reducing the threat education, and the establishment of biocontrol breeding from weed species that tend to dominate pastures programs and release of biocontrol agents at selected and decrease productivity such as Harrisa cactus and sites. Devil’s rope pear. The Prickly Acacia weed control program undertaken • highly invasive fireweed located within Terrain NRM by DCQ from 2013–2018 has built on a series of ‘firsts’; area controlled in agricultural areas, as it competes initiating a regional management practice change with pasture species and is toxic to livestock process, contributing strongly towards the industry Weed control • in Desert Channels Queensland (DCQ) treatment of development of innovative technology, i.e. foliar prickly acacia, mesquite and honey locust, improved mapping, collaboration between DCQ and Department Invasive weed species significantly impact land condition, access to land for stock and humans, allowing of Environment and Science staff and, ground and farm production systems, environmental assets and regeneration of native vegetation and, removing chemical application supporting the treatment of prickly biosecurity in Queensland. Twelve NRM bodies undertook shelter for pest animal species acacia. The program’s success was highlighted by the weed management activities during 2017–2018. A oversubscription of landowners to the program despite significant number of project activities were built on • removal of hymenachne and rubber vine from waterways, wetlands and irrigation channels requiring landholders to fund 50 per cent of chemical previous control works undertaken during the program in inputs and commit to long term rehabilitation of degraded 2016–2017. undertaken to enhance native vegetation, rehabilitate wildlife habitat areas. Over the period 2017–2018 specific weed species were • targeting of cats claw creeper, rats tail grass, itch prioritised based on the following criteria: grass, Mimosa pigra, pond apple and rubber vine • listed as restricted or invasive under the Biosecurity aimed at preventing degradation and improving Act 2014 the condition of high quality agricultural land and environmental assets within the Mackay Whitsunday • potential impacts on agricultural productivity and Isaac Region ecosystems • targeting lantana, Singapore daisy, leucaena, • mapped/reported as only present as newly emerged bellyache bush and annual mission grass for or isolated infestations management and eradication on the Torres Strait • concern to the community and local council regions. islands. Weed management activities occurred on all the outer islands and for the first time weeds were Those NRM bodies that undertook weed management mapped on Thursday Island. activities during 2017–2018 focused on minimising impacts on priority ecosystems and primary industries In addition to on-ground weed control, activities included leading to: surveillance and mapping, development of weed control plans with land managers, community engagement and

Terrain NRM trialling the use of dogs to detect Fireweed (Photo Terrain NRM)

4 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Weeds and pest animals have significant landscape Regional frameworks for pest and weed management— This approach: scale economic, environmental, cultural heritage and such as those applied across this program and paired social impacts through their potential to adversely reduce with effective communication and support to partners— • contributes to long-term engagement and primary industry productivity and profitability, alter fostered the adoption of relevant pest and weed participation of landholders in weed management ecosystem function, impact on culture and limit the long- management strategies based on best practice and • reduces expenditure over the long term term sustainability of Queensland’s agricultural, natural sound technical advice. • leads to improved landscape resilience and provision and people resources. A collaborative approach to building partnerships with of ecosystem functions. Working with local land managers and encouraging local communities and organisations has increased A good example of innovative weed management the collection and submission of data has resulted in person power, in-kind contributions from land managers technique was Terrain NRM’s trialing of a dog to detect new sightings and locations of weeds and pests. This and an overall increase in weed management results in fireweed seedling growth to improve detection rates leverages value for money as project partners have the remote locations. of fire weed at low densities. Media exposure was knowledge to deliver multipurpose surveys, as opposed ‘phenomenal’ reaching an audience of approximately to only capturing data on the target species. 50 000 across Australia and internationally.

5 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Case study: Tackling Devil’s Rope Pear through an integrated management approach

Condamine Alliance A collaborative approach towards management of this and multiple new partnerships formed between SDRC, weed enabled the biological control agent (cochineal bug) CA, Biosecurity Queensland and the landholder. These to be released on the property on 28 March 2018. Markers partnerships allowed the sharing of knowledge, expertise Devil’s Rope Pear has become an established plant in an and GPS points were taken of the release locations so over and support for the landholder to effectively manage isolated area of the Western Main Range. Devil’s Rope Pear time the rate of spread can be monitored. Devil’s Rope Pear. Condamine Alliance worked closely with (DRP) commonly forms dense, impenetrable thickets that Biosecurity officers and SDRC to help increase awareness reduces carrying capacity and excludes native grasses and After release on the property, the population of the of the weed and encourage proactive treatment by shrubs. Condamine Alliance (CA) has helped support three biological control agent will increase, making it available to landholders. landholders in the Freestone area to take an integrated other landholders in the area. This provides a cost-effective approach towards managing the weed through chemical solution to compliment the chemical and mechanical and biological applications. control applications applied by the landholder. The cochineal bug will over time help to control patches of DRP With the assistance of a Pest Management Officer from the in hard to get at areas of the property that are inaccessible Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) CA could identify to mechanical and chemical applications. The bug is mainly the extent of the Devil’s Rope Pear infestation within the dispersed manually and by wind. Freestone area. As a result CA initiatied a project with the landholders to manage the invasive weed beyond their Through support provided by this project, a total of obligationss under the Biosecurity Act and the SDRC. 108 hectares of Devil’s Rope Pear has been controlled

Harrisia catus (Photo: Comdamine Alliance NRM) CA Mulched Devils Rope

6 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Theme 2: Managing priority and invasive animal pests

Target: Achieved: NRM bodies endeavour to value-add to achieve the most   ha    ha Predator control is effective possible management of feral animals. For having a positive effect example Reef Catchments was able to fund an additional on the Bridled Nail Tail round of aerial control of feral pigs focused on Goorganga Wallaby population at Plains/wetlands and the O’Connell–Andromache River Taunton (Photo: Fitzroy catchments. The project was completed in collaboration Basin Association) Pest animal control with the Whitsunday Regional Council, Mackay Regional Council, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Six NRM bodies carried out pest animal control activities landholders. during 2017–2018. Activities focused on the control of feral pigs, wild dogs, feral deer, feral cats and toads. Due to a very dry season in the Whitsunday–Mackay Invasive animal species cause extensive damage to the region during the period of March to November 2017 horticulture and grazing industries, through the loss of and the damage inflicted by Cyclone Debbie, food and crops, damage to farm infrastructure and the spread of water resources for feral pig populations were limited. weeds and disease. Pest animals also cause significant Decreased availability of food during late 2017 and damage to ecologically sensitive areas, particularly early 2018 provided favourable conditions for pest riparian and wetland areas. management as feral pigs congregated at known water and food hubs. Regional pest management strategies are developed in partnership with key stakeholders, including local Cape York NRM undertook a targeted vertebrate pest councils, to align with state priorities. The strategies program on Western Cape coastal areas covering an guide management activities that are based on the accumulative land mass area of 353 837 hectares. A best available science and build regional capacity by total of 727 pigs were removed. Continued animal pest encouraging adjacent land managers to participate. A mix control occurred in the Torres Strait Regional Authority of incentives and capacity building is required to achieve area concentrating on feral pigs, feral cats and cane toad Feral cat control, Taunton National Park (Photo Fitzroy Basin Association) long-term change in the way the environment is valued control. and managed. Data on pest animal control activities continues to be Wild dog management and the use of the poison bait uploaded to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ 1080 is a sensitive issue amongst landholders with some Pest Central database for monitoring and evaluation participants disagreeing with the use of 1080 for wild purposes. dog control. During 2017–2018 South West NRM trialled the use of canid pest ejectors for wild dog control within cluster areas. Multiple landholders now have the training to deploy the new technology in the field.

7 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Case study: Working together to reduce feral animal threats

Queensland Murray Darling Committee This project aimed to work with landholders in the The process design was developed to take into account Condamine west sub-catchment area to undertake a the following factors: coordinated control program targeting wild dogs, feral Vertebrate pests such as wild dogs, feral pigs, foxes and pigs, foxes and feral cats. In order to generate landholder • Identifying feral animal ‘hot spots’–remote infra-red feral cats cause environmental and economic damage engagement and encouragement to participate, QMDC cameras were established where feral pig activity to properties across the Queensland Murray–Darling technical officers worked with landholders to gather data was identified. This was to gauge current ‘hot spot’ Basin (QMDB). Pest species cause agricultural damage on disease prevalence as well as stomach contents of all locations so that focussed pest control campaigns including reduction in cattle and sheep production species to determine the impact they were having on the could be conducted. through calf and lamb loss as well as competition for landholder’s local environment and agricultural systems. • Monitoring took place throughout the event to gain pasture, and significant damage to crops and agricultural On-ground action took place over 34 000 hectares. an estimate of hotspot areas and number of animals infrastructure. They decrease environmental value by targeted. The event involved a multi-faceted approach directly preying on native species, competing for their Whilst all feral animal species were targeted through the to control. During this time it was estimated that resources or directly destroying habitat that native work carried out with the landholders, feral pigs were approximately 1300 feral pigs were removed from the animals rely on. identified as a major concern in the Condamine West area landscape. It is important to note the significance of and the integrated pest control approach incorporates removing breeding individuals from the population. reducing feral pig numbers.

Project Partners discussing Health and Safety procedures prior to aerial pig cull (Photo NQDT )

8 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Theme 3: Restoring soil condition

Target: Achieved: Condamine Alliance (CA), Queensland Murray Darling  ha  ha Committee (QMDC), Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) and Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) undertook soil restoration activities during 2017–2018.

Improved soil management and groundcover were Aerial view of water spreading banks, identified as a key issue for QMDC. This project aimed Broadmeadows property (Photo FBA) Land degradation continues to be a major threat to to increase the area of sustainable land management Queensland’s NRM soil assets. Due to high intensity by supporting on-ground works as part of landscape- summer rainfall and variability in ground cover, erosion scale planning and upskilling land managers to ensure and soil structure continue to be a major threat to our that knowledge capacity exists for ongoing future high value soils. Addressing the health and structure of works. Improved soil management practices have been the soils has reduced downstream siltation and sediment adopted on 1083 hectares of land. Improved groundcover loads by ensuring soil remains in the paddock. management practices have been adopted on 6481 hectares of land to increase productivity and natural Activities that restore agricultural soils and improve water resource efficiency. quality will support biodiversity and farm productivity, and reduce sediment loads entering the Great Barrier Reef FBA continued to work with property owners at (GBR). Broadmeadows near Rockhampton to improve land condition and remediate previously eroded areas. On Soil restoration activities that were eligible to be funded inspection by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, under this program included: it was evident that significant excess runoff was being transported across the paddock, removing top soils and • soil engineering works that remediate gully erosion, natural vegetation with it. It was evident that salt scalding such as flumes, rock ramps, diversion banks, gully and gully erosion was occurring during each significant control structures, log sills, and grade stabilisation rain event, where significant quantities of sediment, structures weeds and other matter were being transported along the • rangeland rehabilitation structures, such as water watercourse towards the Nankin Wetlands and lagoon spreading and contour furrowing area.

• fencing of eroding hill slopes (especially cattle track The remediation strategy included the establishment areas) to re-direct stock movement of eleven waterspreading banks. The banks were • fencing of bare ground (e.g. caused by salinity or constructed to reduce the speed of water travelling overgrazing) with or without plantings to increase downhill towards the wetlands. Ultimately, leading to a vegetation cover. reduction of sediment flow into the Nankin wetlands and improvement of land productivity through remediation of erosion and salt scalds.

9 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Case study: Protecting the Nankin Wetlands

Fitzroy Basin Association The Nankin Wetlands lagoons cover a significant area • constructing water-spreading banks to remediate of the property and as such it is important to keep this an area of gully erosion and salt scalding that was area free from invasive weeds, sedimentary silt and transporting sediment to the Nankin wetlands and Broadmeadows is a beef grazing property located salt scalding, with the aim of maintaining it to the best Lagoon area 13 kilometres east of Rockhampton, on the banks of environmental state that is possible whilst ensuring Nankin Creek. The property extends over an area of • repair of a damaged pondage wall through optimal water quality. However, due to the historical levels 984 hectares which consists of marine plain with grass construction of a water-spreading bank to remediate of tree clearing in the mid-slopes (transmission zone) sedge swamp country fed by deep permanent creek another area of salt scalds and gully erosion and toe-slopes (discharge zone), there are several saline water. The waterways are also supplemented by overland outbreaks on Broadmeadows. • 200ha of increased groundcover through construction water flows created by rainfall over the adjacent hillsides of waterspreading banks and grazing management and mountain areas, which flow downhill through the This project entailed the continuation of rehabilitation • formation of a property management plan paddocks and towards the main lagoon. work needed to reduce erosion and salt scalds on the property. This predominately features on a hillside slope • demonstration day at Broadmeadows with 33 Owners Robert and Michele Lang continue to improve area that carries overland rainfall by wash from an attendants practices at Broadmeadows and investigate opportunities existing dam structure, in addition to run off from the to increase the carrying capacity by improving the • published case study, an online article and foothills of adjacent paddocks and rail easement, across pastures, soil health and reducing the impact of overland information sheet on waterspreading. severely salt affected land and into the catchment inflows water flow which has created scalds and erosion of Due to Broadmeadow’s close proximity to Rockhampton, of the Nankin freshwater lagoons. The work for this valuable less well vegetated hillside slopes, increasing the project could potentially provide a good opportunity project involved: sediment flows into the wetlands and waterways to showcase rehabilitation techniques to other throughout the property. landholders.

Participants at Broadmeadows Field Day May 2018 inspecting water spreading banks (Photo FBA).

10| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Theme 4: Adoption of best practice landscape management

Target: Achieved: This soil conservation project targeted actively eroding more sustainable system. Often individuals and groups   ha  ha priority sites in the Western Burnett such as gullies, inadvertently collect environmental data but fail to hillslope erosion, streambanks and contour banks in maintain effective and meaningful records. However, in agricultural areas. The long-term outcomes are improved the case of Condamine Alliance’s project ‘Landholder soil health, reduction in the amount of sediment entering monitoring of local environmental values in the South waterways and into the southern Great Barrier Reef and West Condamine Regions’ the monitoring tools used increased knowledge and skills of landholders about soil in this project are part of the Atlas of Living Australia During 2017–2018, seven NRM bodies supported 163 land and erosion principles to sustainably improve agricultural managed by CSRIO. and water managers in improved nutrient, herbicide, soil, productivity. groundcover and irrigation management practices on The CSIRO BioCollect platform is freely available online their farms. To ensure a high level of public benefit and the best to the public and enables users to collect monitoring outcomes with available resources, BMRG engaged data for a broad suite of environmental indicators and The Burnett Mary Regional Group’s (BMRG) Soil landholders in priority geographic areas targeting soil the ability to record NRM activities that impact the Conservation in the Western Burnett project has types with the highest erosion risk. environment. increased the adoption of practical soil conservation techniques at a paddock and property scale by promoting Land management decisions impact on the condition The approach included ten local scale workshops uptake of best practice soil conservation practices of the surrounding environment, but by involving land throughout Condamine and South West catchments to such as groundwater management and rehabilitation of managers in monitoring their local impacts over time identify landholder environmental values and relevant actively eroding sites. can guide land management decisions to create a monitoring indicators, and to introduce BioCollect.

Rehabilitation of hillslope erosion, near Three Moon Creek Valley, near Monto (Photo: BMRG)

11 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Case Study: Targeted grazing management practice adoption to reduce sediment and pollutants—riparian fencing

Reef Catchments conservation day 2013 The installation of the riparian fencing provided immediate benefits in ground erosion and loss of groundcover cover improvement. Reef Catchments engaged with grazing landholders to undertake activities with demonstrated water quality “The grass is going really well in the excluded areas, benefits through the project Improved Water Quality via particularly along the salt pans where we get a fair bit Targeted Grazing Management. of runoff and some erosion was occurring. I am really pleased with the early outcomes and will keep track of 16 sub-catchments were identified as high priority based the progression when we start to rehabilitate those areas” on their contributions to sediment and nutrient loads. said Fiona O’Sullivan. Graziers within these sub-catchments were targeted to ensure that the maximum environmental benefit was The rehabilitation of the native buffer zone ensures any achieved for the funding invested. Landholders were land-based pollutants are filtered from overland water able to access funding of up to 40 per cent of costs to flow, prior to entry into nearby waterways. They undertake on-ground activities including riparian fencing, off-stream watering points, gully remediation and riparian will continue rehabilitation of the area by re-establishing enhancement. native shrubs and trees and controlling weeds to allow native species to regenerate. Two of the landholders involved in the project were Greg and Fiona O’Sullivan, who own and manage 73 hectares of coastal grazing land in the Sarina Beaches area. Set in a unique location, their property is bound on three sides by mangrove estuary and salt flats. Previous owners of the property had not installed fencing, allowing stock to move freely onto the salt flats, causing erosion and loss of groundcover.

Re-establishment of ground cover from stock exclusion by riparian fencing reef catchments (Photo G & F O’Sullivan)

12| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Property management planning and monitoring

Best practice landscape management requires The BMRG via the project has delivered improved directly into pasture and existing crop stubble eliminating landholders to plan and monitor activities undertaken management of 145.5 ha of priority wetlands in the Susan plough and retaining ground cover of 300 hectares. In during the year to develop knowledge on priority NRM River catchment, a low land sub-catchment of the Mary addition to reducing risks to erosion and improving soil issues, including invasive species distribution, trends in River by engaging with project partners to exclude stock, health over the area applied, the story of innovative water quality of waterways and wetlands, and land health. improve grazing practices and control aquatic pest plants leading to improved water quality entering the Great change management practice provides confidence to Property management planning (PMP) and monitoring Barrier Reef. other landholders considering similar innovations. are essential skills for landholders undertaking NRM activities. During 2017–2018 five regional bodies assisted Northern Gulf Resource Management Group’s Farming During the past year the 14 NRM bodies established or landholders in Queensland to complete 46 PMPs, Futures project, assisted farming communities of continued with 222 monitoring programs. covering an area of 52 850 hectares. the Mareeba–Dimbulah Irrigation Area to improve management practices, by working intensively with 10 The BMRG undertook a soil monitoring program aimed growers as well as educating the wider community on to improve landholder understanding of the value of soil improving soil health and irrigation efficiencies, which health practices in agricultural production across Central deliver both sustainability and production benefits by Darling and Brigalow Jimbour Eight Floodplain. Ten sites reducing input costs and environmental losses. were sampled as part of the new soil monitoring program, providing soil nutrition information to five landholders Condamine Alliance provided support to a landholder in and into the SALI database accessible by the public, the Allora region for his innovative activities of modifying natural resource management groups and government. planting equipment to allow him to plant fodder crops

Innovative land management practices implemented at a Modified mulcher in action at a property near property near Allora (Photo: Condamine Alliance NRM) Allora (Photo: Condamine Alliance NRM)

13 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Theme 5: Restoration of native riparian vegetation on priority waterways

Target: Achieved: Target: Achieved: and revegetating bare riparian areas where the prior   ha   ha  ha  ha erosion control engineering activities have occurred. The subprogram is providing long term benefits to overall catchment health within SEQ and improved water quality in waterways and .

A water quality study commissioned by South West NRM During 2017–2018 six NRM bodies implemented activities vegetation, lowering its habitat value, reducing corridor on the Ward River Waterhole located near Charleville, to protect and restore native vegetation and improve connectivity and leaving streambanks susceptible to found there was a high sediment load as evidenced by water quality along 133 kilometres of priority waterways. erosion. This erosion reduces the area of productive the uniform bathymetry and poor water quality especially land, reduces farm profitability, increasing sediment and below 1.5 metres depth where the dissolved oxygen level Riparian vegetation is essential in the maintenance of associated nutrient delivery to the waterways that affects was near zero. The waterhole is a critical drought refugia waterway health, biodiversity, resilience to extreme down-stream water processing as well as fauna habitat. enabling terrestrial and aquatic life to persist in dry times, weather events, and bank stability. Riparian vegetation Excess nutrients from farming promote the growth of particularly native fish. The value of such refugia is very across much of Queensland has been degraded due algae waterways, affecting the fauna living in these high and likely to increase under predicted climate change to clearing from historical farming practices and weed waterways and coastal receiving waters. scenarios . invasion. Canopy vine weeds such as cat’s claw creeper, madeira vine, rubber vine and morning glory smother Healthy Land and Water (HLW) carried out a program of and eventually result in the death of the host vegetation riparian enhancement of priority SEQ waterways through reducing the quality and extent of native riparian the eradication / replacement of canopy killer weeds

Revegetation of riparian zone at Warrill Creek, July 2018 River (Photo: HLW)

14| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Case study: Ward River Waterhole

South West NRM water quality and decreased dissolved oxygen levels. Of also recognised the environmental values were being concern was the finding that there was minimal dissolved detrimentally affected by visitor use of the reserve. The oxygen at depth below 0.5 to 1 metre. This project plan of management for the public reserve provides Critical drought refugia (waterholes) are an important worked towards addressing immediate threats to water a vision for future management actions and provides landscape feature in arid and semi-arid regions of quality through long term planning and on ground works guidance to council management over the long term. Australia. The Ward River Waterhole, 20km south west of including: development of first planning document for the Charleville, is such a refugia. This source of permanent reserve lands; installation of vehicle movement barriers The on-ground works have provided practical solutions to water which remains once the river has ceased flowing to reduce compaction on upper bank; installation of off- address some of the major threats to the waterhole from and has retracted into a series of waterholes. Critical stream watering points to reduce uncontrolled grazing erosion, sedimentation and visitor use of the reserve. drought refugia allow terrestrial and aquatic life to persist impacts; fencing to exclude stock; and water quality An example of the benefits achieved is the success of during drought. Their role is envisaged to become more monitoring. the rock barriers in controlling vehicle movements and important in view of current climate change predictions of blocking off sensitive areas and the establishment of more frequent and severe climatic conditions. The Ward River waterhole is a place of ecological three off-stream water extraction points to reduce the importance. It is also a highly valued recreational impact of stock on the river bank. Recent research had identified that the long-term space for residents and visitors alike who use the viability of the Ward River Waterhole was under threat area for fishing, camping and boating. The community from: increased erosion; sedimentation; and declining

Rock barriers placed in front of Ward River Reserve carpark to protect upper stream bank from Vehicle compaction (Photo SW NRM)

15 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Theme 6: Restoration of native vegetation in priority wetlands

Target: Achieved: catchment of the , by engaging with project   ha   ha partners to exclude stock, improve grazing practices and control aquatic pest plants, leading to improved water quality entering the GBR.

Fitzroy Basin Association has continued to work with the property owners at Broadmeadows near Rockhampton Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems to improve land condition and remediate previously in the world, providing ecosystem services that benefit, eroded areas. To rectify this issue, it was recommended sustain and support people’s environmental, economic to establish eleven water spreading banks, the banks and social well-being. Queensland’s wetlands improve were constructed to adjust the way that water travelled and maintain water quality by modifying and trapping downhill towards the wetlands. The desired outcome of nutrients and sediment that would otherwise enter this work is a reduction of sediment flow into the Nankin waterways and the ocean. Wetlands have cultural wetlands and improvement of land productivity through importance to Indigenous communities and are story remediation of erosion and salt scalds. places and centres for cultural activity. Terrain NRM selected two priority Wet Tropics wetlands In 2017–2018, three NRM bodies managed projects to within the Herbert and Murray catchments—Bunta restore and protect wetlands. Lagoon and Cattle Creek south of Ingham—for passive water sampling monitoring pesticides, herbicides and The Burnett Mary region includes a diverse range of other pollutants during the 2017–2018 wet season. wetland systems including freshwater, estuarine and marine wetlands of High Ecological Significance along The monitoring data has been supplied to the Department with multiple sites listed in the Directory of Important of Environment and Science (DES) and will value add Wetlands in Australia and the internationally significant to the results of their GBR–wide wetland water quality Ramsar Wetlands of the . Improving monitoring project. Key partners involved in the water wetlands in the Burnett Mary region has delivered sampling program included DES and landholders such as improved management of 145 hectares of priority Tully Sugar. Total investment in this project was $24 000. wetlands in the Susan River Catchment, a lowland sub- Bunta Lagoon on the Tully/Murray River floodplain Monitoring and assessment of water quality for the Paddock to Reef Program was undertaken at this wetland (Photo: Terrain NRM)

16| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Case study: Wetland restoration ‘Susan helping Mary’

Burnett Mary Regional Group involvement, training and demonstration to facilitate the better understanding of how water moves through the management and care of the key wetlands into the future. Susan River flatlands towards the undulating coastal The project is an estuarine barometer for the health catchment and to identify significant wetlands sites. The Susan River is a sub-catchment of the great Mary of productive fisheries and water quality. This project River located in . In 2017 the accompanies efforts by landholders in the rehabilitation The selected site was a grazing property along the banks Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) prioritised the of a significant Susan River wetland that affects receiving of Bunya Creek. The landholder installed two kilometres Susan River catchment to improve water quality and waters of the southern section of the GBR. of wildlife friendly fencing to exclude cattle from marginal wetland condition, thereby contributing to the effort farmland protecting 78 hectares of High Ecological already established in the upper and middle Mary The process of site selection was lengthy and complex Significance estuarine wetland adjacent to the GSS catchments. The project aimed to mitigate the effects however after detailed consultation, several landholders Ramsar wetland and the Susan River fish habitat area. A of reduced water quality that impacts the Great Sandy with well managed pastures expressing an interest in total of $25 322 was invested into this project. Strait (GSS) and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) marine excluding cattle from wetlands on their properties. biodiversity, habitats and ‘species of concern’ (Reef Plan 2050). BMRG set about to help build community A ‘Walking the Landscape’ workshop was facilitated by and industry skills and capacity via meaningful project the Department of Environment and Science to gain a

Saltmarsh at Bunya Creek before on-ground works (left) and now protected from stock impacts after installation of a stock exclusion fence (right) (Photo:, BMRG)

17 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Theme 7: Engaged, knowledgeable, skilful communities

Target: Achieved: These partnerships collectively contribute to broader Approximately 320 capacity-building events were  ha  ha NRM outcomes by creating important information sharing held during the year in Queensland, engaging 4270 networks, increased awareness of local NRM issues and participants. opportunity for engagement, potential for future financial and in-kind investment and ongoing maintenance of on- Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) facilitated a four ground works. day workshop with key field staff of Torres Shire Council (TSC) and Torres Shire Island Regional Council (TSIRC) in Building community capacity to confidently and In 2017–2018, NRM bodies supported 66 community May 2018. Training was conducted on Thursday Island effectively address local NRM issues is a priority of this groups, including Indigenous groups, landcare and in the use of weed baseline mapping on a Fulcrum App program. catchment groups, to increase their capacity and and over a one and half day period staff had mapped the participation in addressing local NRM issues through extent of Leucaena on Thursday Island. Community groups are motivated to partner with NRM planning, problem identification and prioritisation, bodies either formally or informally, in order to have networking, and strategy development. HLW has partnered with Gold Coast Association to treat direct or indirect involvement with the prioritisation and 125 hectares of the uppermost areas the Cave Creek delivery of on-ground works and community engagement NRM bodies established informal and formal collaborative catchment for the control of Giant Devil’s Fig which backs relating to NRM in the region. Land and water managers arrangements with a variety of key project partners, onto the northern cliffs of the Springbrook Plateau, are motivated to partner with NRM bodies to improve including industry groups, local government, Indigenous which is adjacent to Springbook National Park and World the management of the natural resources and improve groups and volunteer groups. During 2017–2018, Heritage area. This treatment will positively impact the productivity of their land and enterprises leading to 268 collaborative arrangements were negotiated and downstream areas and protect habitat of the EPBC listed environmental and economic sustainability. documented with project partners. species Phyllodes imperialis (Pink Underwing Moth), whose larvae were found here.

Northern Gulf and Southern Gulf Farming Futures irrigation workshop (Photo: Northern Gulf RMG)

Endangered Pink Underwing Moth (Phyllodes imperialis) (Photo: HLW)

18| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Case study: Improving water quality in Cape York east flowing receiving waters: an exercise in collaboration

Cape York NRM Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land and Aboriginal and implementation of regionally relevant systems for freehold properties. monitoring water quality.

This project aimed to continue to build relationships with The success of the project was through direct • Increased knowledge and sharing of knowledge and Indigenous and non-Indigenous land managers in Cape engagement with east coast Indigenous organisations, implementation of on-ground traditional ecological York east flowing catchments and focused on developing land managers, pastoralists and horticulturalists in the burning practices. management interventions and monitoring methods central and southern east coast priority areas and their • Increased collaboration between neighbours which were fit for purpose and related to that particular willingness to work together with Cape York NRM. Up to on effective fire management planning and property and land use. The project aimed to establish an eleven traditional owners participated in the project. implementation. increase in on-ground water quality monitoring sites to assist in documenting the currently poorly understood The project has been successful in achieving and • Increased capacity of Indigenous land managers to risks to water quality in Cape York such as inappropriate exceeding proposed outcomes, leading to some monitor and report on on-ground fire management fire management, sediment loss from gully and surface outstanding results including: practices and wildfire. erosion and to quantify nutrient loss from agriculture. • Improved implementation and uptake of appropriate The project designed actions according to identified and sustainable agricultural management practices by potential water quality threats and designed monitoring land managers to maintain water quality. programs to detect management practice change relating • Increased capacity to improve water quality and to land management practices for horticultural, grazing, reduce impacts to the reef through the development

Cane toad trap at the shipping company’s yard, Horn Island, Torres Strait (Photo: TSRA)

19 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Paddock to Reef program

The Paddock to Reef Integrated Monitoring, Modelling and and Grazing Tool are invaluable in decision making, and Reporting Program (Paddock to Reef ) is a collaboration allows for continual improvement and more accountable involving industry, NRM bodies, landholders, research program delivery. organisations and government. Jointly funded by the Hastings Reef (Photo: Tourism & Events Queensland) Australian and Queensland governments, Paddock Paddock to Reef modelling seeks to predict the impact to Reef is a highly innovative approach to collecting of changed management practice from the baseline at a and integrating data and information on agricultural farm scale for a variety of soil and land types, based on management practices, catchment indicators, catchment data from the paddock monitoring component. loads and the health of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The catchment loads modelling estimates the annual The Paddock to Reef Program began in 2009. Its objective average load of sediment, nutrients and pesticides for is to measure and report on progress towards the Reef each of the 35 catchments draining to the GBR. Reef Water Quality Protection Plan’s (Reef Plan’s) goal and NRM bodies currently collect and review regional data targets through annual report cards. The Paddock to Reef and information on agricultural practices for fertiliser Program includes support for the six reef NRM bodies and pesticide use in the cane, banana, dryland grains, (Cape York NRM, Terrain NRM, NQDT, Reef Catchments, irrigated cropping, and grazing industries. FBA and BMRG) NRM Regions Queensland and the Reef NRM bodies undertake wetland assessments by Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy to monitoring catchment indicators in priority wetlands and undertake: providing the data to the Department of Environment and • management practice adoption Science. Passive pesticide samplers have been installed at wetland sites to support the monitoring. These • paddock modelling activities support the GBR annual report cards. • catchment loads monitoring NRM Regions Queensland employs a Paddock to Reef • wetland values and processes. Cross-Regional Coordinator who provides a channel of Management practice adoption provides estimates of the communication between the Paddock to Reef Program adoption of improved management practices by farmers and the NRM bodies and coordinates the receipt and in Reef regions. Practices are ranked from high risk dissemination of management practice data. (superseded practices) to low risk (innovative practices) based on the effect on soil erosion and water quality. The More information on the Paddock to Reef Program is efficiency of collating farm management practice data has available on the Reef Plan website. been greatly increased this year with the introduction of the Reef Alliance reef-wide spatial database. Access to the recently developed Paddock to Reef Cane Calculator

20 | NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Project list

Funding $ NRM body Project (2017–2018) Burnett Mary Paddock to Reef 2017–2018 120 000 Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Improving Wetlands in the Burnett Mary (2017–2018) 126 000 Resource Management Ltd Soil conservation in the Western Burnett 182 000 Improving Soil Health—Practical answers on use of organic amendments for land managers 125 000 Cape York Natural Resource Management Ltd Cape York Paddock to Reef integrated monitoring, modelling, and reporting program 101 200 Improving water quality in Cape York east-flowing catchments marine receiving waters 206 145 Maintaining the reduction of vertebrate pests and weeds on Cape York: Strategic targeted control of high priority 182 655 regional pests and weeds Reducing the impacts of priority weeds and pests in the Condamine catchment 150 000 Condamine Alliance Addressing water quality issues in the upper Condamine 150 000 Productive and resilient agricultural lands in the Condamine catchment 200 000 Land monitoring of local environmental values in the South West and Condamine regions 38 758 Supporting soil health on the Central Darling Downs 49 476 Desert Channels Queensland Inc. Ongoing eradication of Prickly Acacia in Upper 500 000 Paddock to Reef Fitzroy region 114 000 Fitzroy Basin Association Wetlands integrated project 361 000 Enhancing the riparian condition of waterways and improving the sustainability of grazing land businesses in Healthy Land and Water 500 000 South East Queensland Burdekin Paddock to Reef integrated monitoring, modelling and reporting program 117 000 Landscape resilience—Improving coastal wetland ecosystems through improved understanding of best Dry Tropics 58 000 irrigation management practice in the Lower Burdekin Coordinated regional pest management in the Burdekin Dry Tropics 300 000 Farming futures in : Delivering healthy, productive and resilient landscapes 250 000 Northern Gulf Resource Management Group Tropical Savannah grazing: Investing in the sustainable future of Northern Gulf grazing lands 250 000

21| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Project list (continued)

Funding $ NRM body Project (2017–2018) Basin landscapes and people: threat abatement 120 000 2017–2018 Water quality 160 000 Queensland Murray–Darling Committee Inc. Basin landscapes and people: Sustainable agriculture 220 000 Community engagement in natural asset condition reporting 110 000 Groundwater Net—Involving landholders in monitoring groundwater in Queensland 200 000 Paddock to Reef integrated monitoring modelling and reporting program 111 000 Improved water quality via targeted grazing management 130 000 Sustainable agriculture: fast tracking adoption of innovative management practices in land use industries in the Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Ltd 90 000 Mackay–Whitsunday–Isaac region. Strategic pest management: controlling and managing weeds and pests in the Mackay–Whitsunday–Isaac 144 000 region Wild dog control within cluster areas and coral cactus control at Wyandra and Charleville 333 334 South West Natural Resource Management Ltd Working on the Ward River waterhole 166 666 Landholder groundwater monitoring program South West NRM and Condamine Alliance 20 0000 Southern Gulf NRM Reclaiming resilient landscapes: woody weed management in the Southern Gulf and Northern Gulf NRM regions 500 000 Paddock to Reef integrated monitoring, modelling and reporting program 117 000 Terrain NRM Ltd A stitch in time saves nine—managing emerging weeds in the Wet Tropics 123 000 Walking the landscape plus—priorities and partnerships for water quality outcomes 220 000 Torres Strait Regional Authority Addressing emerging invasive species and biosecurity threats in Torres Strait 475 200

22| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Further information

More information on the NRM bodies and the funded projects can be found at the following websites.

www.qld.gov.au/environment/agriculture/ The Department of Natural sustainable-farming/nrm-investment-projects/ Resources, Mines and Energy program-2013-2018

Burnett Mary Regional Group www.bmrg.org.au

Cape York Natural Resource www.capeyorknrm.com.au Management Southern Queensland NRM (previously Condamine Alliance, www.sqnrm com.au Queensland Murray Barling Committee and South West NRM)

Desert Channels Queensland www.dcq.org.au

Fitzroy Basin Association www.fba.org.au

Healthy Land and Water www.hlw.org.au

Reef Catchments www.reefcatchments.com.au

Northern Gulf Resource www.northerngulf.com.au Management Group

NQ Dry Tropics www.nqdrytropics.com.au

Southern Gulf NRM www.southerngulf.com.au

Terrain NRM www.terrain.org.au

Torres Strait Regional Authority www.tsra.gov.au

23| NRM Investment Program: progress report 2018 Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy 13 QGOV (13 74 68) www .dnrm.qld.gov.au