Six months into 2021 and we've certainly been kept on our toes! For those affected by lockdown conditions, we hope that you are staying safe and well, and as comfortable as possible.

With the new financial year kicking off this week, we invite you to become a monthly donor for as little as $5 a month, to supercharge the work we do here in beautiful North Queensland. Thank you to everyone who has given so generously - we really appreciate your support!

This edition of Paperbark provides an outline of what we've been up to in June, what we have planned, and ways for you to get involved - even from home! We hope you enjoy the read.

In this edition:

• NQCC Updates:
  
  • Our Townsville
  • Consultation & Meetings
  • Burdekin Basin Campaign
  • Healthy Waters Report Card Launch
• Actions & Activities for You: 
  
  • Collect your Climate Action signs!
  • Green Drinks
  • Join our Committee!
  • Postcard Art Exhibition
  • Museum of Underwater Art: have your say
  • Regenerative Songlines Online Event
  • Heal Country Heal Climate Webinar Series
  • Plastic Free July
• The Good Stuff - a wrap up of some of the month's good news stories

Shifting from pioneering to mature and efficient water use

We have a jam-packed edition of Paperbark for you this month, so we recommend setting aside 15 minutes or so to delve into our updates and take a few quick and easy online actions, such as renewing your membership, registering for an event or signing a petition.

We are currently in the middle of Reconciliation Week, and this year's theme is "More than a word". To help bring this to life, we recommend you check out this practical list of 20 Actions for Reconciliation in 2021.

We hope you enjoy this month's Paperbark!

In this edition:

• NQCC News:
  • Membership fee changes
  • Ministerial Roundtable
  • Climate Strike
  • Alligator Creek update
  • Water Campaign Update
• Coming Up: 
  
  • Our Townsville
  • Green Drinks
  • Postcard Art Exhibition
• In Other News...
  • Pre-budget Assembly with the Deputy Premier
  • Evening with the Minister
  • #StopAdani and Beyond - Online Roadshow
  • Petition: Protect Channel Country from Fracking
  • Microplastic Survey Training Workshop
• Some Good News - a wrap up of some of the month's good news stories

The sand spit off the coast south-east of Townsville that we call Cape Bowling Green has the important job of sheltering the Ramsar-listed (internationally important) wetlands of Bowling Green Bay National Park and the communities of Cungulla and Jerona from the forces of the open ocean.

Frighteningly, that long, thin sandy cape is currently under threat of being washed away entirely - and the Burdekin Falls Dam could be partly to blame.

Confusing concept? Using the research of Dr Eric Wolanski and imagery from John Connell and Chris Hopper, this article will help you wrap your head around this important local issue.

April was a month of butterflies, cooler weather and some pretty big changes for us (details below). As always, we are humbled by the support of everyone who has reached out and supported us in some way over the past few weeks - thank you!

Some positions are currently available on our Management Committee, so if you are looking for an opportunity to support us in a meaningful and rewarding way, express your interest here and we'll be in touch!

For an interesting (and perhaps inspiring) read, we recommend this Guardian article, which explores some of the opportunities for North Queensland becoming a key region for new, 'green' industries. It is exciting to hear some positive and progressive visions from North Queenslanders, instead of the same old coal rhetoric. 

As you'll see from this edition of Paperbark, we've been pretty busy - and we are only going to get busier, with plenty of things to look forward to. Keep reading for all the details!

In this edition:

• NQCC News:
  • Staffing Changes
  • Burdekin River Campaign Update
  • The Fight for Our Trees
• Coming Up: 
  
  • Green Drinks
  • Postcard Art Exhibition
• In Other News...
  • Tour de Carmichael kicks off
  • Pre-budget Assembly with the Premier
  • Townsville's Climate Strike
  • Kennedy Bay Walk with Wildlife Qld
  • Evening with the Minister
  • PhD survey responses wanted

The following letter by John Connell was published in the Townsville Bulletin on 1 May 2021.

In the last week several Federal politicians, McCormack and Littleproud passed through Townsville and talked up building more dams in the north. They criticised the Queensland Government for being slow to spend big dollars on building new dams, a mouth-watering $6B for Hells Gates Dam.

These are intelligent men, and so they should take the time to do the maths. The water really isn't there. In the TEL (Townsville Enterprise Ltd.) proposal, Hells Gates Dam would provide up to 580,000 ML from the Upper Burdekin catchment to irrigate 50,000 ha. TEL's Feasibility Study of 2018 showed that while the mean flows are 1,160,000 ML per year, the flows in most years will be closer to half that. Extracting half or more of the mainstream flows is not acceptable for the health of the river. We only need to look at the Murray-Darling.

Another busy month has passed, and we are filled with gratitude for the amazing people in our community doing great things. From those who got their gloves dirty on Clean Up Australia Day, to those who swam for our rivers and those who have come together to stand up for our trees. You are what inspires us!

Some good news to come out of this month...

Queensland Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon announced the 56ha expansion of Girringun National Park, to protect more habitat of the endangered Mahogany Glider. This has been a long time coming, but we are so glad this time has come!

Queensland has also announced a ban on many single-use plastics that will come into effect from September this year. Yay!

Well done to everyone whose advocacy has contributed to these decisions!

In this edition:

• NQCC Updates:
  • Clean Up Australia Day
  • Swim for Our Rivers
  • Tree Vigil for Change
• Coming Up: 
  
  • Green Drinks
  • Postcard Art Exhibition
• In Other News...
  
  • Tour de Carmichael
  • Pint of Science: Online
  • Have Your Say, Townsville

Throughout February and March, eight courageous teams have been fundraising for our campaign to protect North Queensland's river systems. Our Swim for Our Rivers fundraiser (inspired and supported by Mackay Conservation Group), cumulated in a Pool Party at Kokoda Memorial Pool on Saturday 20 March, where our fundraising teams were challenged and rewarded for their fundraising efforts!

Media Release: 22/03/2021

Burdekin River Sustainability in focus on World Water Day

Highlights:

• North Queensland’s Burdekin River system is one of Australia’s most important, and supports:
  • Internationally important wetlands, which are breeding grounds for native species,
  • Productive agricultural areas, and
  • Important cultural sites to First Nations groups and the wider North Queensland community.
• NQCC is working alongside experts, stakeholders and policy makers to explore integrated, innovative approaches for improved ecological and economic outcomes for the region.
• The Swim for Our Rivers fundraiser has raised almost $6,000 towards this work.

22 March is World Water Day, which provides an opportunity to reflect on what the future holds for the mighty Burdekin River – one of Australia’s most important river systems. According to eminent scientist John Williams, if urgent action is not taken, the Burdekin River could follow the same path to degradation as the Murray-Darling. With four dams proposed, it appears that its plight is heavily misunderstood.

For us, February kicked off with World Wetlands Day, followed by a lovely Green Drinks gathering, a mention in Wild magazine, a temporary Facebook ban and the registration of our first teams for our Swim for Our Rivers fundraiser. What a month! 

We look forward to your support as we launch into March! There are a few fun ways to get involved this month: participate in our Clean Up Australia Day event, get creative for our Postcard Art Exhibition and of course, get behind our Swim teams as they raise money and are put to the test on Saturday 20 March!

In this edition:

• NQCC Updates:
  • World Wetlands Day
  • Green Drinks 
  • Wild Magazine: Luxury Lodges = Wilderness Lost
  • Treasurer Position Available
• Coming Up: 
  • Clean Up Australia Day
  • Swim for Our Rivers
  • Postcard Art Wanted
• Online Activities:
  • Tell Siemens to Reject Adani
  • Resources Dept. Community Information Session