North Queensland Conservation Council

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

In Townsville, we marked World Wetlands Day by inviting organisations involved in wetland conservation to share their work with interested members of the community. We are so grateful for the contributions of NQ Dry Tropics, Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare, Wongaloo Conservation Park and the Townsville Dry Tropics Partnership for Healthy Waters, whose representatives volunteered their time to share valuable relevant information with us.

NQCC's biennial Postcard Art fundraiser is back! On show at Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts from early September, all postcard-sized artworks will be auctioned off at the end of the exhibition in mid-October, with all funds supporting our work here in North Queensland!

Welcome to 2021! The year has been off to a strong start for NQCC. We've already met with Queensland's new Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, facilitated our first Green Drinks on the beautiful Magnetic Island and made a submission on the Burdekin Falls Dam Raising Project and Urannah Dam (both available here). 

And yes, you guessed it - we're just getting started! Are you as excited for this year as we are? 

In this edition:

• NQCC Updates:
  • Ministerial Meeting with Meaghan Scanlon
  • Green Drinks 2021
  • Treasurer Wanted!
  • Container Recycling Update
• Coming Up: 
  • World Wetlands Day
  • Swim for Our Rivers 
• Local Heroes:
  • Hunger Strike for Climate
  • Townsville Citizens of the Year
  • Rodney the Unicorn Fish ready for reading
  • Reusables Back on Track

In March this year, we are joining Mackay Conservation Group's "Swim for Our Rivers" fundraiser, to kickstart the next phase of our campaign to protect the future of the iconic Burdekin.

You are invited to register a team and help us fundraise in the lead up to our exciting Swim-A-Thon on Saturday 20 March at Mundingburra's Kokoda Memorial Pool! Got questions? Check out our FAQ page!

With 2020 wrapping up, we'd just like to say a big thank you for being a part of our journey this year.

Here we have some final updates and actions, followed by a little highlights reel from the year that was. Enjoy!

P.S. Did you spot us on the ABC News a few weeks ago? The Great Barrier Reef's conservation status is now "critical". We got to tell the nation exactly what we thought about our Government's inaction on climate change. Read the article here. 

In this edition:

• Treasurer wanted
• Our Islands, Our Home
• Boomerang Bags update
• Have your say:
  • Burdekin Falls Dam Raising project
  • Polystyrene ban
• 2020 Highlights!

Below is an article published in the Townsville Bulletin on Wednesday 16 December, 2020.

Burdekin Mayor, Lyn McLaughlin

Mayor Lyn McLaughlin calls for impact assessment of Burdekin catchment damming

Mikayla Mayoh

A North Queensland mayor has called for an independent body to review the potential impacts of damming the Burdekin River catchment.