As I write this, the 2022/23 financial year is coming to a close (where did it go?!) and NAIDOC Week is just around the corner. This year's theme is "For Our Elders". If you haven't found some events or other ways to get involved yet, you can hit up the NAIDOC website for events and resources!

I am so grateful to everyone who has contributed to our EOFY Appeal so far! The high cost of living we're experiencing means a lot of our supporters are feeling the crunch right now, so we appreciate you digging deep if you can! Donations are a big part of our fundraising efforts and help to ensure we are resourced to carry out our important work now and into the future. We are very close to hitting our $5000 target, so if you can afford to chip in, please donate here!

Thanks as always for helping to protect North Queensland's wonderful environment. I hope you enjoy the read!

- Crystal, NQCC Coordinator 

In this edition:

• NQCC Updates
  
  • NQCC at Our Townsville 
  • An Informed Conversation with Dr Janine Gertz
  • Local Coasts Feeling Climate Impacts
  • Flourishing Partnerships for Our Wildlife
  • EOFY Appeal - Donate Today!
• Get Involved
  
  • Is Queensland Going Batty? Online Event
  • Invasive Species Council Bug Hunt
  • Healthy Waters Arvo
  • BirdLife Australia Photography Awards Now Open
  • Yes23 Events

NQCC UPDATES

NQCC at Our Townsville

We had a total buzz at Our Townsville this month! We learned about community sentiment for environmental initiatives using our bottle cap poll, decked people out with information, flyers and Boomerang Bags, had some great conversations with locals and presented our Sustainability Tree to the Mayor!

Informed Conversation with Dr Janine Gertz

Earlier this month, Dr Janine Gertz shared her experiences with the Uluru Dialogues over the past several years, allowing NQCC supporters to have their questions answered about the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament. 

Local Coasts Feeling Climate Impacts

Last week saw Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill, Cr Ann-Maree Greaney and head of Sustainability Greg Bruce sit down with coastal oceanographer Professor Eric Wolanski, long-term Pallarenda residents Sandi and Bruce, and NQCC to discuss issues relating to erosion, sediment movement, sand accumulation and localised flooding impacting Pallarenda and Rowes Bay. 

Council was receptive to the information presented and acknowledged that most of Townsville's coastal infrastructure has not been engineered with consideration for the impacts of climate change we are already seeing - particularly rising sea levels and extreme rainfall events. Recognition was given to the importance of engineering for the climate we will have in future, with preference given to nature-based solutions. This is an important area of work that we will continue to engage with. Thank you to Professor Wolanski, Bruce and Sandi for sharing their expertise and local knowledge! 

Flourishing Partnerships for Our Wildlife

We were delighted to be invited to speak at the most recent members' meeting of NQ Wildlife. There are some important and rewarding opportunities for our organisations to work together to ensure that the threats leading our wildlife into needing care are addressed at the source where possible. We have a lot to learn from wildlife carers, and are keen to elevate their stories so that we can advocate for better long-term protection of our wildlife and their habitats!

EOFY Appeal - Donate Today!

If you are reading this as it's freshly landed in your inbox, then it is only a matter of hours until the end of the financial year, and your final chance to donate to our EOFY Appeal! 

Thanks to those who have generously donated so far! With only $665 to go, we are quickly closing in on our $5000 target. Can you help get us over the line?

GET INVOLVED

Is Queensland Going Batty?

The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland is proud to present an online event featuring Dominique Thiriet, who has been a flying fox rescuer, carer and advocate in North Queensland for 30 years. Dominique will be interviewed by Tyron de Kauwe, the Natural Areas Conservation Officer with the Sunshine Coast Council. 

This presentation will consider the ecological importance and roosting behaviour of the two main species of flying foxes found in North Queensland. It will examine the multiple attempts to remove colonies from various locations and assess their impact on the animals, the environment and the communities.

Register below for the zoom link and join online from 7.30-8.30pm on Tuesday 11 July. 

Invasive Species Council's Bug Hunt

Ever wondered what bugs are living in your garden or hanging out on a hike?

There are thousands of awesome native bugs to discover, as well as some non-native ones that we really want to find, to protect our communities from. When you take part in the Bug Hunt you can satisfy your curiosity, be entertained, and learn along the way, and you don’t have to be an expert at all to identify your bugs!

Using the iNaturalist app, you can participate in citizen science to help the Invasive Species Council identify creatures that may pose a threat to our ecosystems. It's easy and fun!

Healthy Waters Arvo

To mark the release of the Dry Tropics Partnership for Healthy Waters' 2023 Waterways Report Card, which keeps watch on state of our local waterways, there is a free pop up event that celebrates Townsville’s rivers, creeks and coasts, and the ways in which we connect with and care for our waters.

Come along for a free sausage sizzle, meet Townsville’s leading waterway organisations, meet our local watersports clubs, learn about waterway health, and catch games and prizes for kids after school.

This event will take place from 2.30-5pm on Thursday 20 July at the Townsville Sailing Club, the Strand (opposite Tobruk pool).

BirdLife Photography Awards

The 2023 BirdLife Australia Photography Awards are open now! Nikon Australia and Lake Cowal Foundation are continuing to sponsor the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards. That means that all eight category winners will each receive a $1,000 cash prize – with a whopping $5,000 up for grabs for the winner of this year’s Portfolio Prize, thanks to Nikon Australia.

Enter your best bird photography for the chance to win big before August 1, or enter before June 30 for an early bird discount.

Yes23 Events

If you would like to learn more about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament or would like to be get involved in campaigning, consider attending an upcoming event near you. In Gurambilbarra-Townsville, there are several events being held this Sunday 2 July:

A community forum at St Theresa's Church, Garbutt, 2-4pm: RSVP here

A supporters' BBQ at Dancenorth from 4.30-5.30pm: RSVP here

A panel event at Dancenorth from 6-7.30pm: RSVP here

Check out other events here and if you would like to support the campaign, you can sign up here.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Keen to get out and about in this cooler weather? Check out our Volunteer Opportunities and List of Environmental Organisations to find something that fills your cup! From planting trees to sorting debris, there's something for everyone!

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Yours naturally,

North Queensland Conservation Council