Volunteer Welcome Night: Growing Community, Action, and Connection

Last week at our Volunteer Welcome Night, we explored the many ways our community can make a difference for the environment - from hands-on action like plantings and events, to using your voice to advocate for change. It was a wonderful chance to connect with people who care about protecting North Queensland and to reflect on how NQCC supports these efforts while building strong community connections.

What do you love about living in North Queensland? 
The reef, the hills, the rivers, the wildlife - the places that make this region home.

This April, we’re celebrating those places through Love Where You Live, a month-long community fundraiser hosted by the North Queensland Conservation Council (NQCC).

From March 28 (starting with Earth Hour) to April 30, locals have been taking action for nature — and 15 dedicated fundraisers are already out there making a difference.

Now, we’re inviting you to support them.

Last Saturday, the Townsville Senior Citizens Centre was buzzing with energy as 111 players across 15 teams battled it out at NQCC’s Trivia Night 2025. It was our biggest trivia night to date — and what a night it was!

This post is written by Liz Murphy-Forrester from Queensland Conservation Council. It orginally appears on their website. Queensland Conservation Council and North Queensland Conservation Council collaborated together to put on an event for Queensland Women's Week.

In a culture where we are often focused on limitations, 'Empowering NQ women for the Environment' on Magnetic Island was an event that celebrated the incredible capacity of generations of NQ women standing up boldly for the environment.

The weekend retreat, held during Queensland Women's Week, saw women from Mackay through to Cairns come together to share stories, skills and strengthen networks. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women shared stories, through dance, about their life journeys and caring for country.

Here is a directory of different groups providing volunteer opportunities with on-ground conservation or environmental projects in the local region:

Conservation Volunteers Australia projects in Townsville region – check this website to confirm correct dates, meeting location and contact details. Projects include Creekwatch (water quality testing and surveys), Friends of Cape Pallarenda Quarantine Station and native revegetation nursey.