A favourite time of year for many, June has brought us EcoFiesta, Reconciliation Week, a Member Gathering and our biggest Community Garage Sale yet!

The action has been a little bittersweet though, as we farewell Luna, who has brought so much to our organisation over the past two years and will be sorely missed.

Funding long-term positions in organisations like ours can be really tough. That's why we're so grateful to everyone who has supported our fundraising efforts this year. With just hours to go, we're inching ever closer to our EOFY target, and donations are always welcome!

It's a jam-packed update this month, but before we dive into it I want to thank everyone who made a submission to the State Development Bill last week. The Bill aims to undermine environment and community to fast track development, and we're determined to stop it.

If you didn't get a chance to make a submission, don't worry - I suspect there will be plenty of opportunities for us to raise our voices together in the months ahead.

Thank you for all that you do. Please enjoy this edition of Paperbark.

Crystal, NQCC Coordinator

Last night's General Meeting brought together long-time members, people considering joining NQCC, volunteers, interns, and friends of the organisation for an evening of conversation, fresh wood-fired pizza, and a look at what's ahead.

It was also a little bittersweet. After more than two years with NQCC, our Community Campaigner, Luna, was farewelled at the meeting.

What environmental issues matter most to young people?

Have you ever wished there were more trees in your neighbourhood? Wondered what could be done about plastic pollution, climate change, or protecting wildlife? Or thought, "Someone should do something about that!"

If so, we'd love to meet you.

Join us for a free, interactive Future Council Youth Workshop, where you'll have the chance to share your ideas, hear what other young people care about, and discover how your voice can help shape the future of our community.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our stall and shared their thoughts, experiences and ideas. We were excited to see so much interest in the campaign, with more than 50 people signing up to support it and stay involved. It was a great start for our campaign, getting attention and positive responses from decionmakers too.

Dear Luna,

This weekend, as our mega Community Garage Sale bursts into life, I'm both grateful and humbled by our mighty volunteers and generous supporters.

The connection we get to make with each other while at Green Drinks or Climate Cafés, doing citizen science, fundraising or finding and sorting rubbish is so important in this age of disconnection and isolation.

On a related note, this year's Reconciliation Week theme is "All In", and you're invited to reach out to someone in your life could use some inclusion in our Reconciliation journey. There are some great resources from Reconciliation Australia that could help guide some conversations.

June is always a busy month, and we're looking forward to connecting in the cooler weather at Eco Fiesta and at our upcoming Members' Event!

Thanks for helping us to step up for community, climate and nature.

- Crystal, NQCC Coordinator

What do you get when 30 community volunteers spend a Sunday morning exploring mangroves, saltmarshes, parks and carparks? A cleaner coastline - and 160kg of rubbish removed from the environment.

The clean-up, organised by North Queensland Conservation Council, NQ Wildlife Care and Healthy Waters Partnership, brought together community members determined to make a difference around the Barnicle Street boat ramp.

North Queensland is getting hotter, and shade is no longer a nice extra - it’s essential infrastructure for health, liveability, and climate resilience.

We’re calling for smarter greening across our region to create cooler neighbourhoods, healthier communities, and more space for nature.

SCROLL DOWN FOR A QUICKER SIGN UP

Was it the mangrove fever? We’re not entirely sure - but what we do know is that our latest Green Drinks brought a full house together for an evening of connection, learning, and inspiration.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us, and a special shoutout to Lucia Caldas Duran from Earthwatch for sharing her work and insights with the community.

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.

The rain had only just eased enough for us to gather for our first Green Drinks of the year. There was something fitting about that - the air still heavy, the ground freshly washed - as new and familiar faces came together in community.

We were honoured to welcome Max Lenoy as our speaker for the evening. Max has recently joined NQCC as a Management Committee member and brings deep experience as a curriculum specialist in Indigenous education.