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Hi
Welcome to the latest issue of
our quarterly e-newsletter. We hope it will keep you
up to date with our activities and projects.
We've included information
about a range of Wet Tropics research, events,
publications and community groups.
If you have any
comments, contact us on 07 4052 0531 or give us your
feedback
here. |
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Feel free to pass
this newsletter on to your friends.
Andrew Maclean,
Executive Director
Visit our web site
here. |
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Events |
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Cairns
Show
WTMA
staff
had an
excellent
opportunity
to meet
members
of the
community
and
provide
educational
material
about
the Wet
Tropics
during
the
Cairns
Show.
Donations
of $1500
were
received
for
local
wildlife
and
conservation
and will
be
shared
by:
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FNQ Wildlife Rescue to help build a pre-release flight aviary for raptors. |
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C4 to produce interpretive material for their new visitor centre. |
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BatReach to purchase paralysis-tick anti-toxin to treat native wildlife. |
WTMA is
also
proud to
announce
that two
staff
members
were
awarded
prizes
in the
iced
banana
cake
category
- Ellen
Weber
won
first
prize
and
Stacey
Henry
won
third
prize.
The
annual
bake-off
has
developed
a
friendly
rivalry
between
WTMA,
DPI and
DERM
with the
winner
receiving
a
trophy. |
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WTMA
stand at
the
Cairns
Show
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Ellen
1st
prize
with
trophy,
Louise
Johns
DPI,
Phil
Hales
DPI and
F 2nd
prize |
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NAIDOC
Week
WTMA was
pleased
to
demonstrate
its
commitment
to
Rainforest
Aboriginal
people
by
participating
in the
NAIDOC
week
festival.
Staff
held a
stall
during
the
celebrations
to
promote
awareness
of
Rainforest
Aboriginal
culture
in the
World
Heritage
Area.
Donations
were
received
for two
local
charities,
Wuchopperen
- an
Aboriginal
and
Torres
Strait
Islander
health
centre,
and
FNQ
Wildlife
Rescue.
Visit our
web site home
page
here. |
Katrina
as a
cassowary |
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Cassowary Festival
As
part of Threatened
Species Week
celebrations, a
Cassowary Festival will
be held at the Tanks
Arts Centre, Edge Hill,
Cairns, from 3.30pm -
8.30pm on Tuesday 8
September. There will be
market stalls, wildlife
information, cassowary
films and other fun
activities. Everyone is
welcome. For further
information see the
WTMA events. The
festival is being
organised by the
Authority and the
Cassowary Recovery Team. |
A Cassowary
Summit is
also being held
on 8 September.
To request an
invitation
please contact
Stacey Henry.
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Cassowary
festival flyer |
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Competitions and Awards |
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Keep
it Cool
poster
competition
Over 250
wonderful
entries
were
received
for the
“Keep it
Cool”
poster
competition.
As part
of the
Cairns
Festival,
a
selection
of
posters
will be
displayed
at the
Cairns
Regional
Gallery
from
Friday
21
August
until
Monday 7
September.
The
winners
will
receive
prizes
from
Skyrail
Rainforest
Cableway
and Big
Cat Reef
Cruises.
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Verity
Parkers
picture |
Ruby
Rainbird
with her
picture |
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Daintree
Discovery Centre
Visitors to the
Daintree
Discovery Centre
will be treated
to a new
temporary
display courtesy
of the students
from the local
Alexandra Bay
State School.
The students
were invited to
research their
favourite
rainforest
creature and to
provide an
illustration.
The art display
coincides with
the Discovery
Centre
celebrating 20
years since its
official
opening. During
this time the
centre has
introduced the
special features
of the World
Heritage
rainforest to
thousands of
visitors. The
centre has also
recently opened
a new reptile
and amphibian
display. |
Pam-Daintree
Discovery Centre
with Alexandra
Bay School
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Young
Cassowary Awards
2009
Each year the
Wet Tropics
Management
Authority
recognises the
work of students
and school
classes in
helping to
conserve the Wet
Tropics World
Heritage Area.
Winners will be
recognised as
part of the
Cassowary Awards
Ceremony on 7
November at
Tjapukai
Aboriginal
Cultural Park.
See our website
for further
information or
to make
nominations for
the
Young Cassowary
Awards.
Nominations
close Friday 18
September.
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Young Cassowary
Awards 2008 at
Hambledon State
School
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Visitors |
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USS Essex
WTMA Executive
Director, Andrew
Maclean, and
Manager of
Community
Engagement,
Campbell Clarke,
were pleased to
accept an
invitation from
the US
Consulate, to
tour the USS
Essex during its
recent visit to
Cairns. Copies
of ‘From the
Heart:
celebrating 20
years of the Wet
Tropics World
Heritage Area’,
were presented
to the Captain
and his senior
officers.
Visit our
web site home
page
here.
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CEO Andrew
Maclean on board
USS Essex
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East
Rennell
WTMA
successfully
delivered
a
two
week
East
Rennell
training
workshop
in
early
June
and
received
positive
feedback
from
participants
and
partners.
The
Authority
will
endeavour
to
continue
its
relationship
with
the
Lake
Tegano
World
Heritage
Association,
which
manages
the
East
Rennell
World
Heritage
Area.
For
further
information
visit
our
media
page. |
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East
Rennell
group
shot
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New Caledonia
A delegation
from the French
Territory of New
Caledonia
visited the
Authority on 14
May to discuss
World Heritage
management. The
delegates, from
various
agencies, were
all involved in
the management
of the recently
listed Reefs and
Lagoons of
New Caledonia
World Heritage
Area.
The delegation
met with
Traditional
Owners in the
Goldsborough
Valley and
GBRMPA to talk
about marine
World Heritage
management. |
New Caledonia
group shot
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Publications |
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From the
Heart book
launch
WTMA’s new book
celebrates 20
years of the Wet
Tropics World
Heritage Area.
‘From the Heart’
contains 80
pages of
stories,
artworks and
pictures about
people’s love
and appreciation
of the Area,
from the fight
for World
Heritage listing
to today’s tree
planting
activities,
environmental
education and
tourism. The
Honourable Steve
Wettenhall MP,
Member for
Barron River,
will be
launching the
book on Friday
14 August, along
with several
guest speakers
including Mike
Berwick, Peter
Stanton,
Henrietta Marrie
and Linda Venn.
If you wish to
attend please
contact
Campbell Clarke
on 4052 0542. |
Book cover shot |
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Wet Tropics
magazine 2009 -
2010
WTMA has
released a new
edition of the
Wet Tropics
magazine. This
edition is a
celebration of
the community
and their
enthusiasm and
dedication to
conservation in
the Wet Tropics.
The magazine
explores the
work of
scientists,
volunteers and
wildlife carers
and has lots of
great
information
about our
amazing
wildlife. The
magazine will be
available free
through visitor
centres and from
WTMA.
Visit our
web site home
page
here.
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Magazine cover
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Cairns Festival
T-shirts
Cairns City Council, in
collaboration with WTMA,
has produced a
T-shirt
with a tree-kangaroo
design by Sam Tupou for
the Cairns Festival. The
T-shirt will be for sale
during the festival and
proceeds will go to the
Tree-kangaroo and Mammal
Group, a
community group based on
the Atherton Tablelands
dedicated to conserving
tree-kangaroos and other
native mammals.
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Tree-roo T-shirt
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Research |
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Cassowary
DNA
research
underway
CSIRO
senior
research
scientist,
Dr David
Westcott,
is
leading
a
collaborative
DNA
study,
to which
the
Authority
has
contributed
$50,000.
This
research
will
provide
a
reliable
method
for
monitoring
population
trends,
creating
a model
of how
cassowaries
use
habitat
and how
their
populations
are
structured.
Several
cassowary
dung
censuses
have
already
been
conducted
around
Mission
Beach
with
help
from
volunteers.
The next
cassowary
scat
collection
day will
be held
in
Kuranda
on
Saturday
22
August.
If you
would
like to
volunteer
please
contact
Margaret
Genever
at
Kuranda
Conservation
or ring
her on
4093
8835. |
Cassowary
DNA
research
Mission
Beach (WTMA
staff,
Julia
and Lana
collecting
scats) |
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National
Register
of Big
Trees
The
national
register
of
Australia's
biggest
trees
was
launched
in May
and aims
to
record
the five
largest
specimens
of each
tree
species.
Records
will
include
the
National
Champion,
State
Champion,
and
Regional
Champion.
The
register
is an
integrated
list of
Australian
native
trees
and
naturalised
(exotic)
trees.
Many big
trees
are
situated
on
privately
owned
land.
Recognition
of big
tree
preservation
is a
significant
contribution
to
conservation
on the
part of
the
landowners.
If you
would
like to
nominate
a big
tree or
for
further
information
visit:
www.nationalregisterofbigtrees.com.au
or
contact
Derek
McIntosh. |
Lake
Barrine
Kauris |
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Surveys
of rural
landholders
Nick
Emtage
from the
University
of
Queensland
has
completed
comprehensive
surveys
of
landholders’
natural
resource
management
attitudes
and
practices
in the
Wet
Tropics
with
funding
from the
Marine
and
Tropical
Science
Research
Facility
(MTSRF).
321
surveys
were
received
from
1600
sent
out.
Nick’s
research
helped
to
identify
the
groups
who are
willing
and able
to
promote
healthy
natural
resource
management.
Nick’s
four
reports
can be
found on
the
RRRC
website. |
Cattle
Grazing
Beside
WH
Rainforest |
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Donkeys
at Mt
Baldy
QPWS
Ranger,
Pete
McAulay,
recently
employed
a team
of five
donkeys
to help
him with
track
maintenance
on Mt
Baldy in
the
Herberton
Range
State
Forest.
Faced
with the
challenge
of
transporting
over 20
tonnes
of
materials
up the
steep
slopes,
the
donkey
team
were
agile
and had
no
problems
negotiating
the two
kilometre
walking
track to
the
summit,
carrying
small
amounts
of
materials
each
time. To
avoid
introducing
weed
seeds
via
droppings,
the
donkeys
were
also fed
for a
week on
a
neighbouring
property
which
had
grasses
common
to the
area.
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Donkey
scenic
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Visitor centres |
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C4
Visitor
Centre
The
Community
for
Coastal
and
Cassowary
Conservation
(C4) has
revamped
its
environment
centre
to
educate
visitors
about
cassowaries
and
other
native
wildlife
in and
around
Mission
Beach.
The
Authority
supported
the
redevelopment
with a
grant of
$10,000
and a
large
map of
the Wet
Tropics
World
Heritage
Area.
The new
environment
centre
was
officially
opened
on
Saturday
8 August
by
Senator
Jan
McLucas. |
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C4
visitor
centre
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C4 Peter
Salleras
(Chair
of C4)
and Jan
McLucas
4
visitor
centre
opening
Aug09
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The Bat
Hospital
WTMA contributed
$10,000 towards
the design of
interpretive
signage for the
new visitor
centre at The
Bat Hospital.
The official
opening is being
held at the
International
Club in Atherton
at 7.30pm on
Saturday 22
August. Guest
speakers include
Dr Les Hall, Dr
David Westcott
and Steve
Parish. The Bat
Hospital also
has open days on
22 and 23 August
from 3pm - 6pm.
Entry is free
and all are
welcome. For
further
information see
The Bat Hospital
website.
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Tolga Bat
Hospital
invatation |
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WHA governance |
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New Board directors
Two new Directors have
been appointed to the
WTMA Board for the next
18 months.
The new board members
are Allison Halliday
from the Malanburra
Yidinji people,
Traditional Owners from
Goldsborough Valley, and
Russell Butler Senior, a
Bandjin Traditional
Owner from Hinchinbrook
Island. |
Allison has been
involved in driving
Aboriginal participation
in natural and cultural
heritage for many years
and participated in the
drafting of the
Wet Tropics Regional
Agreement and
Terrain NRM’s Aboriginal
(Bama) Plan. She has
a strong personal
interest in promoting
the importance of
traditional knowledge on
land management at all
levels - local, national
and international.
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Allison Halliday |
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Russell served
for 21years in the
Australian Army before
retiring in 1989. He is
involved in progressing
Girringun Aboriginal
Corporation and Bandjin/Warrgamay
business on country. He
was also a founding
member of Girringun
Aboriginal Corporation
and played a key role in
the naming of Girringun
National Park as a way
of respecting its
Traditional Owners.
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Russell Butler |
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Economic activity of
Australia’s World
Heritage Areas
A recently published
Australian Government
Report identifies the
Wet Tropics of
Queensland and the
Sydney Opera House as
the two most significant
World Heritage Areas in
Australia in terms of
economic impact. The
report identifies and
details the economic
impacts of Australian
terrestrial World
Heritage Areas
regionally, state-wide
and nationally. The
Australian Department of
Environment, Water,
Heritage and Arts (DEWHA)
commissioned this report
in July 2008. For
further information or
to see the full report
visit the
Australian Government
website. |
Table of WHAs |
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Implications
of climate
change for World
Heritage
properties
The Australian
Government has
released a new
report which
identifies that
Australia's
iconic World
Heritage
properties will
experience
increased risks
from climate
change. Sites
such as the Wet
Tropics of
Queensland and
Great Barrier
Reef are
identified as
particularly
vulnerable. The
Australian
National
University
assessed the
exposure,
potential
impacts and
adaptive
capacity of our
World Heritage
properties to
climate change.
The report is
the first
comprehensive
report by any
country into the
impacts of
climate change
on all of its
World Heritage
properties and
will inform
management plans
and government
policy on World
Heritage and
climate change
adaptation
plans. To see
the full report
visit the
Australian
Government
website. |
Climate change
report
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WTMA |
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Cassowary Recovery
Team
WTMA has recently
convened a new Cassowary
Recovery Team that
builds on the work of
the former Cassowary
Advisory Group. The team
helps to implement the
Recovery Plan for the
Southern Cassowary
and will also advise the
Authority's Board and
Ministers on a range of
cassowary conservation
issues. Membership
includes cassowary
conservation groups,
local governments,
Federal and State
government departments,
research scientists and
zoos.
For more information
about cassowaries see
WTMA’s cassowary page
and the Australian
Government page about
the role of the
Cassowary Recovery Team.
Visit our
web site home
page
here. |
Spread the word -
cassowary cartoon |
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