Michael Tervo, one of our QTFN Ecologists, joined Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) this month for a skill-building and knowledge sharing workshop on ecological monitoring and evaluation techniques. During the workshop they refined ecological monitoring techniques, such as protocols and uses for photo monitoring points and drone mapping. The workshop also included a refresher on plant […]
Over each summer from November to March, it’s turtle season at our Avoid Island Nature Refuge. Avoid Island is located 100 km southeast of Mackay, in the salt waters of Koinmerburra Country. As one of the three largest Flatback turtle (Natator depressus) rookeries in the southern Great Barrier Reef, our team aim to survey and […]
The Queensland’s Trust for Nature’s Long Term holdings property, Avoid Island, recently hit an important milestone: our bird list officially hit 90 species. Our team conduct regular maintenance, research and educational trips throughout the year to this privately owned and protected island and all bird sightings are recorded and documented as part of regular surveying. It […]
September: A whole month dedicated to our primary goal of biodiversity. After all, biodiversity is our business and what better way to promote this national event than a month long celebration of its importance. Biodiversity represents all living things on our planet and they exist at differing scales: regional diversity, ecosystem diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity. It is […]
In November last year, Traditional Owner Samarla Deshong spent a week on Avoid Island with QTFN’s Dr Renee Rossini. Samarla and Renee spent time walking the island, which is on Koinmerburra saltwater country, identifying plants and setting up direct seeding experiments across the island. Samarla shared her knowledge of traditional uses of the plants, bush […]
In 2020, QTFN wrapped up a three-year weed and marine debris clean-up project supported by a Queensland Department of Environment and Science Community Sustainability Action grant. With the assistance of volunteers, we have reduced the presence of the invasive Mossman River grass (Cenchrus echinatus) year-on-year, ending the program with a 99 per cent reduction in […]
Avoid Island’s unique combination of fruit-rich coastal scrub, open eucalypt woodland, mangrove and tidal flats, provides habitat for an estimated 84 species of migratory and resident birds. In the last half of 2020, experts from the Mackay chapter of BirdLife and the Queensland Wader study group joined us on the island to document bird diversity. […]
Mysterious and majestic, flatback turtles are the only sea turtle to nest solely on Australian shores and Avoid Island is one of four island rookeries favoured by the turtle’s southern population. In 2020: More than 108 turtles had nested on the island at the start of the October to December 2020 nesting season, laying an […]
In December 2020, QTFN and its project partners, Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation and Mackay and District Turtle Watch, were awarded a $200,000 grant from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation Reef Islands Initiative. The grant provides funding for the joint delivery of land management, education and threatened species research outcomes over a four-year period, and a part-time […]
A major highlight for QTFN during 2020 was establishing and strengthening our relationship with the Traditional Owners of Avoid Island, the Koinmerburra people. Together with the Koinmerburra Aboriginal Corporation, we are developing a Memorandum of Understanding which will see us embrace a two ways land management approach on the island. Work has commenced on the […]
In November 2017, we had the pleasure of hosting a group of corporate volunteers from the New Hope Group. During their two-day trip to Avoid Island, the enthusiastic team rolled up their sleeves and got hands-on with recording species data as well as habitat restoration and beach clean-up activities. These activities are critical at the […]
Our favourite kid’s wildlife show, Totally Wild, filmed episodes on two QTFN properties in 2017! The elusive brush-tailed rock wallaby was the star of two episodes filmed at Aroona. Four episodes were made with 10 lucky year nine students and Wonder of Science ambassadors attending Flatback Bivouac at Avoid Island. Watch episodes here: Season 24 […]
