Land & environment

The McGowan Government is enhancing WA's program of shark mitigation measures in the lead up to summer, with the Shark Warning System now automated to alert beachgoers to the presence of a tagged shark in the vicinity.

Timber Towns Victoria welcomes a motion calling on the Victorian Government to table all documents relating to the closure of the native timber industry ... “Full, open and transparent information is needed that provides assurances to communities, workers and all sectors of the industry that decisions have been made based on evidence, and in the best interest of all Victorians. This decision has far reaching consequences that need to be fully understood and debated:” TTV President and Glenelg Shire Deputy Mayor Cr Karen Stephens.

Sand at Yanchep Lagoon beach contains small pieces of broken glass with some pieces measuring 5mm to 13mm. Some of it is clear glass but there are also blue and shades of green and brown pieces in the sand ... the City of Wanneroo said the sand contamination issue was quickly detected and the beach and beach access points were closed for public safety.

Scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have uncovered a new type of Hendra virus in flying foxes, confirming the virus can be found across a broad region of the country. A paper detailing the findings has been published just days after the new genetic type (HeV-g2) was detected in a horse near Newcastle in New South Wales, the most southern case of Hendra yet recorded.  

Effective management of feral animals can play a part in achieving net zero emissions in Australia by 2050, according to Andreas Glanznig, CEO of the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions ... Mr Glanznig cited Centre analysis which has previously found that controlling rabbits, feral goats and camels at scale has the potential to make a significant contribution to emission reduction targets: by reducing the impact of feral herbivores on native vegetation, our native grasses, shrubs and young trees enabling them to act as a more effective carbon sink.

John Anderson. White-tailed black cockatoos have one of the most evocative and haunting bird calls in Australia. Around Denmark, they can often be seen and heard in the evening flying in small groups to their roosting sites. Occasionally, massive flocks of hundreds of birds converge on a favoured watering hole or swamp to drink, such as Yanchep National Park, north of Perth.

Tuesday Browell describes herself as a river guardian. “It’s a tricky disposition, one of whinging nana, or that of wishing she had superhero river powers” ... “Miles and miles of Paterson’s curse, looking like the lavender fields of France, are a beautiful, yet shameful reminder of how rampant invasive weeds are along the Murray River. The native species of understory are dissipated and scant.” The river is a special place, one worth protecting for future generations, ‘living art’ as Tuesday describes it.

Timber NSW welcomes research conducted over three years released by the Natural Resource Commissioner and NSW Chief Scientist, Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte who states that, “koala density was higher than anticipated in the surveyed forests and was not reduced by selective harvesting.” “This very significant finding totally vindicates the skilful ability of the forest managers to care for the land under their responsibility and protect koalas,” said Timber NSW CEO Maree McCaskill.

Research released into koala response to forestry has found that the nutritional quality of trees is critical for koala survival and selective harvesting did not have an adverse impact upon koala numbers on surveyed NSW north coast state forests ... These findings have emerged from a three-year research program independently overseen by the NSW Natural Resources Commission.

Publicly-owned renewable energy generator CleanCo has signed an agreement to join Sumitomo Corporation and its partners on the development of a hydrogen industry in Gladstone.

Design and construction of Clifton’s new reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plant is well underway with the purchase of equipment, building water storage tanks and connection pipes.

An inspiring breed: climate advocate and farmer.

Mark Knowles. A Forum in Cairns last week highlighted the need to improve disaster resilience in Cape York and the Torres Strait. Organised by the Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance, the forum connected local councils, key government agencies, critical service providers, and non-government organisations from across North Queensland in order to improve disaster preparedness.

In many ways this captivating book describes the relationship between the author, Lachlan Hughson, and his much loved Australian Outback. In travels rivalling those of Odysseus in extent, the author takes us across the vast expanse of the ancient Australian continent, mixing geological insights, historical background, and personal experiences with vivid descriptions of nature in all its forms.

The Queensland Government has approved the preparation of legislative amendments to grant a 20-year extension to allow beekeeping to continue in national parks until 2044 ... The decision will formally extend beekeeping permits for a further 20 years in certain national parks that were created as part of the SEQ Forest Agreement in 1999.

Cowper locals care about climate change, inequality,  integrity in politics initial findings from a Voices4Cowper (V4C) report has found. V4C convenor Gillian Anderson said: “We want local MP Pat Conaghan to understand the level of concern in his community about climate change and the environment."

Friends of the Koala. A koala so badly injured from the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires, vets didn't think she'd make it, has been spotted in the wild with a joey. Ember was found in November 2019 walking on the burnt ground in Whiporie, New South Wales after devastating fires swept through the area ... Some 18 months later, in the same area where she was released, Ember has been spotted with a joey of her own. She was sighted thriving in the wild with her joey by the person who rescued her – Ros Irwin.

Byron Shire Council and the NSW Environment Protection Authority are investigating two illegal dumping incidents in the Byron Shire ... In both cases the materials were remnants from renovations including fibro sheets, some of which were asbestos, tiles, timber and a fridge.

Local Land Services has joined forces with landholders on the North Coast and is achieving phenomenal results in the fight against cane toads. Recent cane toad control efforts in northern NSW have resulted in the control of over 10,000 adult and juvenile toads on 62 private properties affected by this invasive pest species.