Gulf Croaker December 2023

December 2023

COMMUNITY SPIRIT BURNS BRIGHT pg. 6–9

MEMORIES OF BYGONE CHRISTMAS DAYS pg. 10–11

FAILING FORWARD: LESSONS FROM THE OPTUS OUTAGE FOR REMOTE TELECOMMUNICATIONS pg. 23–25

Zoe talks to Win News about our partnership with the TNQ Drought Hub

Freshwater turtle survey with Tagalaka Rangers on Littleton National Park.

RCS Grazing Clinic, Croydon, November 2023

Keerah demonstrating ag tech in the paddock, November 2023

Weaving workshop at Earth and CountryRingers Rest Mareeba, June 2023

Our car piled high with supplies to support volunteer firefighters.

GOOD TIMES IN THE GULF

Thank you to everyone who has joined Gulf Savannah NRM for events, workshops and field days in the last few months—here are a few of our favourite highlights!

02

SEASONS GREETINGS FROM THE CEO In our final edition of the Gulf Croaker for this year, we're reflecting on adversity, and the amazing ability of our landscapes and communities to bounce back. We have already seen bushfires impacting our region significantly and with the coming summer expected to be marked by wild weather, it’s a good time to think about how we make our communities and landscapes more able to withstand disasters, and how we ensure we build back better after events.

In November we held our Annual General Meeting and presented our 2023 Annual Report. It’s now available on our website if you’d like to read it.

06

Community Spirit Burns Bright

14

Importantly I’d like to thank the Gulf Savannah NRM team, our partners and supporters for a productive year. Our offices will be closed from 22 December to 2 January while the staff take a well-earned break. I wish you all the best for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Magnificent Mammals!

Zoe Williams CEO Gulf Savannah NRM

ABOUT GULF SAVANNAH NRM

23

We're a not-for-profit organisation working to promote healthy landscapes while supporting local people and enterprise. Come say hi at our offices in Georgetown, Croydon and Mareeba.

gulfsavannahnrm.org 07 4092 1088 admin@gulfsavannahnrm.org Lessons from the Optus Outage for Rural Australia 03

FISHING ZONES SET TO CHANGE Gulf fishing businesses fear a plan from the Queensland Government to impose gill-net free zones in the Gulf of Carpentaria will damage the local economy, and are calling for more research into the economic and environmental impacts.

KOWANYAMA

BUSH BUSINESS BOOST

MAREEBA KARUMBA

Queensland small to medium sized businesses can apply for a share of $50 million from the Backing Business in the Bush Fund. The Queensland Government initiative will support will boost productivity, sustainability and ensure regions thrive. To apply go to www.treasury.qld.gov.au

NORMANTON GEORGETOWN

CALL FOR ENQUIRY INTO BEEF PRICES Despite a massive drop in saleyard prices, the cost of beef on supermarket shelves has never been higher, and local producers are backing calls for an ACCC enquiry. Read more: Mareeba Express 22 November 2023

G'DAY GULF: ABOUT OUR REGION 04

9,660 people live in the Northern Gulf

GULF SAVANNAH

ROUND UP

FREIGHT SUBSIDY TO EASE COST OF LIVING PRESSURES IN REMOTE COMMUNITIES Gulf Savannah NRM have welcomed the announcement of a freight subsidy package to ease cost of living pressures in remote Far North Queensland communities. The subsidy will come into effect in 2024 and is expected to reduce the cost of groceries by 5.2%.

WAKAMAN NATIVE TITLE In August Wakaman Traditional Owners native title was formally recognised over 14,861 square kilometres of land around Chillagoe.

BANGING IN THE BASALT The kids from Mt Surprise School have been rocking out with Josh Arnold in a new music video called Banging in the Basalt. The video is part of a fundraiser for the schools 2024 Snow Trip. If you’d like to donate visit their GoFundMe page - Gulf Kids Snow Dream

88% land use is grazing on native pasture

The area is 196,100 square kilometres Symbols courtesy NESP Resilient Landscapes Hub, nesplandscapes.edu.au

Over 196 reptile, 455 bird and 118 mammal species live here 05

Story By Jayne Cuddihy

When disaster strikes in North Queensland communities residents band together to overcome adversity 06

Photo: Ronell Evans

The seasons in north Queensland can turn quickly. When the wet sets in, dry and dusty paddocks can transform into green pasture within days. But it can also go the other way. Unseasonal early heat and westerly winds can dry out grass, becoming a tinderbox in the second half of the year.

In 2023 Queensland’s Far North recorded rain well into the winter months which allowed a good body of grass to grow. But when the tap turned off, the writing was on the wall for an early fire season.

“We could see how the year was developing,” said Inspector Neil Parker from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service.

“Our agency has been warning people to be prepared as early as February as all our media releases said the same. Our last major event was a week ago (at the end of November) and it was 38 days.”

Over 688,672 hectares have been burnt in the far northern region since August 1, and from the ashes has risen stronger communities.

The township of Croydon is a closeknit one. With a population of around 250, the municipality is surrounded by vast cattle properties. While fire management is generally left to the pastoralists, the sheer scale of the 2023 event prompted a reaction from the entire community.

Normally preparations for the fire season starts in October- ahead of the prickly dry breezes of summer. Standard procedure for the Stonehouses is a graded fire break right around their 60,000 acre property, but this year they were caught unaware with the fires coming early on.

“One thing that I will say that was great, is that I was so encouraged by the community. Usually when there’s a fire we drop everything and put fire-breaks and look after our own show, but that night half of Croydon turned up to give us a hand, including the fire brigade.”

Darren Stonehouse has lived in the Croydon area for 18 years and said he’s never had such a dramatic start to the fire season. His workforce was in the middle of a mustering round at Guildford Station, 40km west of the township when they dropped everything to defend their property from a fire heading towards them from Mittagong Station.

“We were there for five or 10 days- it’s all a blur now!”

“It's probably the worst one I've had to deal with as far as area and size. It hadn’t started on their property, but had been burning for many days already before it got to our boundary,” Mr Stonehouse recalls.

The combination of wind, the body of fuel and the intensity of the blaze made it a priority for the local community to manage the disaster.

“It was the windiest two days I've seen in the Gulf for a long time and it turned the region into an inferno basically,” said Mr Stonehouse.

“There’s no way they could stop it no matter what they prepared. It got really raging and tore through properties and no one could pull them up.”

07

Jono Evans is a Croydon Shire Councillor and a volunteer firefighter. He also has cattle on agistment north of Croydon. He was in a vehicle when the fire jumped over the road he was driving on.

“The speed was incredible,” he said.

“We had looked at the fire front in a chopper a few hours before and it had another 13km to go until that road. We thought we were well ahead of it.”

After six straight days of fighting fires, Mr Evans and his team managed to save the entirety of the country he leases, but the owner lost a significant amount of pasture.

“We talked about splitting it up and all that sort of thing. Or putting all our cattle together, really whatever we had to do. But as it turned out it rained, and the grass came back. It couldn't have been better,” he said.

Mr Evans said wildfires are an annual event in the Gulf, but the scale of the 2023 event was uncharted territory. Normal practices had to be re-thought.

“Usually firefighting and backburning during the day is a no-no because of the heat and wind, but with this fire, the wind really picked up at night and we couldn’t get ahead of it. There was nothing anyone could do.”

Because the season started so early it meant the community felt a sense of desperation. If the fires weren’t controlled, it would mean the beginning of another disaster. A slow-motion wreck of no feed for cattle.

08

“No one was prepared and I think they knew that if they got burnt out in September, it's a long way to December when it rains. So everyone was trying to pull it up at all costs basically,” said Mr Evans.

“Because if you get burnt out then you've got no stock feed for several months.”

Mr Evans said there were quite a few new station managers who had not experienced a far north fire season and were shocked by the sheer scale of it.

By having the extended community involved in management of the blazes it meant more country could be saved. The town could also lean into the expertise of the emergency services.

Inspector Neil Parker says there were large fires around most of the Far North region, including coastal areas. With 60 first officers working with the QFES, over 300 people were involved in fighting the fires at any time.

He is in furious agreement with Mr Stonehouse and Mr Evans that the about the ferocity of the fires and tremendous spirit of the community to help their neighbours.

Everyone helps each other.

At one point in November there were 118 different fires burning in the far north, managed out of the control centre in Mareeba. Because of the scale of the disasters, the community spirit extended well beyond the Far North, and even interstate.

Photo: Denise Hinks

“We had deployments from Victoria, Brisbane, Ayr, Townsville the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. They all came up to assist us and we do vice versa if we're able to. We send crews down there to help when we can.”

As for the causes of the blazes Mr Parker says lightning strikes are rare and many of the infernos are the result of controlled burns being under resourced or arson. That means fires can quickly get out of control in dangerous conditions.

Assistance also came through Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Queensland Police, Queensland Ambulance Service, local councils and individual landowners. According to Inspector Parker, the incredible community contribution meant that over 500 volunteers worked tirelessly for months.

The close call of pulling up the Mittagong fire on his boundary put fire breaks back at the top of ‘to do’ list for Darren Stonehouse.

I really want to say a big thank you to all our volunteers who give up their time. ”Sometimes they work 24 hours a day on these fires with very little reward. They do it just because they want to help their community. So without our volunteers, the Queensland Government would be in a lot of trouble. And what’s even more amazing is that they manage to work their normal jobs in between the hours they spend volunteering.

The greatest challenge for firefighters was communication, with UHF channels struggling with the distance and disturbance of smoke and heavily wooded areas. Mr Stonehouse said they had a ‘runner’ driving the 20km between fire fronts to pass on information.

“The neighbour we back burned into, he was basically burned out.”

But as it does in North Queensland, the season has turned. November rain has turned parched paddocks into a sea of emerald green. Mittagong has burst back to life.

“He's probably got six inches of green feed now,” said Mr Stonehouse. “It’s absolutely amazing and lovely to see. They were lucky to get those early storms. Most of those properties got good storms and hopefully it has pulled them out of trouble.”

But Inspector Parker is quick to point out that the region isn’t out of the woods yet. There’s still a long way to go in the fire season and urges property owners to be vigilant.

“Because it's so hot and dry and late in the year, we discourage people burning off where possible, unless they are absolutely sure of the safety of the burn. We tell people just to be vigilant, no welding, no grinding and things like that, and just be very careful,” he said.

“We lost a number of properties around the Innot Hot Springs and lower Silver Valley because the fires went through so fast. A lot of the properties around Mareeba lost orchards and paddocks as well. So when we get rapidly moving fires, we get a lot of damage. So that's what we have to try and avoid.”

Photo: Ronell Evans

09

MEMORIES OF FUN FILLED CHRISTMAS DAYS AT AMBER STATION

by Colleen Taylor

Amber Station is a 395 square mile cattle station situated north of Mount Surprise. The size and abundance of water supplied by Fossilbrook Creek and the Lynd River, would have been the contributing factor to my parents Ted & Edna Johnson’s decision to purchase the property in 1967. The large old rambling five-bedroom homestead, that had once been a boarding house, had been moved here from Almaden, many years ago. With a family of five children me, Colleen, being the eldest, Eric, Patricia, Rosemary and Earl.

Mother’s father Fred West (Poppy) & Spider (Rouseabout) who had lived with us for many years. This large establishment was beneficial to our family.

Edna was referred to as Mother Johnson by all the stockman and locals, and Ma Ma to her grandchildren. Mother was aged in her mid-forties when she tackled the first Christmas lunch at Amber. She was no doubt the busiest bee in the Amber crew.

10

Upon rising at 5am, she always came to the kitchen wearing her apron to cover her dress. Ted would have lit the large Crown stove when he rose at 4am, he always had to have his cup of tea as he planned the finishing up of the years muster.

As Mother appeared, he would say “good morning Mother, all dressed and ready to fight a bull today”.

The conversation of the station activities would be discussed, and one of these being the sending of the fatted Christmas pig to Mareeba Bacon Factory, (now Chicken Factory), during the first week of November.

It took six weeks to smoke and cure the hams and bacon. A week before the fatted pig’s departure he was branded on all quarters & ribs with No. 7, this had to be written on the permit that accompanied him to Mareeba.

A half IC wagon from Mareeba Railway would have been ordered, as the selected pig was driven to Lyndrook Siding in the back in a stock crate on the Landcruiser. From here the pig would catch the train to Mareeba. When cured and ready for departure, Mother would usually collect the hams and bacon that were wrapped in muslin cloth in the back of the Holden station wagon. The hams and bacon didn’t have to be refrigerated and they were hung in the meat house enclosed with chicken wire. A few days before Christmas the hams were soaked ready for cooking.

During October and November, the Christmas catalogues from Wynn’s and McDonald & East had arrived by mail, in the canvas post bag, on the train from Almaden twice a week. All the family viewed them many times, as there were toys, dresses, linen and much more to choose from, thus being our Christmas presents.

Mother would have posted her massive Christmas and wet season order to Jack & Newell’s in Mareeba. Large bottles of assorted soft drink came by train from Collins Cordials in Mareeba.

Red cherries were hidden, as they sometimes mysteriously disappeared from the storeroom before the Christmas cake was soaked in rum for a few days. This was usually made around the first December. The day the cake was due to be cooked, Mother would let the fire die down, to a cool moderate heat, so on this day a large baked custard would cook on the top tray. Or sometimes the cake cooked all night in dying embers.

Two days before Christmas, Poppy & Spider’s job was to kill and pluck a couple of roosters, & sometimes a duck. If there were a few extra arrivals, Spider would kill a goat. Spider locked them up nightly, separating the kids from mothers just in case extra milk was required. There were the house cows to milk daily.

Ted’s tradition was that Mother would never have to cook on Christmas Day, so preparation took place to load the vehicles with a tarpaulin, table & chairs, tucker boxes, to head and enjoy the day picnicking, swimming & fishing at one of the deep holes with a good sandy beach in Fossilbrook Creek. Many times storms had erupted early giving a fast-flowing run & cleaning out the debris. Excitement grew amongst the family and more so when grandchildren arrived, we’d gather around the withering gum Christmas tree with the opening of presents. Paper strewn all over the verandah floor, with lots of Oohs! and Awws!

Then we‘d head to the creek. The first job when we arrived was to place the jelly made in a plum pudding dish with lid, butter & custard in the cool shallow water, as these were the days before the invention of eskies. If someone managed to hook a black brim or perch, Ted came prepared with camp oven & tin fat, to cook it, along with the boiling tea billy.

It didn’t take long to see us changed into swimsuits.

Swimming in this idyllic cool water was the best place to eat watermelon. Sliced meat was place on buttered bread, with added sliced roast potatoes and left overs from Christmas Eve. After lunch, with tummies full, the oldies & babies would have a cat nap on blankets placed on the sand.

Upon waking around 2pm it was plum pudding & custard, cut the Christmas cake, washed down with billy tea.

If the rumbling of storms couldn’t be heard, we’d stay until almost nightfall and enjoy every minute of our Christmas Celebrations.

Written by Colleen Taylor. 19 November, 2023.

Author of “Cooee~Cooee” Colleen’s Collected Stories. “Unearthing Einasleigh & District Bygone Days”.

Images: Vintage Australian Christmas card designs from Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales" 11

A team of researchers have recently re-discovered the Lyon’s grassland striped skink on a station near Mount Surprise, 42 years after it was last seen.

Image 12

Angus Emmott

A recent expedition, led by Dr Andrew Amey from the Queensland Museum, was successful in locating three rare skink species in the Gulf Savannah, including the Limbless Fine-Lined Slider (Lerista storri) and the Mount Surprise Slider (Lerista ameles), but the re-discovery of Lyon’s grassland striped skinks (Austroablepharus barrylyoni) after 42 years was undoubtedly the most significant result of the work.

The Lyon’s grassland striped skink is a critically endangered species only known from a single location near Mount Surprise. Despite surveys specifically targeting them, the species has not been seen since they were first recorded during surveys undertaken between 1976-81 and it was feared to be extinct.

Dr Amey, Collection Manager of Herpetology at the Queensland Museum, said that the skinks had likely remained elusive because of the remote and difficult terrain and their secretive nature.

“This lizard requires a special effort to find it, it’s not simply a matter of walking through suitable habitat and spotting it running about. It lives in the deep cracks formed by black soil underneath thick grass cover. Even if it were active on the surface, you’d never spot it.

Instead, you have to dig pit traps, which is not an easy matter in this soil which sets like concrete as it dries, and be patient.”

“As far as we know, it only lives in this one spot, which is a fairly remote location, so just getting there requires considerable planning. If it rains, the soil it lives in becomes impassable sticky mud, and you just have to wait for it to dry out.

Sometimes, this can take months.”

But now the species is confirmed to persist in the wild, it raises questions about how widespread its distribution is, whether the population is stable or declining, and what the future might hold. “It has been able to survive on a working cattle property, tolerating the cattle trampling its habitat and the introduction of weeds. However, we do not know how well it is coping. We trapped five individuals in total, but do they represent a healthy population, or is it just hanging on?” said Dr Amey.

I think this project shows the importance of field work – you cannot really know how a species is coping, or what is threatening it, unless you go and look. It is expensive and time consuming, but it is the only way to get at what’s really going on.

The team plans to continue monitoring the Lyon’s grassland striped skink, and also conduct surveys of nearby potential habitat to look for other populations. They hope to study the habitat requirements and threats, so they can make recommendations to protect the species.

The research team included Patrick Couper (Curator of Herpetology at the Queensland Museum), Angus Emmott and Martin Ambrose (Queensland Museum Honoraries), and Associate Professor Conrad Hoskin (James Cook University), and was funded through the Australian Federal Government’s National Environmental Science Program. The team were assisted by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services Rangers, and local station managers.

Researchers set pitfall traps on a station near Mount Surprise and wait, hoping to find endangered reptiles.

13

RUFOUS BETTONG Aepyprymnus rufescens A small marsupial with a body length of around 35-40cm. The largest member of the potoroo/bettong family, and the only living member of its genus. Shaggy grey fur with a rufous tinge, pale grey underneath, and an indistinct stripe marking at the hip line. Hairy muzzle and bare pink ring of skin around the eyes. Breeding can occur throughout the year, and young live within the pouch for around 4 months. Shelter in the daytime in nests formed from twigs and debris collected by the bettongs using their prehensile tail. Diet consists mostly of fruiting bodies of fungi and tubers (which they dig up with their forearms) as well as insect larvae, some plants and seeds.

Photograph © Edward Evans

RAKALI (WATER RAT) Hydromys chrysogaster Widespread across Australia inhabiting permanent fresh, brackish and saltwater systems. They grow to around 25-40cm in body length, and have a thick tail of similar length. Their dense, waterproof fur is brown-black in colour, tail has a white tip. Head is broad and flattened, small eyes/ears and many long, bristly whiskers. They live in burrows formed in banks adjacent to waterbodies, and are semi-nocturnal with peak activity around dawn/dusk. Carnivorous in nature, they will readily hunt a wide range of animals including insects, crustaceans, molluscs, fish, frogs, birds and their eggs. Will also occasionally eat vegetation. Also found in New Guinea and offshore islands.

Photograph © Ken Griffiths

NORTHERN QUOLL Dasyurus hallucatus A medium sized marsupial predator, and the smallest of the four Australian quoll species (about the size of a small cat). Brown/grey fur with large white spots, tail is dark with no spots. They inhabit eucalypt forests, savannah and occasionally rainforest. Mostly nocturnal in nature, quolls hunt a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate prey. Mating occurs in June-September, after which the male usually dies. Females can live/breed for 2-3 years. They produce up to 8 young which are stored in a backward facing pouch, and maturity is reached within one year. They have recently experienced large population declines due to cats, invasive cane toads, and habitat change.

Photograph © Stephen Zozaya

14

SQUIRREL GLIDER Petauroides norfolcensis Widespread along the eastern coast of Australia. In their northern distribution, they generally occupy wetter sclerophyll habitats. With a body length of 18-23cm and 22-23cm tail, they are roughly twice the size of a sugar glider (which otherwise look superficially similar). Their dorsal colouration is brown-grey, sometimes with a blueish tinge, and a dark dorsal stripe runs from between the eyes to the midback. Belly is white, and tip of tail black.

They have a membrane of skin that runs from their fifth front toe to the back of their rear foot, which they use to glide distances of up to 50m between trees. During flight they can use their long tails to steer like a rudder, and can also use their tails as an extra limb to grab branches. Diet consists mostly of fruits, insects, and tree sap from eucalyptus and red bloodwoods, but will also eat nectar, pollen, leaves and bark.

Photograph © Ryan Francis

15

ANNUAL RAINFALL CHART Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Totals JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

ANNUAL

KOALA Phascolarctos cinereus An Australian icon, koalas are the only living member representative of their family (Phascolarctidae). These tree-dwelling marsupials feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, and sleep for approximately 20hrs each day. They are found in the coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia, including the Atherton Tablelands and Einasleigh Uplands regions of the Northern Gulf. The koalas in the Einasleigh Uplands live right on the edge of the species’ distribution, and the rocky hill ranges in the region likely provide an important refugia for them in the face of a warming climate.

Photograph © Ryan Francis

LONG-TAILED PLANIGALE Planigale ingrami Long-tailed planigales are the smallest of all Australia’s marsupials. Mouse-like in appearance, they have brown-grey coats with a pale underside. Their heads are broad and flattened, sometimes having a faint dark stripe between the eyes. Tail is long and slender. Preferred habitats are floodplains, cracking clay soils and savannah woodlands. Shelters during the day in cracking soils, rock-crevices, and within dense vegetation, and emerges at night to hunt a variety of prey. Despite their small size, they are ferocious predators and are capable of tackling small vertebrates such as lizards and insects close to their own size. Breeds year-round, peaking during the wet season. Typically has 4-8 young (up to 12) that spend the first 6 weeks in the mother’s pouch, and the following 6 weeks in a grassy nest before becoming independent.

Photograph © Ryan Francis

DINGO A medium-sized canine with a lean physique, adapted for speed, agility and stamina.

Typical colouration is orange-red or sandy fur with paler facial and foot colouration, but they can show considerable variation in colouration and pattern. This has sometimes led dingos with more unusual colours/patterns to be misidentified as wild dogs. Current research suggests dingoes arrived in Australia between 5000-8500 years ago, in which time they have been genetically isolated from other canids and have adapted to Australian ecosystems to become the apex terrestrial predator. Their taxonomical classification is debated, but researchers recently constructed the dingo genome and showed substantial genetic divergence between dingoes and domestic dogs. This highlights the importance of better understanding the effects of hybridisation with feral domestic dogs, as it could lead to changes in dingoes that have unpredictable ecological effects.

Photograph © Edward Evans

18

MAREEBA ROCK WALLABY Petrogale mareeba A relatively small wallaby with mostly grey-brown fur. Paler and more sandy buff-brown on the underside, limbs and base of tail. Tail tip fur is darker and brushier. Inhabits rocky areas found at the top of a few mountain ranges west of Cairns from around Mount Garnet to the Mitchell River and Mount Carbine, inland to near Chillagoe. Difficult to distinguish from other closely-related rock wallabies, their locality is the easiest way to confirm their identity. The wallabies feed on a variety of forbs, grasses, fruits, seeds and flowers.

Photograph © Ryan Francis

19

Positive IOD

Upon examining the sea surface temperature map, it's evident that a warm water mass extends from South America to Australia, indicating the presence of an El Nino pattern along the equator.

Furthermore, the Indian Ocean Diopole (IOD) exhibits the presence of cooler waters to the east of Australia's west coast.

El Nino

What does this mean?

Hotter temperatures The forecast for December to February shows >80% chance of above median temperatures in our region with >3 times the likelihood of being unusually warm.

Dryer Wet Season Below-average rainfall is expected across much of northern Queensland from December to February, accompanied by a delayed onset of the wet season.

Please exercise caution in these conditions and be prepared for potential fire and extreme weather events, including cyclones and floods.

Recent rain in the North contradicts this prediction!

Why? Well, Climate provides a more extended perspective, looking at the patterns and averages of weather over an extended period. Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions in a specific location at a particular point in time. It includes short-term variations in temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure.

While early rain can be an indicator of a potentially good wet season in Northern Australia, it's not a foolproof predictor. Even if there is early rain, the distribution of precipitation over the entire wet season matters. A concentrated period of heavy rain followed by prolonged dry spells may not contribute to an overall good wet season. While it was nice to receive the rain, there is a chance of a long dry period to follow.

Predicting weather patterns is done on a weekly and daily basis due to the sensitivity to initial conditions making it difficult to accurately forecast weather beyond a certain timeframe. It is also important to stay up to date on weather forecasts for personal safety, emergency preparedness, planning daily activities, protecting property, and making informed decisions in various aspects of life and business.

20

Get the latest info Want to stay up to date with weather and climate forecasts?

Sign up for updates from the Northern Australia Climate Program and you'll get a monthly climate information calendar delivered straight to your inbox!

Gulf Savannah NRM is proud to be collaborating on this project with the University of Southern Queensland, the Bureau of Meteorology, the UK Met Office, state governments in QLD, NT, WA and other NRM groups.

November's Unexpected Soaking After a Dry Forecast!

The Bureau of Meteorology declared an El Niño was underway in September 2023 when tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures, cloud, wind, and atmospheric pressure patterns all became consistent with El Niño conditions.

On cue, Australia experienced its driest September on record, and its fifth driest October on record, in 2023.

So what happened in November?

When an El Niño is declared, it is letting us know that a series of climate drivers have fallen into a pattern that, when analysing historical data, has a noticeable tendency to bring drier conditions over the following season. This longer-term forecasting is a climate forecast.

While climate forecasting refers to longer term conditions (what to expect over months to years), weather forecasting refers to short term weather cycles (hours to weeks) which have a different set of drivers. These shorter-term weather drivers can be active in both El Niño & La Niña cycles, and this is what has happened recently.

Dr Andrew Marshall, the North Australian Climate Program (NACP) Extension Team Lead from University of Southern Queensland, explains; "The heavy rainfall and storm activity in November was strongly related to amplified Rossby Waves in the atmosphere, which slowed down the passage of weather systems by producing a 'wavy' jet stream over Australia.

The increase in moisture over Australia in November was also influenced by: - A positive Southern Annular Mode event in the first half of the month increasing rainfall over the southeast.

- Unusually warm sea surface temperatures around much of the country, including off the northwest coast of Australia. These warm waters have contributed to the formation of northwest cloud bands and associated heavy rainfall events during 2023.”

The key message is that short term weather events do not change long term climate forecasts.

We agree climate and weather can be very confusing, and media hype around one aspect can amplify messages out of context. That’s why it’s really important that graziers have access to climate information and develop a baseline understanding that allows them to make informed decisions based on the current state of their land.

Photo: Jane Kidd

21

New RANGER FUNDING for the Gulf

From next year there will be two new ranger programs operating in the Gulf, with Tagalaka Aboriginal Corporation and Nguddaboolgan Native Title Aboriginal Corporation recently securing funding through the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program.

The organisations are two of 15 Indigenous organisations across Queensland to share in funding from the Queensland Government for 46 new Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger positions.

The Nguddaboolgan Native Title Aboriginal Corporation will host the Djungan Rangers working on country around Ngarrabullgan (Mount Mulligan) and Kondaparinga Station.

The Tagalaka Rangers, based in Croydon, will have four rangers commencing work on a range of environmental and cultural protection projects from the middle of 2024.

Tagalaka Elder, Beverley Bowyang, was thrilled with the announcement. “I am very proud that Tagalaka were successful to get funding for our Tagalaka Rangers program to employ four Rangers, after so many years of hard work. I can see now that we are moving forward to manage and protect our land and to keep our culture strong. This will be great for our younger generations to learn by being on country and to be proud of our ancestors country.

Congratulations to all our people.”

The Tagalaka Ranger program will operate in partnership with Gulf Savannah NRM, who have been long-term supporters of the Tagalaka Ranger program.

“Gulf Savannah NRM are very pleased that Ranger programs in the Gulf will have increased capacity from next year. We already have a number of excellent Indigenous Ranger teams working in the Gulf Savannah region and this additional funding will build on that capacity.

Strong ranger programs are important for delivery of natural resource outcomes across our region. This is an exciting time for Traditional Custodians, and we are happy to be able to continue to support their caring for country activities,” Gulf Savannah NRM CEO, Zoe Williams said.

22

FAILING FORWARD: LESSONS FROM THE OPTUS OUTAGE FOR REMOTE AUSTRALIA

By Dr Amber Marshall

About the Author Dr Amber Marshall is a Lecturer in Management at Griffith University. Her research focuses on digital inclusion and rural development. Drawing on management and communication sciences, she employs socio-technical theoretical perspectives to investigate how individuals, organisations, and communities become digitally connected and adopt digital technologies. Her research interests also include digital AgTech and data, digital inclusion ecosystems, remote telecommunications infrastructure (both technical and social), and digital skills and capability development.

23

The national outage of Optus’ broadband and mobile networks was widely reported to wreak havoc across Australia, resulting in 10 million unhappy customers and major operational disruption for metro rail, hospitals, and major banks.

Impacts on regional and remote communities drew significantly less attention from the media than urban areas.

Reports have emerged, however, of regional Optus customers flocking to their local McDonalds for free Wi-Fi and queuing at Telstra shopfronts to switch providers.

More sobering is the fact that if this outage had occurred one week prior–amid catastrophic fires burning across Queensland’s interior–an inability to coordinate response efforts via Optus mobile networks could have threatened lives.

Interruptions to services are common in remote areas.

While the outage came as a rude shock to many Australians, interruptions to broadband and mobile services are not uncommon outside of Australia’s major cities and regional centres.

Rural communities regularly endure interruptions to both mobile and broadband service, from congestion and slow speeds during peak periods to complete telecommunications isolation for days and even weeks.

As just one example, in January this year the Northern Peninsula Area and most of the Torres Strait in Far North Queensland experienced a 4day outages of Telstra’s fixed line and mobile services, resulting in residents being unable to access cash from ATMs or call 000.

The comparative unreliability of remote telecommunications services is underpinned by aging infrastructure, extreme weather conditions, dependency on remote energy supplies, and higher incidences of flood, cyclone, and fire.

24

Normalised neglect of remote telecommunications failures The regularity of interruption to telecommunications services in remote areas can necessitate consumers purchasing additional hardware and services to create redundancy. This ensures business, education, healthcare, and crisis response can continue if the primary connection fails.

For example, as well as having NBN satellite or fixed wireless broadband, many remote households ‘layer up’ with a second (or more) connection, such as 4G mobile broadband (where is available) or Starlink (low orbit satellite or LEO).

Mitigating the impacts of unreliable telecommunications services in this way places an unfair financial and administrative burden on remote consumers. And those least able to access and afford this redundancy are likely to be the most vulnerable, such as First Nations communities and people living with disability.

This enquiry presents a rare opportunity to assess the impacts and possible redundancy options for outages in every part of our county—remote and urban—concurrently. On this occasion, remote Australia can be included in the nation’s strategic redirection for telecommunications development, rather than being auxiliary to it.

Communications Minister Rowland’s forthcoming review of the Universal Service Obligation—which awards Telstra $300 million per year to ensure all Australians have access to a fixed phone services and payphones is a further opportunity to shake up the telcos and hold them more accountable for the essential services they provide, particularly in remote Australia.

These redundancy practices normalise remote broadband and mobile outages, keeping them largely invisible to most Australians.

It is a bitter irony that telcos themselves are not required to have failover options; other essential utilities like water and energy are more strongly regulated than telecommunications.

Failing forward: Holding telcos to account The Optus outage has drawn fierce attention to the ubiquity and fragility of mobile and broadband connectivity as an essential service for all Australians.

Pleasingly, a federal government inquiry into the Optus outage will include all major telcos and ask broader questions, not just about what happened this time, but how we can prevent it happening in the future.

This article was first published in the Griffith University publication Enlighten, https://enlighten.griffith.edu.au/ Republished with permission

11

25

Heartwood Heartwood challenges the view that when it comes to forests, you are either a conservationist or a profiteer.

Forest scientist Rowan Reid draws on over twenty years of experience to offer another way: where growing trees for profit has a positive environmental impact. He shares his passion for native trees and provides the practical information that readers need to understand and grow trees of their own.

Available from www.agroforestry.net.au or booksellers

Muster Dogs Season 2 DOCUMENTARY | FIND IT ON ABC & ABC I-VIEW

If you loved the first season of Muster Dogs, you’ll have been anxiously awaiting another series. Season 2 will premier on 14 January 2024 on ABC and ABC i-view, starring five adorable Australian Border Collie puppies and their new owners. Watch along as they take their first steps to becoming a Champion Muster Dog.

A Place to Call Home PODCAST | FIND IT ON SPOTIFY OR APPLE PODCASTS

"A Place to Call Home" is a resource designed to assist the upcoming generation in ther journey toward agricultural land ownership. The podcast narrates the stories of enthusiastic individuals as they try to realise their dream of finding a place to call home in the realm of agriculture. Industry leaders share insights and ideas to help the next generation on their unique paths. https://www.aplacetocallhome.com.au

26

LISTEN WATCH READ

ROWAN REID

STAFF PROFILE: DEBORAH SCHEDUE

Deborah Schedue is our Community Resilience project officer at Gulf Savannah NRM. Tell us a bit about where you come from. I was born in Mt Isa and lived in the area until 7 then moved to Bundaberg. After a stint at university in Rockhampton I joined the Australian Defence Force. Having served 13 years and gained a wealth of experiences I wanted settle down in one spot for a while. So, I left the Defence Force and made Brisbane my home for 20 plus years. How did I end up in Mareeba you may ask, well that is a story for another day, but it is where I will stay for a while.

What made you want to work with Gulf Savannah NRM? I’m passionate about regenerative farming. I have some land that I aim to improve using regenerative practices, to realise its full potential. Working for a company that shares similar values and having the opportunity to learn more about my passion is a win win.

If you had a superpower, what would it be? Time travel. To go back in time and be tutored by the likes of Rudolf Steiner and Nikola Tesla. Or to go back to my 20’s knowing what I know now. Or to go forward in time … wait a minute, do I want to be the Terminator?

If you had the time? If I had the time, I would like to master furniture making. The type that uses tongue and groove joins, old school. Turned pottery is also something I never quite got around to. And herbal medicine fascinates me. Many plants we call weeds have strong medicinal purposes.

What are your hobbies? I love physical training and competition. I’ve been training in CrossFit for the last 12 years and hope to be doing for another 12. Since moving to Mareeba, I’ve taken up horse riding and joined the North Queensland Working Horse Association.

27

PROJECT UPDATES Gulf Savannah NRM is delivering a range of projects in regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, fire and drought management, community resilience, and more. Stay up to date with our monthly online newsletter: bit.ly/gsnrm-news

Turtles in trouble enters stage 3 Embarking on the next phase of Gulf Savannah NRM's Turtles in Trouble project, Edward Evans and freshwater ecologist Jim Tait, alongside Tagalaka Rangers, returned to Littleton National Park. Their goal? A meticulous end-of-dry season survey, revealing vital details about the distribution and status of the Northern snake neck Turtle (Chelodina rugosa). Beyond mere data collection, this trip seeks to unveil the species' seasonal characteristics and behaviours, and identify water holes of ecological and cultural significance suitable for the installation of turtlefriendly exclusion fencing in 2024. These innovative barriers enable turtle movement while safeguarding their habitat from the impacts of feral pigs.

This project received grant funding from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action Grants. The project is a partnership between Gulf Savannah NRM and the Tagalaka Aboriginal Corporation.

We are thrilled to announce our upcoming Changemaker Workshops, a two-day leadership development workshop for individuals who are passionate about playing an active role in driving positive change within our communities.

Organised in collaboration with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) under the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative, this workshop aims to equip participants with essential skills and insights for creating meaningful impact.

Date: 29-30 April 2024 or 2-3 May 2024 Location: Mareeba 2 more workshops will be held at later dates in Etheridge / Croydon Shires Unlock your potential for positive change.

28

TRACKING LAND CONDITION TRENDS IN THE GULF In a remarkable journey spanning thousands of kilometres across the region, Gulf Savannah NRM's Innovative Monitoring and Evaluation project is in full swing. The Gulf Savannah NRM team with support from QDAF have been out and about and have conducted over 300 land condition assessments this season, creating a rich dataset for comparison with 2012 and 2015 results to reveal evolving land condition trends.

This project received grant funding from the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.

Digital Capacity Workshops!

Would you like to improve your Microsoft word or excel skills or become proficient with Xero or MYOB? We are holding one day digital capacity workshops throughout 2024 focusing on improving your computer skills.

First workshop 27 February 2024 | Mareeba.

This project is supported by Gulf Savannah NRM, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

29

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Would you like to see your Gulf business included in the next Gulf Croaker? Get in touch with us: admin@gulfsavannahnrm.org

Chillagoe Observatory and Eco Lodge (07) 4094 7155 www.coel.com.au

CARPENTARIA SHIRE

CROYDON SHIRE

Sunset Tavern, Karumba (07) 4745 9183 sunsettavern@bigpond.com

Croydon Club Hotel (07) 4745 6184 www.croydonclubhotel.com.au

Les Wilson Barra Discovery Centre (07) 4745 2211 https://barracentre.com.au/

ETHERIDGE SHIRE

The Hub Chillagoe (07) 4094 7111 www.chillagoehub.com.au

Einasleigh Hotel (07) 4062 5222 www.facebook.com/einasleighhotel

Chillagoe Cockatoo Hotel (07) 4094 7168 chillagoecockatoohotel.com.au

The Animal Bar, Karumba 0497 901 266

Cobbold Gorge (07) 4062 5470 www.cobboldgorge.com.au

Loudoun House Museum, Irvinebank (07) 4096 4020 loudounhouse@skymesh.com.au

Ferryman River Cruise, Karumba (07) 4745 9155 www.ferryman.net.au

Georgetown Roadhouse (07) 4062 1999 jabena@bigpond.com

Purple Pub, Normanton (07) 4745 1324 http://purplepub.com.au/

Georgetown Rodeo Association Facebook: Georgetown Rodeo Association rodeogeorgetown@gmail.com

Karumba Supermarket & Cafe (07) 4745 9188 Find us on Facebook

Albion Hotel, Normanton (07) 4745 1218 albionhotelnormanton.com.au Gulflander Motel Caravan Park, Normanton (07) 4745 1290 gulflandmotelandcaravanpark.com Normanton Airport & Post Office (07) 4745 1568

Bedrock Village, Mt Surprise (07) 4062 3193 www.bedrockvillage.com.au

Nine-Mile Store, Julatten (07) 4094 1275 ninemilestore4871@gmail.com Mount Carbine Roadhouse (07) 4094 3043 mtcarbineroadhouse.com

MAREEBA SHIRE

Mount Carbine Hotel 0400 465 682 mtcarbinehotel@gmail.com

Railway Hotel, Almaden (07) 4094 8307 Find us on Facebook

Mount Molloy Coffee Shop (07) 4094 1175 Find us on Facebook

Biboohra Cash Store (07) 4093 2545

30

Irvinebank Tavern & Cabins (07) 4096 4176 irvinebank@westnet.com.au

Checklist: Ready for the Northern Wet Season Identifying the risk Have you checked the weather forecast at your location?

BOM Climate Outlooks

BOM Water and the Land

BOM Know Your Weather

Climate Savvy for Grazing Management Regional Guide - Far North QLD (nacp.org.au)

Have you identified and analysed the potential risks in your location (flood and cyclone)?

Get Ready Queensland

Bureau of Meteorology

BOM Tropical Cyclone Knowledge Centre

BOM Flood Knowledge Centre

Long Paddock: Weather & Fire

Have you contacted your local council about flood or cyclone risk in your area?

Managing the risk Check with your local council and council's disaster dashboard to access: Flood plans or records in your area and local disaster updates Local government and community disaster plans Local flood arrangements Information about road closures, river heights, evacuation centres Check the available business insurance that covers for flood, bushfire, and cyclone/storm damage Clear loose equipment and vegetation around buildings and access points Prepare a current inventory of livestock, infrastructure, and equipment Ensure you have sufficient fodder, medication, and water supplies for animals Secure doors and windows with shutters, metal screens or tape on the glass, and sandbag your premises for flooding Organize and plan a place well above the floor level to keep computers, equipment, chemicals, and hazardous materials off the floor Locate and pack your critical documents such as financial, insurance, legal and identification details, business, evacuation, building plan in a portable waterproof container Back up your critical data to a portable storage device and store it in a secure off-site location Keep your emergency kit where you can quickly and easily retrieve it Include key items in your emergency kit, such as keys for buildings, vehicles, and equipment Make ready the necessary equipment (radio, torches, batteries, power bank, mobile phone with credit and charger, first aid kit, masking tape, personal protective equipment (PPE), waterproof bags, stationery, utility knife, straps, and rope)

Tear me out here to stick on the fridge!

31

Wet Season Emergency Contacts Emergency services (police, fire and ambulance) TRIPLE ZERO (000) ONE ZERO SIX (106) through your telephone typewriter (TTY)

Other services Flood and storm emergency assistance: State Emergency Services (SES) 132 500 Latest road conditions and closures: qldtraffic.qld.gov.au State-wide road conditions: 13 19 40 Animal emergencies: RSPCA Queensland 1300 264 625 Alerts, updates and evacuation centre locations: ABC local radio and local council disaster dashboard

Georgetown 106.1 FM

Croydon 105.9 FM

Dimbulah 91.7 FM

Mount Garnet 95.7 FM

Karumba 106.1 FM

Atherton 720 AM

Normanton 105.7 FM

For a full Wet Season Checklist and links to more useful resources, scan the QR code with your phone or tablet's camera

This project received grant funding from the Australian Government.