Strong Partnerships Underpin New Invasive Species Project in Lower Burdekin

The importance of strong regional natural resource management partnerships was front and centre at the first meeting of the Gudjuda Rangers Country Working Group, held last week on Bindal Country at the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

The meeting brought together Gudjuda Rangers and NQ Dry Tropics team members alongside Traditional Owners, land managers and representatives from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the Queensland Rural Fire Service and Firesticks.

All groups will work collaboratively to deliver NQ Dry Tropics’ Fighting Invasive Species Together project, a new three-year, $1.9 million initiative designed to protect biodiversity and agricultural land across North Queensland from the growing threat of invasive weeds and pests.

Planning is well underway, with the project set to build on existing local partnerships while strengthening the capacity of Land and Sea Ranger groups to improve fire regimes and manage invasive species on the ground. Gudjuda Rangers will play a leading role in planning and coordinating works in the Lower Burdekin.

Participants at the meeting acknowledged the value of cultural knowledge in land management and expressed a shared commitment to working across different land tenures to achieve stronger, long-term environmental outcomes.

The Fighting Invasive Species Together project is funded through the Queensland Government’s $117.84 million Natural Resource Management Expansion Program.

CAPTION: Back row, left to right: Rullington Zaro (Gudjuda Ranger), Andrew Blair and Sherry Cullen (AIMS), Karen Vidler (NQ Dry Tropics), Paul Anderson, (Acting Senior Ranger, Lower Burdekin, QPWS), Rosie Kidman, Jaeda Lenoy, Trinity Georgetown (all NQ Dry Tropics), Anita Dwyer (Manager, Bushfire Mitigation, Regional Fire Service, Qld), Holly Zaro (Gudjuda Ranger), Ian Clarke (Bushfire Mitigation Officer Regional Fire Service, Qld), Joe Jess (Ranger in Charge, Townsville, QPWS), Mohit Deolankar Research Manager, QPWS). Front row, from left: Victor Steffensen (Firesticks Co-founder), Russell Butler (Bandjin and Warrgamay Traditional Owner), Eddie Smallwood (CEO, Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation). Photo source: NQ Dry Tropics

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