News
QPWS Funding for Strategic Pest Management
Annual funding applications for State Government priority pest management projects were recently approved. The Great Sandy National Park (GSNP) and Inskip Peninsula Recreation Area (IPRA) received a substantial part of the allocated funding.
Lessons from Other World Heritage sites: Japan
I have to insist to my disbelieving family and others that my trip to Japan is not a holiday but really is a study tour and part of my quest to see what can be learnt in how other World Heritage sites are being managed. I am particularly interested in island World Heritage sites and I have already visited two of Japan’s natural World Heritage sites that are islands, Yakushima and Ogasawara. However, the latest World Heritage nomination of four island’s in the chain of small islands stretched out in an arc between the southern island and Taiwan that includes the Okinawa archipelago is of special interest.
Irresponsible Pet Owners Impact K’gari Wildlife
A recent rise in reports and images of domestic dogs on K’gari has prompted Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service along with concerned stakeholders to release media requests asking all visitors to leave their dogs at home when they visit World Heritage listed Fraser Island (K’gari).
Field Work Report: August 2017 Happy Valley Weeding Trip
This was the 15th trip since Peter started as team leader and while his team have worked on a number of weed species during that time, the main focus has been on Abrus precatorius subspecies africanus. (more…)
Time, Tide and Tourism Conference
Never underestimate the power of sharing knowledge – especially when it comes to a World Heritage property.
One hundred people attended the 7th Biennial (Time, Tide and Tourism) Conference at the University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs in August. Like the previous six conferences there was much informal interaction between the attendees, all of whom have a strong interest in K’gari. While some of the issues discussed such as managing K’gari’s invasive species are perennial topics, it was helpful for the audience to gain an insight into the progress being made and the on-going effort required. (more…)
Watch Out For Rat Birds!
Please be on the lookout for Indian myna birds (or if you have watched “cloudy with a chance of meatballs”- Ratbirds) as several have been sighted on Fraser Island. (more…)
Garden Escapee from Africa and Asia: Glory Lily
The Glory Lily (Gloriosa superba) is a perennial herb with climbing stems up to 4m that die off over winter, with long lived underground tubers. (more…)
Bitou Bush Surveillance UAV trial
Bitou bush has the ability to out compete and smother native coastal dune vegetation. Infestations within the Great Sandy National Park have been dramatically reduced since the 1980’s, with only isolated plants being found in the field today.
Where Have All The Birds Gone?
In the last FINIA newsletter, FIDO’s John Sinclair raised concerns about the apparent diminishing number of birds on Fraser Island. He points to the evidence provided by a group of bird watchers who recorded 65 species of birds in a trip across the island in a 24-hour period in November 1968. John said that over five days at Easter on the island this year he managed to see or hear only 20 species through the bush and on the beach.
John asked the question: where have the island’s birds gone? Without being too smart, I could say … to the Anderson bird baths at Eurong. (more…)
Eyes All Around – ‘SNAP’ gotcha!
Trail cameras are an integral part of protected area management throughout the world and a useful tool where resources for field observations are limited. Within the Great Sandy National Park, cameras are utilised and applied to the management of threatened fauna species, feral animal activity, compliance and dingo conservation. The process of going through the images can be long and at times surprising, but the rewards are worth it. (more…)
FINIA 