News
Better Beaches Training
Better Beaches participants February 2012
All FINIA members that participated in the “Better Beaches” 4WD training agreed that they took something away from the day. For Sue Sargent – the concept of allowing the engine and not momentum to get you in and out of a situation was a take home message. “Dave reminded us that if you speed into a problem, you’ll end up getting bogged. If you drive in – you can always reverse out – simple, but brilliant!” Sue added.
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Jamella treatment
Infected Pandanus at Happy Valley (photo: Bree Jashin)
Following the information workshop on Jamella last September a 2-day treatment and control working bee was set up by FIA/FINIA. Four FCRC Parks and Gardens staff, two QPWS volunteers, one FIA member/volunteer and two QPWS staff inspected and injected almost 40 plants on private land and road reserve and over 200 plants on Parks land. (more…)
Myrtle Rust
Myrtle rust on Rhodamnia spp. foliage. (Photo: Courtesy of Biosecurity Queensland)
Myrtle rust is a fungal disease that affects plants in the Myrtaceae family (including eucalypts, bloodwoods, bottlebrushes, paperbarks, tea trees, lilly pillies and water gums). The disease is spread by wind, human activity and animals. (more…)
Dingo Scat Collection
Dingo scat containing bone (photo: Alana Kippers)
Stage III of the dingo population study started in September with QPWS staff collecting dingo scats. The first formal collection was conducted from 21 – 24 November 2011 with the Conservation Volunteers Australia Nature Wise Program. (more…)
Better Beaches Training
Photo: Alana Kippers
This project builds on a previous initiative conducted by the Burnett Mary Regional Group and CQ University in 2007-8 to develop a Code of Practice for 4WDs on foreshores (primarily to protect turtles and shorebirds).
The Code was a highly successful engagement tool developed by regional 4WD clubs and non-club 4wders. The activity also empowered the participants with a new function, that of stewardship for the natural resources that they enjoy in this popular pastime. (more…)
Display Garden Project
Photo: Juliet Musgrave
As the FINIA partners would be aware, we have been looking at the issue of introduced plants in the coastal settlements and garden “escapees” that can become weeds impacting on the island’s native plants. Following an idea raised through FINIA, a number of our members – Fraser Coast Regional Council, Fraser Island Defenders Organisation (FIDO), Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service and Cooloola Coastcare’s Michael Lowe have been working to establish a native plant display garden at Eurong.
History
Fraser Island Natural Integrity Alliance (FINIA) was formed after a 2-day workshop on Fraser Island’s weeds and pests facilitated by the Burnett Mary Regional Group for NRM in December 2005. Participants included the State Government, Fraser Island Defenders Organisation, National Parks Association of Queensland (represented by the late George Haddock), the Cooperative Research Centre for Weed Management, Hervey Bay City Council, Sandy Cape Lighthouse Conservation Association and the Traditional Owners of Fraser Island, the Butchulla people.
During the workshop, it became clear that issues relating to land tenure were affecting the ability to address natural resource management issues in the World Heritage Area and that greater collaboration was needed. At the end of the workshop, the participants formed the Fraser Island Natural Integrity Alliance (FINIA) to address issues that were threatening the future sustainability of Fraser Island’s natural environment.
Although the Alliance’s initial focus was weeds and pests – with a full time Weeds and Pest Management Officer employed the University of the Sunshine Coast for a period of 3 years to develop and deliver the Landscape Weed Management Plan for Fraser Island (2008-11), it has expanded its activities to include vegetation, sediment, marine turtle and even dingo scat monitoring and broader community engagement through demonstration gardens (using plants endemic to Fraser Island).
FINIA has grown (and continues to expand) attracting several new partners, all committed to maintaining and improving the Island’s natural integrity. The Alliance is also supported by Queensland & Parks and Wildlife Service (by a 0.3FTE).
FINIA is a means to bring stakeholders together to implement common goals with respect to often differing organisational objectives, in a proactive and respectful manner.
Get Involved
Volunteer
New Experiences!
Volunteering with FINIA gives you new experiences! Going to places that are right off the beaten track. Keeping an eye on the health of Fraser Island. Making a real difference to the future of this beautiful place.
All in a day’s work for our volunteers.
Click here for Volunteer stories
Check out our Events Calendar for volunteer opportunities
Use the contact form below or email us to find out more.
Become a Member Organisation
Membership of FINIA is open to any organisation that is committed to sustaining the natural integrity of Fraser Island. There are no membership fees and new groups are encouraged to join us at one of our quarterly meetings.
Whilst FINIA does not have any individual members, we would be delighted to liaise with individual volunteers to identify opportunities for your participation.
For information on becoming a FINIA member use the contact form or email us.
Donate
Want to participate, but really can’t spare the time? There are lots of ways that you can help FINIA with your support from assisting with the purchase of fuel to get our volunteers around to purchasing equipment or chemicals.
- $20 would raise 10 plants in our nursery
- $50 will pay for fuel for a vehicle for 1 day
- $120 will pay for 20 litres of glyphosate
- $2,500 will pay for a week’s weeding by a group of volunteers.
Perhaps you have a skill that you’d like to donate? Our wonderful logo was designed for us by Jarray Create, but do you have a another skill that you think we need?
If you have some ideas or would like to help us run one of our projects by making a contribution, please get in touch.
Thank you for your response. ✨
About Fraser Island
Sunset near Waddy Point
Fraser Island is an island located along the southern coast of Queensland, Australia, approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of Brisbane. Its length is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) and its width is approximately 24 kilometres. It was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1992. The island is considered to be the largest sand island in the world at 1840 km² It is also Queensland’s largest island, Australia’s sixth largest island and the largest island on the East Coast of Australia.
The island has rainforests, eucalyptus woodland, mangrove forests, wallum and peat swamps, sand dunes and coastal heaths. It is made up of sand that has been accumulating for approximately 750,000 years on volcanic bedrock that provides a natural catchment for the sediment which is carried on a strong offshore current northwards along the coast. Unlike many sand dunes, plant life is abundant due to the naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi present in the sand, which release nutrients in a form that can be absorbed by the plants. Fraser Island is home to a small number of mammal species, as well as a diverse range of birds, reptiles and amphibians, including the occasional saltwater crocodile. The island is part of the Fraser Coast Region and protected in the Great Sandy National Park.
Source: Wikipedia
Click to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site and read the statement of Outstanding Universal Values which lead to Fraser Island being inscribed on the World Heritage register.
Image: ‘Sunset near Waddy Point’ by Andrew Sinclair
Visit our gallery of Andrew’s beautiful images.
or visit his website
FINIA 