As conversations around fire management evolve, cultural burning is increasingly recognised as an important part of caring for Country. Yet despite growing interest, it remains widely misunderstood. For Dr Peta Standley, the conversation is about much more than fire itself. It’s about Indigenous leadership, genuine collaboration and creating space for different knowledge systems to work together.
As first light fell from the sky onto the silhouette of Ngarrabullgan (Mount Mulligan), Grandad Desi illuminated the landscape with words that were their own kind of sunrise: evidence of the new day ahead, and full of hope.
Every native species contributes to the rich tapestry of our natural world, but the reality is that some have an outsized influence on how ecosystems function. While there’s a lot of buzz surrounding pollinators and seed dispersers, predators also occupy a very important space in environmental conservation. The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) is certainly no exception.
While coffee plantations and cattle stations may look very different, the families behind them have discovered that resilience isn’t built in isolation. Sometimes, it begins by opening the farm gate and inviting others to experience life on the land, one conversation at a time.
There are few places in the world where you can see commercial food production integrated with a natural, almost native ecosystem. Where cattle are living in harmony with the marsupials, birds, reptiles and insects. But in any given location across the extensive beef grazing region of Northern Australia, this unique system exists.
For fruit growers across Far North Queensland, some insects are far more than an unpleasant surprise. Hidden amongst orchard canopies, the banana-spotting bug (Amblypelta lutescens lutescens) has been quietly damaging valuable crops for decades, leaving scars beneath the skin of avocado, citrus, mango, passionfruit, custard apple and more.
The Gulf’s rugged ranges have revealed another remarkable secret, with scientists formally describing three previously unknown species of rock monitor after years of fieldwork and genetic research.
Healthy soil underpins around 95 per cent of the world’s food production, making it one of agriculture’s most valuable assets. A soil test can be one of the most useful tools for landholders, yet understanding the results can be a challenge for many growers.
Work is continuing to tackle invasive weeds across the Mitchell River catchment, with aerial surveys helping land managers identify priority infestations left in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
From restoring threatened ecosystems to improving agricultural productivity, many of the decisions shaping Australia’s landscapes begin with a single question: what is the data telling us?
