OUR WORK

WHAT WE DO

We work with the people and communities of the Gulf Savannah region to create opportunities for current and future generations. We deliver projects that cultivate living landscapes and support local livelihoods.

Gulf Savannah NRM is a non-profit company and a registered charity. Our projects help strengthen communities and industries, while taking care of our beautiful landscapes.

We deliver and support projects across the vast Gulf Savannah region, working closely with communities, Indigenous organisations, and all levels of government, to create a brighter future.

Our projects connect science, technology and landcare to improve productivity for farmers and graziers and address the challenges of life in our remote region. Natural resource management works where community, industry and environment meet.

Community

The Gulf Savannah is a region of widely dispersed towns and small, isolated communities. There’s limited communications infrastructure, so it’s a real challenge to stay connected and use technology to support agriculture and industry. We’re leading a multi-agency effort to improve digital connectivity and build capability across our region.

Our communities face significant challenges: isolation, severe weather, fire, and economic impacts on our main industries, grazing, agriculture and tourism. We work with people and communities to encourage connection, boost food security, promote fire safety, and build resilience.

About 25 per cent of people in the Gulf region identify as Indigenous. We work closely with Indigenous organisations and ranger groups on projects to help communities and care for Country.

Industry

Grazing beef cattle is the main industry in our region, based on broad-hectare pastoral leases across the vast, dry savannah country from the Palmer River catchment to the Claraville plains.

Agriculture, fishing and tourism are also significant industries in the Gulf region. Our projects work with industries and communities to improve soil health, promote regenerative farming practices, and attract bees and insects to help pollination.

environment

The Gulf Savannah region includes the winding rivers and wetlands of the Gulf of Carpentaria coast, the vast savannah woodlands stretching from the Gulf plains to the Einasleigh Uplands and the base of Cape York, and we have the biodiverse northern Tablelands, with its rainforests, woodlands and waterways.

Our projects address key environmental issues like preventing erosion, gully remediation, health of waterways and wetlands, control of weeds and invasive species, protection of threatened and endangered species.

PROJECTS

Resilient Futures for Queensland’s Gulf Savannah

The Resilient Futures project centres around increasing our Gulf community’s preparedness and resilience to natural disasters.  The project will focus on creating awareness and understanding of the risks of fire, flooding and cyclones both with individual landholders and local government authorities. This project is funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.

Salubrious Soils

The project focuses on management practices to build soil health and optimise production, the links between healthy, balanced soils and resilience, the latest soil research and technology, soil sampling and interpretation, National Soil Monitoring and Incentives Pilot Program and Carbon farming opportunities for income diversification. This project is supported by the Australian Government’s Smart Farms Program.

Data for the Future

Many factors inhibit graziers collecting data including a lack of systems and processes for collection and storage of relevant data, and understanding what data would be useful for decision making. This project showcases businesses using data driven decision tools, and supports producers in data collection. Supported by Agrifutures Australia, Producer Technology Uptake Program.

Showcasing Resilient Grazing Landscapes with Better Biodiversity

This project aims to showcase how resilient grazing landscapes (those in better land condition) also have better biodiversity. To achieve this we aim to use innovative automated field survey methods to gain a snapshot of biodiversity in both good and poor land condition paddocks for comparison. We’re collaborating with JCU on this project, which is supported by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority.

McDonald Creek Restoration Project

This project aims to rehabilitate part of McDonald Creek in Irvinebank, which has become silted up from sediment mainly due to past mining activities. This stage of the project involves a feasibility study to estimate the scope and cost of restoration works. Supported by Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Investment Program.

Gilbert River Catchment ‘Digital Twin’ Project

This project aims to enable estimation of water budgets from the entire Gilbert catchment down to a field scale – integrating available monitoring data, water modelling, and spatial data – and support stakeholder engagement on water storage management and its governance, social license, and environmental risk. Supported by Department of Environment and Science for the QWMN.

Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitation

Our Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator promotes sustainable agriculture, supporting farmers, industry and community groups  to adopt new and innovative sustainable agriculture practices. Funded and supported by the Australian Governments Regional Land Partnerships program.

Fire Smart Mareeba Shire

This project aims to build community bushfire resilience within the Mareeba Shire. It is lifting the level of fire literacy, community coordination and confidence in responding to and mitigating fire risk. This is being achieved through providing resources, targeted fire mitigation and management planning at a community and property level. This project has received grant funding from the Australian Government.

Healthy Farming Soils

Promoting farm-scale worm farming and the use of biological soil ameliorants in agricultural settings. Ameliorants are substances that help plant growth by improving the physical condition of the soil. Supported by Smart Farms Small Grants, part of the Australian Government National Landcare Program.

Powerful Pollinators

Promoting bee keeping and the importance of beneficial insects in horticultural systems. Pollinators are essential for agriculture and healthy landscapes. We show farmers the important role of pollinator species and host plants, and how to increase pollinator numbers on their farm. Supported by Smart Farms Small Grants, part of the Australian Government National Landcare Program.

Drop in the Bucket: Citizen Scientists Monitoring Water Quality

This project provides important water quality and ecosystem health data for rivers in our region. Citizen scientists use observational methods to assess the health of our river systems. Supported by the Queensland Government.

Climate Mates

Climate Mates is part of the Northern Australia Climate Program, helping graziers better manage drought and climate risks. We help graziers use forecasts and adopt new climate tools to make informed management decisions. Supported by the Queensland Government Drought and Climate Adaptation Program and Meat and Livestock Australia.

Prickly Acacia Management

This thorny shrub or small tree encourages erosion, threatens biodiversity, decreases pastures, and forms dense thickets that interfere with stock movement. Preventing spread is a high priority. Our project supports landholders through education, awareness, and on-ground control. Project supported by the Australian Government.

Grazing Futures

Supporting grazing business resilience by assisting recovery from extreme climate events and improving future preparedness. It’s funded through the Drought & Climate Adaptation Program, building strong partnerships between regional NRM organisations and the Queensland Department of Agriculture & Fisheries.

E-Beef Smart Farms

This project shows how innovative technologies can improve livestock performance and pasture data, leading to better informed management decisions. This leads to improved natural resources condition and boosts the financial viability of regional grazing businesses. Funding for the project is from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and the Queensland Government Drought and Climate Adaptation Program.

Biodiversity Bright Spots – Woodlands

We work with Traditional Owners, land managers, scientists and government to support recovery of the endangered Golden-shouldered parrot. Found in our tropical savannah woodlands and open grasslands, but under pressure from predators and land use changes. Project supported by Regional Land Partnerships, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Healthy Farming Futures

Helping farmers develop better soil management practices to address acidification, carbon decline, and erosion. We’re building skills and confidence, helping farmers improve their soil for long-term resilience. The project operates in the Mareeba-Dimbulah and Gilbert River Irrigation Areas. Project supported by Regional Land Partnerships, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Gulf Rivers Riparian Improvement Program

The Gulf Rivers Riparian Improvement Program addresses sediment loss and native vegetation condition in the Gilbert River catchment with strategic works and building landholders skills and knowledge. The Gilbert is part of northern Australia’s largest river system. Project funded by the Queensland Government Natural Resources Investment Program.
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