Understanding Soil - A Key to Water Stewardship Central Highlands Grower Neek Morawitz has been involved in growing cotton since 1984 when his dad Carl began growing the fibre in the Central Highlands. The crop became part of the family’s cropping rotation and in the early 2000’s Neek began growing cotton in his own right on a property at the bottom of the Comet River on the Nogoa McKenzie junction. The efficient use of water has always been a key element in the success of the Morawitz farming strategy and Neek describes his own approach as being a combination of science, best practice and gut feel – and that combination has served him well for many years. “One of the things I do is stretch the deficits when conditions allow, by delaying the  timing of irrigations a bit more than most and past what some of the data might suggest, and that can help the plant to be more resilient. But you can’t make the plant tough without first understanding your own soil types.” Neek well and truly understands the soil he [...]

Woorabinda Healing Country and Gully Remediation Eroding gullies are a big problem for communities and for land managers like the Woorabinda Rangers, as well as for ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef. But they can be repaired. Through the Reef Assist program, Greening Australia has been working with the Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council, Woorabinda Rangers and technical experts Neilly Group Engineering to: Rehabilitate gullies and prevent erosion on Ghungalu/Ghangalu/Gaangalu Country in Central Queensland Create employment and training opportunities for community Improve water quality for the Great Barrier Reef. Three different gullies have been repaired using different methods including reshaping, rock chutes, whoa boys and creating bund walls.  Fencing was also installed to exclude stock and vegetation cover is being re-established to hold the land surface together, helping to create healthy water movement across the landscape.  Throughout the project, Ghungalu/Ghangalu/Gaangalu Nation People undertook cultural heritage surveys to ensure cultural heritage values were respected and cared for during the works. Importantly, the Woorabinda Rangers and a local Indigenous construction business, Ghungalu Investments, were involved in every aspect, including gully repair works, and undertook training [...]

People. Environment. Future. Working with a diverse network of organisations, communities, and people, FBA is leading innovative solutions that protect and enhance the environment for a better regional future. Referring to the map below, explore a selection of impactful FBA-led initiatives and the dedicated people and organisations supporting and contributing to their success. Team Turtle CQ FBA’s Team Turtle CQ is a volunteer citizen science program established and run by FBA since 2014. Passionate volunteers walk the Capricorn and Curtis coastlines from October to March each year collecting data on nestings and hatchings which informs state-wide conservation efforts.   Partners: Livingstone Shire Council, Gladstone Regional Council and Queensland Marine Turtle Network Reducing Sediment Runoff to Protect the Great Barrier Reef FBA is working to reduce fine sediment impacts on the Great Barrier Reef by delivering large scale landscape improvements in priority catchments. Through targeting the restoration of eroding gully systems, the rehabilitation of streambanks, and addressing paddock erosion, FBA will improve the health and productivity of the region and the reef.  Partners: Land managers, Contractors, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment [...]