Nature refuges
Introduction
Across Queensland, landholders are entering into conservation agreements with the QPWS to protect significant natural landscape and wildlife values on their properties.
These conservation agreement are intended to provide long-term protection for land of significant conservation value while allowing for ecologically sustainable use for production. Landholders can negotiate the terms of conservation agreements with the QPWS. Once an agreement is signed, the area can be declared as a nature refuge.
There are over fifty nature refuges on properties around the state which protect habitat for a range of our endangered plants and animals and regional ecosystems of conservation significance. Primary production and a range of other commercial activities can continue on these nature refuges, as shown in the following stories.
QPWS Extension Officers can assist in assessing properties and negotiating conditions of conservation agreements.
Rainbow
Australian bushman and businessman RM Williams has established Rainbow Nature Refuge on his property in the Arcadia Valley near Rolleston. This property is within the Brigalow Belt bioregion, which has been extensively cleared for agriculture.
The Rainbow Nature Refuge protects significant areas of vegetation types that have been extensively cleared elsewhere in the region. For example, brigalow, lancewood, lemon-scented gum, narrow-leaved ironbark, gum-topped ironbark, Dawson gum woodland and softwood scrub. However, the nature refuge status does not prevent continued grazing or continued good vegetation management.
RM Williams has demonstrated his ongoing commitment to preserving important areas of bush as a part of property planning and management.
Claravale
Gill and Eunice Campbell manage the 14,500ha cattle property 'Claravale' near Mitchell. The Campbells are negotiating to set aside two areas on the property, identified as regionally important for nature conservation, as nature refuges, including an 800ha patch which is some of the best country on the property.
Volunteers from the Conservation Volunteers Australia have helped erect 7km of fencing around the proposed nature refuge. Fifty percent of fencing and costs for establishing off-creek stock watering points was covered by a grant from Greening Australia. As part of the agreement for this area, the Campbells can continue to graze for a maximum of three months during the growing season and three months during the non-growing season.
Gill describes the proposed nature refuges as a win-win situation and has become more interested in the benefits of native vegetation in his property plan, citing the benefits of nutrient recycling, stock shade and habitat for wildlife. He plans to selectively clear 1215ha of mixed country, while retaining 'Endangered' and 'Of concern' regional ecosystems, wildlife corridors and vegetation in areas susceptible to degradation.
Thylogale
David and Diane Armbrust's property near Julatten, contains a small but intact rainforest remnant protected as the Thylogale Nature Refuge. The nature refuge supports numerous animals and several rare and threatened plants, including the endangered tree Sankowskya stipularis.
David Armbrust uses the nature refuge as the setting for interactive daytime nature tours for small groups of two to four - catering to visitors from the Northern Hemisphere. Through a niche-marketing strategy which involves mostly word-of-mouth promotion, David targets the top end of the market. Overseas tourists love to see Australian wildlife. Many of their clients return for a second visit, one couple have even come back three times to see the variety of species which live on the Armbrust's property.
Some of the animals which they get to see are musky rat kangaroos, green ringtail possums, Boyd's forest dragons, Major skinks, orange-footed scrubfowl and white-lipped tree frogs. Favourites with tour groups are the red-legged pademelons.
David reckons they are making a better living from their 6 acres of rainforest than their neighbour is from grazing cattle on his 120 acres.
Artemis
Artemis Station, owned by Tom and Sue Shephard is home to the endangered golden-shouldered parrot. The property includes a nature refuge which protects a significant amount of the only known habitat for these birds.
Golden-shouldered parrots nest in termite mounds in tropical savanna woodland and feed on grasses. Altered fire regimes and the effects of grazing have resulted in an increase in woody vegetation and have impacted on availability of grasses. Research has found that by getting the fire regime right, benefits would result for the parrots as well as graziers. The Shephards have received assistance with fencing allowing cattle to be moved when it is time to burn.
The QPWS has developed a Recovery Plan for the Golden Shouldered Parrot and continues to implement and monitor actions to ensure their survival.
Last updated: 28 November 2003