Annual Report 2016 – 2017

Hinterland Bush Links Inc.

ABN 12314200850

2 Treehaven Way, Maleny QLD 4552

Ph 07 5429 6622

sduncan@hinterlandbushlinks.org

www.hinterlandbushlinks.org

Proudly supported by

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Contents

President’s Report………………………………………………. 3

Coordinator/Project Officer’s Report…………………… 5

Treasurer’s Report………………………………………………. 14

2016/2017 Management Committee

President Julia Macdonald-Buchanan / Liz Saunders

Secretary Kim Holcroft

Treasurer Mary Meadows

Committee members Paul Magee

Martina Gordon

Paul Prociv

Hinterland Bush Links staff

Coordinator Susie Duncan

Project Officer Sue Brieschke

Administrative support Den Lalor

Acknowledgment of Traditional Custodians

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Hinterland Bush Links

region, the Kabi Kabi, Jinibara and Wakka Wakka People. We pay respect to

elders past, present and emerging.

Front Page: Sarah Penney getting stuck into the weeds at one of the Hinterland Bush Links’ Roving

Restorers events. This volunteer group has assisted 20 landholders with weeding and tree-planting

in key habitat corridors, over the past year.

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President’s Report

Liz Saunders

It is my pleasure to present the President’s

report for 2016-17, our second year as an

independent entity. We still work closely

with Barung Landcare and will continue to

collaborate on a range of projects.

Being an incorporated association has

enabled us to secure funds directly from the

Sunshine Coast Council’s Environmental Levy

Partnership program and we greatly

appreciate their ongoing support. In this past

year we received $37,000 to pay Susie a part

time salary as well as cover costs for travel,

office and a subsidy for the Ecology Course.

We do note however that Susie puts in way

above this value in terms of time and

expertise.

Over this past year Hinterland Bush Links has

continued strategic works to restore and

connect habitat for our native plants and

animals. Recovery of habitat for rainforest

species such as the Marbled Frogmouth and

fruit doves, and eucalypt forest for gliding

possums and Koalas, is moving apace. As

increasing numbers of landholders become

involved, this expansion of habitat and

wildlife corridors will accelerate.

A connected landscape reflects the creative

efforts of a connected community that

values this beautiful natural environment. In

this vein, we have continued our popular

Roving Restorers program, engaging over

100 volunteers in assisting private

landholders with their bush restoration

projects. The program is a wonderful way for

people to relate hands-on with the

environment in their local area and to meet

new and passionate individuals from all

walks of life. It is both good for the

environment and good for our health!

The Upper Mary Valley Weed Vine Project is

progressing well, with 70% of the

infestations of Cats Claw, Madeira Vine and

Dutchmans Pipe being mapped and treated.

This project is vital in ensuring that the

threatened Lowland Subtropical Rainforest

in the Mary River Catchment is not lost. It is

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a long-term project and we are grateful for

financial assistance from Sunshine Coast

Council, Burnett Mary Regional Group and

Mary River Catchment Care Committee.

Our educational program has achieved

extensive outreach to landholders and the

wider community. In particular, the annual

Subtropical Forests Ecology Course was very

successful, bringing together both local and

interstate participants. It will enable these

people to be more strategic in their own

habitat restoration efforts.

We have partnered with many organisations

to deliver on-ground works and our

education program. This has included

strategic planning exercises and workshops

with the Sunshine Coast Council. The Great

Eastern Ranges Initiative continues to link us

to the larger landscape and provides

encouragement and connection with like-

minded groups across eastern Australia.

Susie Duncan has continued to drive the

range of projects through to successful

outcomes assisted by Sue Brieschke as

Project Officer. They have been supported

by an excellent management committee and

a fabulous range of volunteers who are

critical to the achievements of the

organisation. In particular I would like to

acknowledge Martina Gordon who is retiring

as a member of the Management

Committee. Martina’s wide-ranging practical

assistance has been invaluable and she will

be greatly missed. Our Treasurer, Mary

Meadows has given generously of her time

and skills over the past year and we thank

her wholeheartedly.

I would especially like to thank our major

donors – Jane Abercrombie, Libby & Marek

Malter, Barry Traill & Susie Duncan, for their

generous ongoing support. We would

greatly appreciate further donations to

Hinterland Bush Links to continue and

expand this successful conservation program

and ensure a future for our native plants and

animals.

Finally, we invite any non-members to join

our organisation. There is no membership

fee and we would love you to become part

of this great Hinterland Connection.

Liz Saunders

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The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is

undoubtedly one of the most beautiful

places to live in Australia, and this rich

landscape is recognised as a biodiversity

hotspot. Although much of our wildlife still

thrives, a significant number of native

plants, animals and ecosystems are

threatened. Hinterland Bush Links is driven

by a sense of urgency to reverse this decline

of our natural world and ensure that it is

healthy and resilient in the face of climate

change.

To achieve maximum gains for biodiversity

conservation in this region, we renew our

strategic plan annually. This ensures that we

have clear goals and have identified the best

path to achieving them. Our planning is

based on the best available science and our

outcomes are clearly measurable. Most of

our funding is delivered to strategic on-

ground works with only a small portion

being used for administration. We are

delivering big for nature conservation on a

small budget!

The four areas of focus for the strategic plan

are:

Landscape-scale connection, restoration

and protection of native vegetation

Building community capacity/education

Developing support networks and

funding partnerships

Building a skilled and capable workforce

The following report describes our progress.

Coordinator/Project Officer Report

Susie Duncan & Sue Brieschke

Landscape-scale connection, restoration and protection of native

vegetation

Upper Mary Valley Weed Vine Project

This strategic project has been supported

through our partnership with Barung

Landcare and with funding over the past five

years from Burnett Mary Regional Group,

Sunshine Coast Council and Mary River

Catchment Coordinating Committee. Some

70% of the Upper Mary catchment has been

mapped for weed vine infestations and

these infestations have been treated at least

once. Repeat treatments over several years

are essential to eradicate Cats Claw Creeper

and Madeira Vine (Weeds of National

Significance), and Dutchman’s Pipe (toxic to

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Richmond Birdwing butterfly larvae) in the

Upper Mary Valley. Some 300 properties

have been involved in this eradication

project.

We have received funding from the State

Government and Burnett Mary Regional

Group to undertake the next stage of this

work. We liaise with a wide-range of other

organisations involved with control of weed

vines throughout the Mary River catchment

to maximise collaborative effort.

Roving Restorers

Roving Restorers continue their excellent

volunteer assistance to landholders through

weed management and revegetation work.

We focus on land within key wildlife

corridors or land which enhances protected

areas, but are happy to support any

landholder who is strongly motivated to

restore habitat and plan towards linkages

with neighbours. Apart from achieving good

outcomes for the environment, the sessions

provide training on restoration techniques

and a great social setting where valuable

management experience is exchanged. We

have been running working bees twice a

month with up to 35 people attending. In

conjunction with this, we regularly visit

landholders to advise on how to get started

with conservation on their properties,

whether it be joining Land for Wildlife,

Gardens for Wildlife, or drawing on

assistance from Roving Restorers.

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Subtropical Lowland Rainforest

conservation

Subtropical Lowland Rainforest largely

occurs below 300m altitude and is Critically

Endangered at a national level. It is home

to a diverse array of native plants, animals

and fungi so its massive loss in extent and

quality has had serious impacts on our

biodiversity. Our key strategy to recover

this ecosystem is to control weed vines

which degrade rainforest vegetation along

streams and in other sites. We also work

with landholders to raise awareness of the

importance of protecting this rainforest

community.

Threatened species surveys

We have undertaken surveys for threatened

nocturnal wildlife at several sites on the

Blackall Range. This has resulted in new

records for the Greater Glider, Marbled

Frogmouth and Powerful Owl. The apparent

increase in the population of the Marbled

Frogmouth since the 1970’s is testament to

the habitat restoration and connectivity

work undertaken by landholders. This has

enabled this rainforest specialist bird to

disperse along the creeks into new habitat.

Bushcare groups

In partnership with Sunshine Coast Council,

Little Yabba Bushcare continues to support

undertake restoration of habitat in the

Cambroon Wildlife Corridor to link the

Blackall and Conondale ranges. We

contribute to Avocado Lane Bushcare in

Maleny, protecting habitat along Walkers

Ck, and have assisted the Maleny Precinct

Bushcare. We have also got behind the Gully

Gang who are restoring habitat in the Cedar

Grove/Hakea Ave area in Maleny.

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Sunshine Coast Council, Little Yabba Bushcare

link the Blackall and Conondale ranges. With

the help of Marc Russell from Sunshine Coast

In 2015 we initiated a new Council supported

Maleny. This group will play an important role

in protecting habitat along Walkers Ck and we

restoration work along the length of the creek

Building Community Capacity &

Education

Subtropical Forests Ecology Course

A highlight of the year was our second

Subtropical Forests Ecology Course held at

Booroobin in August 2016. The course was a

great success with positive feedback from the

25 participants. These included landholders,

teachers, students and environmental

consultants, all with an interest in ecological

restoration. The 4-day residential course

introduced them to the geology, soils and

hydrology that underpin the distribution of

plants in the region, and the wildlife associated

with different habitats. This learning was then

applied to conservation planning for a nearby

property, a practical exercise that will enable

participants to gain a clearer insight to works

they undertake on other sites. We had excellent

instructors covering a wide array of topics from

geology to invertebrate ecology, and

participants also freely shared their knowledge

and experience. Published course notes were

prepared for the course and provide a useful

reference for participants.

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Community workshops &

presentations

We have conducted a range of workshops

and presentations on ecology and bush

restoration through the year. These

included a habitat connectivity workshop at

Brooloo in the Mary Valley, a nocturnal

wildlife walk at Mt Mellum with the local

Land for Wildlife cluster, and ecological

walks for Roving Restorers at Curramore

Sanctuary and Baxter

Creek. We hope to run more bush walks for

our volunteers who contribute so much to

the restoration of fragmented landscapes.

Susie gave presentations on landscape

connectivity at the Rainforests of

Subtropical Australia symposium at Robina,

at Noosa Parks Association, and at the

Maleny Rotary Club.

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Media

Regular articles have been prepared for

mainstream media and newsletters.

Facebook has been an important platform

for updates on our activities and for

discussion of issues associated with habitat

restoration and connectivity. Our website

is also regularly updated with news of our

many activities.

Landholder visits

We make many visits to landholders

requesting assistance on how to get

started with conservation work on their

property or support from Roving

Restorers. We advise on how to seek help

from Land for Wildlife officers and to apply

for Landholder Environment Grants, as

well as planning for connectivity.

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Developing support networks

and funding partnerships

Hinterland Bush Links networks widely with

other environmental organisations and

agencies throughout the region and beyond.

In particular we have strong funding and

working partnerships with Sunshine Coast

Council, Burnett Mary Regional Group

(BMRG), and Mary River Catchment

Coordinating Committee (MRCCC).

Funding from Sunshine Coast Council has

been through their Environment Levy

Partnership program, an Environment Levy

Grant, and a Minor Grant. These funds

supported a range of programs including the

Upper Mary Valley Weed Vine Project,

Roving Restorers and the Subtropical Forests

Ecology Course. We are very grateful for this

extensive funding support as well as the

collaboration of Council staff on a wide

range of projects. Land acquisitions by SCC

for biodiversity conservation are making a

particularly important contribution to

ecological connectivity in the region.

We have worked with MRCCC on weed vine

control and they contributed financially to

our strategic works through the year.

Queensland Water and Landcarers have

kindly provided insurance and organisational

advice. We also received funding from

Maleny Credit Union for first aid equipment.

We enjoy a positive, collaborative

relationship with Barung Landcare. Other

groups with which we engage on planning,

education or on-ground projects; are Great

Eastern Ranges Initiative, Noosa & District

Landcare, Mary River Catchment

Coordinating Committee, Queensland Parks

and Wildlife Service, SEQ Catchments, Lake

Baroon Catchment Care Group, Conondale

Range Conservation, Sunshine Coast

Environment Council, Invasive Species

Council, Griffith University, Queensland

Mycological Society, Ipswich City Council,

Maleny District Greenhills Fund, Gympie

Landcare, HQ Plantations and Moreton Bay

Regional Council.

We also acknowledge the wonderful

financial support of our donors, in particular

Jane Abercrombie, Marek & Libby Malter,

and Barry Traill & Susie Duncan.

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Building a strong and capable

workforce

Hinterland Bush Links ensures that our staff and volunteer workforce are kept up to date with relevant Work Place Health and Safety measures including regular First Aid courses for people in key roles. We have clear Risk Assessment, emergency planning and safety induction procedures in place. Volunteers have been trained to undertake valuable roles associated with organisation and publicity for events, field support and presentations at the Subtropical Forests Ecology Course and other workshops, and restoration and revegetation works through Roving Restorers. They are also encouraged to attend our ecological walks and workshops as well as events organised by Councils and other organisations. Over the

past 6 years, Hinterland Bush Links volunteers have contributed over 12,000 hours of work to creating a future for our wildlife.

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In June 2017 Susie attended a 2-day meeting with other landscape connectivity practitioners from around Australia. This was a valuable opportunity to network and discuss challenges to, and opportunities for accelerating this important conservation work. Susie also attended the Biodiversity Across The Borders conference held after the meeting. Sue and Susie also benefited from networking opportunities and presentations at the 2-day Rainforests of Subtropical Australia symposium held at Robina in March 2017. The Hinterland Bush Links management committee and our many other volunteers have ensured that great work is happening on-ground to safeguard the future of our amazing natural environment in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Susie Duncan Coordinator

Sue Brieschke Project Officer

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Treasurer’s Report

For the Financial Year ended 30 June 2017

This year we engaged Accura Audit Services

Pty Ltd to review our financial accounts. Last

year’s auditor has taken retirement, and as

an audit for this year would have cost in the

vicinity of $800, we took the option of a

review as our turnover fits within the

provision of Level 2 Verification (Associations

Act).

Our result for this last financial year shows a

deficit, however, there is no cause for

concern as income relating to last financial

year was received in June of 2016 and

because of this was inadvertently included in

the previous year’s results. One example is a

grant received for tools, with the

expenditure being processed in July 2016

($1960).

We have redesigned the format of the

Ecology Course, which this year (2017-2018)

will mean a much more viable proposition

for participants.

The Environment Levy Partnership grant

from the Sunshine Coast Council (SCC) was

increased from $30,000 to $37,000. The

Barung Environmental Gift (BEG) Fund

contributed to our running expenses by way

of $5000. We received $20,000 from both

Mary River Catchment Care Committee and

SCC for control of Weed Vines, $3000 from

SCC for the Ecology Course, and a minor

grant of $2000 (SCC) and $444 (Maleny

Credit Union) for a defibrillator. With the

generous donations to the BEG Fund, we are

able to employ Sue Brieschke, whilst salary

for Susie Duncan is covered by the

Environment Levy Partnership grant.

Mary Meadows, Treasurer

13 September 2017

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HBL sponsors and in-kind supporters 2016—2017

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HBL supporters 2016—2017