Annual Report 2016 – 2017
Hinterland Bush Links Inc.
ABN 12314200850
2 Treehaven Way, Maleny QLD 4552
Ph 07 5429 6622
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