Delivering research findings to Northern stakeholders

To finalise remote work and to enable further engagement with remote stakeholders and partners following COVID-19 lockdowns, many projects of the Northern Australia Hub (part of the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program) were extended until 30 June 2021.

Hub research has found that reduced flows for Gulf of Carpentaria rivers could mean less food is available for prawns, barramundi and migratory shorebirds. Hub researchers visited rural and remote North Queensland communities in late 2020 to present research findings from the Links between Gulf rivers and coastal productivity and Links between Gulf rivers and food for migratory shorebirds projects.

Professor Michele Burford and Stephen Faggotter from Griffith University travelled between Cairns and Karumba to meet with key regional research users, including regional government departments, Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation rangers and staff, local governments and natural resource management bodies.

Professor Burford then travelled to Cloncurry to meet with Mayors and CEOs from the North-West Regional Organisation of Councils.

This research commenced in 2016 with a focus on the Flinders, Gilbert and Mitchell rivers as key rivers flagged for regional water development.

Since the research started, agricultural and water development projects have been initiated in the upper catchments of each river. Project findings are now becoming available to better inform the impacts of development proposals, and to support better decision-making.

The Hub’s Queensland projects are supported by The Cairns Institute through the Regional Research Coordinator, Lyndal Scobell.

For more information contact project leader Professor Michele Burford. To find out more about other Northern Hub projects in Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria, contact Lyndal Scobell.