From the Director
The Bureau of Meteorology Northern Rainfall Onset suggests an early start to the wet season.
If the coming season brings early and good rain, there could be opportunities to build reserves. Or in other words, build your resilience.
When it comes down to it, resilience is achieved by building reserves through:
- healthy soils and good land condition
- efficient and highly productive pastoral and agricultural systems
- skilled and experienced people
- good community connections
And being able to save funds for when the rainy days stop, and the next drought begins.
It’s important to prepare for your upcoming season with the best available information. Your business might welcome a wet summer to maximise production but for others it might be the time to review business and flood plans.
Not all of the information that you need to make decision is obvious, so make sure you do your research and check out resources such as the Bureau’s MetEye service, My Climate View, the Queensland Climate Dashboard and the Northern Australia Climate Program.
We are working towards helping our region be stronger and more prepared, through key resilience outcomes including water security, agricultural productivity, and stronger socioeconomic networks.
These efforts will make sure our land stays healthy, communities learn from each other, and the local economy continues to grow.
Until next time, keep safe and well.
David Phelps
Director
Hub Highlight - Developing Northern Australia Conference
Key takeaways
- Hosted in Karratha, WA on 26 – 28 August, DNA Conference provided invaluable opportunities to connect with industry, highlight digital tools for resilience and indigenous innovation in emerging industries
- The hub sponsored several indigenous leaders and presented updates on hub activities
- Congratulations to our Sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Enterprise Program (SATSIE) team for their significant support of this event
Indigenous leaders sponsorship opportunity to connect with industry
The hub’s SATSIE program sponsored two indigenous business owners and leaders from the Cape to attend the conference – friend and collaborator of the hub, Dennis Fay of Salty Monkeys and Territa Chey-Anne Dick, Mayor of Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire and Chair of the Torres and Cape Indigenous Councils Alliance.
Digital tools crucial for resilience
Carrie-Ann Wilson, hub Knowledge Adoption Officer presented on “Digital Tools for Resilience in Agriculture: AgValuate & BeefVantage” where she highlighted the crucial role digital tools play in modern agriculture.
Indigenous Innovation in emerging industries
Tony Matchett, hub Agricultural Innovation and Commercialisation Program Lead presented on ‘Activating First Nations led Agrifood Innovation Enterprise for Resilient and Sustainable Community growth’
TNQ Drought Hub in Action
New Guide Supports North Queensland First Nations to Unlock Water Rights for Drought Resilience and Economic Growth
Our SATSIE program has developed the first of its kind, “First Nations and Freshwater in North Queensland 2023 Guide”.
The guide aims to assist North Queensland First Nation organisations and businesses to better understand and make use of their existing interests, rights and opportunities in freshwater under Queensland Government Water Plans.
Workshops activating the guide will be run in the future.
Fitzroy Catchment Traditional Owners Alliance advocates for healthy water at latest forum
👍 having all Traditional Owner groups working towards the same goal. Recently these 24 Traditional Owners, representing First Nations groups in the Fitzroy Catchment, attended the second ever two-day forum of the Fitzroy Catchment Traditional Owners Alliance (FCTOA).
The forums are a vehicle for Traditional Owners of the Fitzroy Basin to be heard as one voice advocating for action, knowledge sharing and collective decision-making on whole-of-Basin issues. Thank you to key stakeholders who supported the forum: CSIRO, the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water, Fitzroy Basin Association and Greening Australia.
The TNQ Drought Hub is proud to be involved, with previous Program Lead Allan Dale providing governance and policy advice across the forums.
Historical Climate Data Analysis Empowers Future Regional Strategies and Agricultural Planning
Most climate data available to farmers and land managers is model-based and often derived from external sources, leading to concerns about its reliability. Since this information is not localised, it may not accurately reflect the specific conditions on their land, which can undermine their trust in its usefulness.
Using advanced statistical techniques and expert knowledge, we have been working with our Nodes to analysis multiple towns across the region using 60 years of historical data from post offices and/or airports
Leaders Collaborate to Enhance Climate Tools and Training for Horticulture
In early September, the TNQ Drought Hub hosted a collaborative Climate Tools for Horticulture workshop, bringing together key industry service providers to enhance training and improve the accessibility of climate tools.
Attendees included representatives from CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, Growcom, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Bowen Gumlu Growers Association, and several Natural Resource Management groups.
Expressions of Interest Open Again for Drought Commercialisation
Are you a researcher with IP in drought and climate-resilient agriculture?
Applications are open again for Beanstalk’s Drought Venture Studio focusing on commercialising new drought resilience products and services for farmers
Applications close 29th September at 9:00pm AEST.
Congratulations to Round 1 TNQ innovators, Andres Ruiz and Darryl Lyons.
Agtech Insights
Read the latest edition of Agtech insights where we look into:
- ‘Like Tinder for Cows’: Beef AI Vision
- On-Farm Connectivity Program is open for Round 2
- Generative AI in Agriculture
- New online sustainability database seeking feedback
- plus more
Get Involved
- Apply: NOW OPEN Resilient Landscapes Program. $40 million will be available through an open competitive grant process for projects between $2 million and $6 million from 2024-25 until 2029-30. Find out more.
- Apply: Indigenous Workforce and Skills Development Grant. This program funds Indigenous designed and led projects that support or respond to local training and workforce needs. Up to $7 million will be available under the program until 30 June 2025 to fund Indigenous designed and led projects that support or respond to local training and workforce needs. Find out more.
- EOI: Farmer Access to Mental Health Services. TNQ Drought Hub Honors Scholarship recipient Renee Blackmore is completing a research project that compares the accessibility and population awareness of mental health services between farmers in remote and rural North Queensland locations and those in more urban-adjacent settings. If you are interested in being interviewed for the study, please contact Renee at renee.blackmore@my.jcu.edu.au
- Apply: NOW OPEN Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Program Round 2. $40.3 million will be available through an open competitive grant process for projects between $3 million and $8 million from 2024-25 until 2029-30. Find out more.
- Apply: The 2025 Bob Hawke Landcare Award. Nominations are now open for individuals, groups or organisations who have demonstrated leadership and a commitment to natural resource management and sustainable land management practices. Find out more.
- Apply: Bupa Landcare Project Funding. This project aims to aims to plant 75,000 native trees and shrubs in urban and peri-urban areas across Australia, improving both community wellbeing and the environment. Find out more.
- Apply: 2025 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. Nominations are open to recognise and celebrate the inclusive and courageous leadership of women involved in Australia’s rural and emerging industries, businesses and communities. Find out more.
Where applicable, we can provide Letters of Support to assist with your applications. Email tnqhub@jcu.edu.au with details of your application and how it applies to future drought resilience.
To find more grants available in the TNQ region, visit the following organisations.
- Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal
- RDA Townsville and North West Queensland Grant Finder
- RDA Tropical North Grants
- Greater Whitsunday Grant Finder
TNQ Drought Hub has worked with our NRM Node and industry partners to develop regional priorities. These are a useful resource when writing grant applications.
Upcoming Events
Check out our Events calendar to see what’s happing in the agricultural industry around Tropical North Queensland and throughout the country. Some upcoming events to keep an eye out on are;
- 2024 Grazing Forum, 1-2 October, Mackay
- AgForce Queensland Agricultural Industry Conference, 1-2 October, Brisbane
- Regional Brain Reset Tour with Allan Parker OAM, 3 October – 8 November, across North Queensland
- Changemaker Workshop – Longreach, 9-10 October
- Changemaker Workshop – Woorabinda, 14-15 October
- Changemaker Workshop – Emerald, 17-18 October, Emerald
- Agtech Showcase, 22-23 October, Bundaberg
- Soil Erosion Control Workshop, 29 October, Burke, 31 October, Richmond
- Changemaker Workshop – Hope Vale, 30-31 October, Hope Vale
Resources
Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) have a range of resources available supporting Queensland Agriculture, including Workforce, Insurance and Rural Planning. QFF represents the collective interests of peak agriculture industry organisations (both state and national) to build a strong future for Queensland’s agriculture sector.
TNQ Drought Hub Node Partners
