A remarkable new nature refuge in south-west Queensland is set to strengthen nature and culture-based economic opportunities for the Kooma Traditional Owners of the area.
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, today formally recognised the creation of the Jamba Dhandan Duringala (Place of happy frogs) nature refuge, 115 kilometres east of Cunnamulla.
(Media-Newswire.com) - A remarkable new nature refuge in south-west Queensland is set to strengthen nature and culture-based economic opportunities for the Kooma Traditional Owners of the area.
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, today formally recognised the creation of the Jamba Dhandan Duringala ( Place of happy frogs ) nature refuge, 115 kilometres east of Cunnamulla.
Mr McNamara celebrated the conservation agreement on site with the Kooma people, who have protected 23,000 hectares of their traditional land between the Balonne and Warrego rivers – safeguarding a cluster of wetlands, woodlands and wildlife.
The State government has provided $539,000 to help manage the nature refuge, under the joint Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Partnerships Scheme.
“The Environmental Partnerships Scheme provides financial incentives to reward and encourage best management practice,” Mr McNamara said.
“This new nature refuge is the largest and most diverse protected area in the Mulga Lands Bioregion, featuring claypans and shallow lakes, a waterhole, woodlands, shrublands, herbfields and grasslands.
“These lands support many waterbirds, invertebrates and, of course, the abundant frog life that gives the nature refuge its name.
“The area is home to the vulnerable yakka skink, Major Mitchell’s cockatoo, the rare rough collared frog, freckled duck, grey falcon and little pied bat.
“The Kooma people have lived here for hundreds of generations so the land features many artefact scatters from old camps, scar trees and fish traps, as well as the story places still recognised by elders today.
“Protecting this heritage and maintaining these links to the land has been of paramount importance to the Kooma people in their return to country.
“This nature refuge agreement ensures the preservation of the remarkable cultural heritage and natural features of this land while promoting conservation-based job opportunities for young Kooma people through ecotourism, cultural tourism and other ventures.”
As part of the agreement, the Kooma people have included a land management training program for local community members, coordinated by the Queensland Rural Industries Training Council.
Seventeen Kooma people are undertaking a nationally accredited course in Conservation and Land Management learning about weed and wildlife management, beekeeping, kangaroo identification and chemical safety.
Member for Inala, Annastacia Palaszczuk, representing the Minister for Natural Resources and Water, Craig Wallace, joined in the celebration of the nature refuge.
“Since the Traditional Owners gained title to the Murra Murra and Bendee Downs wool and beef properties in 2000, they have been addressing land management at the sites, and have been planning for future use of the properties,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“They have retired commercial grazing from the area; allowed previously-cleared mulga communities to regenerate; controlled an unregulated artesian bore; replaced bore drains by piped water, allowed for protection of riparian areas, while other areas of the properties are leased for grazing; and undertaken nationally accredited training courses.
“The result is the conservation of a remarkable array of natural and cultural heritage values, while still allowing a continuing income stream to support management activities,” she said.
Mr McNamara said it’s a fact of life that we will never be able to protect the incredible variety and extent of Queensland’s plants and animals through national parks alone.
“Through the Nature Refuge Program, people like the Kooma Traditional Owners make an invaluable contribution to protecting native plants and animals for the future, and helping our wildlife and natural systems cope with climate change,” Mr McNamara said.
“Currently, 266 properties covering almost 555,000ha have been declared under the nature refuge program across Queensland.”
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