Phase 1– Bushfire Recovery works completed

With Phase 1 of Bushfire Recovery works in world heritage National Parks completed a second phase has been greenlit and is already in full swing.

Phase 2 of the project expands the restoration effort and supports the delivery of a proactive preparedness program for landholders. Like the first, the second phase of the program is focused on protecting and restoring habitat for more than 20 states and nationally-listed threatened species and one very rare vegetation community (lowland subtropical rainforest, which is listed as critically endangered).

Fire Information Night at the Tarome Rural Fire Brigade, 17 June 2021 Pictured L-R: Dick Buckham (Tarome Rural Fire Brigade, Landholder), Tony McKew (Scenic Rim Regional Council), Dr Samantha Lloyd (QFBC/Healthy Land & Water), Mayor Greg Christensen (Scenic Rim Regional Council) and Mark O’Brian (QPWS).

The Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium (QFBC), a program of Healthy Land & Water, is delivering a targeted capacity-building program, supporting landholders and communities directly affected by the 2019 bushfires to manage wildfire events.

Phase 2 – Building the resilience of fire-affected communities

Phase 2 is split up into three key areas; weed control, feral pest control capacity building, and wildfire mitigation activities for private landholders in the Noosa Catchment, Carneys Creek, and Rosevale Tarome areas in the Scenic Rim Catchment.

The QFBC coordinated a community Fire Information Night in each target area. Eligible landholders were then invited to attend a subsequent Fire Management Planning Workshop. Landholders had the opportunity to design and construct their own property-based fire management plan and discuss proposed on-ground wildfire mitigation works including water access points, fire line upgrades, erosion control, and asset protection zones.

This work is aimed at building capacity, reducing wildfire risk, and supporting tenure blind fire management. The project provides a unique framework for landholders to incorporate the protection of threatened species and ecological communities into their fire management.

The capacity-building activities have been very well supported by the community and stakeholders alike, with fire planning workshops booked out at each location.

Habitat restoration and controlling unwanted flora

An additional 210 hectares of land is being restored as part of Phase 2. This important work continues to facilitate natural regeneration and accelerate canopy closure in fire-affected vegetation communities.

Species removed include moth vine, white passion flower, lantana, palm grass, and devil's fig, all of whom can overwhelm and inhibit the growth of native plants. Works also include another 3.2km of boundary fencing to stop cattle from trampling sensitive rainforest and upland vegetation communities and protecting listed species such as Fleay’s Barred Frog, the Mountain Frog, and Pearson’s Treefrog.

Measures to manage foxes will also help protect one of the last populations of the endangered Eastern Bristlebird in South East Queensland.

Significance of the Lamington, Mount Barney, and Main Range National Park areas

Lamington, Mt Barney, and Main Range National Parks are all part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia which is listed as a World Heritage Area with Outstanding Universal Values. All three Parks were severely affected by the 2019 bushfires, which consumed almost 70% of both Main Range and Mt Barney.

The restoration, mapping, and capacity-building efforts of these Phase Two projects support the recovery of these sensitive ecosystems and increase the capacity of landholders to mitigate wildfire on critical private properties.

Building partnerships with all community members

This project has a strong focus on partnerships and collaboration, with First Nations, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and local government partnership support critical to the success of the project.

Noosa and District Landcare are providing landholder support in the Noosa area. In the Scenic Rim, the QFBC is working with the Tarome Rural Fire Brigade and Scenic Rim Regional Council.