Regional Land Partnerships - Environment Project is a $5.3 million dollar investment from the Australian Government through the National Landcare Program focused on improving three ecosystems in Southern Queensland including Brigalow and Weeping Myall remnants in the Murray-Darling Basin, Natural Grasslands and Poplar Box Grassy Woodlands of the Darling Downs and the Currawinya Ramsar Wetlands of south-west Queensland.

Through the Regional Land Partnerships -  Environment Project, 33 field days have been held, attracting some 568 participants; 50 of whom identified as First Peoples.  Fifty-one people also took part in on-ground works through the project which included 28,159 hectares of weed reduction and 178,980 hectares of pest control and a further 93,686 hectares of practice change.

Brigalow & Weeping Myall remnants in the Murray-Darling Basin

Brigalow is a species of silvery wattle that creates the open forests and woodland communities known as the Brigalow Belt.  SQ Landscapes' region includes the Southern Brigalow Belt which is a highly fragmented landscape supporting numerous rare and threatened flora and fauna species: particularly reptiles such as the Yakka skink (Egernia rugosa) and Woma python (Aspidites ramsayi).

Through $1.8 million of funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program SQ Landscapes aims to assist land managers to improve the health of the Brigalow TEC (Threatened Ecological Community) by reducing threats from bush fire, invasive weed species, feral animals, overgrazing, soil erosion and salinity, and clearing.

Of the animal species that formerly occupied the Brigalow Belt, several are now extinct including the Paradise parrot (Psephotellus pulcherrimus) and Darling Downs hopping-mouse (Notomys mordax).

Protecting Yakka skink in the Murray-Darling Basin

Through the Regional Land Partnerships - Environment Project, Southern Queensland Landscapes has been working with land managers throughout Southern Queensland to protect Brigalow remnants for fauna including the Yakka skink.

The Yakka skink (Egernia rugosa) is native to the Brigalow Belt in Queenlsand but it is at risk from loss of habitat owing to impacts from feral animals, weeds and threatening land management processes.  The Yakka skink is large and secretive and as an omnivore feeds on a diet of spiders, grasshoppers and beetles. 

Watch the video to learn more.

Natural Grasslands & Poplar Box Grassy Woodlands of the Darling Downs

Treeless grasslands dominated by Queensland bluegrass (Dicanthium sericeum) were once the most common vegetation type across the Darling Downs.  Now, the grasslands have been reduced to approximately one percent of their former area.

Without a shrub and tree canopy layer, structural diversity in this ecological community is found in the well developed grass tussocks and inter-tussock spaces as well as in the forbs, twining herbs and decaying vegetation.  The deep soil cracks are also important habitats for many native species.

Natural Grasslands & Poplar Box Grassy Woodlands on the Darling Downs provide habitat for a number of threatened flora and fauna species including Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), Austral cornflower (Rhaponticum australe), King bluegrass (Dichanthium queenslandicum), the Condamine earless dragon (Tympanocryptis condaminensis) and grey snake (Hemiaspis damelii).

The health of our grasslands and the species they support are under threat from weed invasion, feral animals, overgrazing and conversion of native pastures to improved species and cropping.  SQ Landscapes are working across priority areas in our region to assist land managers with maintaining these grasslands remnants with an investment of $1.4 million dollars until 2023 from the National Landcare Program’s Regional Land Partnerships.

Poplar Box Grassy Woodland ecosystem & dominant grasslands of the Darling Downs

Join SQ Landscapes Project Officer Isabella Murphy and University of Queensland Researcher Dr Jennifer Silcock as they take you on a tour of the Poplar Box Grassy Woodland ecosystem and dominant grasslands of the Darling Downs.

You will discover Australia's only native thistle (Rhaponticum australe), learn how to identify Queensland bluegrass (Dicanthium sericeum), marvel at the Poplar box (Eucalyptus populnea), and uncover the production value of Tall Oats Grass (Themeda avenacea).

Using fire in the landscape with Victor Steffensen at Jimbour Station

In March 2020, SQ Landscapes hosted a series of fire workshops with Victor Steffensen which attracted over 250 people across five locations in Southern Queensland including Mitchell, Miles, Millmerran, Jimbour and Irongate.

At Jimbour Station,where this video was filmed, the focus was on using fire to heal Natural Grasslands.

Victor is an Aboriginal filmmaker, facilitator and fire practitioner.  He works with communities and particularly young people to help protect cultural knowledge and heal the landscape through fire practice  and understanding the relationships between ecosystems, the land and the people.

Project Delivery Lead Christine Crafter

Chris brings more than 35 years of experience in conservation and land management to the team. 

With a strong background in managing natural resources and addressing threats to biodiversity and production values, much of it in western Queensland, Chris enjoys sharing her experiences with land managers and helping them realise goals in their enterprise.

When she's not at work she's exploring the local area or absorbed in her workshop projects.

Project Delivery Lead Natasha Mylonas

Natasha is a proud environmentalist and passionate about sustainable practices both in the home and the landscape.

Natasha is a logical thinker and solutions focussed, applying her extensive knowledge of Natural Systems and Wildlife to the many projects she oversees and manages.