Paul Frazier and Neil Argent recently spoke at the University of New Englands GeoPlan Seminar. Their presentation, titled Kularku dreaming on Baakandji Country: Aboriginal knowledge meets Western science perspectives on cultural water, focused on the Toorale Cultural Day held in June 2023. Use the link in the article to watch the full presentation.
The eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis), called the wirlu-wirlu by the Kurnu-Baakandji, has the second most toxic venom of any snake in the world. This species of brown snake can be found in both the Warreg-Darling and Gwydir Selected Areas. In this story we highlight some interesting facts about this venomous species.
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s (CEWH) Science Program funds the Flow Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (Flow–MER). We would like to acknowledge the Kurnu-Baakandji Peoples, the Traditional Owners of the Warriku (Warrego) and Baaka (Darling) Rivers and surrounds. Thank you for sharing your Country and knowledge of the land, water and life with us. We pay…
Dr Ivor Growns is a Research Fellow and a member of the University of New England’s Flow-MER team. Ivor investigates how aquatic ecosystems respond to Commonwealth water for the environment delivered to the Warriku (Warrego) and Guwayda Warrambools (Gwydir Wetlands). Read about his favourite microbugs here.
The Warriku-Baaka (Warrego-Darling) Selected Area has had a lot of things happening in the 2022-23 water year, with good flows through the system, breeding of Kularku (Brolga) and lots of monitoring. Read all about it here.
February 2023 saw Dr Deborah Bower and her team return to Toorale National Park (NP) in the Warriku (Warrego) Catchment of Western NSW to continue research with the University of New England (UNE) on freshwater turtle populations in floodplains. Find out more here on their findings.
Following the large inundation event Flow-MER scientists Jared Reid and Emeritus Professor Nick Reid undertook a waterbird survey. Many parts of the floodplain were still wet, providing great habitat for waterbirds.
The composition of inland floodplain vegetation communities, such as those on the Western Floodplain of the Warrego River, fluctuates as the floodplain alternates between wet and dry periods. Water loving species dominate wet periods, but as the floodplain dries these species die off, creating space for terrestrial species to move in.
Whilst common to northern and central Australia, in the Murray-Darling Basin Hyrtl’s tandan is only present in the Warrego, Paroo (PaaRu) and Condamine Rivers. The preservation of Hyrtl’s tandan in the Warrego River is aided greatly by the contribution of Commonwealth water for the environment.
We are lucky to work in special places like the Toorale State Conservation Area. Here are some of our favourite photographs we’ve taken over the eight years of the Long Term Intervention Monitoring (LTIM) and Flow-MER programs in the Warrego Selected Area. We hope you enjoy!
