Friday Environment Forum
Noosa Parks Association is proud to host the Friday Environment Forum
The Friday Environment Forum is a public information exchange, provided by guest speakers, covering a range of current conservation and environmental issues. The Friday Environment Forum is held at the Environment Center at Wallace Park, Noosaville.
This week: Reflections on Water
Friday Nov 15 2019
Back in 2005/6 water levels in dams across the country were alarmingly low. In response the Queensland government under Premier Beattie made a surprise announcement of a major dam on the Mary River at Traveston Crossing, upstream of Gympie. An initial stunned silence was soon followed by the formation of a group called Save the Mary and a massive protest movement against the dam’s construction commenced. There followed large protest meetings and other events in Gympie, Brisbane and elsewhere. The Mary Valley was festooned with signs as the local community fought to save their country. Ultimately, then Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett announced in November 2009 that, based on scientific evidence he would say “No” to the dam’s construction.
Guest speaker at Noosa Parks Association’s Friday Environment Forum on November 15 will be Ian Mackay. Now Chairman of Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee, Ian was part of the campaign ten years ago. He will reflect on those three and a half challenging years and pose questions about sources of water for the future. His presentation will be supported by daughter Arkin’s photography which documented the campaign.
All are welcome at the Environment Centre, 5 Wallace Drive, Noosaville where the forum commences at 10.30am and finishes at 12.15pm. A donation will be appreciated and morning tea will be available for purchase from 10am. Interpretive birding with Valda starts in the car park at 8.30am.
Upcoming Friday Environment Forum Guests
- November 15 The Battle to Defeat Traveston Dam 10 Years On Ian Mackay
- November 22 DNA Barcoding to enhance conservation Hilary Pearl
- November 29 Koalas of the Biosphere Meghan & Rex Halverson
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Attendance at these forums is open to anyone who appreciates Noosa’s beautiful natural environment and would like to know more about its care and protection
Want to come but can’t use stairs? There is a smooth ramp suitable for wheelchairs and strollers leading right into the Environment Centre. Entry is between Wallace House and the Environment Centre, off the first car park coming in from the Eumundi-Noosa Road roundabout.
We enjoyed our wonderful speakers in 2018 and here are a few highlights:
March 2018
The use of community land has become a hot topic, and Mayor Tony Wellington explained Council’s approach to this vexed issue on March 9.
April 2018
Martin Fingland of Geckoes Wildlife presented “Weird and Wonderful Wildlife”. This special ‘school holidays’ forum was designed to give children and their parents a hands on experience with some common and not so common Australian animals in April 2018
May 2018
Tony Groom spoke about the risks of Ecotourism in National Parks on May 4. A topic that is sure to be discussed again in 2019.
August 2018
Ken Wishaw outlined how we can have quality lighting and simultaneously reduce the harmful effects on our environment in August 2018
October and November 2018
The rainforest at Wanggoolba Creek, K’gari, featured in two forums in 2018, in October and November
Please come along to the Noosa Parks Association Environment Centre, at 5 Wallace Drive Noosaville, on Friday mornings in 2019 to learn more about our extraordinary environment. Everyone is welcome. Join our FEF newsletter list to receive weekly updates on the next speaker at FEF. and press subscribe.
Past Guests:
Nov 08 2019 – Citizen Science at Cooloola BioBlitz, Dr Lindy
Orwin, Cooloola Coastcare
Nov 01 2019 – Frog Ponds and Habitat gardens, Sean Morrow
Oct 25 2019 – The world need not starve, Rod Jamieson
Oct 17 2019 – Forty years of Fish tagging, Dr Julian Pepperell
Oct 4 2019 – Great Sandy Strait Research, Assoc. Prof. Ron Johnstone, UQ
Sep 27 2019 – WILVOS Saving Wildlife, Robyn Leslie, WILVOS
Sep 20 2019 – Tackling the War on Waste, Daniel Phipps, Department of Environment and Science
Sep 13 2019 – Albatross : A Documentary, Chris Jordan
Aug 30 2019 – Marine Wonders of Southern Queensland, Nigel Marsh
Aug 23 2019 – Coolum Community Native Plant Nursery, Fuschia Collard
Aug 16 2019 – ‘Feathery Friends…why I do what I do’, Bob Linnane
Aug 9 2019 – Noosa Climate Adaptation Plan, Grant Hinner, Noosa Council
Aug 2 2019 – Pumicestone Passage Restoration, Susie Chapman
July 26 2019 – Coast to Coral – Jodi Salmond, Reef Check
July 19 2019 – Nesting Behaviour – Richard Noske
July 12 2019 – Turn Your Dreams Into Reality – Lidia Davidovics-Smith
July 5 2019 – Australian White Ibis – angel or demon? – Wayne Ellis
June 28 2019 – Wildlife Land Fund – history and growth – Matt Cecil & Des Boyland
June 21 2019 – Australian Birdsong – Dominique Potvin
June 14 2019 – From despair to hope a screening of the DVD “Our Fragile Planet” by Sir David Attenborough and Noosa’s Electric Vehicle Expo explained by Vivien Griffin (ZEN)
June 7 2019 – Conservation and effects of Urbanisation on Eastern Grey Kangaroos – Elizabeth Brunton
May 31 2019 – Termite Mounds come in all Shapes and Sizes – Jay Turner
May 24 2019 – Where in the World are Yabba Falls and Bunya Country? – Ian Mackay President Conondale Range Conservation
May 17 2019 – East to West and Wildflowers – Joan Heavey
May 10 2019 – Qld’s Protected Areas with Sandy Bolton
May 3 2019 – “Indigenous Rangers” by Rod Jamieson and we will be showing a DVD on the Cuckoo, narrated by Sir David Attenborough
April 26 2019 – A New Noosa Plan: Old Principals-New Provisions by Dr Brian Stockwell, Councillor and Rebecca Britton, Principal Strategic Planner, Noosa Shire Council
April 19 2019 – No Forum on Good Friday
April 12 2019 – Birds of Paradise in West Papua by Lyn Scott
April 05 2019 – Biodiversity in Sri Lanka by Rahula Perera
March 29 2019 – Fishing for the Past with Dr Julian Pepperell
March 22 2019 – Using Drones to Monitor Local Whale Populations with Emily Gregory
March 15 2019 – Those Long Red Dunes of the Simpson Desert with Bob Tooth
Mar 08 2019 – Tiny Houses with Jimmy Hirst
01 Mar 2019 – Revealing the mysteries of Lichens with Vanessa Ryan
22 February 2019 – Fighting Back: saving Australia’s threatened wildlife with Sarah McKenna, AWC
15 February 2019 –
08 February 2019 – Turtle Conservation in West Papua with Dr Geoff Gearheart
01 February 2019 – Man-made tree Hollows with Marty Harris
23 November 2018 – FINIA model and governance for a World Heritage Area (relating to K’Gari (Fraser Island)) with Sue Sargent
16 November 2018 – The Edge of Memory with Patrick Nunn, USC
09 November 2018 – Friends of Lake Weyba with Anita Blake
02 November 2018 – How To Turn A Weed Ridden Creek Into Great Habitat with Julia MacDonald
26 October 2018 – K’Gari a documentary on Fraser Island
19 October 2018 – The Birds at my Table with Prof Darryl Jones
12 October 2018 – Energy trends in India: Getting power where it’s needed with Charles Warringham
05 October 2018 – Seaweed: Good for you and the environment with Nicholas Paul, USC
28 September 2018 – Kids Leading Kids: Meet our local junior Eco Warriors with Liz Diggles
21 September 2018 – Aeolids, a Spikey Little Nudibranch with Gary Cobb
14 September 2018 – Platypus, an iconic little Australian with Kon Hepers
31 August 2018 – Scientific Background to ‘Bring back the fish’ with Dr Simon Walker and Bryan Walsh
24 August 2018 – The Night Sky with Ken Wishaw
17 August 2018 – Latham’s Snipe, a mysterious migrant with Lyn Scott
August 10 2018 – Container refund scheme with Daniel Phipps, QLD Department of Environment
August 03 2018 – Jellyfish with Rayleen Draper, USC
July 27 2018 – Certificate of Exemption for Aboriginal People with Aunty Judi Wickes, USC
July 20 2018 – Ramsar Wetlands with Sheena Gilman
July 13 2018 – Progress on Linking Noosa, Tewantin and Cooloola National Parks with Dr. Michael Gloster, NPA President
July 06 2018 – Eastern water dragons in the city with Coralie Delme, USC
June 29 2018 – History of Camels in Australia – Documentary
June 22 2018 – Keep it in Kin Kin with Phil Moran & Rachael Lyons, Noosa & District Landcare
June 15 2018 – Flamingos with Dr Angela Wardell-Johnson
June 08 2018 – Environmental Threats of the Galapagos Islands with Valentina Cruz
June 01 2018 – Waste in the tomato industry with Tara McKenzie
May 25 2018 – World of Bats with Les Hall AM
May 18 2018 – Pandanus Update with Joel Fostin
May 11 2018 – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, REFUSE!! with Elizabeth Beaumont
May 04 2018 – National parks: where to from here? with Tony Groom
April 27 2018 – Waste Management with Emma Menzies, Noosa Council
April 20 2018 – Amazing Avian Anatomy – things birds have that we don’t with Jessica Drake
April 13 2018 – ‘More Plastic than Plankton’ – excerpts from the film ‘A Plastic Ocean’
April 06 2018 – Weird and Wonderful Wildlife with Martin Fingland of Geckoes Wildlife
Mar 23 2018 – Mephisto: The Last German ‘First World War’ Tank with Greg Czechura, Queensland Museum
Mar 16 2018 – Why Fungi Travel with Patrick Leonard
Mar 09 2018 – The Use & Stewardship of Public Land in Noosa Shire with Mayor Tony Wellington
Mar 02 2018- Disappearing Species of the Sunshine Coast with Dr Scott Burnett (USC)
Feb 23 2018 – Why do the latest scientific findings keep changing? with Rod Jamieson
Feb 16 2018 – Pelagic Seabirds of the Sunshine Coast’s Offshore Waters, with Greg Roberts
Feb 09 2018 – Noosa Climate Change Adaptation Plan, with Grant Hinner, Noosa Council
Feb 02 2018 – The role of farmers in climate solutions, with Verity Morgan-Schmidt[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]