NRM Community Comes Together in Cairns

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending the National NRM Knowledge Conference in Cairns, along with NACC NRM’s Biodiversity Program Coordinator, Jarna Kendle.
Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 NRM Community Comes Together in Cairns

The week was an invaluable opportunity to share our work, learn from peers across the country, and reflect on the challenges and opportunities shaping the NRM sector. In addition to attending the conference, I was also invited to take part in the conversations, chairing a session and presenting NACC NRM’s project Stabilising Soils: Fire and Flood Resilience in the NAR.

We kicked things off with the Confirming Carbon Consistency: What does it look like for a carbon project to be consistent with a regional NRM Plan?. This discussion focused on strengthening alignment between carbon projects and Regional NRM Plans. Ensuring these connections are consistent will be vital to delivering real outcomes for communities and landscapes.

A standout moment was Dr Nicci Sweeny’s keynote, “AI Her Way”, which explored how artificial intelligence can and is reshaping NRM. Her message was clear: AI must strengthen connections between people, communities, and country, not weaken them. She challenged us to think of AI not as “just another app” but as transformative as electricity itself. Dr Sweeny also outlined five principles for implementation:

  1. Build AI literacy for all – from rangers to scientists to communities.
  2. Human–AI collaboration – AI amplifies but should never replace ecological knowledge and cultural values.
  3. Define your North Star – ensure every use for AI case aligns with your organisational purpose.
  4. Start small, aim high.
  5. Scale what regenerates – only grow what strengthens land, water, and community trust.

Innovation was a strong theme across the conference, with exciting discussions about remote notification for cat traps (reducing daily monitoring requirements) and partnerships with detector dogs—using near real-time camera trap data to deploy dogs quickly and improve the chances of locating feral cats.

NACC NRM was also proud to be represented at the conference by Jarna Kendle who presented on our leveraging of charismatic fauna to deliver integrated, landscape-scale outcomes. As always, Lee the Malleefowl (our well-travelled stuffed ambassador) joined the presentation to ensure things ran smoothly.

Throughout the sessions, collaboration was a recurring message. As Dr Viliamu Lese from Samoa put it, “It takes three people to sail a canoe. One person can’t do it alone.” Whether tackling invasive species, restoring landscapes, or embedding AI in NRM practice, we are strongest when we work together.

The conference also reinforced the importance of compelling, evidence-based storytelling to secure support and inspire action. The closing address by Minister Watt highlighted the upcoming EPBC Act Reform, emphasising the critical role these reforms must play in turning around the decline of nature and securing a resilient future.

Our week in Cairns was full of insight, inspiration, and connection. While every day may not be a good day, there’s a bit of good in every day – this was highlighted during our field trip expedition to Tolga Bat Hospital and an endangered Spectacled Flying Fox camp, tucked away near Yungaburra on the Atherton Tablelands. We were treated to sightings of platypus, flying fox, turtles and so much more. 

Katherine Allen – CEO

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.