Bushfire-affected communities wanting to increase their resilience in the wake of the devastating 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, have taken part in our Bushfire Recovery Project in droves.
The project has delivered restoration, mapping, and capacity building activities to support the recovery of sensitive ecosystems and increase the knowledge and skills of land managers to mitigate wildfire.

A vision of conservation and resilience

At the heart of this project was a mission to bolster the resilience of communities impacted by the devastating bushfires. But it didn't stop there. The project also aimed to safeguard the ecological value of the Gondwana World Heritage Rainforests and the Noosa River Catchment, ensuring their existence for generations to come.

This was achieved through:

• Property fire management planning.
• Sub-catchment fire management planning.
• Implementation of fire management actions in collaboration with land managers and stakeholders.

The real cut-through in this project lay in the collective effort of governments, local communities, land managers, and Traditional Owners. This united front has kindled a fire of collaboration that ignited a passion for conservation and protecting cultural heritage.

Safeguarding a world heritage gem

The initiatives were delivered to private land managers in the Carneys Creek and Rosevale-Tarome areas of the Scenic Rim region, and the Noosa River catchment. This last area, home to Great Sandy National Park, forms an integral part of the Noosa UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is part of the Great Sandy World Heritage Area. Here, the project has nurtured capacity building and restoration, breathing new life into these important ecosystems.

Sparks of success

The project’s activities included the construction of new or improved fire lines and breaks, fuel hazard reduction works, installation of fire control infrastructure, asset protection zones, and defined planned burn areas.

Thanks to the unwavering dedication of all stakeholders and our team, this project has achieved remarkable outcomes:

• Fire management actions – The project’s combined property extension is 11,663 ha of land strategically managed to quell wildfires and preserve ecological treasures. Approximately 152 kilometres of fire trail works have been completed (this number includes new and repaired fire trails) and we have constructed five new fire trail waterway crossings, installed 21 new gates, 9 fire-fighting water tanks and worked on 1,160 metres of fencing (new and repaired).
• Land management practices – Approximately 5,700 ha embracing improved practices for safeguarding delicate ecosystems.
• Empowering landholders – Delivered 35 fire management plans, equipping landholders to be guardians of their properties and the environment.
• Community engagement – Ten events, including fire information nights and property fire management planning workshops, fostering enthusiastic community involvement and helping landholders gain more understanding and knowledge.
• Collaborative outreach – Including landholders, farmers, and Traditional Owners, forging a formidable alliance for conservation. We engaged with Kabi Kabi, Yuggera-Ugarapul and Danggan Balun First Nations. Engagement included pre-works inspections, cultural heritage inductions for sub-contractors and landholders and our staff, as well as cultural heritage monitoring of on-ground works in progress.
• Strategic planning – Development of a comprehensive sub-catchment fire management plan, laying the groundwork for future fire management victories.
• Reviving the ecosystem – Enhancing the recovery and resilience of fire-affected priority species, ecological communities, and natural assets, breathing new life into fire-scarred regions.

The Bushfire Recovery Project (Phase 2) may be concluded, but the results will be seen in the communities that took part for many years to come.

The hard work of many

This project was supported by Healthy Land & Water, though funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

None of this would have been possible without the support and participation of landholders and all other key project collaborators, including the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Rural Fire Service, Noosa Council, Noosa and District Landcare Group, Kabi Kabi, Yuggera-Ugarapul, and Danggan Balun First Nations, and Scenic Rim Regional Council.

Find out more about the project here.