cradle to cradle to coastlines coastlines
CRADLE TO COASTLINES
IN THIS ISSUE
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Natural Heritage Trust projects announced
Game Changers - Felixer trial in Tasmanian Devil habitat
King Island threatened bird recovery project
Giant Freshwater Crayfish Information Day
Cows Out Of Creeks - grant opportunity
Threatened Species Bake-Off 2024
European Wasp control
Threatened butterfly species
Healthy Harbour Clean-up - get involved!
Capture the Catchments - photography competition
Foxglove Hotline
Learning from farmers around the globe
Kikatapula - a story of resistance and complexity
Swift Parrot nest box monitoring at Kelcey Tier Reserve
Living beyond our means
Upcoming events and grant opportunities
Front cover: King Island Scrubtit (Acanthornis magna).
Credit: Margot Oorebeek
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TASMANIA’S NRMS UNVEIL NINE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Tasmania’s three natural resource management organisations are delighted to introduce a suite of exciting and impactful new projects, following last month’s announcement by the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water.
Cradle Coast NRM, NRM North and NRM South are part of a nationwide panel of regional delivery partners selected to provide environmental protection, sustainable agriculture, and natural resource management services in each region of Tasmania Across the nation, more than 115 game-changing projects, funded through the Australian Government’s National Heritage Trust (NHT) and the Saving Native Species Program (SNS), will be working to restore and protect threatened ecological communities and improve outcomes for threatened wildlife
Collectively, the funded projects will address impacts arising from climate change, habitat loss and invasive species. Activities will include invasive species management and habitat restoration, such as planting trees, native seed dispersal, erosion control and fire management
Cradle Coast NRM Regional Manager Bonnie Bonneville said that funding for three NHT/SNS projects that target threatened species is timely for the Cradle Coast. “We are pleased to be able to build upon the great achievements of previously funded projects and will continue habitat restoration activities to protect King Island woodland birds and Giant Freshwater Crayfish in our region We also have the opportunity to establish a captive breeding program for the endangered Maugean Skate and raise awareness of the natural values of Macquarie Harbour, through our Healthy Harbour project.
You can find more information about our projects: Community Action for King Island Threatened Bird Recovery, Giant Freshwater Crayfish Recovery - Part 2, and Healthy Harbour projects in this edition
Check out our Giant Freshwater Crayfish Information Day wrapup on page 6
SAVING NATIVE SPECIES “GAME CHANGERS” GRANT TO TRIAL FELIXERS IN TASMANIAN DEVIL HABITAT
Felixers are an innovative piece of feral cat control technology which Cradle Coast NRM has been operating successfully on our region’s islands,
but they are restricted from use on mainland Tasmania because of potential incorrect targeting of Tasmanian Devils.
This new project, to be delivered with funding recently announced by the Australian Government, will contribute to the development of the Felixer program by operating four Felixer devices in non-lethal mode in Tasmanian Devil habitat.
This project is being undertaken in a partnership between Biosecurity Tasmania, Cradle Coast NRM and Thylation (the developers and manufacturers of the Felixers), and will take place on private land at Woolnorth, and public land at Maria Island.
It is hoped that Felixers will soon be an important tool to manage feral cats on mainland Tasmania across the habitat range of priority native species including Eastern Quoll, New Holland Mouse, Orange-bellied Parrot, Tasmanian Bettong, Eastern Barred Bandicoot and a number of insects and frogs. These species reside on mainland Tasmania and are likely impacted by predation and disease from feral cats. Landholders managing agricultural land impacted by cat-borne diseases may also benefit from availability of a new feral cat management tool
Top: Image credit, David Bellamy
Left: A Felixer device.
Below: A cat detected on a Felixer device
More information about Felixer traps can be found at: www thylation com/felixer-faqs/
COMMUNITY ACTION FOR KING ISLAND THREATENED
BIRD RECOVERY
This project will implement actions across King Island to increase and improve habitat for, and reduce threats to, the critically endangered KI Brown Thornbill and KI Island Scrubtit.
We're excited to get our first on-ground activities for this project started with Waverley Station this Spring. This will be a great example of where planting trees can have biodiversity benefits as well as providing shelter for stock: a win-win for farmers and the environment!
This first project will involve revegetating an area in a corridor that links to a priority bird site at Yarra Creek
The project will also act as a trial in the different methods of revegetating on King Island by comparing planting native tube stock, direct seeding and natural regeneration within one area, while also trialling the use of browsing animal deterrent products. The results should assist in planning for future revegetation projects on King Island
25 mature gums to be planted near creek as a trial site
FRENCHS ROAD GFC INFORMATION DAY
Members of the public were treated to a beautiful spring day at Frenchs Road Reserve on Saturday 28 September The purpose of the day was to learn about the Giant Freshwater Crayfish (GFC) and the actions being taken to ensure their ongoing survival Nick Jamson spoke about the Giant Freshwater Crayfish Recovery Program – Part 2 project that has recently kicked off at Cradle Coast NRM. The main threats to the species were discussed as well as opportunities for landholders on six priority streams (including Seabrook Creek) to receive funding and technical support for habitat improvement works such as riparian fencing, revegetation, weed control and off-stream watering
Members of Wynyard Landcare discussed the impressive biodiversity of the reserve and important works that have taken place over the years, ultimately enhancing GFC habitat. Finally, Todd Walsh showed participants the star of the day: a live GFC. Todd also spoke in depth about the GFC lifecycle, habitat requirements and why we should all be proud about having the world’s largest freshwater invertebrate in our own backyard It was a great day and a valuable opportunity to learn about the GFC and why we must continue to care for this threatened species.
For more information on the project or species contact:
Nick Jamson
Biodiversity Project Coordinator njamson@cradlecoast com
Crayfish on the move! Todd Walsh speaking at the event
GRANT OPPORTUNITY: COWS OUT OF CREEKS
The Cows Out of Creeks grants are delivered by DairyTas, with funding from the Tasmanian Government to provide individual financial assistance to participating farms. Funding is to assist livestock farmers in improving water quality by removing cattle from waterways, ephemeral waterways and substantial drains which have an impact on waterways, through the installation of:
• Fencing
• Stock crossings
• Off-stream watering
• Riparian planting (where fencing work is also undertaken)
Grants of up to $5,000 (+GST) will be provided to approved projects Any cost to complete the project that exceed the $5,000 grant will be the responsibility of the recipient.
Email admin@dairytas.net.au or call DairyTas on 03 6432 2233. Applications due by 13 December 2024
Projects must be completed by 30 June 2025.
If funding is oversubscribed, Selection Panel will prioritise projects according to 7 Principles of River Restoration https://riversofcarbon.org.au/our-seven-steps/. Bigger buffers protecting intact riparian habitat will be prioritised
A MINIMUM average buffer distance of at least 5 m between the fence and waterway is encouraged. An average minimum buffer distance of at least 10 m is required to ensure adequate riparian habitat for Giant Freshwater Crayfish habitat.
Application form: Cows out of Creeks Clean Rivers Program Round 9B - Formstack
Nick Jamson talking about the Giant Freshwater Crayfish Recovery Program – Part 2
THREATENED SPECIES BAKE-OFF
On the 12th of September, CCA employees dusted off their aprons and baking supplies to participate in the 2024 Threatened Species Bake-off, with amazing (and delicious!) results
This year our creations included:
Iona’s edible aerial imagery, featuring (honey meringue) King Island Scrubtits and King Island Thornbills living in a remnant stand of (vegan lime slice) King Island Scrub Complex and Melaleuca ericifolia Swamp Forest.
Hannah’s mixed threatened woodland birds, including the King Island Brown Thornbill, King Island Scrubtit, Forty-spotted Pardalote and the King Island Black Currawong all happily breeding in some protected habitat.
Bonnie’s Marrawah Skipper butterfly. The Marrawah Skipper is a fast-flying, brightly coloured butterfly that is only found in the tussocky coastal areas of north-west Tasmania, and is one of our priority species in the NRM 2030 Strategy.
Kylie’s Macquarie Cushion (Azorella macquariensis). This unusual, and criticallyendangered plant is endemic to Macquarie Island, and is currently threatened by the processes caused by climate change Some cushion plant species can live to upwards of 350 years!
Fiona’s Koala cupcakes, one of Australia’s most iconic and beloved native animals.
Mel’s “model your own threatened species” fudge, which produced a Giant Freshwater Crayfish and Maugean Skate.
FAREWELL FIONA
Cradle Coast NRM has bid farewell to our colleague and friend, Fiona! Over the past five years, Fiona has been working on our Coastal Saltmarsh and Giant Freshwater Crayfish Recovery projects She has made an incredible impact working with landholders to improve riparian habitat and ensure the survival of the iconic GFC!
With over 30 years of experience working in the river environment, with both rural and urban landholders, we are grateful for Fiona's invaluable knowledge and her inspiring approach to landholder engagement.
We're really going to miss Fiona's leadership. We want to wish Fiona all the best in her retirement and thank her for her wonderful work and friendship
Our Threatened Species Bake-off creations
EUROPEAN WASPS
IT’S TIME TO KILL THE QUEENS
Were you bothered by European Wasps last summer? They were a big problem all over Tasmania, damaging grape and other fruit crops and making outdoor living much less pleasant than usual
If you would like to control wasps without using harmful chemicals like Fipronil, NOW IS THE TIME!
In late Winter and Spring, queen wasps emerge from hibernation and look for nutrition before they establish nests. You can lure them into bottle traps with a sugar and yeast mixture and kill them before they start new colonies.
Prepare four plastic bottle traps by making three thumbsized holes 1/3 of the way down the bottles.
Make up a batch of lure:
Add 1 cup of sugar to 500 mL of hot water and dissolve
Add 500 mL of cold water
Add 1 tsp of yeast and ferment the mixture indoors for 2 days until it foams a bit and smells yeasty. Fermentation stops bees being attracted to the traps
Pour the fermented lure into your four bottle traps and place them near woodpiles (where queens like to hibernate) or near flowering plants
There is plenty more information and resources on the European Wasp Control Project Facebook group
THREATENED BUTTERFLIES FOUND AT RIDGLEY
European Wasps damage our crops and are voracious predators of insects Threatened species such as the Ptunarra Brown Butterfly (Oreixenica ptunarra), already affected by habitat loss, contend with an extra threat now because European Wasps eat the adults and caterpillars
In conjunction with ecologist Dr Phil Bell, forestry company Forico is implementing a European Wasp research and control program to support Ptunarra Browns on native grasslands they manage at Surrey Hills
On another Forico property near Ridgely, a different threatened butterfly species, the Marrawah Skipper (Oreisplanus munionga subsp. larana) was recently detected The caterpillars of this species feed exclusively on Carex appressa, a common native sedge. As the name suggests, most detections are on the West Coast, but there are very tiny known populations in Burnie, Penguin…and now Ridgely.
The caterpillars construct shelters formed by several leaves of Carex stuck together, often with one leaf bent. You can also often see where the caterpillar has come out at night to chew on the leaf. Because of their secure shelter and nocturnal habits, Marrawah Skipper caterpillars may be less vulnerable to introduced wasps, but the adults can still be taken Other threats to the species are land clearing of their habitat, weed invasion and cattle grazing.
Chewed leaf
Bent leaf with shelter where the leaves are stuck together
Top: Marrawah Skipper adult
Image credit: scruffypig, iNaturalist
COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER FOR A CLEANER, HEALTHIER HARBOUR!
Tucked away on the remote West Coast, surrounded by lush World Heritage wilderness, dramatic landscapes and a rugged coastline that stretches as far as the eye can see, it’s no wonder Macquarie Harbour captivates tourists and locals alike.
While visitors travel from far and wide to marvel at its natural beauty and hear its enthralling stories, their next destination inevitably awaits. But for residents of the West Coast, Macquarie Harbour isn’t just a passing sight; it’s the backdrop of their lives, and for many, the source of their livelihoods.
The Harbour plays an integral role in sustaining the environmental and economic health of the region, but balancing these two facets of life has its challenges
As the sole remaining township on the shoreline of Macquarie Harbour, Strahan is a tightknit community with great pride in its unique backyard. While the town has long accommodated tourism and aquaculture, the growth of both industries saw the accumulation of waste and debris reach alarming levels
Community concern turned into community action. Through a collaboration of Harbour stakeholders, in 2017 and 2018, large-scale shoreline clean-ups were held across Macquarie Harbour, Ocean Beach and the King River, which led to the removal of 11 tonnes of marine debris! Following this, the aquaculture industry has undertaken regular clean-ups and reports their results to the Strahan Aquaculture Community Forum. Similarly, the local community has been involved in annual community clean-up events.
Macquarie Harbour clean up in 2018 Source: The Advocate
This year, hopefully we’ll see less rubbish compared to previous years, showing the impact that improved industry management practices, collective community responsibility and personal behavioural changes can have on this problem. After a rather wild couple of months of weather, however, we anticipate finding some rubbish from halfway around the world that’s been riding the Southern Ocean currents!
To congratulate and thank all participants for their hard work, a free barbeque dinner will be held at the West Strahan Beach Picnic Shelter after the clean-up on the Sunday from 5pm - see details below.
Friday 8 November
Strahan Primary School clean-up Students at Strahan PS will initiate proceedings and spend the afternoon searching for litter in the nearby creek and adjacent Harbour shoreline.
Sunday 10 November
12 pm – Community clean-up Meet at West Strahan Beach Picnic Shelter to register, collect your bag and gloves, and be assigned a clean-up location. Return by 4 pm.
4 pm – Rubbish sorting. Upon completion of the clean-up, the rubbish collected will be sorted, with recyclable materials separated and general waste disposed of responsibly What will we find this year?
5 pm – Thank you BBQ The clean-up will be followed by a free barbeque dinner provided by Strahan Primary School Parents & Friends Association.
Macquarie Harbour clean up crew in 2018 Source: The Advocate
CAPTURE THE CATCHMENTS!
This summer, the Healthy Harbour Project will be hosting a photo competition called ‘Capture the Catchments’
Macquarie Harbour, one of Australia’s largest harbours, is fed by an expansive system of rivers, creating a massive catchment area filled with breath-taking photographic opportunities. We invite you, as a keen photographer, a nature lover or a person with a phone camera, to capture the unique parts of the Macquarie Harbour catchments.
Whether it’s the calm reflections on the Gordon River, the crashing waves at Hells Gates, the rich tapestry of flora in the World Heritage Area, or the geological formations that shape the landscape, there is boundless inspiration out there for stunning photography.
We aim to spark your creativity, encouraging you to share your experiences exploring the area so that we can celebrate the beauty of Macquarie Harbour and its catchments together! Keep an eye on the CCNRM websitemore details and entry forms coming soon.
Snap a pic anywhere within the pink areas on the map, and enter Capture the Catchments!
There will be prizes awarded for the following categories:
Junior (under 16)
Wildlife
Plants and fungi
Landscapes
Water
People’s choice
KENTISH FOXGLOVE HOTLINE RETURNS FOR ANOTHER YEAR!
It’s that time of the year when foxgloves are coming into flower, and you might see them popping up in many places. Foxgloves have become a major environmental weed in Tasmania in recent years, they are super invasive and threaten biodiversity in bushland areas, spreading far and wide at an alarming rate.
But they are also very poisonous to humans and nearly all animals Even direct skin contact with any part of the plant can have significant adverse reactions in humans – it’s strongly recommended that direct skin contact with any part of the plant is avoided. So, it’s certainly good to be aware of and vigilant about foxgloves, and if you see them on your property, deal with them swiftly but with due care
In the Municipality of Kentish, you can now report the location of weedy foxgloves to the Mount Roland Land Care (MRLC) Foxglove Hotline. The Foxglove Hotline has operated in the last two years, providing valuable information and assisting with controlling foxgloves in the Kentish Municipality This year MRLC is especially encouraging people to report the very highest priority foxglove sites.
What are the highest priority sites? These are not the huge, well-known sites that have been around for a few years – sadly the problems here are so big that the MRLC volunteer group hasn’t the resources to tackle them But for MRLC, the priority sites are the new sites, those places where foxgloves are flowering for the first time. You might see just an isolated plant with its distinctive purple, pink or white flower popping up in a place where you know that foxgloves have never been before. If these foxgloves go to seed, they may be the start of a major foxglove outbreak But if these foxgloves are removed, bagged and disposed of appropriately, before they go to seed (typically later in January), it means that a relatively small amount of work now will prevent years and years of future work. A single foxglove plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds that remain viable in the soil for many years. The old saying ‘One year’s seeding means seven year’s weeding’ is very true when it comes to foxgloves
To report your sighting of high priority foxgloves in Kentish, go to the Mount Roland Land Care website and fill out and submit the brief reporting form you will find there. As far as it’s able, Mount Roland Land Care will then work with the landowner to manage the problem before seed is set. In this way, your actions will help to reduce a major threat to our environment and the health of our community
Details can be found on the Group’s website www.mountrolandlandcare.org.au and Facebook page – just search for Mount Roland Land Care.
LEARNING FROM FARMERS AROUND THE GLOBE
Local Table Cape farmer Dave Roberts-Thomson has recently returned from a Nuffield Scholar’s Tour of five very different countries and generously shared his experience and learnings with local farmers and community members.
A wet Tuesday night in Wynyard saw over forty people gather at the squash courts to share pizza and a beverage before embarking on an entertaining and very informative slideshow presentation. Dave distilled and crafted this from thousands of photos, hundreds of informal conversations with agricultural producers and numerous seminars that he had attended whilst travelling the world.
In a whirlwind 90 minutes, we were transported around the globe, with the first stop in Brazil, home to some of the biggest farming operations on the planet. The warm moist climate allows the growing of two crops a year and eucalypt hedgerows are used to fuel massive grain driers before the grain goes into silos Remarkably, due to the fragility of the soils, nearly the whole country is “no till”, the first country in the world to do so. There is also huge development of biological inputs for a system that is primarily focused on livestock and feed production.
The next stop was the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, where we saw pineapple production at the Giant Pineapple plant (possibly the source of the Hawaiian pizza toppings). The company even had its own can-making facility and kept the entire value chain in-house
Business diversification included a facility to produce biological products as well as a cattle feedlot to fatten stock that was imported from Northern Australia
A current Govt initiative to provide a cup of milk for every school kid across the archipelago would see a massive expansion of dairy operations in a tropical climate.
Our virtual tour then took us to France, where Dave explained that co-operatives were the norm, with three in four farms being active members of at least one cooperative. Technological innovations included a farm with its own Bio Gas plant and the development of solar-powered ‘Farmdroids’ that relied on super accurate GPS (rather than AI recognition) to weed around crops. An emphasis on impact resilience had 12% of farms employing biological farming principles, but inflation was impacting the ability of some organic farmers to compete.
Some pictures of sumptuous homegrown French cuisine made us all a little envious and demonstrated the importance that the French still place upon crafting food using small-scale traditional techniques and high-quality ingredients rather than simply relying on mass production Food security was a major focus for many French farmers who weren’t afraid to voice their concerns about restrictions on agricultural activities associated with new climate-based initiatives
Denmark, a country with limited land availability, is currently reducing the area of agricultural land and downsizing livestock production, which is driven by new emissions reduction legislation
The seventh biggest seed company in the world is based here with plants being grown in large plastic tubes. Pig farms with poplar forests integrated into the rotational plans reduced the impact of pig wallowing and nutrient export and gave these farms another income source when the poplars were harvested when the movable pig housing was relocated.
An IT development in machinery repairs saw field technicians with ‘remote eye cameras’ deployed to farms where they could confer with technicians with specialised knowledge located back at base, if the situation required
Water access was the number one issue for Californian farmers, with water allocations a source of major disputes Many operations were wholly based on flood irrigation fed by increasingly diminishing snow melt from the Sierra Nevada and a massive network of aqueducts that were suffering damage from land subsidence caused by overuse of the underlying aquifers
Like something out of a Hollywood movie, we watched silver moon buggy-like autonomous sprayers used for vineyards and tree crops as saw drones that looked like medusas with suction cup arms for harvesting peaches. Farming at scale was necessary for many supply chains, such as a peach processing factory that made ‘diced fruit cups’ that supplied all the schools in the U.S.
Our final destination was Chile, where water availability was a continuing theme, caused by a reliance on the everdiminishing ice pack in the mountains, combined with a lack of dams. Production was focused on fruit, berries and nuts with cheap labour from neighbouring countries being used to increase their competitive advantage and gain access to export markets.
Volcanic ash-derived soils in the areas of steep terrain were susceptible to erosion, and an increasing presence of foreignowned operations that weren’t focused on sustainable practices meant these issues were becoming more widespread Wine sales are declining worldwide, however, premium wines are still selling well. In response, one winery invested a large amount in a ‘premiumisation of product’ strategy that involved utilising a range of technology to make a better quality wine from their existing product.
Dave Roberts-Thomson
The talk drew a very diverse audience; local crop and beef farmers were well represented, some coming from as far as the West Coast to listen. There were also researchers, TAFE staff, agronomists and a handful of small-scale producers who were all keen to find out which direction agriculture is heading in different countries.
Judging from the intensity of the conversations in the room afterwards, the presentation provided a lot of food for thought. The event was also beneficial as it gave local producers the opportunity to catch up with each other, exchange ideas, and chat with others in the community who have a common interest in soil health, including some of the next generation of farmers.
Dave’s study focus is on biological priming of soil for resilience and production in cropping. He will travel overseas again to learn first-hand from other producers and gather more information on his area of interest, so stay tuned for future events
This event was coordinated by Cradle Coast NRM through our statewide NRM Soil Extension Program, with support from the Tas Farm Innovation Hub and funding from the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund
Images:
It was the 16th of May, 1832.
KIKATAPULA
A Story of Resistance and Complexity
Reverend George Augustus Robinson, camped at Stanley’s Eastern Inlet, sat reading a letter sent two days prior from the Van Diemen’s Land Company outpost at Emu Bay, the seed sown for what is now Burnie, having caught up with the ‘Friendly Mission’, the condemning salvation of any Tasmanian Aboriginal, or palawa, that had survived the Black War
He later scratched a simple remark into his now famous journal:
“Informed of the death of the aborigine KICKERTERPOLLER alias Black Tom.”
In his reply, Robinson expressed to be ‘greatly deplored’ by the loss of ‘this aborigine’ He lamented moving the sick palawa under his supervision to what he described as a ‘miserable place’ He requested a marker of some degree ‘be put up to point out the spot where… this faithful servant was laid.’
Anthony Cottrell, Robinson’s correspondent and special constable accompanying the mission, who had been tasked with moving the palawa left behind from Surrey Hills to Emu Bay, complied with Robinson’s request. A coffin was constructed. Burial rites performed. A small wooden fence erected The service, attended by all present at the VDL Co storehouse, was technically Burnie’s first Christian burial.
However, it also marked a heavy conclusion Not only of Kikatapula’s life itself, but of the compounded intricacies he himself weaved throughout Tasmania’s early colonial period.
Kikatapula once told Robinson that he was a child when his people witnessed the French cartographer Nicholas Baudin’s expedition arrive at Maria Island in 1802 as they sailed along the East Coast of Tasmania Born into the Paredareme of the Oyster Bay Nation, he would have certainly had a traditional upbringing among his people, evident by the circled motifs scarred into his loins, a scarred war wound on his forehead, and most notably the immense skillset and bushcraft displayed later in life.
By the time he reached Hobart Town, the young Paredareme man was described as ‘mature, intelligent, and inquisitive’. Thought to have arrived with the ‘tame mobs’ that frequently visited the city, fractured remnants of Oyster Bay, Big River, and Bruny Island bands. Due to injury or illness, he found himself in the care of Edward Lutrell and Reverend Robert Knopwood at the ‘Establishment for the Native People’ He was baptised at 2pm on Wednesday the 17th of 1819 and sent to live with the Birch Family, prominent figures in early Hobart Town. Kikatapula was given the name Thomas Birch, after his adoptive father, but would be mostly known as ‘Black Tom’
Insert: Kikatapula by Thomas Bock, once mistaken for a portrait of Eumarrah Block, T (1832) Painting of Kikatapula [Drawing] British Museum
It was with the Birch’s that he learned to read, write and speak English. After 2 years in Hobart, but after the death of Thomas, Sarah Birch’s new husband Edmund Hodgson sent Kikatapula to work on the Birch farmsteads in the Coal River region, near Richmond Here he learned to drive a team of bullocks and developed a taste for rum and tobacco.
In 1821 he deserted a surveying expedition he had been guiding and returned to Birch’s Farm. The next year he deserted colonial life altogether. Whether disillusioned by mistreatment, or seduced by a palawa woman, Kikatapula found himself back with the ‘tame mob’ led by exiled Gai Gadigal man Musquito.
By 1823 any roaming palawa bands had to seek permission to camp on their own ancestral Country, carved up via land grants for agricultural use. Relations with stockkeeps and pastoralists frayed as the bands frequented farms, begging for supplies. Kikatapula would find himself amidst incidents such as the Gatehouse Farm Killings, sparks that were to ignite and kindle the coals that would flare into The Black War, lasting from the mid 1820s until 1832. As resentments festered on both sides, begging soon gave way to organised raids and reprisal killings.
Musquito and Kikatapula’s mob would soon gain notoriety throughout the colony for their fearsome attacks. Kikatapula’s experience and knowledge of European agriculture would prove invaluable, as palawa guerillas quickly learned to target crops and livestock, a crucial vulnerability to the neonate colony Travelling along ancestral routes and spreading terror from the North Midlands to the Clyde-Shannon region, Kikatapula was apprehended three times by colonial authorities before a stop was put to his influence on the growing war.
The first time he was released after his former adoptive mother, Sarah Birch, provided a false alibi, exonerating him from all charges. The second time, he was again released without charge with permission from the Lieutenant Governor himself. Palawa attacks would either wane or cease completely upon each capture, proving his influence over hostilities His third and final capture on the 3rd of November 1827 would mark the end of his direct involvement in the conflict, yet unlike previous occasions, attacks by the palawa only increased in ferocity.
By the spring of 1828 the Roving Parties had come into play. These were government sanctioned groups attempting to round up or destroy any surviving palawa within the ‘Settled Districts’, collecting a bounty for every palawa captured or slain. On the 1st of November, martial law had been declared After much negotiation, Kikatapula was assigned as a guide for Gilbert Robertson’s Roving Party, Robertson being an old friend and ally from his time on the Birch’s farm
VDL Outpost at Emu Bay, where Kikatapula was interred Hellyer, H (1832) Van Dieman Land Company’s establishment on Blackmans Point, Emu Bay [Etching]
As a black man himself, Robertson would perform his roving duties with a much lighter hand and greater sympathy than his contemporaries, though frustrations still arose. Roving parties, especially those led by palawa guides, would prove mostly unsuccessful in their task, often arduously tailing their elusive quarry a mere day behind in some cases. The likes of Jorgen Jorgensen, the so called ‘Dog-Days King of Iceland’, accused Kikatapula and those in his position of deception and sabotage Perhaps Kikatapula had found another method of fighting his war.
While with Robertson’s party, he negotiated better treatment for the palawa captured and held in Richmond Gaol He had also convinced the notorious and recently apprehended Eumarrah to join him in his guiding. It can be noted that no party led by Eumarrah was successful in their task before he later absconded back to his people Only a year later would Kikatapula be summoned by the Reverend, George Augustus Robinson.
He had met the evangelical bricklayer previously at Hobart Town Gaol, where Kikatapula often performed clerical duties while imprisoned, even frequenting the gaol once released It seems a given that Robinson would be taken with the palawa man educated in the ways of Europeans. With his command of both palawa dialects and English, and skills in tracking and guiding, Kikatapula would go on to play a crucial role within the ‘Friendly Mission’
Though not always following Robinson’s agenda Attempting a more humanitarian approach than the violent Roving Parties, the mission would take Kikatapula around the island, tracking and meeting with people from free nations refuged in further flung regions It was at his request that the Ben Lomond chief Manalakina be attached to the mission in an effort to sway influence in the North East, after travelling the South West and West Coast accompanied by the likes of Trukanini (Truganini) and her husband Wurati.
The Conciliation by Benjamin Duterrau, depicting Robinson’s conciliation of Montpelliatta and Tongerlongeter’s Big River/Oyster Bay guerillas Benjamin Duterrau, (1767-1851) The Conciliation, 1840, Oil on canvas, 121 x 170 5cm, Collection of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
John Glover Sketch depicting Kikatapula (left) and Eumarrah (centre) Glover, J (1832) Detail of a sketch by John Glover showing Eumarrah and other Indigenous Tasmanians in Hobart before removal to Flinders Island [Drawing].
Together the two former rivals and occasional allies would lead Robinson in a to and fro between cooperation and goose chase. Complications would arise as old conflicts left sorry wounds. Eumarrah and his Stoney Creek band resented having to cooperate with old enemies from the North East and Oyster Bay, and were relentlessly taunted by Kikatapula and Manalakina.
Kikatapula would be reprimanded for his conduct, especially towards women, many times throughout. He would though humble the Reverend on occasion with seemingly conflicted spiritual beliefs, a result of his upbringing
After the pacification of the remaining Big River/Oyster Bay guerillas, of whom only 16 of the once fearsome consolidated nations had survived, the Black War had come to its sorrowing conclusion and the reality of exile to the Furneaux Islands had begun to set in for the palawa accompanying the mission
One can only speculate how Kikatapula must have felt, watching his Country emptied of his people, their way of life corrupted and destroyed, and thousand strong nations reduced to a few wandering bands to be rounded up as the livestock they were replaced with. The despair of knowing his involvement. The guilt. The burden, as author and historian Robert Cox put it best, of “divided loyalties”
Perhaps this afflicted spirit caused the waning of his health, as shortly after he would slowly succumb to dysentery. As the mission made its way west to round up what remained of the North West Nation, any mention of him in Robinson’s journal would fade to another anonymous sick palawa to burden Soon he would just about fade from history entirely A vast injustice to perhaps the most influential figure of palawa resistance and Tasmania’s Colonial frontier past, if not the whole of Australia’s frontier past. He should be remembered alongside the likes of Sydney’s Pemulwuy and Windradyne, and no doubt countless others history has forgotten
Written by Fox Ransom, Cradle Coast NRM Officer
Reference list available here.
Colonial Advocate, and Tasmanian Monthly Review and Register (Hobart Town, Tas :1828) Wed 1 Oct 1828 TROVE - National Library of Australia
The Tasmanian (Hobart Town, Tas.:18271839) Fri 7 May 1830 Page 7 TROVENational Library of Australia
A tribute to Kikatapula, the only marker of his resting place Photos taken by author (7/05/24)
Kikatapula’s resting place, left of the rail corridor gate at the head of Wilson St He requested to be buried in the beach sand, close to an ancient midden that probably provided Blackman’s Point its namesake
King Island Scrub Complex listed as a Threatened
The Australian Government’s Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek, has officially listed the ‘King Island scrub complex’ as an endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). This decision followed recommendations from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee and feedback gathered during public consultations The listing, along with the Approved Conservation Advice, took effect on September 4, 2024.
Ecological Community
The King Island scrub complex consists of the plants, animals, and other organisms commonly found within a distinctive scrub or tall shrubland ecosystem unique to King Island, Tasmania.
Swift Parrot Nest Box Monitoring at Kelcey Tier Reserve
The Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) is a critically endangered bird under the EPBC Act, with population estimates ranging from 300 – 700 birds remaining They are one of only three migratory parrots in the world, and like the Orange-bellied Parrot, they overwinter on mainland Australia and migrate to Tasmania to breed in the summer months Swift Parrot numbers continue to decline due primarily to a loss of foraging and nesting habitat, predation from the introduced Krefft’s gliders and collisions with human-made structures.
The Landscape Recovery Foundation received fundin from the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species program and has partnered with Cradle Coa NRM and Devonport City Council (among others) to conduct a statewide project investigating the relationships and interactions between the presence Krefft’s Gliders, habitat quality and nest outcomes in Swift Parrots, with the aim of conserving and reducing the extinction risk of Swift Parrots.
The Kelcey Tier Swift Parrot nest boxes will be regularly monitored by dedicated volunteers during the breeding season to observe parrots and other specie that may interact with the nest boxes.
If you would like further information or would like to volunteer in the program, please contact Claire Jinnette, Community Engagement Officer at cjinnette@cradlecoast com
Community Engagement Officer Claire joined the grade 3/4 class from Miandetta Primary School for an exclusion at Kelcey Tier, the students wrote a lovely letter of thanks
King Island scrub complex, scrub form © DCCEEW
Swift Parrot, image credit: Keith Martin-Smith
LIVING BEYOND OUR MEANS
The mass of man-made things now outweighs the mass of all living things
Approximately four years ago, the world crossed a threshold Since around 2020, the world has more anthropogenic mass (or human-made mass) than biomass.
Anthropogenic mass comprises all human-made materials, structures and artefacts on Earth. It includes buildings, infrastructure, waste and other manufactured objects. Biomass is the total mass of living organisms, including plants, animals and microorganisms Taken at face value, having more anthropogenic mass than biomass for the first time ever is only a symbolic threshold, but if we look deeper, it is a profoundly important one, the implications of which will be significant
Making anthropogenic mass requires the extraction, production, use and disposal of materials that all contribute to resource depletion, energy consumption, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The research suggests the net effect of this is equal to each person on Earth producing their own weight in human-made mass every week
Contrasting key components of global biomass and anthropogenic mass in the year 2020 (dry-weight basis)
Source: Elhacham et al 2020
It barely needs stating that an American or other person lucky enough to live in a developed economy who travels everywhere in a car, lives in a big, airconditioned house, consumes processed food and who has lots of stuff is responsible for more of this waste than a subsistence farmer in the developing world.
Interestingly, humans make up less than 0 01% of all biomass but the stuff we make and have made is greater than all living things put together.
Furthermore, the rate we are churning out more anthropogenic mass is increasing as our industries focus on ever more efficient ways of making things to sate the appetite of our wants and meet the needs of humanity.
What does this mean for us? On its own, little. It does reflect our impressive collective ability to make profound change happen, even if that change is proving detrimental to the planet However, if we accept that we all need a stock of natural assets to support us and our children to thrive in the long run, then we need to look at the rate and amount we convert natural assets to anthropogenic mass
With this in mind, perhaps we can use the occasion of crossing this threshold to focus our attention on meeting our needs with less collateral damage on the planet we all depend upon
Written by Jenny Donovan, CCA’s Regional Planning Program Manager.
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
WHAT
Living Lightly Expo
MORE INFO & LINKS
WHEN & WHERE
Hosted by Devonport Community House 2 November Devonport
Wings on King Spring Surveys www.birdsofkingisland.com/upcoming-events 7 - 10 November King Island
www facebook com/event
Strahan Community Clean-up 10 November Strahan
Central North Field Naturalists’ Mini Nature Expo and 40th birthday celebration for the Tasmanian Arboretum
TAS Farm Innovation Hub Sponsorship Program
www tasmanianarboretum org au/anniversary 23 November 10am - 4pm Devonport
https://www.tasfarmhub.com.au/sponsorship -application-program/
Cows out of creeks Details on page 7
Rd1 - due 20 November 2024 Rd2 - due 20 February 2024
Closes 13 December 2024
Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) risk mitigation toolboxes WHA toolboxes are guidance documents focussing on prevention and preparedness for HPAI. They are targeted to those who manage wildlife populations and those who provide care to wildlife in Australia To find out more visit: www wildlifehealthaustralia com au/Incidents/IncidentInformation/wha-hpai-risk-mitigation-toolboxes
Please report any unusual death or sickness in wild or domestic birds, to the Emergency Animal Disease hotline 1800 675 888.
1-3 Spring St, Burnie, Tasmania, 7320 03 6433 8400
www cradlecoast com
www facebook com/CradleCoastNRM/
