Tiaro & District Landcare Group

Mary floods, floods & floods

mconnell — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:50:33 +0000

Just when we think it can’t rain any more we get another 24hours of rain!! However we haven’t had a major flood yet this season in the main trunk of the Mary River just numerous moderate floods. Such events have attracted much media interest about the impact on the turtles. We are waiting, along with UQ researchers to download data from the hydrophones to find out what has happened to the 12 tagged turtles.

Television interview

Nests protected upstream at Kenilworth

mconnell — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:43:50 +0000

Enthusiastic volunteers from Kenilworth, many kilometres upstream of Tiaro, have helped with finding and protecting nests in the mid catchment. Sunshine Coast Regional Council have fenced a bank to prevent 4WD driving over nests of the endangered Mary River turtle, plus installed informative signage.

Searching for nests at Kenilworth

A late arrival – mid January clutch

mconnell — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:10:12 +0000

This species continues to be unpredictable.A new clutch was found on Thursday morning 19th January….most seasons laying is finished by the end of December. Many of the first clutches laid this season have already hatched.

Turtles still laying

mconnell — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:58:59 +0000

Today, we protected another 2 clutches of eggs laid by Mary River turtles last evening. Those laid at the beginning of the season have already hatched!!

Mary river turtle hatchlings race to the river

mconnell — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:26:47 +0000

On Saturday, December 10, Ron and Marilyn rescued a clutch from rising flood waters. 12 eggs were relocated to the top of the nesting bank. To our surprise when checking the banks on Wednesday December 21, we discovered all 12 eggs had hatched and were on their way to the river. Check out this rare wild footage captured today.

Turtle Exhibition for month of December

mconnell — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:27:32 +0000

Have a preview of the amazing bronze Mary River turtle sculpture as part of Tiaro Landcare’s ‘Exclusive & Elusive’ exhibition at Gatakers ArtSpace, Kent St., Maryborough for the month of Dec. An exhibition of photographs, carapaces, aluminum turtles, DVD Sharing Mary a long fat turtle tale etc – including life size images of a lungfish (1.7m) & Mary River Cod (1.5m).

Reptile Festival 2011 – Stall

mconnell — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:23:12 +0000

Visit our stall at the Festival organised by Scales & Tails on 12th Nov at Ipswich Exhibition Grounds.

Mary River turtle nesting season underway

mconnell — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:05:48 +0000

Spring rains have created ideal nesting conditions. So far, 13 clutches have been protected which will greatly improve the chances of the embryos developing until the little hatchlings emerge.

Catch for Fun, Release for the Future – Fishing Comp

mconnell — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:50:23 +0000

Tiaro Landcares’ Catch & Release Fishing Competition is on again this year at Petrie Park, Tiaro. A fun weekend for families. 28th & 29th Oct. Free camping. Tiaro Lions BBQ & bar on site.Music Sat night. $1,000 lucky draw – … Continue reading →

Yamaha speeds up Turtle tracking

mconnell — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:57:01 +0000

University of Qld researchers and Tiaro Landcare volunteers spent 3 days downloading data from hydrophones and actively tracking tagged juvenile turtles. One juvenile was located which hadn’t been ‘heard’ of since July!! Must have been hiding. Thanks to support from Yamaha which ‘speeded up’ locating the turtles.