Latest news with #Adnyamathanha
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Western quolls and brushtail possums thrive in national park a decade after reintroduction
Western quolls (Idnya) and brushtail possums (Virlda), once locally extinct, are flourishing in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges national park 10 years after their reintroduction. 'They're pretty funny. We go spotlighting at night … you can spotlight at the campsite there and see them running around, looking for bits of food,' National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) reintroduction ecologist Talitha Moyle said. 'They can be quite inquisitive, but they can also be shy … some can be bold, it depends on their personality.' Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email In March, NPWS rangers and volunteers caught, scanned and released 135 western quolls and 30 brushtail possums over five nights. The Idnya and Virlda are culturally significant to the Adnyamathanha people of the greater Flinders Ranges area. The quolls lived in the area for centuries, and over about 80% of the continent before European settlement. They were last seen in the Flinders Ranges in the 1880s and are extinct everywhere except part of Western Australia. 'They're a carnivorous marsupial. They scavenge carrion, they eat insects, birds, eggs, reptiles, baby rabbits … any opportunistic things if they can get it and it's the right size to grab,' Moyle said. 'The females are about 800g to 1.2kg and the boys are up to 2.5kg – like a small native cat.' The possums used to be common but are thought to have become extinct in the 1940s, according to the Landscape SA arid lands board. While some consider them a pest in urban areas, their populations are only considered stable in two regions outside Adelaide. The Bounceback program and the Foundation for Australia's Most Endangered Species (Fame) reintroduced the quolls in 2014 and the possums in 2015. They are now breeding in 'safer havens' in the national park, areas where feral animals have been reduced. Through Bounceback, Fame and the environment and water department have established three havens, each about 500 sq km, for endangered species in the state's far north. The Fame chief executive, Tracy McNamara, said it took 'bold action' to return the animals to the Flinders. And she pointed out that it has been done without the need for a fence. Moyle said while fencing could be useful, it was good to have them back in the wild by managing cats, foxes, and grazing pressure. Upcoming SA projects included protecting threatened plants, bilbies, Bassian thrushes and red-tailed phascogales – tiny, carnivorous marsupials. The state environment minister, Susan Close, said the Bounceback program was SA's longest-running, landscape-scale biodiversity program, helping people learn more about the species being reintroduced. 'The western quoll has shown it can be adaptable to harsh conditions if other factors such as boosting biodiversity and feral control are in place,' she said. There are various projects across the country to reintroduce quolls. Last year, the Wild Deserts project saw 20 burrowing bettongs and 20 western quolls released into Sturt national park, in New South Wales, as part of a project to reintroduce seven locally extinct mammals. The Wild Deserts principal ecologist, Dr Rebecca West, said it was 'like time-travelling … going back to what it would have been like 200 years ago if you set up camp in the Strzelecki desert'. In 2016, Australian National University researchers reintroduced the eastern quoll to the mainland after 50 years' absence. In 2022, 50 eastern quolls were released in the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Dividing Range. Eastern quolls were also released to boost the Tasmanian population in March. Moyle said visitors to the Ikara-Flinders national park might be able to see a western quoll in the wild near Wilpena. 'If you are incredibly lucky, your camping trip might go to the next level in terms of spotting endangered wildlife,' she said. 'The key is to be quiet and to use a torch.'
Time Out
13-05-2025
- Time Out
These are the 10 most sustainable destinations in Australia (that won't cost the earth)
Sustainable travel is no longer a niche branch of tourism limited to tree-huggers and dreadlocked hippies. It's one of this year's biggest travel trends, with more Aussies than ever before considering the environmental and cultural impact of their trips. From eco-resorts hidden within our heritage-listed reefs to rainforest retreats in protected national park, Australia offers plenty of sustainable travel solutions for those eager to explore new cultures while leaving a minimal environmental footprint. If you're keen to take your sustainable lifestyle beyond just your choice of alternative milk, 2025 Sustainable Travel Research has uncovered Australia's ten most sustainable travel destinations. This year, the global travel platform surveyed 32,000 travellers across 34 countries, exploring their attitudes and intentions regarding the social and ecological impacts of travel. For the first time in the report's ten-year history, more than half of Aussie travellers (51 per cent) are conscious of the impact their travels have on both communities and the environment. In 2016, only 40 per cent of Aussie travellers believed they travelled sustainably. A decade later, almost all travellers (91 per cent) are now motivated to make more sustainable travel choices – from travelling off-peak (38 per cent) to visiting alternative destinations to avoid overcrowding (32 per cent). Inspired to do some sustainable sightseeing this year? analysed hundreds of destinations around Australia to determine the top ten most sustainable holiday spots, ranked by the highest percentage of properties with an independent third-party sustainability certification. Located just 20 minutes from Yallingup or Busselton in Western Australia, Metricup came out on top as the most sustainable holiday spot in the country. The town is surrounded by the lush vineyards of the Margaret River region, where many local wineries prioritise eco-friendly winemaking practices. So much so that the region even has its own Certified Organic and Biodynamic Wine Trail! For the ultimate sustainable stay, you can sleep in a private bungalow at the nearby Burnside Organic Farm, where you can mingle with the animals and sample farm-made wine and honey. Alternatively, you can retreat to a chalet at the award-winning Forest Rise eco-retreat, complete with spa baths and cosy wood fires. South Australia's Flinders Ranges ranked as the second-most sustainable holiday destination in Australia, with much of the outback oasis protected by national and conservation parks. Rich in Adnyamathanha culture of the Traditional Land Owners, the region offers an abundance of tourism experiences that provide visitors with a deeper connection to the land. While we could go on about why each destination in the top ten deserves its spot, we'll keep it brief and summarise the list below. The 10 most sustainable destinations in Australia Metricup, WA Flinders Ranges, SA Daintree, QLD Alice Springs, NT Glen Waverley, VIC Cairns, QLD Airlie Beach, QLD Launceston, TAS Darwin, NT Perth, WA
