Latest news with #PeterRobertson
News.com.au
17-06-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Australia's ‘most important parcel' leaves farmers in limbo
Tension is brewing in an unexpected Australian town between farmers, desperate to offload their land, and the protection of a critically endangered earless lizard. Dubbed the country's 'most important parcel', the area west of Melbourne has become a centre of hot debate between the government and land owners. According to the Department of Sustainability and Environment, the lizard can also be found in the basalt plains north of Melbourne, Geelong and in central Victoria. It might seem like a broad area, however this one parcel sits right in the middle of a landscape that was earmarked for development 20 years ago – and is the habitat of some of the few remaining lizards in the country. Reptile ecologist Peter Robertson and a member of the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon Recovery Team, said the property where the dragons live is not yet in public hands. 'It's only three paddocks that the whole world population is now known from, and there's every chance that it will never be found anywhere else,' he told Yahoo News. 'It may persist in little populations elsewhere, but we don't know.' Savvy way single mums became investors According to Yahoo News, the farm where the dragon was recovered is potentially worth tens of millions of dollars. Scientists are concerned the government has not made an offer to buy the property, putting its owners and the future of the dragons in limbo. Mr Robertson told the publication that conserving the site needed to be the 'number one' priority of the government if it wanted to stop its extinction. 'When we can see what's clearly required, and nothing's happening, and nothing's happened for more than two years since the rediscovery. It is really frustrating,' he said. 'This might be the one chance we have to save this species. If we don't secure that habitat it may go back to apparent extinction, just like we assumed for decades.' Back in 2010, the Victorian government committed to purchasing 15,000ha of private land over a decade to create the Western Grassland Reserve. The agreement was made as part of a deal called the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA) that allowed the state to take charge of the development in sensitive areas. For about 15 years, the MSA has not been updated to include the rediscovery site. The Biodiversity Council, an independent biodiversity expert group founded by 11 Australian universities, said it's 'disappointed' that potentially valuable dragon habitat has been neglected and allowed to degrade over the past 15 years due to the Victorian government's lack to acquire it. Biodiversity Council spokesperson Ms Janna Dielenberg told Yahoo News that was in 'great healthy condition' is now overrun with weeds, used for dumping soil, or transformed from sheep grazing to crops, making it no longer suitable for dragons. 'Sheep farming has become less profitable over that time. And when they plough it all up for crops it rips up their burrows, and destroys the grasslands forever,' she said. Victoria's department of environment (DEECA) said in a statement to Yahoo News it is 'protecting' native grassland habitats by continuing to acquire and rehabilitate land. 'This is funded by the MSA levy which is paid by developers and therefore proceeds in line with the rate of development in the area,' it said. 'We are working with the private landholder and other stakeholders on ways to protect the dragon rediscovery site, as well as delivering a successful conservation breeding program for the Victorian grassland earless dragon with the Commonwealth Government.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Secret hidden beneath Australia's 'most important' parcel of land
The last place in the world where a rare lizard lives is a tightly guarded secret because the tiny creature is highly prized by collectors. But even more valuable is the land where the Victorian grassland earless dragons live — a single farm west of Melbourne that sits right in the middle of a landscape earmarked for development 20 years ago. While a captive breeding program has been established at Melbourne Zoo, less than two per cent of viable dragon habitat remains intact in Victoria, and there are growing concerns government isn't doing enough to protect what remains. On Thursday, the experts who know the species best sounded the alarm in a new report published by the Biodiversity Council, saying 'urgent action' is needed to protect the dragon from extinction in the wild. Peter Robertson is a reptile ecologist and a member of the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon Recovery Team, who has been studying the species since it was rediscovered living inside tiny burrows in 2023. In his opinion, the property where the dragons live is the "most important" parcel of land in Australia that's not yet in public hands. 'It's only three paddocks that the whole world population is now known from, and there's every chance that it will never be found anywhere else,' he told Yahoo News. 'It may persist in little populations elsewhere, but we don't know.' When it comes to new developments in native grasslands where the dragons could still persist, the land first needs to be assessed by ecologists. But there's plenty of development in potential habitat that's underway right now, because it was green-lit before its rediscovery and its listing as a critically endangered species. The earth has been broken at the property next door to the rediscovery site, and soon, there will be dozens of houses occupying the land. And while that's great news for developers and people who need somewhere to live, the increased traffic on roads, the dogs and cats, and the fragmentation of habitat will likely be bad news for the dragon. Prior to its rediscovery, Victoria's distinct dragon species hadn't been seen since the 1960s, and many thought it was extinct. But scientists never gave up hope, and in 2019 a Museums Victoria dragon expert said she was confident they could survive, while Zoos Victoria began mapping the state for potential habitat. The dragon's rediscovery was ultimately accidental. It was found during a routine survey of animals and plants, because the broader region was set to be rezoned for development. 🔍 Is the Bathurst grassland earless dragon extinct? 😳 Grim reason three new dragon species were added to the threatened species list 🚨 Fears for future of tiny dragon stalling construction of 310,000 new homes That farm where it was found is potentially worth tens of millions of dollars. Those working to protect the dragons are concerned the government has yet to put in an offer to buy the property, putting its owners and the future of the dragons in limbo. Robertson thinks conserving this 'one known population' needs to be the 'number one' priority of the government if it wants to stop its extinction. And he warns its future is far from being secure. 'When we can see what's clearly required, and nothing's happening, and nothing's happened for more than two years since the rediscovery. It is really frustrating,' he said. 'This might be the one chance we have to save this species. If we don't secure that habitat it may go back to apparent extinction, just like we assumed for decades.' Dragons are often described as a 'Goldilocks species' because they require habitat to be 'just right' — a mosaic of short to moderate grass tussocks as well as areas that support basking in the sun. At the rediscovery site, it's 60 years of sheep grazing that's kept the grass low, creating a perfect environment perfect for dragons. But other viable habitat on private land has been left for decades to degrade, and it will need significant rehabilitation if it's ever to be home to dragons again. Biodiversity Council spokesperson and report contributing author, Janna Dielenberg, thinks it's unlikely that the dragon could be rediscovered due to the region being developed. 'The chances of another discovery are exceedingly slim,' she told Yahoo News. In 2010, the Victorian government committed to buying 15,000 hectares of private land over a decade to protect rare native grasslands and create the Western Grassland Reserve (WGR). But 15 years on, the plan has not been completed and just 4,000 hectares have been protected. It was conceived as part of a deal with the Commonwealth called the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA) that allowed the state to take charge of development in sensitive areas. One major concern is that the MSA has not been updated to include the rediscovery site. And the Biodiversity Council says it's 'disappointed' that over the last 15 years, other land that might have once been a great asset to dragons has been allowed to degrade because it's yet to be purchased by the Victorian government. Dielenberg said land that was in 'great healthy condition' is now overrun with weeds, used for dumping soil, or transformed from sheep grazing to crops, making it no longer suitable for dragons. 'Sheep farming has become less profitable over that time. And when they plough it all up for crops it rips up their burrows, and destroys the grasslands forever,' she said. In a statement Victoria's department of environment (DEECA) said it is "protecting" native grassland habitats by continuing to acquire and rehabilitate land. 'This is funded by the MSA levy which is paid by developers and therefore proceeds in line with the rate of development in the area,' it said. 'We are working with the private landholder and other stakeholders on ways to protect the dragon rediscovery site, as well as delivering a successful conservation breeding program for the Victorian grassland earless dragon with the Commonwealth Government.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
ABC News
11-06-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Critically endangered Victorian grassland earless lizard habitat threatened by land sale limbo
On a sheep farm west of Melbourne two years ago, a lizard species thought extinct was discovered to be well and truly alive. State and federal environment ministers jointly announced the surprise find that Victorian grasslands earless dragons (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla) were still going half a century after their last sighting. The species survived in a remnant of once-widespread native grasses that were periodically grazed by sheep and left to go to seed in summer. But after the plaudits, the family that owns the property has faced a stressful conundrum as they try to conserve the species amid drought, dropping wool prices and rising farm costs. The farm owners — whose identities and location can't be revealed because of the threat posed by wildlife poachers — want to sell the portion of their land suitable for conservation to the Victorian government. But the state government won't buy them out despite having a program that aims to purchase land containing endangered grasslands as an offset to urban development. "There's zero incentive for farmers to protect native pastures," a spokesperson for the family said. "We feel that the financial incentive is for us to do the opposite … the problem is with climate change and the drought it's always changing how we do things. With the preservation of the lizard in mind, the family has refrained from changing grazing practices used since World War II. Reptile ecologist Peter Robertson, who is a member of the recovery team for the dragon, said any grazing management changes could be disastrous for the remaining lizards. "Farming with sheep grazing appears to be what has most likely allowed the dragon to persist on that land," he said. Mr Robertson was a co-author of a new report from the Biodiversity Council, an independent biodiversity expert group founded by 11 Australian universities, with a list of recommendations to conserve the dragon and the wider grasslands. He said the number-one priority in the report, titled "Delivering houses and saving dragons", was to secure the wild site. "It may well be that we never find this species anywhere else," Mr Robertson said. University of Melbourne wildlife ecologist Brendan Wintle, who is also a Biodiversity Council lead councillor, said the species could be lost again without action. "We're not even seeing a guarantee of its protection of its last wild population, despite the goodwill of the people who currently own the land. "The obvious action is for the Victorian government and maybe with some help from the commonwealth government to purchase and secure the only known wild population." Around 98 per cent of the grasslands have been lost since European colonisation. The Victorian government in 2010 agreed to purchase 15,000 hectares of private land containing what's left of the grasslands over a decade to create the Western Grassland Reserve. That commitment was made as part of an agreement — called the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA) — with the federal government for suburban development to go ahead in other sensitive areas. But the property in which the dragons were found doesn't fall into the acquisition zone that was drawn up by the state some 13 years before the rediscovery. And despite provisions allowing changes, the MSA has not been updated to include likely lizard habitat in the new reserves. A federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water spokesperson said land purchases for the reserve were the responsibility of the state government. "The department is working with the Victorian government on specific protections for the Victorian grassland earless dragon." The Victorian government would not say why it wouldn't buy the property nor update the MSA. But a spokesperson said it was working with the private landholder and other stakeholders on ways to protect the dragon rediscovery site, "as well as delivering a successful conservation breeding program for the Victorian grassland earless dragon with the commonwealth government". Melbourne Zoo successfully hatched dragon babies at the end of 2023 after 16 male and 13 females were removed from the farm. Dragon-detecting dogs have also been trained on the farm to potentially find other surviving lizards elsewhere in the state. But the Biodiversity Council's report states this isn't enough, and calls out the speed of government initiatives to help the dragon. It recommends more funding to survey potential dragon sites and to translocate zoo-bred lizards to establish at least 12 new wild populations. Professor Wintle said more resources were needed to urgently undertake translocations and remove threats such as cats. "But at the moment we're not seeing any investment in trials." The report is also critical of the effectiveness of the MSA and conservation reserve planning. New proposals for urban development around Bacchus Marsh and Geelong haven't been incorporated into the MSA, but are instead covered by separate federal environment legislation. The Biodiversity Council also reported several alleged incidents of habitat (protected by federal law) in the proposed Western Grassland Reserve being cleared illegally. And while 15,000 hectares of land was supposed to be purchased by 2020 for the reserve, so far about 4,000 hectares (or 26 per cent of properties) have been bought by the Victorian government. Professor Wintle said that should put the state in breach of its agreement, and the Biodiversity Council has called on the federal government to audit the MSA and bring it up to date. He also said the original environmental value of flagged conservation land was declining because of the lack of urgency to finalise the reserves. But a Victorian government spokesperson defended the pace of its buy-up. "We're protecting our native grassland habitats and the species that occupy them by continuing to acquire and rehabilitate land to create the Western Grasslands Reserve," they said. "This is funded by the MSA levy that is paid by developers and therefore proceeds in line with the rate of development in the area." A Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water spokesperson added the MSA was a "robust framework" balancing housing and threatened species. But back at the farm with the dragons, the view is government policies need to change to better balance landscape management. "There are big issues on farms in peri-urban areas," a family spokesperson said. "If you want farmers to maintain Australia's landscape, particularly the western plains, there has to be something better."
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Percussionist DAME EVELYN GLENNIE reveals her life-changing payday
Dame Evelyn Glennie, 59, is the first person to sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist, performing worldwide with great artists and orchestras, writes Peter Robertson. Born in Aberdeenshire, her hearing declined from the age of eight, making her achievements all the more remarkable. She's worked with artists include Danny Boyle (on the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics), Bjork and Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler. She was made a Dame in 2007. Divorced, she lives in Cambridgeshire. What did your parents teach you about money? To be financially independent and responsible with it. Being brought up on a farm, the holidays were always spent doing things like picking potatoes at other farms, where I'd get £6 to £10 a day, and that went into a jar I could use to buy things such as Christmas presents. When I left home at 16 to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, it was important to be responsible with money. What was your first pay packet? One of my jobs on the farm was to look after sick lambs. If I managed to keep them alive, once they were sold at the mart, Dad allowed me to have that money. So that was a nice incentive, although I'd have looked after the lambs for no money, of course, as they were so cute. When I started doing sessions for Harry Secombe's TV series Highway, I got double what I'd expected so I told them they must have made a mistake, but it was explained that as I played multiple instruments I earned more. Have you ever struggled to make ends meet? Not really. I've been lucky on that front. As a student in London I tried to get through each week on £10-£25 – I wasn't the sort to buy new jeans over a piece of music. In those days you could buy lunch in the Academy canteen cheaply. My diet was practically sausage and beans. I had a complete focus on creating a career as a solo percussionist. Have you ever been paid silly money? In the late 1980s I was asked to take part in a TV advert, playing the marimba on top of a Fuji Bank building in Paris. The fee was £20,000, so of course I was going to say yes. They also gave me free rein to buy a dress, so I went to Harrods and got one for more than £1,000. It seemed absurd to buy that without a worry. The £20,000 allowed me to buy a 3.5-ton van to transport my own equipment, to tour Europe and build a team of people. So that money was a godsend. What's been the best year of your financial life? My first 20 or so years in the music business were very lucrative, in that many of the arts organisations, promoters and venues and so on were well supported. That's not the case nowadays – it can be a real challenge. I was lucky to become financially independent quite early on, in order to do things like employ a team of people. If I started out now, I don't think that would be possible in quite the same way. Are you a spender or saver? I'm certainly a saver, but I do spend quite a bit on percussion instruments, which I love, think are beautiful and am curious about, and I still use a lot of them. That is really my thing. I can probably count the pairs of shoes I have with one hand – though I sometimes record and perform barefoot to feel physically more connected to the sound. The Evelyn Glennie Collection in Huntingdon, which people can visit, includes over 3,800 instruments. What's the most expensive thing you bought for fun? I had a midlife moment when playing in Austria about 25 years ago. I had just passed my motorbike test and bought a lovely MV Agusta for about £12,000, and took it home in the 7.5 ton truck I had then. But insurers seemed to target musicians, and with my hearing impairment the cost went through the roof, so I never rode the bike. I still have it though, and when people tour my Collection it's the first thing they see... and the last thing they expect to see. What has been your biggest money mistake? That was in about 1988 when I bought my first property – a one-bedroom flat in west London. I'd had no advice. Then, when properties were sold in Scotland, you just paid the asking price – there was no haggling. I assumed that was true of the UK. I moved out of London to where I am now in 1992 – I wish I'd been in a financial position to keep the flat. In the Collection there's a card written by a neighbour in London threatening to 'take things further' if I didn't keep the noise down! The best money decision you've made? Employing someone who knows more about money than me. That has been important because, although I'm a saver and like to know what's in the bank and what my money is doing, I'm not one who wants to manage it day to day. Do you have a pension? Yes, on my parents' advice, I've had one since I was a young professional. Do you own any property? I own a five-bedroom house in a tiny village, two houses that are rented out and a business unit. Do you donate money to charity? Yes. I've always done quite a lot for charities, whether doing something or donating financially. But at the moment the bulk of my energy is towards supporting my own charity, The Evelyn Glennie Foundation. Its mission is to teach the world to listen. For example, we work in prisons where listening is key to what goes on. Listening has been an important part of my journey. If you were Chancellor of the Exchequer, what would you do? We put a lot of importance on wellbeing, and people are living longer, yet I think the elderly are not always well treated. We need to think about the quality of care and the respect that we put towards that generation, because they can be incredibly valuable to society. What is your top indulgence? Aside from percussion instruments, I enjoy going to antique fairs, for walks and cycles, and metal detecting – but those aren't expensive hobbies. I was given a metal detector about 12 years ago by a friend as a Christmas present. I've never found anything valuable – mostly bits of old farm machinery – but it's a lovely, relaxing thing to do. What is your No.1 financial priority? To make sure there's always financial independence, and the wherewithal to ensure everything is protected as much as possible.
