Biodiversity monitoring strengthens grazing outcomes
Einasleigh Uplands graziers are gaining valuable insights into the biodiversity on their properties through innovative monitoring as part of the Climate Resilient Rangelands project.
Launched in January 2026, the NQ Dry Tropics project is helping landholders strengthen the resilience and productivity of their grazing businesses while reducing the impacts of wildfires, weeds and pests.
Across eight participating properties, field officers Eleanor Haig and Hugh Morton are establishing biodiversity baselines using camera traps, acoustic recorders, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and fauna surveys to document the plants and animals found in wetlands and threatened softwood scrub.
The monitoring will help landholders better understand and manage the natural assets on their properties, track environmental change over time, and identify future opportunities for biodiversity stewardship and investment.
Hugh Morton collects water samples from a wetland on Minnamoolka Station. EDNA analysis will provide valuable information on the presence of aquatic vertebrates.
Einasleigh Uplands — a biodiversity hotspot
The Einasleigh Uplands, north of Charters Towers, is a recognised biodiversity hotspot, with unique basalt landscapes, dry rainforests, threatened softwood scrub and important wetland ecosystems. Many of these natural assets are under pressure from invasive species such as aquatic weeds, tilapia, pigs, and deer.
The project is helping landholders protect these values through targeted pest management and strategic fencing that supports improved grazing management while reducing impacts on sensitive areas.
As part of the monitoring, Eleanor and Hugh recently collected eDNA water samples from a wetland on Minnamoolka Station. The samples, which capture traces of genetic material left by animals, will be analysed by JCU TropWATER to identify aquatic vertebrates such as fish and amphibians, as well as evidence of pig and deer activity.
Camera traps and acoustic recorders have also been deployed in wetlands and threatened softwood scrub on properties including Maryvale and Meadowbank to detect birds and other wildlife.
Eleanor said the biodiversity monitoring complements existing tools such as the Land Condition Assessment Tool (LCAT), Vegetation Assessment Tool (VegCAT) and Wetland Monitoring Tool (WetCAT), providing landholders with a more complete picture of their property’s ecological health.
“Integrating biodiversity monitoring with existing grazing assessments provides a more complete picture of property health and supports both productive and resilient landscapes,” Eleanor said.
“By establishing a biodiversity baseline for participating properties, we can track changes in species, habitat condition and ecosystem health over time.
“This information will help evaluate the effectiveness of grazing management, identify positive environmental outcomes, and guide future land management decisions and investment opportunities, including natural capital markets,” she said.
Hugh said all biodiversity information collected through the project would be incorporated into integrated property plans and shared with participating landholders.
“Many landholders are keen to learn more about the species and ecosystems on their properties, and the project has already highlighted the valuable local knowledge they bring,” he said.
“Combining that knowledge with survey data provides a more complete understanding of each property’s environmental values.”
Remnant patches of softwood scrub like this one on Maryvale Station will be targeted for protection and comprehensive biodiversity monitoring.
Building biodiversity monitoring capability
The project is drawing on the growing biodiversity monitoring expertise of NQ Dry Tropics field officers, alongside experienced specialist practitioners, to deliver cost-effective, high-quality biodiversity assessments using modern survey methods and techniques.
By combining in-house capability with targeted specialist support, the project improves efficiency, reduces reliance on external consultants over time, and enables more integrated assessments alongside existing on-ground works. This collaborative approach creates valuable synergies across projects while ensuring consistent monitoring and interpretation of results.
Over the longer term, the aim is to incorporate biodiversity assessments into properties receiving NQ Dry Tropics investment, providing a stronger evidence base to guide conservation planning, monitor outcomes and maximise the impact of future investment.
Eleanor Haig collecting water samples from the edge of the wetland at Minnamoolka.
The Climate-Resilient Rangelands project is delivered by NQ Dry Tropics and funded through the Queensland Government’s Natural Resource Management Expansion Program.
