Best James Donaldson Wet Tropics Waterways Podcasts (2024)

1
S5.E10 Dr Robert Walsh, Micro invertebrates in waterways 21:30

5M ago21:30

21:30

Micro invertebrates are tiny creatures that are invisible to the naked eye but form the basis of the food web in our waterways. Dr. Robert Walsh talks about the importance and diversity of microfauna for sustaining aquatic systems and reveals that their eggs can remain viable for up to 400-500 years, meaning that extinct species could come alive ag…

1
S5.E9 Kim Hooper, Prawn Farming Near the Great Barrier Reef 18:25

5M ago18:25

18:25

Australia loves its prawns so much that Queensland's aquaculture industry produces more than $200M of produce of each year, but is it sustainable? Kim Hooper, Executive Officer of the Australian Prawn Farmers Association, talks about the industry, how it works and how it minimises its impact on local waterways.…

1
S5.E8 Gareth Phillips, Tourism and Conservation on the Great Barrier Reef 26:52

6M ago26:52

26:52

Millions of tourists come to north Queensland each year to experience the natural wonder of the Great Barrier Reef. This influx of people from around the world represents an opportunity to educate and inform people about the complexity of the reef system and the threats that it faces. In this week’s Reef & Rivers podcast, Gareth Phillips, CEO of th…

1
S5.E7 Associate Professor Mike Rasheed and Paul Doyle, Seagrass 25:51

6M ago25:51

25:51

Seagrass meadows play a critically important role in the reef ecosystem. They are nursery habitat for fish and prawns, they stabilise sediment and protect coastlines from erosion, they suck up and filter nutrients coming down from rivers into the reef lagoon, they absorb carbon and also help buffer the reef from pathogens and diseases. Associate Pr…

1
S5.E6 Fiona Barron, Tracking Progress on Great Barrier Reef Water Quality 12:01

7M ago12:01

12:01

The Great Barrier Reef is about the size of Japan or Italy and there are millions of dollars being invested in improving the runoff of water flowing off the land. How do we know if these reef projects are actually working? Fiona Barron is the coordinator of the Paddock to Reef Program in the Wet Tropics, which tracks progress against targets in Aus…

1
S5.E5 Mark Kennard, Bloomfield River Cod 24:39

7M ago24:39

24:39

Professor Mark Kennard discovered the Bloomfield River Cod in the early 90's whilst undertaking fish surveys as a research assistant. It is the only tropical cod in the world that has avoided predators by living in an 11 kms stretch of the Bloomfield River between two waterfalls.By Wet Tropics Waterways

1
S5.E4 Dr Samantha Tol, Dugongs, Turtles and Seagrass 20:26

8M ago20:26

20:26

Did you know that seagrass is the only plant in the world that is capable of fruiting and flowering underwater? This is just one of many fascinating facts shared by Dr. Samantha Tol in this week’s Reef & Rivers podcast. Samantha is a researcher at JCU and well known in the marine science world for her research into dugong and sea turtle poo. Her fi…

1
S5.E3 - Joe Marano, Cane Farming by the Great Barrier Reef 26:14

8M ago26:14

26:14

The sugarcane industry is a highly visible part of the Wet Tropics landscape – if you drive between Ingham and the Daintree, you can’t miss it. Employing more than 4000 direct jobs and supporting another 1800, it contributes over $630 million to our local rural economies. However, since the health of the Great Barrier Reef has been in the spotlight…

1
S5.E2 - Nathan Waltham, Restoring Coastal Wetlands 18:03

9M ago18:03

18:03

Nathan Waltham, Senior Principal Researcher at James Cook University, is an expert in coastal landscape ecology and processes. In this episode of the Reef & Rivers podcast Nathan talks about the importance of different wetland habitats, the pressures from urban development and the future fo restoration work.…

1
S5. E1 Greg Vinall, Results of the 2023 Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card 19:53

9M ago19:53

19:53

This is the 8th annual Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card to be released by Wet Tropics Waterways to assess the health and condition of freshwater basins, estuaries, inshore and offshore areas of the Wet Tropics in Far North Queensland. Independent Chair Dr Greg Vinall explains some of the key findings in 2023.…

1
S4.E10 The role of aquariums as educators 10:53

1+ y ago10:53

10:53

If you’ve visited the Cairns Aquarium you’ll know that biodiversity and conservation education are a driving force behind their business model. In fact, raising awareness about the biodiversity in our world heritage-listed reef and rainforest underpins their entire philosophy. With over 100,000 visitors annually, the Aquarium is in a unique positio…

1
S4.E9 A blueprint for turbo-charging reef water quality progress 14:12

1+ y ago14:12

14:12

The Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project was an ambitious 4-year social change and reef water quality project, and has been described as a blueprint to accelerating progress towards achieving reef water quality targets. The project had unprecedented engagement from the agricultural sector and resulted in 23,966 of hectares of land under confirmed p…

1
S4.E8 Bum breathers - the Johnstone River snapping turtle 13:25

1+ y ago13:25

13:25

Despite its name, the Johnstone River snapping turtle is no snappier than any other freshwater turtle – and is perhaps better known by its alias, the ‘bum breather’. According to turtle expert Alistair Freeman, this ability for cloacal respiration is thought to enable bum breathers to stay under water for prolonged periods to avoid predation, altho…

1
S4.E7 Using eDNA to find endangered frogs 9:45

1+ y ago9:45

9:45

1
S4.E6 Keeping tabs on mangroves 8:45

1+ y ago8:45

8:45

Mangroves and saltmarsh are important coastal ecosystems that help purify water, buffer coastal communities from extreme weather and provide fish nurseries for our recreational and commercial fishing industries. They’re also among the most efficient ecosystems in the world at sequestering and storing carbon – but are under threat from climate chang…

1
S4.E5 From pets to pests - ornamental fish gone rogue 10:25

1+ y ago10:25

10:25

They might look pretty – or at least, pretty harmless, but Australia’s ornamental fish trade can pose a serious threat to our waterways. Once an invasive is established, it makes eradication almost impossible, which means prevention is always better than cure. In this episode we’re joined by freshwater fish biologist Mariah Millington to find out e…

1
S4.E4 The changing face of tropical cyclones 16:30

1+ y ago16:30

16:30

Tropical cyclones, though destructive, are part of the natural dynamics of the rainforest and reef. We often see their land-based impacts most vividly, but they also impact coral reefs and seagrass beds. We catch up with Professor Steve Turton to find out how anthropogenic climate change is changing the frequency, intensity and location of cyclones…

1
S4.E3 Tracking bull sharks 17:35

1+ y ago17:35

17:35

Equal parts fearful and fascinating, bull sharks have a reputation as strong, aggressive sharks and are one of the most common species that anglers are likely to encounter in the estuaries and inshore marine zone. Nicolas Lubitz is a Ph.D candidate at James Cook University, and tracks bull sharks to find out where they travel and why. Join us to le…

1
S4.E2 Pharmaceutical-filled waterways 28:29

1+ y ago28:29

28:29

When we think about waterway pollution, things like paracetamol and caffeine probably aren’t the first things that come to mind – but they’re among the alarmingly long list of pharmaceuticals and consumables that are literally passing through our bodies and into waterways. Ecotoxicologist Dr Frederic Leusch joins us to talk about what’s turning up,…

1
S4.E1 Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card Results - 2022 20:33

1+ y ago20:33

20:33

The 2022 Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card was released today. A lot of complex science goes on behind the report, and it can get a bit heavy, so we asked our Independent Chair Dr Greg Vinall to break it down. Join us, to learn about the good news stories and the areas in which we could be doing better; what’s impacting waterway health grades…

1
Season 3 Episode 7: Report Card Results 20:41

3y ago20:41

20:41

The science is in, and the results are out. The 2021 Report Card grades the condition of the freshwater basins, estuaries and marine environments across the Wet Tropics as an action of the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan. Join our Chair and Exec Officer to hear an overview of the results.

1
Season 3 Episode 6: Ports North - Environmental Responsibility in the Shipping Lane 19:50

3y ago19:50

19:50

Ports North is responsible for the development and management of the Ports of Cairns, Cape Flattery, Karumba, Mourilyan, Skardon River, Quintell Beach, Thursday Island, Burketown and Cooktown. Manager of Sustainability and External Policy, Paul Doyle, joins the podcast to talk about Ports North’s operations in the Wet Tropics, the Cairns shipping d…

1
Season 3 Episode 5: Carole Sweatman from GreenCollar 28:00

3y ago28:00

28:00

1
Season 3 Episode 4: Cathy Retter from Kuranda Envirocare 15:19

3y ago15:19

15:19

1
Season 3 Episode 3: Dr Lynne Powell from Cairns Regional Council 18:37

3y ago18:37

18:37

1
Season 3 Episode 2: Aaron Davis on Working With Canegrowers on Project 25 15:38

3y ago15:38

15:38

1
Season 3 Episode 1: Gareth Phillips from Reef Teach & AMPTO 19:46

3y ago19:46

19:46

1
Season 2 Episode 14: Professor Steve Turton on the 2020 Results 22:22

3+ y ago22:22

22:22

1
Season 2 Episode 13: Travis Sydes on Aquatic Weeds 17:39

4y ago17:39

17:39

1
Season 2 Episode 12: Matt Brien on Crocodiles 26:42

4y ago26:42

26:42

1
Season 2 Episode 11: Dr Michael Rasheed on Seagrass 18:58

4y ago18:58

18:58

1
Season 2 Episode 10: Leanne Carr on Farm Nutrient Planning 17:38

4y ago17:38

17:38

By Wet Tropics Waterways

1
Season 2 Episode 9: Matt Moore Talks Fish Barriers 27:16

4y ago27:16

27:16

1
Season 2 Episode 8: The Evolution of Environmental Report Cards 27:00

4y ago27:00

27:00

Bill Dennison and Simon Costanza from the University of Maryland talk about the history and evolution of environmental report cards as a process for galvanising communities to improve environmental conditions.

1
Season 2 Episode 7: Alicia Buckle on the MIP's Local Scale Monitoring Program 19:31

4y ago19:31

19:31

Water quality monitoring can be done on lots of different scales. Great Barrier Reef monitoring is done on a catchment scale with the results reflecting what's happening over a very large area. While this is useful to give a big picture perspective on the reef it is less relevant to farmers and doesn't give them any information about what changes t…

1
Season 2 Episode 6: Ausmap Microplastics With Michelle Blewitt 14:30

4y ago14:30

14:30

By Reef And Rivers

1
Season 2 Episode 5: Suzette Argent on Constructed Wetlands 14:46

4y ago14:46

14:46

1
Season 2 Episode 4: David Moffatt on Fish Surveys 13:06

4y ago13:06

13:06

1
Season 2 Episode 3: Dr Ryan Turner on Pesticides 12:55

4y ago12:55

12:55

1
Season 2 Episode 2: Dr Karl Bowles on PFAS 15:31

4y ago15:31

15:31

1
Season 2 Episode 1: Michelle McKinlay from ABGC 17:07

4y ago17:07

17:07

Over 90% of Australia's bananas are grown in the Wet Tropics but with increasing pressure on our agricultural sectors to become more environmentally sustainable, the banana industry is making changes to improve the quality of water flowing off banana farms into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. Michelle McKinlay, Industry Manager for the Australian Ba…

1
Steve Turton: 2019 Wet Tropics Report Card Results 23:09

4+ y ago23:09

23:09

In July 2019 the fourth Wet Tropics Waterway Health report card was launched, highlighting the condition of the basins, estuaries and marine zones from the Daintree in the north to Hinchinbrook in the south. Wet Tropics Waterways chair Steve Turton describes the results of the report card program, discussing changes since the 2018 report card and t…

1
Episode 20: Steve Turton Talks Climate Change Implications For The Wet Tropics 16:41

5y ago16:41

16:41

Climate change forecasts indicate that the Wet Tropics can look forward to more rainfall, more severe cyclones and warmer temperatures, according to Professor Steve Turton. This will have implications for the reef, mangrove and seagrass ecosystems in the region, as well as the freshwater systems that drain our basins. But while there are some conce…

1
Episode 19: Suzette Argent explains bioreactors. 14:37

5y ago14:37

14:37

Bioreactors show a lot of promise for denitifying and "polishing" groundwater before it is expressed into waterways or direct to the Great Barrier Reef via wonky holes (undersea springs). Whilst they won't negate the need to better manage our nitrogen loads to surface and ground waters, the ability to intercept and remove nitrogen could play an imp…

1
Episode 18: Understanding Paddock To Reef With Fiona Barron 14:40

5y ago14:40

14:40

Fiona Barron is the Wet Tropics Coordinator of the Paddock to Reef Integrated Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting program (P2R), a world leading scientific program funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments that links on-ground practice changes by farmers to measureable improvements in water quality flowing to the Great Barrier Reef. P2R p…

1
Episode 17: Denis Walls From CAFNEC 20:05

5y ago20:05

20:05

1
Episode 16: David Hardwick Talks Soil Health And Wet Tropics Waterways 17:20

5y ago17:20

17:20

Agro-Ecologist David Hardwick has been working in the farming and food industry for over 20 years. As an expert on soils, agronomy and organics he has been working with many farmers throughout the Wet Tropics to build knowledge and skills about soil as a farm business asset. Besides being important for farm productivity, good soil health also has i…

1
Episode 15: Heidi Taylor from Tangaroa Blue talks about plastic waste 12:38

5y ago12:38

12:38

Tangaroa Blue is a not for profit organisation involved in the cleanup and cataloguing of plastic debris from our coastlines, as well as educational campaigns regarding plastic waste management and minimisation. In this episode Tangaroa Blue Managing Director Heidi Taylor describes the scale of the problem, the impacts on our environment and the ac…

1
Episode 14: Biosecurity and pest fish threats to the wet tropics region 19:45

5y ago19:45

19:45

The introduction and spread of noxious aquatic fauna and flora can be particularly damaging to the health of our waterways. Once introduced, these invasive species often can't be eradicated, even controlling their spread and proliferation can be expensive and extremely challenging. The damage that alien (exotic) species can do to our delicate ecosy…

1
Episode 13: Woodleigh Station Land Management Project 14:03

5y ago14:03

14:03

Woodleigh Station is a working beef cattle business that embraced sustainable landuse and grazing best practice. Management of stocking levels, extensive fencing and provision of of stream watering points are strategies adopted by the station to ensure long-term sustainability. In this episode Greg talks to landholder Kate Wardell about their strat…

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James Donaldson Wet Tropics Waterways Podcasts

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