a new marine park has won approval—the first in the Northern Territory in more than 30 years—at Limmen Bight Located at the mouth of the Roper River in the Gulf of Carpentaria Limmen Bight is an extraordinarily productive marine ecosystem fueled by three big river systems that push vast amounts of nutrients into the sea This provides food for huge nursery grounds for many important commercially fished species including prawns The marine park is only the second designated in the Northern Territory the shallow seabed is covered by rich seagrass meadows that host herds of grazing dugong and sea turtles are fringed with corals and sponges that provide rich habitat for many fish species These waters are home to the Indigenous Marra people who have cared for the sea country for millennia The Marra have a rich cultural history here dreamtime stories and important sacred sites The marine park provides the Marra and the Northern Territory government the opportunity to safeguard the unique cultural conservation and fishing lifestyle values of this iconic region. The creation of this park should improve management and protection of the marine environment while supporting Aboriginal economic development and fishing and safeguarding the area’s unique marine wildlife It also puts a stop to proposed seabed mining within the park polluted waters and threatened recreational fishing The Limmen Bight Marine Park extends out into the Gulf to the point where it joins up with the Federal Limmen Marine Park which was finalized in 2018—creating an overall area of marine protection of 2,283 square kilometres (881 square miles) The Pew Charitable Trusts and local partners, through the Keep Top End Coasts Healthy alliance stakeholders and the Northern Territory government to help make this marine park a reality Michelle Grady leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ marine conservation work in Australia The Pew Charitable Trusts uses data to make a difference Pew addresses the challenges of a changing world by illuminating issues and advancing ambitious projects that lead to tangible progress Nona Limmen is a Dutch photographer who is always in pursuit of beauty and mystery. She composes dark portraits of “dreams, fantasies, and memories,” spinning these intangible experiences together with subtle threads of paganism Ghostly queens and horned priestesses wearing flowing robes stand alone in fields and forests but remaining ever-sensitive to their environment and prismatic qualities of the images dissolve the edges of reality to reveal a hazy Limmen’s portraits are like opened doors to parallel worlds calling to us in personal and intuitive ways the car dealership Next Exclusives in Limmen is claiming to be the first and only in Europe to offer the Cybertruck for sale which are already on sale in the United States compared to the huge 356.950 euros that the truck is expected to sell for at Next Exclusives the Tesla on offer is the first Tesla Cybertruck All-wheel Drive Foundation Series to be offered for sale throughout Europe They expect the car to be sold while still on display the car is not able to be used on public roads in the Netherlands yet and further delivery dates for the car have not yet been announced outside the US at this time Though the first Cybertruck to be put up for sale in Europe is landing in the Netherlands later this month the first test drive of a Cybertruck in Europe was undertaken by Prince Albert of Monaco who recently took a Cybertruck for a spin around his home country The truck is the first one of its kind to take to the roads in Europe Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the vehicle can follow the official Tesla Cyber Oddysey tour and can view the car in Eindhoven on June 25 and 26 in Amsterdam from July 1 to 4 and in Utrecht on July 5 and 6 Thumb image credit: wedmoments.stock / Shutterstock.com The Northern Territory’s Limmen National Park sits on the edge of Gulf Country with side tracks to camping and fishing areas roads can be closed due to flooding from November until May when summer storms hit and create chaos across the Top End Limmen occupies 10,000km² on the eastern side of the NT reaching out into the waters of the gulf in the adjacent Limmen Marine Park Limmen is still managed by Parks NT and has its own ranger station but the best part is the number of cheap and sometimes free campgrounds in the area so trip and car preparation needs to be spot on Limmen is also known for its massive sandstone formations aptly known as the Lost Cities as well as access to the one-million-acre cattle station dubbed Lorella Springs Wilderness Park Our journey started from the eastern fringe north of Cape Crawford but before hitting this remote section of the Gulf of Carpentaria I ensured I was full of fuel and groceries from the nearby settlement of Borroloola There are two turns that head to Limmen and my choice was Ryans Bend Road that departs the Carpentaria Highway 26km out of Borroloola and bisects Nathan River Road which is the main thoroughfare traversing Limmen NP the road is pretty average and a sign states it’s remote travel with no fuel for nearly 400km you’ll travel through and pass old cattle stations in this rough country The roads are rugged with endless corrugations but that’s expected at the end of the dry season up here An interesting fact is that Abel Tasman named nearby Limmen Bight but it was explorer Willem Janszoon who sailed into the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606 Ludwig Leichhardt followed and named the Limmen Bight River as he travelled upstream looking for a way west Pastoralism started in the area around 1883 limited water and resistance from the local Aboriginals It does better today with modern grazing practices The scenery heading deep into the park is nothing short of spectacular The roads are a deep red colour and the trees are covered in the same dust from months of dry weather with stunning ranges cutting the skyline as the road finds a path between mountains The complex geology of this area makes the drive extremely interesting with remnants of the Arnhem Land Plateau running north-south through the park and leaving an array of habitats from dry sandstone to vast woodlands Limmen is a scattered NP with sections broken in amongst nearby cattle stations with the main section of the park farther to the northwest One of the most iconic places in the NT is the wilderness park and massive cattle station of Lorella Springs beautiful hot springs and amazing barra fishing in the many rivers you can head out to the waters of the Gulf you’ll always receive the friendliest of welcomes from any of the staff members During check-in they will give you a list of options on where to camp depending on your needs plus hand you a great map of the property featuring tracks as well as any other interesting spots they think you’ll enjoy it’s a bit overwhelming and you’ll need to spend more than a few days here The ancient rock formations and old river beds have to be seen to be believed where huge masses of conglomerate rock have formed together into sizable boulders natural archways and rugged steep ranges that criss-cross Lorella as there is a different surprise around every corner and across every dry creek bed Lorella is 15 degrees south of the equator and is claimed to be in one of the most remote and isolated places in the country allowing for 20km of unspoilt ocean frontage with a huge array of fauna and flora – thousands of different species – on the property Prehistoric dinosaur bones have been found on the property and gold and diamonds have been unearthed too Lorella Springs closes during the wet season around the end of September so expect the billabongs to be a tad low if you’re visiting late my first port of call was to the stunning Southern Lost City You’re allowed to camp here for a small fee and it gives you a good base to spend the day on the walking tracks that loop around these huge and eerie sandstone pillars These were formed nearly 150 million years ago as part of an old seabed – over millions of years both water and wind have slowly weathered these columns into these incredible shapes Most have different colours through them due to the complex mineral composition in the sandstone and ore and when the sun hits the formations on different angles the colours are amazing The next stop after the Southern Lost City was Butterfly Falls with a short stroll to the beautiful falls and pool The falls are at the base of a low sandstone plateau with sheer rock faces surrounding this magical place It’s another short stroll to the gorge and falls and it’s home to the Wagiman people who lived in the surrounding area The water flows into the Douglas River and eventually the Daly River about 50km away One of the best vantage points to see across the gorge is along the 5km lookout walk that’s suitable for people with medium fitness Butterfly Gorge gets its name from the huge amount of common crow butterflies that often shelter in the vegetation Heading out from Butterfly Gorge the next stop was the Nathan River Ranger Station Not only does the station have a huge array of history and artefacts in its building staff will also provide you with road conditions whichever way you’re heading They’ll also give you the code for the gated entry for the Western Lost City Track the track – a 28km track to another group of stunning sandstone rock columns – was closed for maintenance Reports at the time suggested the track was in poor condition all the way in giving the rangers an indication of where people are at the time waterholes and 3.5 billion-year-old stromatolites which are large rocks formed by algae and deposited on an ancient seabed The next port of call was the Roper Bar general store still some 200km away along Nathan River Road but the corrugations get pretty average after a few days on them there’s a couple of beautiful river crossings heading out Nathan River Road joins up to the Port Roper Road where you can head out to the massive Roper River system it’s a short drive to the Munbililla (Tomato Island) campground on the banks of the river which has great facilities including phone signal A couple of nights spent here is ideal to catch up with other travellers From here it’s another 50km to the Roper Bar store with the route providing the chance to drive the old Roper River crossing and check out the ruins of the Roper River police station that operated from 1885-1980 with plenty of relics to check out; plus there’s the memorial cairn commemorating the journey of Friedrich Leichhardt in 1845 sealed 200km cruise out to the Stuart Highway and the town of Mataranka I wasn’t expecting so many beautiful areas along the 400km trek through Limmen National Park but it’s definitely recommended for anyone who loves remote travel It’s a breathtaking region where you could easily spend a month exploring a very special and unique place It’s hard to believe such a spot can be so harsh yet have so many fragile elements Limmen National Park (incorporating Limmen Bight Marine Park) lies on the most western point of the Gulf of Carpentaria some 275km south-east of Katherine and 65km west of Borroloola the NP requires visitors to be self-sufficient in fuel and food and warns that all roads and tracks are unsealed and subject to seasonal closures and there is nothing better than a refreshing dip in many of the Top End’s noted swimming holes Butterfly Falls is the only place in Limmen that’s safe for swimming but isn’t recommended near the end of the dry when it becomes stagnant the rivers and creeks within Limmen are inhabited by saltwater crocs and authorities advise no swimming As with everything across the tropical north of the continent fishing is a major and extremely popular pastime for locals and visitors and there are plenty of opportunities to wet a bait or flick a lure The Limmen NP region contains several significant river systems including the Roper Towns and Limmen Bight Rivers that flow east into the Gulf of Carpentaria Munbililla and the Limmen Bight Fishing Camp Within the park are short-term campsites with facilities at Towns River Fees apply and sites must be pre-booked online before arrival There’s also camping outside the NP’s boundaries at the Limmen Bight Fishing Camp and Lorella Springs Wilderness Park There are plenty of lagoons close to the NP’s main thoroughfare The intriguing pillars of the Lost City formations are home to the region’s more notable wildlife restaurants and other good spots to enjoy a nice and relaxing beverage or treat 2- Best traditional/local dish to eat in Amsterdam why do you like it and if there is any trick to it as I would strongly advise to go buy ⁠ some cookies at “Het Koekemannetje” You can also get in there the stroopwafels 3- fun activity to do before or after the game You will find in it one of the best skyline views of Amsterdam a museum packed with art and history about Amsterdam 4- What would be your best advice to someone who's going to National Rugby Center The stadium is just half an hour from the city center and you can ride a bike to it or just go by public transportation 5- Best place to take a selfie in Amsterdam The best selfie that you can take is in the ⁠National Rugby Center with one of the players Mons will be Belgium’s headquarters for the Rugby Europe Championship and to find out more about the picturesque city Belgian international Viktor Pazgrat joins us to give a proper tour The Quartier Latin is a bar located on the Place du Marché aux Herbes Rumor has it that some Black Devils enthusiasts plan to gather there on match day to heat up the atmosphere 2- Best traditional/local dish to eat in Mons After enjoying some beers at Quartier Latin you can satisfy your hunger with 'Un Fritte' at Chez Billy or at the Taverne 44 near the stadium – two perfect places to refuel before the game 3- A fun activity to do before or after the game Mons was elected European Capital of Culture in 2015 4- What would be your best advice to someone who's going to Stade Tondreau there are various access options such as train the best solution is to take Taxi Top at +32 495 209 209 to avoid any risks after the match and a few beers You absolutely must try the 'La Montoise' beer as it will make the Portuguese and Belgians speak the same language after a few drinks—the language of rugby I recommend heading to the top of the Beffroi and the view from up there is extraordinary A Last thing: if you're talking to people from Mons you start your sentence with: 'CA VA MBIAU.' Unsubscribe at any time. We will not share your personal information. Read our Privacy Policy New archaeological research exploring the rich history of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites at Limmen National Park in the remote southwest Gulf of Carpentaria has been awarded over $800,000 in ARC Linkage Funding. A research team led by Flinders University Associate Professor Liam Brady in the College of Humanities is embarking on a 5-year journey peeling back layers in the story of Limmen National Park’s past to provide new insights into its archaeological and cultural history Limmen National Park was established in 2012 and is located within Marra Country approximately 800 km South East of Darwin and is managed by the Parks & Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory in close collaboration with Marra Families project lead Associate Professor Liam Brady says developing a cultural heritage management plan is hugely important to Marra and Parks & Wildlife and this new archaeology research will help inform the best path forward the National Park is experiencing a rapid growth in tourism with 4WD adventurers lured by the rugged landscape and thus represents a threat to Marra cultural heritage,” says Professor Brady “Equally important for Marra is the great sense of urgency and concern over the transmission of cultural knowledge associated with cultural places Elders today are keen to have their knowledge about the sites targeted for exploration documented so it can be shared for future generations and use it to safeguard their cultural heritage sites.” Professor Brady’s research team is made up of specialists from three other institutions: Monash University University of Western Australia and the University Melbourne Archaeologists will undertake excavations and rock art recording and dating paleoenvironmental researchers will reconstruct what the Park’s landscape looked like in the past anthropologists will help record Marra knowledge and stories and Marra cultural researchers and rangers are co-directing the project The research is also being financially supported by three project partners: Parks & Wildlife the McArthur River Mine Community Benefits Trust and Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Indigenous Corporation “The rugged and remote nature of the landscape means we will be doing a lot of 4WDing helicopter travel and boat travel; schoolchildren from the Learning on Country programs in the area will be visiting the project sites each year to learn from Elders and the researchers about the cultural and archaeological significance of the area.” The research is also unique by combining contemporary Marra knowledge with archaeological and anthropological data to shape interpretations of Marra cultural history and to understand the meaning of the archaeological record for Marra people today By collaborating with Traditional Owners and the Park’s managers the project also seeks to build employment pathways for younger generations to work in the nation’s National Park system Prior to receiving an invitation to begin this research journey from Marra Associate Professor Brady says Limmen National Park was a virtually unexplored archaeological landscape Their pilot study involved undertaking the first-ever excavations in the Park recording its spectacular rock art galleries and the discovery of a unique rock art style Their studies have shown the Park to be a very rich cultural landscape with an equally rich record of knowledge objects and images that are still held by senior Marra men and women ‘This new project was actually developed out of a recently completed ARC Discovery project but with the neighbouring Yanyuwa community that focused on rock art research.’ some Marra people heard about what we were doing and invited us to come and visit Limmen National Park to discuss how archaeology could be used to help address some of their concerns about the protection and management of their cultural heritage sites here.’ The project and its findings will benefit the Northern Territory tourism industry and contribute to national conversations around how best to manage Australia’s cultural heritage and history in remote areas Receive emails when a new article is published This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page View upcoming auction estimates and receive personalized email alerts for the artists you follow 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art bares its authority without flinching Overland explorers have been crossing the river at this natural rock bar for nearly 180 years most famously Ludwig Leichhardt in 1845 (Roper was one of Leichhardt’s crew) on his epic journey from Brisbane to Port Essington and Augustus Gregory a decade later in 1856 the gentle rain had cooled the late dry season temperature Freshwater crocs combed the causeway for their morning meal I had stopped by Gregory’s Tree a day earlier and 800km to the west, having just left the Kimberley amidst a two-inch downpour and on my way home to Brisbane I was on a similar-length journey to Gregory and Leichhardt I came this way for some respite from the blacktop monotony and hoped to catch a fish or two before the pending wet season closed the road A few hundred metres up from the crossing and adjacent to Leichhardt’s marker is the old Roper Bar Police Station which operated here in various forms for over 100 years from 1885 to 1990 Things moved quickly in the early 1870s with the drive to connect this vast country with the construction of an Overland Telegraph Line followed sections of the original indigenous trading route parallel to the coast and soon became a significant stock route and the station played a key role in keeping this trading route secure and Port Roper was established to support this effort Whilst the project was soon abandoned in favour of the Central Australia and Cape York lines drovers had led more than 200,000 cattle from Queensland into the Top End and Kimberley Nathan River Road is the only access in and out of the park and is subject to seasonal closure during the wet season (November to March) The park is very remote and now that Roper Bar store is closed there is no fuel or supplies available for more than 550km between Mataranka and Cape Crawford and the campgrounds have modern facilities that cater to all types of campers Clear information boards throughout the park detail campground layouts while the information centre at the Nathan River Ranger station has a comprehensive summary of everything you need or may want to know about the park most of the mammals seen in the park are either feral or a legacy of the former cattle stations (or both) as well as the smaller but more populous cane toads and European honeybees but the rest in my view should be open to seasonal hunting The three main access ramps on the Roper River are at Roper Bar Munbililla (Tomato Island) campsite and 80km downstream at Port Roper Fishing from the banks is both limited and risky with plenty of saltwater crocodiles lurking in the murky shallows Limmen Bight Fishing Camp provides easy access to the Limmen Bight River with many boats leaving at first light to head down to the open river mouth and beyond be mindful of just how remote you are and self-sufficient you’ll need to be There’s no volunteer coastguard out here to rescue you It has a day use area with electric barbecues boat trailer parking and a wide selection of campsite options including for groups and trailers Mountain Creek and Didi Baba camping areas are spacious with large trailer sites and with only five to seven sites in each are private enough for a multi-night stay Butterfly Falls and Southern Lost City campsites are better suited to a one- to two-night stay for those wanting to enjoy the swimming (April to July) or explore the area Campsites are cheap but must be booked online The narrow bush track wanders through the open forest of the Limmen Bight River floodplain before passing through a narrow gap in a siliceous ridge there’s a sense of anticipation as the vegetation thickens and you eagerly search for the Lost City through the trees the towering blood-stained sentinels arrest your progress Who goes there?” you hear them call as you search for more stone-armoured warriors in the shadows of this ancient fortress These ‘lost cities’ are sandstone remnants of the Arnhem Land Plateau found in several places throughout the park and usually trend in a north-south direction The narrow track is not overly technical but low range may be needed in some soft sandy sections and you’ll need a key code for the gate from the information centre at the Nathan River Ranger Station Further south a 2.5km meander amongst the towers of the Southern Lost City is a special way to start the day with a third lost city to the west visible from the outlook The walk starts and ends at the adjacent campsite and ducks and weaves its way through the sandstone monuments it is only open to visitors who are part of pre-booked tour groups the homestead at Lorella Springs featured a licensed bush bar and pet-friendly campground set against the backdrop of the Tawallah Range plus a natural thermal spring for a refreshing swim thermal springs and secluded waterholes here The pick of the swimming holes are Nudie Springs Nanny’s Retreat and the deep clear waters of Helicopter Falls and sandy so only take a trailer if it and your tow vehicle are up for the challenge you could explore the magnificent range country and lookout at Walker’s Rock and there is some wonderful riverside camping along Rosie Creek – but no swimming here as the creek is home to several saltwater crocs Up-river the numerous rock bars can be fatal for your outboard on a low tide so best to travel with a mate in a second boat The rewards are rich for the well-prepared with all the tropical favourites including queenfish but with a tag-and-release policy it’s all about the fun Hopefully it will reopen to the general public soon and in due course we have been assured an announcement on the wilderness park’s future will be made on the Lorella Springs Facebook page There is water available at the Nathan River Ranger Station but only take what you need Roper Bar store looks to be closed indefinitely so the only reliable option is Lorella Springs Station between April and September the access road can get very dusty and corrugated The park is closed for much of the wet season and there’s little or no mobile phone reception Home News Huge national park declared in Northern Territory A NEW NATIONAL PARK in the Northern Territory protects significant seagrass beds on the western side of the Gulf of Carpentaria The park also safeguards rugged sandstone country and two pristine rivers Limmen National Park and Limmen Bight Marine Park covers an area of 10,000sq.km in the gulf region of the Territory 305km east of Katherine and 76km north of Borroloola “The proposed marine park area contains significant seagrass beds that are home to the largest population of dugongs in the NT as well as containing nesting sites for the threatened flatback turtle,” NT Minister for Resources the park includes Maria Island and surrounding waters where many turtles nest and feed Much of the mainland section is isolated and rugged with weathered sandstone formations and alluvial valleys – two areas known as The Lost City are some of the most spectacular formations in northern Australia The Towns and Limmen Bight rivers that run through the new park are popular fishing and camping destinations access to sections of the park is limited along the Nathan River Road a well-maintained gravel thoroughfare that runs from Roper Bar in the north to Cape Crawford in the south Limmen National Park is on the Western side of the Gulf of Carpentaria Alawa and other Aboriginal clan groups will play a role in management of the park It is expected indigenous rangers will be involved with patrolling and protecting the waters the boundaries of the Limmen National Park and Limmen Bight Marine Park are about 20 per cent smaller than the original proposal to allow mining companies to explore for minerals in the region The government says that prospective tenements held by iron ore explorer Western Desert Resources have been excluded from the land park’s boundaries The minister said that “The NT Government has struck the right balance in regards to providing long-term protection of our natural environment while supporting the resource industry’s need to progress with new developments.” congratulated the government on declaring the park but said it had been unnecessarily generous to miners “The park and marine park must become a cornerstone of efforts across the Top End to protect and restore ecological connectivity on land and sea,” he said “The massive excisions from the long-proposed Limmen National Park total around a couple of hundred thousand hectares We will be working to ensure the vast majority of these excised lands will be added back to the park over the next five to ten years.” Our much loved calendars and diaries are now available for 2024 Adorn your walls with beautiful artworks year round From cuddly companions to realistic native Australian wildlife the range also includes puppets that move and feel like real animals By subscribing you become an AG Society member helping us to raise funds for conservation and adventure projects These cattle and water buffalo might look at home on the Australian landscape but Charles Sturt research has shown that feral ungulates are causing more harm than good to national parks and conservation areas in the Northern Territory She moved from Melbourne to Limmen National Park in the Northern Territory where she completed her Honours and PhD at Charles Sturt University entitled ‘The impacts of feral ungulates on ephemeral savanna waterholes in the Northern Territory and their flow-on effects for native wildlife’ was submitted in May and is currently under examination This research is intended to inform policies to protect the native flora and fauna in national parks and conservation areas It was while living at Limmen National Park that she noticed the negative impacts of feral ungulates (also known as hooved mammals) on savanna waterholes “I wanted to know how this might be affecting the native animals that also relied on these waterholes I quickly realised that there had been very little research in this field in Australian savannas,” she said and therefore native ecosystems are sensitive to damage from grazing and trampling by these large animals ungulates can drink up to 10 per cent of their body weight in water per day which concentrates their impacts around waterpoints For her research Helenna fenced 10 waterholes in Limmen National Park to exclude feral ungulates Through surveys of the 10 fenced and another 10 unfenced control waterholes as well as imagery collected using automated wildlife cameras Helenna made several significant conclusions “I found that there was significantly more bare ground around the edge of waterholes accessible to ungulates,” she said “Bird diversity was significantly lower as the dry season progressed at waterholes accessible to ungulates This shows that the use of small-scale fences can provide important refuge areas for native bird species during periods of water scarcity.” dingoes and feral ungulates visited waterholes more during the drought but that cattle visitation increased the most dramatically visiting approximately three times more often and spending six times longer at the waterholes This behaviour by cattle may increase competition with native species for access to important resources available at waterholes during drought years This research will be beneficial to conservation land managers particularly government bodies that oversee the management of national parks in northern Australia A flow-on benefit will reach the community as the protection of the native flora and fauna will ensure enjoyment for future generations Associate Professor in Ecology/Ornithology in the Charles Sturt School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences Melanie Massaro has supervised Helenna during her research Melanie intends to further research the impacts of feral ungulates in the NT She is currently in touch with First Nations owners in Arnhem Land to continue this research and measure the benefits of feral ungulate removal on a larger scale Comparisons have been made to feral cattle being as big of a problem in the NT as brumbies are in NSW But even with proof of the damage caused by ungulates Helenna said the issue is more complicated due to the role of extensive pastoralism in northern Australia “Pastoralism is a big industry in northern Australia Due to the sheer size of pastoral properties domestic cattle often stray off pastoral properties into national parks This is a real concern for the management of national parks and the protection of threatened native species in these parks,” Helenna said “The offspring of these animals are unbranded wild cattle which damage sensitive habitats in conservation areas which have been set aside to protect native plants and animals.” Helenna said land managers of national parks and other protected areas are largely powerless to cull feral cattle because those cattle even those that have been feral for generations are considered the property of whoever owned the branded animal from which their lineage began untagged animals cannot be determined without expensive DNA testing creating a no-win situation for land managers While special mustering contracts permit the occasional removal of feral cattle from some conservation areas the remoteness and vastness of the NT landscape limits the wide-scale practicality of this approach untagged cattle are effectively immune to culling in northern Australia This is what makes the issue of feral cattle in conservation areas and national parks in the NT potentially worse than the current controversy surrounding brumby control in national parks in NSW,” she said feral cattle are much more widely distributed across northern Australia than brumbies are within NSW and therefore their potential collective impact on native habitats is greater.” may inspire empathy due to their familiarity and magnificence the conservation of irreplaceable native Australian fauna and their habitats should be paramount – whether that be in NSW Helenna said it is up to the wider community to work together to find practical scientifically informed solutions to control feral species in conversation areas across the country Nicole Barlow Photo caption: (Main image) Images and footage of feral cattle were captured at a degraded waterhole in the NT through research conducted by Ms Helenna Mihailou (pictured local_offerAll Local News Charles Sturt University Research local_offerCharles Sturt University Dentistry Health Science local_offerAgricultural Science Charles Sturt University Get the latest Charles Sturt news in your inbox 'Yindyamarra Winhanganha' - The wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in a world worth living in '+days[time.getDay()]+' '+time.getDate()+' '+months[time.getMonth()]+' '+time.getFullYear()+' Mangroves along the coast of Karumba have turned a ghostly white Link copiedShareShare articleWarmer ocean temperatures could be the reason for huge areas of mangroves dying off in Queensland and the Northern Territory Experts have been focusing on hundreds of kilometres of mangroves along the coast of Karumba in Queensland's Gulf Country and at Limmen Bight in the Northern Territory that have turned a ghostly white "It appears to coincide with a period of hot water in the southern Gulf but we need more evidence," Professor Norm Duke from Queensland's James Cook University said "I'm speaking ahead of the evidence so I have to be really cautious but I do want to draw attention to this because we need more capability to respond and find out more about what's going on." He raised serious concerns about the situation which he compared to coral bleaching happening on the Great Barrier Reef which is the result of warmer ocean temperatures "We're talking about hundreds of kilometres of shoreline affected and an area of mangroves that would be a kilometre-wide in some places," he said "We don't have any firm data on the ground to confirm the full magnitude of what's going on "We're getting indications from what we can see on satellite imagery and also from people like fishermen that there's this massive incident of die-back of a large area along our shorelines.'' Australia is home to 7 per cent of the world's mangroves They take in 50 times more carbon than tropical forests by area and act like "nature's kidney" He said the die-off already appeared to be having an effect on fish stocks at Karumba - a small Gulf town that relies heavily on the industry "What we were told by one fishermen was that there is a reduction in catch so there seems to be a correlation with what we might expect," he said "One of the values of these forests is to support local fisheries." Aerial and underwater surveys of the Great Barrier Reef undertaken by James Cook University revealed 95 per cent of it had been bleached to some extent. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Universities and universities of applied sciences are attracting fewer and fewer students from abroad they warn against the government’s plans to reduce the inflow even further universities of applied sciences also see that their teacher training courses are very popular the number of new international bachelor students fell by 6 percent The inflow from the European Economic Area (EEA) fell by 9 percent This area includes the 26 other European Union member states Universities of applied sciences welcomed 8 percent fewer students from the EEA and 7 percent fewer from the rest of the world According to the umbrella organization Universities of the Netherlands the number of international students is also falling in fields where companies are urgently looking for new employees this government wants to reduce the number of international students even more with severe cutbacks and rigorous legislation This threatens to become an untargeted clearing that will jeopardize the continued existence of courses including for Dutch students,” said chairman Caspar van den Berg Chairman Maurice Limmen of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences said that universities of applied sciences already succeed in limiting the number of international students “More drastic measures such as the government wants to implement are unnecessary.” The impact is the greatest at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam The number of new bachelor students from outside the Netherlands fell by almost a quarter The University of Groningen attracted 14 percent fewer new students from other EEA countries A total of 108,500 people started a higher professional education (HBO) study this past summer The number of new registrations for teacher training rose by 7 percent given the very large teacher shortages,” said Limmen 338,400 new students registered at universities The number of Dutch people who started a bachelor’s degree at a university rose by approximately 1 percent own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment James Cook University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU View all partners One of the worst instances of mangrove forest dieback ever recorded globally struck Australia’s Gulf of Carpentaria in the summer of 2015-16. A combination of extreme temperatures, drought and lowered sea levels likely caused this dieback, according to our investigation published in the journal Marine and Freshwater Research The dieback, which coincided with the Great Barrier Reef’s worst ever bleaching event affected 1,000km of coastline between the Roper River in the Northern Territory and Karumba in Queensland where around 5,500ha of mangroves suffered dieback The Gulf of Carpentaria is a continuous sweep of wide tidal wetlands fringed by mangroves, meandering estuaries, creeks and beaches. Its size and naturalness makes it globally exceptional An apron of broad mudflats and seagrass meadows supports thousands of marine turtles and dugongs. A thriving fishing industry worth at least A$30 million ultimately depends on mangroves Mangroves and saltmarsh plants are uniquely adapted to extreme and fickle coastal shoreline ecosystems They normally cope with salt and daily inundation having evolved specialised physiological and morphological traits such as salt excretion and unique breathing roots local tour operators and consultants doing bird surveys alerted authorities to mangroves dying en masse along entire shorelines They reported skeletonised mangroves over several hundred kilometres with the trees appearing to have died simultaneously They sent photos and even tracked down satellite images to confirm their concerns The NT government supported the first investigative surveys in June 2016 the emails from citizen scientists nailed the timing: “looks like it started maybe December 2015”; the severity: “I’ve seen dieback before but not like this”; and the cause: “guessing it may be the consequence of the four-year drought” Our investigation used satellite imagery dating back to 1972 to confirm that the dieback was an unparalleled event. Further aerial helicopter surveys and mapping during 2016, after the dieback, validated the severity of the event extending across the entire gulf. Mangrove dieback has been recorded in Australia in the past but over decades We still don’t fully understand what caused the dieback But we can rule out the usual suspects of chemical or oil spills It was also significant that losses occurred simultaneously across a 1,000km front There were also a number of tell-tale patterns in the dieback The worst-impacted locations had more or less complete loss of shoreline-fringing mangroves This mirrored a general loss of mangroves fringing tidal saltpans and saltmarshes along this semi-arid coast Mangroves were unaffected where they kept their feet wet along estuaries and rivers as well as the timing and severity of the event points to a connection with extreme weather and climate patterns and particularly the month-long drop of 20cm in local sea levels We believe the dieback is best explained by drought, hot water, hot air and the temporary drop in sea level. Each of these was correlated with the strong 2015-16 El Niño the dieback happened at the end of an unusually long period of severe drought conditions which prevailed for much of 2015 following four years of below-average rainfall This caused severe moisture stress in mangroves growing alongside saltmarsh and saltpans Second, the dieback coincided with hot sea temperatures that also caused coral bleaching along the Great Barrier Reef While mangroves are known to be relatively heat-tolerant The air temperatures recorded at the time of the mangrove dieback, particularly from February to September 2015, were also exceptionally high Third, the sea level dropped by up to 20cm at the time of the dieback when the mangroves were both heat- and moisture-stressed. Sea levels commonly drop in the western Pacific (and rise in the eastern Pacific) during strong El Niño years: and the 2015-2016 El Niño was the third-strongest recorded The mangroves appear to have died of thirst coupled with already heat-and-drought-stressed weather conditions then the plants will die – much like your neglected pot plants We don’t yet know what role human-caused climate change played in these particular weather events or El Niño But the unprecedented extent of the dieback the confluence of extreme climate events and the coincidence with the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef mean the role of climate change will be of critical interest in the global response to mangrove decline The future for mangroves around the world is mixed. Thanks to climate change, droughts are expected to become hotter and more frequent If the gulf’s mangroves experience further dieback in the future this will have serious implications for Australia’s northern fisheries including the iconic prawn fishery All species are closely associated with healthy mangroves We don’t know whether the mangroves will recover or not But there is now a further risk of shoreline erosion and retreat particularly if the region is struck by a cyclone – and this may have already begun with recent cyclonic weather and flooding in the gulf The movement of mangrove sediments will lead to massive releases of carbon uniquely buried among their roots Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics and semi-tropics and much of this carbon could enter the atmosphere Now we urgently need to understand how mangroves died at large and smaller scales (such as river catchments) so we can develop strategies to help them adapt to future change Australia’s top specialists and managers will be reviewing the current situation at a dedicated workshop during next week’s Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network annual conference in Hobart through the Australian Governmen’ts Cultural Gifts Program The artist was born in 1937 and grew up on the Roper River Mission in eastern Arnhem Land (now known as Ngukurr) She spent much of her younger life working in the market gardens and farms on the mission and ended with a Bush Flower series as she grew older the core of her work from 2004 to 2013 brought the mountains of her Ngyameratjara country south of the Roper River to intense This painting is testament to George's connection to land and culture "I have special memories from my travels .. I can paint my memories and imagination .. My imagined country never stops in my memory." donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Carrillo Gantner AO Want to get the latest news and events in your Facebook feed? Just go to our Facebook page and click the Like button See All Events ABC News News Home ABC Rural Controversial mining haul road leading to trespass and cattle stealing Northern Territory station owner says DBy Daniel Fitzgerald The bitumen haul road built by Western Desert Resources through Lorella Springs Station in the Gulf of Carpentaria Link copiedShareShare articleThe owner of a pastoral lease in the Gulf of Carpentaria is disappointed with a fine handed down to a former mining executive who pleaded guilty to illegally clearing vegetation on his land Managing director of the now-defunct Western Desert Resources was this week fined $7,500 for clearing land to construct a haul road before receiving Commonwealth approval The 165 kilometre road cuts through Lorella Springs Station connecting the mine site to the Bing Bong port near Borroloola in the Northern Territory Owner of Lorella Springs Station, Rhett Walker, opposed the construction of the haul road, and said since the mine closed in 2014, it had caused a number of problems. He said the Darwin Magistrates Court's fine handed down to Mr Gardner was too small. "I think the whole company should have been penalised very severely," he said. "We still have that road running through the property. It is breaking up and falling to pieces. "We have people from Borroloola coming out through the property, we have people stealing cattle. "People are accessing [the property] through that road and just going wherever they want and hunting. "We will find killers beside the road. The eastern side of Lorella is very bare of cattle at the moment, where it used to have a lot." Mr Walker said on many occasions he had found gates meant to restrict access to the haul road left open. As part of the haul road, a temporary bridge was built over the Limmen River. Mr Walker said the bridge and haul road had ruined the remote wilderness appeal of his property, which ran a tourism business. "It was an amazing pristine piece of wilderness and now you drive along and it is just like looking over the Elizabeth River Bridge [in Palmerston]. It is quite different," he said. If he had his way, Mr Walker said he would like to see the bridge and haul road ripped up and re-vegetated. "[However], I don't think anything will ever happen to removing that road," he said. Western Desert Resources built a temporary bridge across the Limmen River as part of the haul road. (Supplied) The future of the haul road is unclear, remaining linked to the Western Desert Resources mine, which is in care and maintenance. NT Department of Mines and Energy executive director Phil Hausler said the haul road was not open to public access and was now managed by the owners of the mining lease. Western Desert Resources went into voluntary administration in 2014, managed by Ferrier Hodgson, who earlier this year handed the company's assets over to a liquidator. Mr Hausler said any removal of the Limmen River bridge and haul road would be managed by the future owners of the mining lease. "These are conversations we are having with potential purchasers of the mine and haul road," he said. A 75km section of the haul road passes through Lorella Springs Station. (Supplied: Western Desert Resources) Western Desert Resources contractors building a 'temporary' bridge across the Limmen River to service the haul road in 2012 Link copiedShareShare articleAboriginal traditional owners from the Roper River region of the Northern Territory say they have become wary of talk about northern development after two mines failed to deliver on promised jobs and economic activity for their communities The traditional owners said they had welcomed the Sherwin Iron and Western Desert Resources operations in the south-eastern region of the NT but after the collapse of the projects the promise of jobs had not materialised and questions remained about how the environmental clean up would be funded They expressed anger over the closures at the Northern Land Council's (NLC) full council meeting in the Indigenous community of Barunga Grace Daniels said the experience had left her wary of promises of economic development in the north "If they come and talk to us about another mine we'll say no because we know what had happened now," she said Both mines were placed into administration last year following the drop in the price of iron ore but traditional owner Gordon Nawundulpi said native title holders were told the Western Desert Resources project would run for 40 years providing economic development and jobs over the life of the mine "We were very happy to get that mine going because of the deal given to us mob," he said "There were jobs for our young people from many communities .. our young people were working and training at the same time." Mr Nawundulpi said he too had become disillusioned about the talk of northern development we got open heart we were so happy," he said we came together with the mining company and this is what happened You can't trust anybody or mine." NLC chief executive Joe Morrison said the hopes of people in the region were dashed and the experience was a cautionary tale in the current discussion about northern development firstly the aspirations that were raised by the companies and the governments in relation to the transactions that took place to get the mines to commence in the first place were celebrated Mr Morrison said global market forces had played a part in the mines' demise and had made the community "realise that we've just got to be a bit more aware of commodity prices and the impact that it has on local economies" "It's very obvious that people in the Roper River and Borroloola regions are extremely disappointed with the closure of those two mines," he said Grace Daniels says the experience has left her wary of promises of economic development in the north The NLC full council meeting was also told the Western Desert Resources collapse had left the NLC and traditional owners out of pocket because royalties were still owing "It [Western Desert] promised a lot and effectively delivered nothing for traditional owners," Mr Morrison said "It did employ lots of Aboriginal people in the start-up phase and that was absolutely a fantastic thing they achieved in the early stages of it "But obviously that wasn't followed through and that leaves not just traditional owners out of royalties but also Aboriginal people out of a job." Mr Morrison said there were now questions about the clean up of the Western Desert Resources mine site "All of these matters are now at the whim of the capacity of receivers to deal with rehabilitation," he said The Federal Environment Department said it was still investigating whether Western Desert Resources began building a 165-kilometre haul road before environmental approvals were granted in December 2012 The Sherwin Iron operation went into administration following the drop in the iron ore price last year. The company's main lender would not release the funds needed to build the mine because Sherwin Iron was still trying to obtain the necessary Federal and Northern Territory government environmental approvals. In a report last year, the Territory's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was critical of Sherwin Iron's "poor quality" data collection in its environmental impact assessment. In the same report, the EPA criticised the Territory Government for approving Sherwin Iron's bulk sample of iron ore without informing the EPA. A diversified resources and infrastructure services company has won a tender for a metal project in the Top End NRW Holdings recently secured the mining contract at Nathan River Resources’ Roper Bar Iron Ore Project in Limmen The successful contractor will perform drilling ore stockpile rehandling and both top-soil and subsoil removal It will also be responsible for stage one operations which aim to produce 4.6 million tonnes (Mt) of direct shopping ore and 1 Mt of dense media separation at a rate of 1.5-1.8 Mtpa over three years QMEB can reveal the deal is worth $123 million and will create 55 site-based jobs throughout its initial 33-month term NRW has advertised the following fly-in fly-out (FIFO) job vacancies: Click here to apply Successful applicants will be offered a full-time roster of two weeks on one week off income protection and discounted private health insurance The proponent already has an offtake agreement with Glencore to market and distribute iron ore extracted from the project The project has a fully integrated “pit-to-port” logistics chain including a privately owned 171km paved access road barge load-out facility and product stockyard The current ramp-up phase is nearly complete with four “NRW is pleased to be involved in the recommencement of the Nathan River Mine site and looks forward to its successful execution,” NRW CEO Jules Pemberton said in a public statement. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Garth Wright, Senior Account Manager: 0401 055 776 The Queensland Mining and Energy Bulletin is an independent voice on mining and energy for anyone working in the Queensland mining and minerals industry. Are you sure you want to post this? We're asking people to rethink comments that seem similar to others that have been reported or downvoted this warning is a mistake Continue with Facebook Please use a standard web browser (like Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge) to log in with Google or Facebook. Social logins don’t work in some apps. or Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account Please enter your email to complete registration Your account isn't active yet. We've emailed you an activation link. 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Add source “Have I been here before?” is what you might be thinking when looking through Nona Limmen’s photography works it paradoxically leaves a warm feeling behind has now turned her focus fully to photography she hopes to provide solace to those who may feel alone in their suffering hidden part of a person—whether that be their heart my goal remains unchanged; it is the same drive that once led me to psychology.” This post may include affiliate links. nonalimmen Report born in the Netherlands and a full-time artist/photographer I was a small-town goth kid with a big imagination and oftentimes lost in worlds far away from our current one I would spend countless hours sitting by the window or creating fantasy stories with friends and my little brother It was my way of coping with the boring real world I had the privilege of growing up in an artistic household where creative endeavors were always highly supported and encouraged I became interested in the human psyche and the complexities of the mind I’ve always felt everything at an incredibly deep level and could easily be overwhelmed by both beauty and sadness I started researching on the origins of psychology.” nonalimmen Report If that's the poster I want to see the movie. nonalimmen Report 🎵 Girls just want to have fire 🎵 “My first passion (photography) faded to the background as I moved to Amsterdam to study social work and psychiatry in 2005 I got a job providing guidance at people’s homes doing low-threshold therapy and inner work sessions I felt passionate about working with people especially the ones shunned from society -the outcasts I had the honor of guiding and helping people through their deepest pains and biggest challenges a humbling experience I will be forever grateful for. The rest of the decade saw pretty much nothing from me art-wise this time period would become the foundation of my career as an independent artist.” nonalimmen Report She's in charge, for sure. nonalimmen Report POST Furthermore Nona shared what initially drew her to the world of photography I remember my mother seizing every fleeting moment with her trusty Pentax camera The absolute chokehold this intriguing little machine had on me is something I will never forget avidly capturing every moment with single-use cameras my mother eventually presented me with my own camera for my birthday documenting life became my poetic endeavor it was like learning to speak my deepest emotions -it was therapeutic and became my way of interacting with the world after being in service to others for so long I felt the need to take a leap into the unknown that would feed and nurture myself I parted ways with my role as a social worker and psychotherapist and decided it was time to pursue my passion as an artist more diligently than ever before I feel my identity as an artist is still rooted in my dual roles as a photographer and social worker They will forever remain intrinsically connected.” nonalimmen Report This is where the group usually makes the mistake of splitting up to cover more ground nonalimmen Report Is the lightning going to her or from her it feels like my work has roots in two worlds: the world of the seen and the unseen My photography isn’t super crisp or glossy and those who are going through times of hardship It is for anyone nostalgic for arms that have never held them My wish for my art is to heal and encourage others and understood -that it triggers to engage the viewer in a very personal inner dialogue Something that evokes strong emotions or has a significant impact on them I hope that my work leaves a mark in one way or another.” nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report Sufficient power for the laBORratory We were wondering about the creative process to which Nona replied that she doesn’t follow a rigid formula I try to incorporate meditation and introspection and let the process flow organically I think that it is fundamental to connect with oneself if you want to achieve an authentic connection with others. My creative process often starts with a flash of inspiration This can present itself in the most unlikely of things or a random thought during boring household chores it develops gradually through a more thoughtful process any experience that enriches me both emotionally and intellectually and gets my blood racing This process is often intuitive and non-linear I start with just a vague idea or feeling and let the work evolve through experimentation My strategy is to let my subconscious and emotions shape the theme of the photos I prefer to embrace the unknown and let the chaos unfold in front of my lens –for within this chaos lies the magic of creation and the birth of extraordinary concepts and ideas,” wrote Nona nonalimmen Report Me when I want attention nonalimmen Report POST Lastly Do what makes your heart beat faster and what makes your soul shine Walk your life path without any expectations I would like to end this interview with a quote by Søren Kierkegaard that has helped me get through some challenging times: ‘Is it better to stay safely anchored to the shore or to risk exploring the great unknown?’” nonalimmen Report Queue the Castlevania opening 🌙 🏰 🦇 nonalimmen Report Ah, my dream home, I love it. nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report I knew I should have bought the asbestos version of this dress rather than the silk nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report Octopus tree not far from Tillamook OR nonalimmen Report My idea of a nature walk nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report Beautiful nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report Me when I don't get my way nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report My vacation home nonalimmen Report Main street in my dream village nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report I believe this is Thing's girlfriend nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report Red skies in the morning nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report nonalimmen Report POST Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Upload Photo Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB. Error occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again. BP staff account, working in collaboration with community moderators. Purple skies are TIGHT! I love all of these!!!!! I love all of these!!!! 5comments 27 points 0comments 19 points 0comments 21 points 1comment 27 points 5comments 30 points 3comments 18 points 3comments 28 points 3comments 21 points 12comments 36 points 1comment 19 points