Cape York Natural Resource Management

13/10/2026

🐢 Connecting with turtle researchers from across Australia!

Cape York NRM’s Program Lead for Marine Turtle Conservation, Dr Manuela Fischer, will represent the Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance (WCTTAA) at the Australian Marine Turtle Symposium on 19–21 October.

The event is expected to bring together around 200 attendees from a range of organisations, universities, councils and volunteer groups.

Manuela will showcase WCTTAA’s important work protecting marine turtles on Western Cape York through a presentation at the symposium and a stall at the Turtle Tech workshop, where she will introduce the NESTOR data app as a tool for collecting turtle monitoring data.

Funded through the Nest to Ocean program and Rio Tinto, this is a fantastic opportunity to connect with turtle researchers, learn about the latest Australian research and explore innovative approaches to turtle monitoring and conservation.

And the adventures don’t stop there! Ten WCTTAA rangers and Manuela are gearing up for an exciting Ranger Exchange Program in Port Hedland from 25–30 October. The group will attend the Pilbara Ranger Network Forum before taking part in a special on-Country learning experience hosted by the Murujuga Rangers. The exchange will provide valuable opportunities to share knowledge, strengthen connections between Indigenous ranger groups and explore new approaches to conservation and Sea Country management.

The exchange builds on the three-year partnership established in December 2025 between Rio Tinto Weipa Operations and Cape York NRM to support WCTTAA and strengthen Indigenous-led conservation across Western Cape York.

The partnership focuses on supporting community ranger programs, improving turtle monitoring and data collection, raising awareness of threatened species such as Olive Ridley turtles, and sharing knowledge across northern Australia.

📸 Stay tuned! We’ll share an update, photos and all the highlights from Manuela’s trip and the ranger exchange on her return.

12/10/2026

🚁 Breaking new ground for women in Indigenous land and sea management!

A huge congratulations to four Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance (WCTTAA) rangers who have achieved their aerial shooting accreditation, strengthening ranger teams’ capacity to control feral pigs and protect marine turtle nests across Cape York Peninsula. 🐢

The newly accredited rangers are Napranum Ranger Coordinator Marietta Matasia, Apudthama Ranger Coordinator Angelina Williams, and Mapoon Rangers Gregory Hudson and Edwin Ling.

This is a significant milestone for WCTTAA, with Marietta and Angelina becoming the Alliance’s first female rangers to achieve aerial shooting accreditation — and the first women from their respective communities to earn this accreditation.

Cape York NRM Marine Turtle Conservation Program Lead Dr Manuela Fischer said the achievement highlighted the growing skills, leadership and opportunities for women in land and sea management, inspiring future generations of female rangers.

👏 Congratulations to all four rangers on this fantastic achievement!

Read the full story here: https://www.capeyorknrm.com.au/post/aerial-platform-shooting-training

WCTTAA is supported by Cape York NRM through funding from the Australian and Queensland governments’ Nest to Ocean Turtle Protection Program and the Threatened Species On Country Program. It is also supported by Rio Tinto's Western Cape Community Development Fund.

06/10/2026

Our latest Cape Connect newsletter is out now!

☕ Grab a cuppa and dive into the latest updates, stories, and events from across Cape York.

Read the October edition here 👉https://ow.ly/EqWH50ZUMoK

30/09/2026

🐂 Supporting Traditional Owners to build stronger cattle enterprises on Country

As part of Cape York NRM’s Cultivating Climate-smart and Sustainable Agriculture in Cape York Peninsula project, we recently held an information session at Normanby Station for Traditional Owners interested in managing cattle on Country.

The session brought together Traditional Owners, Biosecurity Queensland, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and the team at Normanby Station to share practical information and experience about establishing and managing a cattle enterprise.

Participants learned about the requirements for legally managing and transporting cattle in Queensland, including:

📋 Registering a Property Identification Code (PIC)
🐄 Animal welfare requirements
🦠 Notifiable diseases and biosecurity responsibilities
🌿 The process for obtaining a mustering permit to remove stock from National Parks

Understanding these requirements helps cattle businesses operate legally and responsibly, while supporting the long-term health, productivity and sustainability of cattle enterprises on Country.

The Normanby Station team also shared their experience of building their cattle enterprise over the years, providing valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges involved in developing a successful agricultural business on Country.

Read the full story here: https://www.capeyorknrm.com.au/post/supporting-traditional-owners-to-build-stronger-cattle-enterprises-on-country

This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

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24/09/2026

🐢 Celebrating 25 years of marine turtle conservation!

We’re pleased to share the Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance (WCTTAA) success story video, featured as part of the 25th anniversary of the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU.

The WCTTAA is a great example of what can be achieved when Traditional Owners, Indigenous Ranger groups and partners work together to protect Country and marine life.

Through local knowledge and on-Country management, Ranger groups across Western Cape York are working together to protect marine turtles and strengthen healthy coastal ecosystems. Their work includes monitoring key marine turtle nesting beaches, identifying threats and taking targeted action to reduce nest predation.

Watch the video here 👉 https://iosea-turtles.cms.int/news/wcttaa-success-story and learn more about the work happening across Western Cape York.

23/09/2026

Healthy landscapes are built on strong partnerships.

Last week, Cape York NRM’s Lola Visschers and Sigrid Wilkens continued Cape York-wide, long-term land condition monitoring across the South Cape York Catchment Area.

A total of 18 sites were surveyed across Rinyirru, Battle Camp, Wakooka, Kalpowar, Marina Plains and private properties, using the Land Condition Assessment Tool (LCAT) to build a long-term picture of how Cape York’s landscapes are changing over time.

A key part of this work was partnering with local ranger teams. Two Rinyirru Rangers joined surveys across nine sites within Rinyirru National Park, while two Battle Camp Rangers participated in the survey at Battle Camp.

Working alongside people who know and care for Country provides valuable knowledge and strengthens our understanding of the condition of Cape York’s landscapes. By working together, sharing knowledge and collecting data over time, we can build a stronger picture of Cape York’s land condition and support better land management into the future.

This work is part of the ongoing land condition monitoring program funded by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program Land Queensland

03/09/2026

Pig-proof exclusion fencing is helping to protect four culturally and ecologically significant wetlands on Cape York Peninsula.

Installed on Kalpowar Station, Normanby Station and Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, the fencing keeps feral pigs out of tropical freshwater wetland areas while allowing native turtles to pass through.

The project is also supporting on-Country training, local jobs and research into reducing feral pig impacts on wetlands.

Read our latest story: https://www.capeyorknrm.com.au/post/pig-proof-fencing-protecting-cape-york-wetlands

This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust.

Image: Muunthiwarra Rangers and the Flinders Fencing Crew

01/09/2026

From camping under the stars to navigating rugged 4WD tracks, our team recently completed a remote land condition survey across south-west Cape York Peninsula.

In July, Cape York NRM staff travelled through Kowanyama and the surrounding Joint Management Area, revisiting long-term monitoring sites and collecting data to help track changes in Cape York’s landscapes over time.

The trip also provided opportunities to experience the region’s incredible biodiversity, including:

🦩 Large numbers of Brolgas and Sarus Cranes (and learning how to tell them apart!)
🌱 Three carnivorous plant species—two sundews and a rainbow plant
🌴 A Gebang Palm, which flowers and fruits only once during its lifetime before dying

This work forms part of a program to revisit up to 130 long-term monitoring sites across Cape York this dry season to support future land management decisions.

Read more: https://www.capeyorknrm.com.au/post/remote-fieldwork-reveals-cape-york-s-remarkable-landscapes-and-wildlife

This project is funded by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.

31/08/2026

30/08/2026

⏰ Final Reminder – Director Nominations Close Soon!

There's still time to nominate for the Cape York NRM Board of Directors.

If you're passionate about the future of Cape York Peninsula and want to help guide the strategic direction of natural resource management across the region, we'd love to hear from you.

We're seeking eligible general members with skills and experience in areas such as:

🌿 Natural resource management, biodiversity or conservation
🤝 Governance, business or land management
🏞️ Strong connections to Cape York and its communities

Download the Director Information Pack and nomination form: https://ow.ly/h3lg50ZoMtq
Nominations close at 9:00 am on Monday 7 September 2026.

Submit your nomination via email to [email protected] or post to:

The Company Secretary
Cape York NRM
Reply Paid 6025
Cairns QLD 4870

Don't miss your opportunity to help shape the future of Cape York.