Full Annual Report Available here
OUR POINT OF DIFFERENCE
Capricornia Catchments works effectively across rural, regional and urban settings to develop trusted partnerships that translate into successful on-ground outcomes. With more than 20 years of experience in community support and natural resource management, Capricornia Catchments can be relied upon to produce excellent results based on established links and local knowledge.
03 | Annual Report 2023/24
WHAT WE DO
Capricornia Catchments works within Central Queensland to deliver disaster management & recovery services, natural resource management advice, community support and wellness solutions with the goal of improving environmental outcomes, landscape productivity, community connectedness and wellbeing.
We have existing links with a range of stakeholders, including local businesses, agricultural (inc. horticultural) producers, industry representatives, first nations people, community groups, conservation organisations, all levels of government and more! This strong and diverse network means we are well placed to quickly tap into resources and capital available locally as well as further afield.
We offer a variety of services, such as:
Community Engagement and Education
¨ Youth and community engagement
¨ Threatened species programs ¨ On-ground environmental conservation and restoration
¨ First Nations support services (eg TUMRA coordination, event assistance)
¨ Project management
¨ Event coordination
¨ Beach clean-ups and data collection
¨ Training, workshops and information sessions
¨ Landholder (inc. First Nations) liaison
¨ Auspicing for other community groups
Capricornia Catchments secures funding from a variety of sources to carry out projects and undertake engagement activities relating to well being, disaster management, sustainability & conservation and agriculture. The goal of these collaborative partnerships is to empower and capacity build the community and local groups for long term change.
We also offer fee-for-service options. Through this, Capricornia Catchments is able to provide tailored advice and services to individuals, businesses and organisations requiring specialist support.
PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT
I am proud of where our landcare organisation is at this point in time. The goals we have surpassed & the effort it has taken to get here has been awe-inspiring. But the effort that is needed to keep ourselves current, vibrant and relevant is relentless and very tiring. It definitely isn’t an easy road. As with all landcare and other volunteer-based organisations, the struggle to keep the doors open is great. With less and less funding available from grants (public and private funds), and minimal grants allowing funds to be spent on staff and overheads (eg insurance, registration, rent, etc) we not only have to be frugal, but also very creative. Being a small organisation helps in this regard. We have minimal permanent staff and very low overheads when compared to other similar organisations. Capricornia Catchments is by no means alone in this. We welcome the newly appointed Queensland government’s announcement of a Parliamentary Inquiry into Volunteering in Queensland. Their target of the inquiry’s report to be delivered to the government by September 2025 is ambitious, welcomed and needed. QWaLC’s (Queensland Water and Land Carers) Health of Landcare in Queensland Report 2023/2024, states, “Member Groups with a mixture of paid staff and volunteers tend to achieve greater levels of engagement with the wider community and as a consequence generating greater outcomes. This is reinforced by evidence from other Australian States that have highly successful paid community coordinator programs that support community-based Landcare groups.”
Some of Capricornia Catchments’ grant-funded projects this financial year have included:
Queens Jubilee Tree Planting with Coowonga State School
Creating Sustainable Fisheries – Creek to Reef with Wycarbah & District Landcare Group
Rd 6 Community Sustainability Action Grants – Linking Mt Archer National Park to Nurim Circuit with QNPWS and RRC.
By far, our largest funded project was our first Skilling Queenslanders for Work Traineeship Program. Funds received from the Qld government were @$700K from our successful application to host 2 x 15 Conservation and Ecosystem Management (CEM) Cert 1 Trainees and 1 Business Management (Bus) Cert 1 Trainee over a 6 month period each. As well as achieving their Cert 1’s, our trainees also participated in additional training and work-ready activities to help them adjust to full-time work and gain employment after completion. Coming from an unemployed or under-employed situation prior to starting their traineeships, the purpose of our program is to get our Trainees into paid employment. The funding also provided for employment of a full-time Site Supervisor. Rockhampton Regional Council was our primary partner in this project, providing support through access to work sites & staff, council’s nursery and some equipment. our Trainees into paid employment.
Posted 06.01.2025
