Media releases
Media releases from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.
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March 2024
- 27 Mar 2024
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Go slow for those below and let our coral recover this Easter
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is asking boaties to take extra care these Easter holidays to protect wildlife and help marine parks recover from recent bleaching events.
- 26 Mar 2024
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Whale watching opportunity in Great Sandy Marine Park
A rare and exciting business opportunity to undertake whale watching in the Great Sandy Marine Park is on offer for a limited number of operators.
- 26 Mar 2024
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Crocodiles captured in the Townsville region
Two large crocodiles have been removed from the wild in North Queensland, with one evading capture for almost a month.
- 26 Mar 2024
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Crocodile snaps pomarine on Pelican
Rangers conducting bird surveys on the aptly named Pelican Island have captured the brutality of nature as an estuarine crocodile emerged from the ocean to grab a pomarine jaeger.
- 22 Mar 2024
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A freshwater crocodile walks into a service station…
A freshwater crocodile walking into a service station is not the beginning of a joke, but a very real situation for members of the public and the Queensland Police Service in Townsville.
- 20 Mar 2024
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Flames forge future for Mount Ballow Mountain Frog
Did you know that fire can be used to protect rainforest frogs? Something to think about this World Frog Day.
- 20 Mar 2024
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Outcome of interim civil proceeding against Swanbank company
The department will continue to pursue regulatory options to prevent odour impacts on the community from waste operators after the Planning and Environment Court today declined to make interim orders against a composter in Swanbank.
- 15 Mar 2024
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Tourist bitten by wongari on K’gari
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is attempting to identify a dingo (wongari) on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) that bit a German tourist on 13 March 2024.
- 15 Mar 2024
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Compliance blitz, court case result in almost $500K in fines for illegal waste stockpiling
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, as Queensland’s environmental regulator, is putting Queensland waste operators on notice after a prosecution of an unlicensed operator, and a compliance blitz on metal recyclers resulted in more than $400,000 worth of fines for carrying out unlawful activities that risk the safety of the community and the environment.
- 15 Mar 2024
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Crocodile genetics study to inform management
The results of a long-range genetic study of Queensland’s estuarine crocodiles have shown they can be described broadly as six populations living within 12 distinct bioregions.
- 13 Mar 2024
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Collar to track wongari entering fenced area
Rangers have fitted a GPS tracking collar to a dingo (wongari) displaying heightened risk activity and entering a fenced area on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island).
- 13 Mar 2024
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Asbestos detected at Emu Park transfer station and NuGrow Rockhampton
Laboratory results have confirmed asbestos has been detected in a mulch stockpile at Livingstone Shire Council’s Emu Park transfer station.
- 7 Mar 2024
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Coorooman Creek crocodile complacency continues
Wildlife officers are warning that complacency in central Queensland croc country is very unsafe after witnessing disturbing behaviour from users of the Coorooman Creek boat ramp in Zilzie.
- 7 Mar 2024
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Joint asbestos investigation update – 6 March 2024
No further evidence of asbestos contamination has been found at NuGrow’s Swanbank facility after further testing as part of the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation’s (DESI) ongoing investigation.
- 7 Mar 2024
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$145,000 penalty for destroying thousands of protected mangroves near Townsville
A Townsville man has been ordered to pay close to $145,000 in relation to illegally clearing almost three football stadiums-worth of internationally-recognised wetlands in the Cape Cleveland section of Bowling Green Bay National Park.
- 6 Mar 2024
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Crocodiles observed downstream in Rollingstone Creek
Wildlife officers from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) have confirmed the presence of three large crocodiles in Rollingstone Creek, north of Townsville which are well downstream of the swimming hole.
- 6 Mar 2024
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Hop to it! Secure your camping permit for Easter to avoid a fine
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is reminding Queenslanders to obtain their permits ahead of camping these April school holidays and Easter long weekend.
- 4 Mar 2024
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Rollingstone Creek crocodile confirmed
Wildlife officers have used photos and videos to confirm the presence of an estimated three-metre crocodile in the Rollingstone Creek swimming hole, north of Townsville.
- 4 Mar 2024
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Smithsonian Fellowships now open
The Queensland Government’s 2024 Smithsonian Fellowship Program is now open.
- 2 Mar 2024
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Planned burn in partnership protects key environmental, power assets
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) has partnered with Powerlink, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and neighbouring landholders to protect crucial habitat in D’Aguilar National Park through a broad-scale planned burn operation.
- 1 Mar 2024
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Joint asbestos investigation update
No further evidence of asbestos contamination has been found at the first 23 waste sites tested as part of the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation’s (DESI) ongoing investigation.
February 2024
- 27 Feb 2024
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Asbestos detected in compost at NuGrow Ipswich
A small amount of asbestos has been detected in a compost stockpile at NuGrow Ipswich Pty Ltd’s site during a joint targeted inspection by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) and the Asbestos Safety Unit of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ).
- 26 Feb 2024
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Do not feed or interact with crocodiles
Wildlife officers have issued a serious warning to the public that feeding crocodiles puts lives at risk, after alarming social media videos surfaced in the Rockhampton region.
- 21 Feb 2024
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Tourists lost in remote area after Google Maps mishap
Two German tourists are lucky to be alive after Google Maps directed them to enter Oyala Thumotang National Park (CYPAL) while they were attempting to travel from Cairns to Bamaga.
- 18 Feb 2024
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Tourists bitten by wongari on K’gari
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is investigating two separate incidents on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) where two people on separate tours were injured by wongari (dingoes).
- 14 Feb 2024
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Crocodile captured in the Mulgrave River
A 2.3m crocodile has been captured in a trap in the Mulgrave River near the Ross and Locke recreation area, upstream of Gordonvale on 11 February 2024.
- 9 Feb 2024
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QPWS team studies turtles, remove over 100kg of rubbish from crucial turtle nesting habitat
Threatened Species officers from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) have removed rubbish and large debri from foreshore on one of the world’s most important hawksbill turtle rookeries.
- 8 Feb 2024
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Croc removed from property near Cardwell
Wildlife officers from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) have removed a 2.5 metre crocodile from a private property near Cardwell in north Queensland.
- 7 Feb 2024
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Winchester South coal mine approved
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation has approved the environmental authority (EA) application for Whitehaven WS Pty Ltd’s Winchester South coal mine.
- 6 Feb 2024
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Croc removed from Palm Creek - Ingham
Wildlife Officers from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) have removed a small crocodile from Palm Creek at Garbutt Park in Ingham.
- 2 Feb 2024
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Decision reserved in NuGrow court action
In December 2023, the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation filed a restraint order application in the Planning and Environment Court, seeking to halt odour-producing aspects of a Swanbank waste operator's activities to bring relief to the local community.
- 2 Feb 2024
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28 protected birds released after being held at a Gympie residence
Wildlife Officers from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) have rescued and released dozens of protected birds which were being kept illegally by a Gympie resident.
- 1 Feb 2024
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Rangers join Wujal Wujal flood clean-up
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) rangers have taken their specialist skills and equipment off-park to support the ongoing clean-up of Wujal Wujal following severe flooding from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
January 2024
- 24 Jan 2024
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Park closures ahead of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) has today temporarily closed mainland and island national parks and protected areas between Cardwell and Airlie Beach ahead of the expected impact of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily and associated weather conditions.
- 23 Jan 2024
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Fined for Moreton Bay Marine Park fishing offences
A commercial fisher was fined $8000 plus $250 costs on fishing-related charges in the Cleveland Magistrates Court last week.
- 23 Jan 2024
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Waste fire, Swanbank
Compliance officers from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) are investigating the cause of a fire at the Nugrow composting facility in the early hours of yesterday morning (22 January 2024).
- 19 Jan 2024
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The great interstate platypus exchange
The Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) and the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) have exchanged platypuses to bolster the population and enhance public education for the species.
- 16 Jan 2024
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Dingo euthanised on K’gari following dangerous incidents
A dingo responsible for several serious incidents on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) has been humanely euthanised this afternoon (16 January 2024).
- 15 Jan 2024
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Rangers respond to dingo bite at Hook Point, K’gari
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is investigating an incident on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) after a man was bitten on the leg by a dingo at Hook Point earlier today (15 January 2024).
- 13 Jan 2024
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Update – Serious dingo incident, Hook Point
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) has identified the dingo that bit a young girl at Hook Point on K’gari yesterday (12 January 2024).
- 12 Jan 2024
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Rangers responding after young girl bitten on K’gari
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is investigating an incident on at Hook Point on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) today (12 January) during which a young girl was bitten multiple times by a dingo.
- 12 Jan 2024
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Environmental Protection Order – Wood Mulching Industries
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) has ordered a Swanbank waste operator to take immediate action to better manage their green waste and compost stockpiles on their site, following a fire late last month.
- 11 Jan 2024
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Waste levies waived for Scenic Rim Regional Council and Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council
The Queensland Government has waived waste levies for the Scenic Rim Regional Council in south-east Queensland and the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council in far north Queensland to support these communities as they recover from significant recent weather events.
- 10 Jan 2024
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$30K in fines for green waste fire, Swanbank
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) has fined an Ipswich-based waste operator more than $30,000 for stockpiling green waste that led to a fire late last month.
- 9 Jan 2024
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Croc removed from chook pen, Cape Hillsborough
Wildlife Officers from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) have removed a one metre crocodile from a chicken coop at a home north of Mackay.
- 8 Jan 2024
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Jane Creek crocodile investigation
Wildlife Officers have conducted a thorough investigation following a report of a large crocodile leaping from the water and into a fisher’s tinnie in Jane Creek near Mackay on 31 December 2023.
- 4 Jan 2024
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Rangers investigating after girl bitten on K’gari
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is investigating a Code E incident on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) that left a seven-year-old girl with puncture wounds to her thigh.
- 2 Jan 2024
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Mackay crocodile investigation
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) is investigating after a large crocodile reportedly leapt from the water and into a tinnie while a person was fishing at Jane Creek near St Helen’s Beach, north of Mackay.
Previous years
Releases from previous years: