This program received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

Welcome from our Director

Christmas Shutdown

Our new Regional Soil Coordinator

"What is the Northern Hub?"

At the recent KPCA conference, one of the most common questions we received was, “What is the Northern Hub?” Let’s take a moment to explain who we are and what we do.

The Northern Hub is, an organisation funded by the federal governments Future Drought Fund and partnered with Charles Darwin University. We are committed to strengthening resilience to drought and climate variability while fostering agricultural innovation across northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Our goal is to empower communities and land managers with strategies to adapt, prepare, and succeed in a changing climate. Our mission is driven by five key pillars:

1. First Nations: This pillar emphasises a year-long consultation with First Nations communities, incorporating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives to ensure our programs resonate with the values of the region’s original caretakers.

2. Human Capacity: We focus on supporting the next generation of land managers through early career extensions and small projects, providing practical experience and skills that equip emerging leaders for regional challenges.

3. Resilient Landscapes: This involves assisting with stocking rate decisions, introducing legumes into native pastures to improve soil health, and implementing rehydration strategies for water-scarce areas, vital for sustaining central Australian landscapes.

4. Natural Capital: We conduct reviews of policy landscapes to pinpoint opportunities and barriers for sustainable practices, fostering greater awareness of natural capital to enhance resource management and conservation efforts.

5. Preparation & Planning: This pillar supports adaptive planning by extending resources from the National Agriculture Climate Program, delivering financial literacy workshops, and offering Better Beef Business workshops to build economic resilience within the beef industry.

Through these interconnected pillars, we run co-designed projects across our region that reinforce resilience against climate variations and prepare communities for the future. By focusing on sustainable practices, regional partnerships, and practical skill-building, the Northern Hub is committed to promoting a resilient, prosperous north for producers, communities, and future generations.

Defining Drought with Emily Hinds

The Northern Hub covers a vast and diverse area, including all of the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia down to the Gascoyne region. Drought looks different across these regions due to varying climates and environmental conditions. In the Northern Hub region, drought is defined differently from region to region and person to person. In contrast, more arid regions like Alice Springs and the Pilbara have vastly different concepts of drought. Understanding these regional differences is essential for developing tailored strategies to address drought effectively across the Northern Hub. To gain a better understanding of drought, the Northern Hub will conduct monthly interviews with people from these various regions to highlight the differences. For the first article, we have interviewed Emily Hinds to discuss the Darwin area.

Emily Hinds, the Regional Soil Coordinator for the Northern Hub, has lived in the Northern Territory for over 35 years, primarily in the Darwin and Katherine areas. Her extensive experience provides valuable insights into the challenges of managing drought in this region. She explains that in the Northern Territory, drought is often characterised by periods of rainfall deficits, particularly during the dry season. "While we may not experience traditional droughts like other regions, the lack of sufficient rainfall can still have significant impacts, moreover some years can have false starts, this is where we get initial early rainfall to get grass growing and then no follow up, leaving pasture to die off again" she says, emphasising the unique challenges faced by the area.

For the pastoral industry, impactful rainfall is crucial. "We need about 25-50 mm of rain over a few days to stimulate grass growth," Hinds highlights. "Prolonged periods without such rainfall can be considered a drought." She points out that even in years with high rainfall, the high evaporation rates in the tropics can lead to significant water loss. "This can create drought-like conditions despite the overall rainfall totals. Its about how the rain falls," she adds, underlining the complexity of the issue.

Emily has observed changes in rainfall patterns over the years. "Rainfall is becoming more intense and short-lived," she notes. "This leads to increased runoff and erosion, rather than the steady, soaking rains needed to recharge soil moisture effectively." These changes have a direct impact on the agricultural industry.

She suggests that better land management practices and proactive monitoring of water levels and seasonal forecasts are essential." By looking ahead and closely monitoring rainfall forecasts and totals, a land manager can implement strategies to plan for the season with reduced stress in decision making" The other number one factor for pastoralists is around managing ground cover and maintaining a soil that is rain ready, so that when the rain falls it will be able to infiltrate into the soil profile and recharge the system."  Emily suggests using the following forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology and apps such as:

• CliMate app
• NT Pastoral feed outlook

• Rainfall - Totals that have a 75% chance of occurring

• Chance of Extremes
• Undertake a Climate literacy course with your local Climate Mate from the Northern Australia Climate Program

Emily suggests, "there's also a huge opportunity for irrigated systems to implement and upgrade to more efficient and targeted watering systems using moisture probes, plant water demand data  and soil improvements to increase water holding capacity". Understanding these factors and having access to these tools and this information is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of drought and support community resilience. She remains hopeful that with the right strategies, the community can better withstand future rainfall deficits.

Upcoming Events

World Soil Day Morning Tea – Join Us!

The Northern Hub invites you to celebrate World Soil Day at our morning tea on Thursday, 5 December 2024, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Red 9, Level 1, Room 45, CDU Casuarina.

This year's theme, "Caring for soils: measure, monitor, manage," highlights the importance of soil health and sustainable management. Enjoy morning tea with cake and snacks while meeting our new regional soil coordinator, Emily Hinds.

Click here to RSVP and secure your spot

We look forward to seeing you there!

Latest Insight and Updates

Celebrating Excellence in Territory Natural Resource Management

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners of the 2024 NT Natural Resource Management Awards!

It was wonderful to see so many dedicated Territorians come together at last night’s gala dinner to celebrate the exceptional efforts of those working to protect and manage the Northern Territory's natural resources.

Discover more about this year’s inspiring winners and finalists at the 2024 NT NRM Awards.

This year’s winners across ten categories represent the very best of natural resource management in the NT:
🏆 Collaborative Research for Natural Resource Management Award: Arid Zone Monitoring Project
🏆 Resilient & Sustainable Enterprise Award: Big Rivers Conservation and Land Management
🏆 Next Generation Natural Resource Management Award: Dripstone Middle School
🏆 Ranger of the Year Award: Shaun Evans, li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Rangers
🏆 Indigenous Natural Resource Management Award: Reading the Country Project Team; North and South Tanami IPAs and the Central Land Council
🏆 Environment & Conservation Award: Casuarina Coastal Reserve Landcare Group – Gamba Grass Adopt-a-spot and Land for Wildlife – Central Australia
🏆 Farmers & Fishers Sustainability Award: Fiona McBean, Old Cameron Downs
🏆 Best Collaboration in Natural Resource Management Award: Digital Women Ranger Program and Network in collaboration with the Digital Women Ranger Research Team
🏆 Lifetime Achievement Award: Jerry Jangala Patrick, Northern Tanami IPA, Central Land Council
🏆 People’s Choice Award: Anindilyakwa Land Council Land and Sea Rangers

A big congratulations to everyone involved! Your contributions make a lasting impact on our environment and communities.

Rangelands NRM WA highlighting the importance of Mosaic Burning & Fire Scars

Fire management on the Dampier Peninsula is both a science and an art, deeply rooted in Indigenous knowledge and practices. Rangelands Natural Resource Management WA emphasises the importance of fire history and fire scars in this process. These scars, from early dry season fires and wildfires, are crucial for managing fire risks and preserving the landscape.

Mosaic Burning, a traditional technique used by Indigenous Rangers, involves carefully planning burn locations based on fire scars and existing infrastructure. This method creates natural fire breaks and patterns that allow native animals to escape to safe areas, protecting fragile ecosystems and cultural sites. It's like painting a protective picture across the landscape.

By integrating Indigenous knowledge with modern fire management practices, this approach ensures the long-term sustainability of our environments. It not only protects the land but also honours the wisdom and traditions of Indigenous communities, fostering a deeper connection to the landscape and its preservation for future generations.

Hub Team Out and About

KPCA Conference 2024: Karratha

Dave, Troy, and Ayesha had an incredible experience at the two-day KPCA Conference 2024 in Karratha. The event was packed with insightful sessions and valuable takeaways for the future of Australia’s beef industry.

Key Highlights:

• Northern Agriculture Research Outcomes: Dr. Dean Thomas and Dr. Stuart Denman shared groundbreaking research.
• Managing Pain in Livestock: Dr. Michael Laurence emphasized humane practices.
• The Carbon Question: Prof. Richard Eckard and Prof. Phil Vercoe discussed sustainability in agriculture.
• Supporting a Profitable, Resilient, and Sustainable Northern Beef Industry: Cec McConnel presented innovative approaches.
• Biosecurity and Disease Prevention: Dr. Ben Mason and a panel addressed essential strategies.

The Conference concluded with the Red Range Stock Supplements Gala Dinner, where attendees enjoyed a night of celebration and networking. The Family Shoveller Band’s live performance was a perfect end to a conference dedicated to innovation, resilience, and community.

The Northern Hub team are excited to apply these insights to their work and look forward to the future of the Northern Beef Industry!

Changemaker Workshop 2024: Katherine

Troy attended the Changemaker Workshop in Katherine, hosted by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation at CDU. The two-day event was a transformative experience, emphasising deep listening, perspective-taking, and community engagement.

Key Highlights from Troy:

• Warm Welcome and Introductions: Facilitators Liz Brennan and Donna Digby led participants in sharing their experiences and challenges of living in Katherine.
• Active Listening and Perspective-Taking: Exercises focused on rephrasing questions and understanding diverse viewpoints.
• Community Engagement: Participants engaged locals with questions about disaster preparedness, fostering meaningful conversations.
• Collaboration and Reflection: Discussions and role playing activities highlighted the importance of collaboration and seeing issues from different perspectives.

Troy commented that the Changemaker Workshop exceeded expectations by pushing participants into a real learning zone. It created a positive and engaging atmosphere, promoting reflection and collaboration. The event concluded with a sense of shared purpose and plans for future community initiatives, leaving participants inspired and ready to apply their new insights.

TNRM Conference 2024: Darwin

The Northern Hub had an incredible experience at the Territory Natural Resource Management (TNRM) Conference 2024. Day 2 of the conference was particularly engaging, featuring a series of insightful presentations and discussions on innovative approaches to natural resource management in the Northern Territory.

We were proud to have Troy and Ayesha representing our team at this significant event. They attended sessions that highlighted the importance of Indigenous leadership, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and sustainable practices. Key topics included traditional owner-led planning, conservation strategies for endangered species, and the application of advanced genomic techniques in land management.

Key Takeaways from Troy and Ayesha:

• Indigenous Leadership: Emphasised the critical role of Indigenous knowledge in managing natural resources.
• Cross-disciplinary Collaboration: Highlighted the benefits and challenges of working across different fields and jurisdictions.
• Innovative Conservation Strategies: Gained insights into cutting-edge techniques for protecting endangered species.
• Market-based Approaches: Explored sustainable land management practices through market frameworks.
• Advanced Monitoring Tools: Learned about new technologies for wildlife monitoring and fire management.

The diversity of topics and the dynamic exchange of ideas underscores the collaborative spirit driving natural resource management in the region. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and partnerships to create a sustainable future for all.

CDU RIEL Conference 2024: Darwin

Leia, Troy and Ayesha attended the RIEL Conference at Charles Darwin University's Waterfront Campus. The event highlighted the work of early career researchers focusing on environmental and ecological innovations.

Key Takeaways:

• Interdisciplinary Research: Sessions covered topics like marine conservation, ecosystem management, water and carbon cycles, and innovative approaches to conservation. The breadth of subjects showcased the importance of diverse fields working together.

• Integration of Indigenous Knowledge: Presentations emphasised combining Indigenous practices with scientific methods for sustainable ecosystem management. This collaboration is crucial for effective conservation strategies.

• Addressing Environmental Challenges: The conference stressed the urgency of tackling climate adaptation and ecological resilience through innovative solutions. Researchers highlighted the delicate balance between preserving species and promoting sustainable practices.

• Networking Opportunities: The event provided a platform for meaningful connections among researchers and professionals, fostering collaboration and professional growth.

The team left inspired to contribute to transformative projects, motivated by the insights and relationships gained at the conference.

Share Your Stories & Ideas

We’re excited to invite contributions for our upcoming newsletter. Whether you have an article, a community update, an event announcement, or a personal story to share, we want to hear from you. Your insights help enrich our newsletter and connect our community.

If you’re interested in contributing, please click on link below and fill out the form. We’re looking for a brief description of your submission, relevant details, and any images you'd like to include.

Let’s keep the conversation going and showcase the voices that make a difference! Please note that while we strive to include as many contributions as possible, some submissions may not be able to be included for this publication.

Follow Our Socials

Curious about what we’re up to? Our Northern Hub Team is dedicated to making a difference, connecting communities, and creating positive change. From on-the-ground initiatives to local events and collaborations, we’re excited to share our journey with you. Click on the links below to explore more, stay informed, and get involved!