Remote fieldwork reveals Cape York's remarkable landscapes and wildlife
- Cape York NRM
- Aug 25
- 1 min read
Camping under the stars, tackling remote four-wheel drive tracks and encountering some of Cape York's unique wildlife were all part of the job for Cape York NRM staff during a recent land condition monitoring trip through the Peninsula's south-west.
In July, the team travelled through Kowanyama and the surrounding Joint Management Area as part of our long-term land condition monitoring program. Using Land Condition Assessment Tool surveys, staff collected data to track how Cape York’s landscapes are changing over time.
In Kowanyama, the team was joined by three rangers from the Abm Elgoring Ambung Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, who participated in one of the land condition assessments.
These surveys follow an earlier round of monitoring conducted in May between Mareeba, Coen and Pormpuraaw. The program is on track to revisit up to 130 long-term monitoring sites across Cape York this dry season.
This latest field trip took the team deep into remote country, where careful planning and self-sufficient camping were essential to reach isolated monitoring sites. Along the way, the team encountered some of Cape York's diverse wildlife, including large numbers of Brolgas and Sarus Cranes, as well as a variety of birds of prey.
The trip also highlighted the region's plant diversity. Staff recorded three distinct carnivorous plant species: two species of sundew and a rainbow plant. They also spotted a Gebang Palm (Corypha utan), a species that flowers and fruits only once during its lifetime before dying.
This project is funded by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.
