Bimblebox Nature Refuge has become part of a network of scientists, researchers and various organisations. Following is a list of the scientific studies that have been or are currently conducted on the Nature Refuge.
McCosker, J (DERM)
Relationships between biodiversity and land condition PhD thesis
Queensland DPI & F
- Developing Long-term Carrying Capacity models for the Desert Uplands
- Understanding change in Queensland’s grazed woodlands (TRAPS woodland monitoring).
- Assessment of vegetation change in the Burdekin Catchment of Queensland
Vanderduys, E et al. (CSIRO)
Flora and fauna diversity in cleared and intact woodlands of the Desert Uplands
Fensham, R (Qld Herbarium) and Fairfax, R
Maintaining the open character of eucalypt woodlands with fire
Anderson, E.R. (Birds Australia).
Trends in avian diversity
For more information about the above research go to:
http://bimblebox.org/?page_id=41
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Fire on Bimblebox
photo by Glenda Orr
Dr Rod Fensham
Sonya Duus Phd scholar
Investigating the role of coal in Australia
Coal is central to modern society through its role in energy production and the production of materials such as iron and steel, yet its use is increasingly fraught with controversy. There are growing concerns over Australia’s relationship with coal, given that fossil fuels are implicated in the substantial issues of climate change, land-use conflict and corporate power (amongst other things). Nonetheless, Australia remains one of the worlds’ top five coal producers, is one of the world’s largest coal exporters, and is domestically dependent on coal for around 80% of electricity generation. Current projections would see Australia’s production and export of coal increase substantially over the next 20-30 years. So how do we make sense of our relationship with coal and how can we meaningfully respond to these growing conflicts? My research aims to enrich our understanding of the role of coal in Australia both broadly and historically. It is grounded in a case study of current proposed fossil fuel developments in the Galilee Basin of central-west Queensland. It considers current concerns in regard to the conflict between coal mining and other land uses in a broad and historical context.
Drill rig over the boundary fence, Bimblebox Nature Refuge. Photo by Sonya Duus
Research Interests
• Interdisciplinary approaches to tackling environmental and social dilemmas
• The combined imperatives of social equity and environmental health
• The role of energy and materials in modern society and issues around hyper-consumption
• Coal expansion in Queensland
• The history and impact of mineral rights and mining on other land uses
Previous research
Sonya Duus (2002) ‘Managing Environmental Conflict in Australia: opportunities and limitations’, unpublished Honours thesis, Australian National University.
below link to Sonya’s recent article for ‘The Conversation’:
The Australia Institute
About TAI
The Australia Institute is an independent public policy think tank based in Canberra. It is funded by donations from philanthropic trusts and individuals, memberships and commissioned research. Since its launch in 1994, the Institute has carried out highly influential research on a broad range of economic, social and environmental issues.
Our purpose—‘Research that matters’
The Institute aims to foster informed debate about our culture, our economy and our environment and bring greater accountability to the democratic process. Our goal is to gather, interpret and communicate evidence in order to both diagnose the problems we face and propose new solutions to tackle them.
Dr Richard Denniss
Clive Palmer’s new QLD mine to hit Victorian and South Australian manufacturing
The China First mine proposed for Queensland is so large that even the economic impact statement prepared by the mine‟s proponents finds that it will drive more than $1.2 billion worth of manufacturing offshore, cause 3,000 job losses and result in higher housing costs and a less equal distribution of income.
Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute, a Canberra-based public policy think tank, will today make a comprehensive submission to the QLD Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI), who will determine the viability of the project.
“It‟s common to hear opponents of new coal mines making such predictions but the proposed China First coal mine is so big that even the proponents of the mine are admitting that the consequences for other parts of the economy will be devastating,” said Dr Denniss.
The economic impact statement prepared by the mine‟s developers found that:
- 3,000 jobs will be lost across Queensland and Australia, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism
- $1.2 billion of manufacturing activity will be lost
- Inflation will rise
- Small and medium sized businesses will be hit with higher bills for payroll and rent.This will result in some of them shutting down.
- Housing affordability will decline for those who are not employed in the new mine
- Wealth will become less evenly distributed, with most of the benefits accruing tothose employed in the China First mine.“The Australian car industry, the Australian steel industry and those responsible for processing Australian food have all made it clear that the high exchange rate is putting pressure on them to move offshore. The proponents of this mine have made clear that the mine will push the exchange rate higher,” said Dr Denniss.“Far from being a “shot in the arm‟ for Queensland as the Premier described it when the deal was announced, this mine has the potential to harm other parts of the State,” said Dr Denniss.“The mining industry spends a lot of money suggesting that what is good for them is good for everybody, but this is simply not the case. The China First mine is a perfect example of how the expansion of the mining industry means the contraction of the agriculture industry, the contraction of the tourism industry and the contraction of the manufacturing industry.“This mine can only proceed if the courts and the State government think it‟s in Queensland‟s best interests. Given that the mine‟s proponents own economic impact statement shows that what‟s good for mining is bad for the rest of the Queensland economy, it‟s hard to see how it could possibly be approved,” concluded Dr Denniss.Dr Richard Denniss was the co- author of a major report on the Australian mining industry, titled Mining the truth: The rhetoric and reality of the commodities boom, available at http://www.tai.org.au
For the full report: https://www.tai.org.au/index.php?q=node%2F19&pubid=939&act=display
Email: mail@tai.org.au
Website: www.tai.org.au
Bimblebox Art Project 