About Us

The Boyne Calliope Sub Region (BCSR) is one of five regionally-based natural resource management groups that receive support and funding from the Fitzroy Basin Association Inc. (FBA). BCSR provides a relevant, local contact point for the communities in the Boyne and Calliope Catchments. 

Working in collaboration with FBA, the Boyne Calliope Sub Region aims to achieve targets set under the Central Queensland Strategy for Sustainability 2004 and Beyond (CQSS2). The CQSS2 is the Central Queensland's regional natural resource management plan. It was developed in consultation with the community and provides a clear direction for protecting and restoring our area's natural assets.

Implementing the plan in the Boyne Calliope region occurs through various means including:

Working with landholders: BCSR offers assistance to landholders to implement changes in the way they manage their land to work towards a sustainable and productive future.  We can:

• Provide one-on-one help on all facets of natural resource management in everyday language through an on-farm visit;
• Identify opportunities on your property to apply for financial incentive programs to develop on-ground projects that enhance the sustainability of both grazing and farming enterprises.  This could involve installation of new infrastructure or techniques;
• Link you with a network of other farmers, agribusinesses, consultants and researchers to access relevant and useful information;
• Identify opportunities for follow-up and monitoring programs to detect changes at a catchment and property scale.
  

Awareness-raising and skills development: BCSR identifies opportunities for useful training, workshops, field days and other gatherings where land managers can learn, improve their skills and share their knowledge with each other. A variety of providers are used to bring to you topics that are designed to be practical and range from:

• Grazing management, pasture identification, land condition and ground cover improvement;
• Weed identification and management;
• Healthy soils and erosion management;
• Fire management;
• GPS use and computer mapping;
• Pest animal control;
• Water quality monitoring and;
• Vegetation and biodiversity.
  

BCSR also issues a regular newsletter with information about events, funding opportunities and other news.

Community capacity building: BCSR supports community development initiatives by working closely with groups in the region that have a stake in or a role to play in managing our natural resources.  BCSR staff play an active role in promoting sustainable development and natural resource management by attending local meetings, communicating with other groups and getting involved with community events all around the local region.

The Boyne and Calliope catchments have had a history of active resource management groups going back more than 20 years to the days of Calliope Landcare and Calliope Soil Conservation Groups.  These groups undertook a significant amount of successful projects and workshops with a large number of landholders and industry partners.

Declining funding meant these groups transitioned in the Boyne Calliope Sub Region of the Fitzroy Basin Association around 2004/2005 and over the years BCSR has transitioned further into a valuable community based organisation with strong links to other groups.  In early 2006, a Steering Committee of local landholders and partner representatives was formed to ensure local knowledge and history was contually fed into BCSR activities.  Many of these members were key players in the formation and success of the previous Landcare and Soil Conservation groups.  The legacy of the information sharing and onground projects undertaken by these groups have shaped the way the BCSR works today and through local input will continue to do so well into the future.