MAY 24, 2017
The night parrot – how one of the world’s most enigmatic species was rediscovered in WA.
Arguably one of the world’s rarest bird species, the Night Parrot was last confirmed in WA, when in 1912 an individual was shot in the Gascoyne region. Bruce Greatwich and Nigel Jackett, along with George Swann and Adrian Boyle embarked on a trip to the remote desert in the hope of finding the species. Many years of hard work and refinement of detection methods paid off, when the team was able to capture photographs and call recordings of the Night Parrot in WA for the first time in history.
Where Graduation Square, University of Notre Dame, 88 Guy Street, Broome
When Wednesday May 24 from 6 – 7.00pm
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JULY 1-15, 2017
Celebrate the Dinosaur Coast
CELEBRATE THE DINOSAUR COAST is organised by the Dinosaur Coast Management Group (DCMG) in partnership with the Roebuck Bay Working Group (RBWG). Micklo Corpus, Chairperson of the DCMG, said, ‘This is a great opportunity for the whole community to learn more about the dinosaurs who used to call Broome and beyond home.’ Kandy Curran, Project Manager of the RBWG, said, ‘this is a stand out program for 2017, with lots of hands on dinosaurian activities led by two of Australia’s leading paleontologists.’
Research published in the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 16 in March 2017 has captured international and national attention. Work led by Dr Steve Salisbury of the University Queensland, has established the rich diversity of well-preserved tracks on the Yanijarri-Lurrajarri section of the Dampier Peninsula coastline – as unparalleled. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2016.1269539
JULY 12, 2017
Celebrating 10 years of seagrass monitoring in Roebuck Bay
Dr Malcolm Lindsay is a marine biologist and Julia Rau, the project coordinator of the Broome Community Seagrass Monitoring Project.
With the help of community volunteers, valuable scientific data has been methodically collected over the last ten years on the health of Roebuck Bay’s seagrass meadows. Len and Julia will present the findings and launch an easily understood 10-year Report Card that will assist with the management and protection of the seagrass meadows in Roebuck Bay.
Where The Hall, University of Notre Dame, 88 Guy Street, Broome
When Wednesday July 12 from 6 – 7 pm
AUGUST 2, 2017
The Wonder of Avian Migration
The annual life-cycle of Roebuck Bay’s migratory shorebirds seems extremely tough, however flying 5,000km non-stop is no big deal to them – despite the huge energetic demands. Humans however, are rapidly changing the landscape they rely on and problems arise for migratory animals that cannot adapt quickly enough.
With an array of methods from leg bands to satellite transmitters, researchers are finding out more about their unique biology and stopover sites – crucial in a rapidly changing world to inform their protection against an ever increasing range of anthropogenic threats.
Where Graduation Square, University of Notre Dame, 88 Guy Street, Broome
When Wednesday August 30 from 6 – 7 pm
AND…
Wing Threads: Flight to the Tundra
Zoologist turned pilot, Amellia Formby, intends to embark on a microlight aircraft journey to accompany Australia’s migratory shorebirds to breeding grounds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
“By mimicking their migration, I want to highlight how species extinctions are not just about shorebirds or other species – they are also about us because we rely on the same ecosystems they do to survive.”
Hear Amellia speak about how she found herself on this incredible journey for shorebird conservation.
Where Graduation Square, University of Notre Dame, 88 Guy St Broome
When Wednesday August 2 from 6 – 7 pm
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AUGUST 5, 2017
Mud and Saltwater Short Film Fest
Film is at the heart of the Mud and Saltwater Short Film Fest and the Roebuck Bay Working Group aims to showcase the best short films made by professional and amateur filmmakers about Roebuck Bay and the Kimberley, a truly remarkable part of the world.
The Mud and Saltwater Short Film Fest will be screened under the stars at the Mangrove Hotel on Saturday 5th August 2017 at The Mangrove Hotel, 47 Carnarvon St, Broome. The next screenings:
Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on August 16, 2017 6.30pm to 8pm
Broome Surf Club on August 25, 2017 from 6.15pm to 7.30pm.
Shinju Matsuri Festival on September 2, 2017 at Sun Pictures.
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AUGUST 30, 2017
Communication in Whale and Dolphin Societies
Dr Salgado Kent, marine biologist and bioacoustician asks… Have you ever heard dolphins communicate with one another? Or male whales sing to outcompete other males in attracting females?
So how exactly do dolphins living in Roebuck Bay or humpback whales migrating key breeding grounds off the Kimberley use communication within their social societies?
Where The Hall, University of Notre Dame, 88 Guy St, Broome
When Wednesday August 30 from 6 – 7 pm
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OCTOBER 11, 2017
Indigenous rangers and researchers merge traditional knowledge and science to look after Balguja – the dugong or sea cow
Researchers have partnered Indigenous rangers in the Kimberley to gather critical data on dugongs and their seagrass habitat for a WA Marine Science Institution project.
Dr Peter Bayliss showcases key learnings and what they mean for dugongs and their seagrass pastures in the Kimberley.
“This three-year research project makes a start in a life-time adventure to gain critical knowledge with community participation at all levels.”
Where The Hall, University of Notre Dame, 88 Guy St, Broome
When Wednesday October 11 from 6 – 7.00pm
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NOVEMBER 8, 2017
Eye in the sky! Human use of the Dampier Peninsula coast
Professor Lynnath Beckley, a marine scientist at Murdoch University, has been conducting monthly aerial surveys over the past year from Crab Creek to Point Torment to gain an understanding of how people use this coastal area.
Vessel and boat ramp activity (video camera at Entrance Point) have been recorded along with coastal camping and four wheel driving activities. This study provides spatially explicit data of human use prior to major coastal developments, such as the construction of sealed roads and tourism infrastructure.
Where The Hall, University of Notre Dame, 88 Guy St, Broome
When Wednesday November 8 from 6 – 7.00pm
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NOVEMBER 15, 2017
The past, present and future of Kimberley coral reefs
The coral reefs of the Kimberley are some of the world’s most unique, diverse, and pristine. Yet, little is known of their distribution and ecology. Their remoteness means they have escaped pressures such as pollution and overfishing. However, their condition is threatened by emerging pressures, particularly global climate change.
In this talk Dr James Gilmour will explore the diversity of coral reefs within the Kimberley, from the turbid coastal reefs to the oceanic atolls, their capacity to thrive in naturally dynamic settings, and how this capacity is being eroded by climate change.
Where The Hall, University of Notre Dame. 88 Guy St Broome.
When Wednesday November 15 from 6 – 7.30pm
AND…
NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Going with the Flow
Dr Jim Underwood will explain how coral reef animals like fish, trochus and corals, and marine plants like seagrass, release larvae or seeds into the ocean that form the new “recruits” of the next generation. But how far do these larvae and seeds move away from their parent’s home on ocean currents before they settle and grow into adults?
In order to properly manage marine ecosystems into the future, we need to understand these connections because they influence the regeneration and survival of these marine populations or “mobs”. For example, when corals bleach when it’s too hot, will the new recruits come from local survivors or from reefs far away? The powerful tidal currents of the inshore Kimberley makes understanding these questions challenging but fascinating.
Where The Hall, University of Notre Dame. 88 Guy St Broome.
When Wednesday November 15 from 6 – 7.30pm
Roebuck Bay Working Group is comprised of Traditional Owners and government, local community, conservation groups and business. We work collaboratively to solve issues, raise awareness and encourage research and monitoring which supports responsible management and protection of Roebuck Bay.
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