Environmental Services protects Townsville's natural environments and spearheads Council's sustainability initiatives. Explore the hidden worlds of sustainability, Water, Energy, Biodiversity, Land Management and Recycling.

We live in a beautiful part of the world that is surrounded by amazing nature and environmental conservation areas including the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area, Pinnacles National Park, Magnetic Island, the Wet Tropics world heritage area including Paluma Range National Park, and Bowling Green Bay RAMSAR Wetland of international Importance.

The work that organisations, not-for-profits, businesses and governments put in to protecting, restoring, and enhancing these spaces is crucial for ensuring they flourish and that we continue to attract ecotourism to the region.

Tasmania’s manufacturing sector is globally competitive in food and beverage processing, smart technologies, forestry, maritime and defence.

The Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Burnie on Tasmania’s north west coast is home to facilities, training spaces and equipment designed to develop workers’ and students’ skills in advanced manufacturing.

The maritime precinct near Hobart is home to a number of globally competitive shipbuilders and product manufacturers.
In the northwest is one of the country’s most significant heavy vehicle manufacturing clusters. Vehicles manufactured here are generally highly specialised products for the global underground, surface mining and rail maintenance industries.

Hobart is also Australia’s Antarctic Gateway to the great frozen continent in the south. Tasmania has strong manufacturing services and research and policy capability in Antarctic related activities. Hobart Port has a dedicated Antarctic and cruise terminal and houses the Australian Antarctic Division’s world class Cargo and Biosecurity Centre. The state is a leader in skills and research development in remote and extreme environment health care.

The South West is one of Western Australia’s nine recognised regions located outside the Perth metropolitan area. Fronting the Indian and Southern oceans, covering 24,000 square kilometres and including 12 local government areas, the South West is the most populous and economically diverse of WA’s regions.

Of the landmass that comprises the region, about two-thirds is made up of State Forest, National Parks and regional parks, with the southern forests being the largest component. About 25% is occupied by agricultural and rural uses, with about 8% used for industrial and urban development.

The economy benefits from the combination of the commodity rich hinterland (agriculture and mineral resources) in close proximity to a working port. Alumina refining and associated construction play a major role in economic output and employment. Agriculture, forestry and associated processing are significant sectors supplying dairy, beef, vegetables and wood/timber products for domestic consumption and increasingly for export markets.

Historically, timber production and agriculture have been the predominant land uses within the Margaret River region, which has some of the most productive agricultural land in the State. The agriculture sector is diverse and includes a variety of cropping, viticulture and wine, fruit, flower and vegetable production, olives and olive oil, pasture production and livestock - beef and dairy cattle, sheep and deer, timber and artisan cheese production.

Apprenticeships and traineeships are excellent examples of pathways into work that have proven to be effective. But they are specific to certain occupations.

Apprentices and trainees made up about 10 per cent of the pathways people take into the workforce. He said policymakers needed to create better vocational education and training (VET) courses to give young people stronger options outside universities and apprenticeships.

3.9 million people were enrolled in vocational education and training last year, but up to 2.4 million of those were in short courses such as first aid and construction safety.

Ipswich economy is driven by high value industries of manufacturing, health care and social assistance, retail trade, education and defence. Ipswich is located in a prime location in South East Queensland, between Gold Coast to the south, Toowoomba to the west, Brisbane to the east, and the Sunshine Coast to the north.

Ipswich economy is driven by high value industries of manufacturing, health care and social assistance, retail trade, education and defence. Ipswich is located in a prime location in South East Queensland, between Gold Coast to the south, Toowoomba to the west, Brisbane to the east, and the Sunshine Coast to the north.

The need for aggressive climate action is clear and compelling. While confronting, this is a challenge that we must embrace with a sense of hope rather than despair. Tasmania, with its negative emissions profile and renewable energy assets, can be an example to the world on climate action, but much more does need to be done.

Tasmania has an impressive record on climate action� In 2015, we were the first Australian jurisdiction to achieve net zero emissions and we have achieved this commitment four years in a row.

The latest figures show we have the lowest emissions per person in the country.

Our State is now 100 per cent self- sufficient in renewable energy and continues to lead Australia’s transition to a low emissions economy. This includes a commitment to generate 200 per cent of our energy needs from renewable energy by 2040, and fast-tracking a renewable hydrogen industry in Tasmania.

Tasmania is also fortunate to have world-class climate science capability and detailed climate change projections to inform our decisions.
Despite our strong advantages, Tasmania is not immune to the impacts of a changing climate. In the past five years we have seen extreme flooding, fires, drought, biosecurity concerns and marine heatwaves� These events have had an environmental, economic and social impact on government, business, communities and households.

Gippsland offers a variety of natural attractions like nowhere else in Victoria. From rugged alpine mountain ranges, historic rural towns to pristine beaches, Gippsland is a diverse place attracting local and international visitors all year around.

The tourism industry in Gippsland is an important contributor to the region’s economy, worth $2.4 billion in direct and indirect expenditure per annum. Gippsland has outperformed regional Victoria for domestic and international visitation percentage growth, with 10.8 million visitors to the region annually. The visitor economy supports over 3,000 businesses who derive the majority of their income from overnight and daytrip visitors.

Strongly backed by the government, multiple projects have been put into place to further Gippsland’s visitor economy. This includes the $48 million upgrade of the Philip Island Nature Park, the $30 million Latrobe Creative Arts Precinct and the $13.9 million West Gippsland Arts Centre.

Barossa Regional University Campus helps students access higher education without having to leave their community.

TAFE SA Barossa Valley campus offers courses that have been developed in collaboration with industry to ensure we meet the training and education needs of the local community.

Study areas include pathway courses, aged and disability services, agriculture, automotive, building trades, children’s education, conservation and ecosystem management, cookery, horticulture, hospitality, nursing, viticulture and wine and spirits.

The state-of-the-art Equine Health and Performance Centre is located on the Roseworthy Campus. The centre provides the highest standard of equine veterinary care, housing a number of specialist veterinarians, general practitioners, technicians and staff.

Apprenticeships and traineeships are excellent examples of pathways into work that have proven to be effective. But they are specific to certain occupations.

Apprentices and trainees made up about 10 per cent of the pathways people take into the workforce. He said policymakers needed to create better vocational education and training (VET) courses to give young people stronger options outside universities and apprenticeships.

3.9 million people were enrolled in vocational education and training last year, but up to 2.4 million of those were in short courses such as first aid and construction safety.

In an Australian first, The City is also creating an advanced Innovation Hub for the blue economy to test and develop new marine practices and technologies that could help sustain vibrant blue economies across the globe.

Our research forecasts an exponential growth in Cockburn’s defence sector over the next decade.

Like many industries, there is a genuine skills gap within the defence sector, and it’s expected to grow as demand does. Without hubs like the one we’re proposing, this will only become a bigger issue.
Joining us in the world-class Innovation Hub will be researchers collaborating across four major universities. Specialised registered training organisations will provide training and upskilling, while PhD students from UWA will deliver research opportunities and help bring products to market. Finally, equity investor group Perth Angels and not-for-profits Business Station and Business Foundations are also onboard with a focus on providing business advisory support.

Up to 40 Blue Economy businesses will be guided to bring their ideas into commercial reality, with access to services which will build capacity and capability.

As an advanced research hub for the Blue Economy, Cockburn will test and develop new marine practices and technology.
This Innovation Hub was designed to help the City of Cockburn grow local jobs, all of which will increase the wellbeing and quality of life for our communities.

The Soil CRC (CRC for High Performance Soils) was established in 2017 to give farmers the knowledge and tools they need to make decisions on extremely complex soil management issues.
By bridging a gap between soil scientists and farmers, we will ensure that soil performance is increased not just in the short term, but in the long term.
Our practical, real-world outputs will allow farmers to optimise their productivity, yield and profitability, and ensure the long-term sustainability of their farming businesses.
Through its soil research and innovation program, the Soil CRC will develop new solutions that will unlock the potential of Australia’s agricultural sector.
It will address the billions of dollars in lost opportunity experienced by farmers and regional communities due to infertile and underperforming soils.
CRCs are led by passionate and motivated industry partners, and draw in the brightest researchers from across Australia to address issues of national significance.
• New mechanisms for financially rewarding management of high performance soils.
• New integrated soil management solutions that provide greater precision for farmers.
• New ways to measure the performance of soils.
• New advanced and innovative products to increase soil fertility and function.

In the Northern Rivers, agribusiness is a major driver of our local economy. The sub-tropic climate and rich soils of our region provide ideal conditions for a broad variety of agriculture.

Well established agricultural industries in the region include beef, sugar cane, bananas, vegetables and dairy. More recently blueberries and macadamias have been our fastest growing industries. Increasing demand from Asia and other international markets has seen rapid growth for these products. The industry has responded to this by investing in research and development for more resilient and higher yielding varieties.

There is significant agricultural activity across the Region. Kyogle and Casino are the primary hubs, focused on cattle, milk and poultry (inland) and cane growing around Evans Head.

The Ballina and Lismore regions have similar strengths in macadamia and sugar cane production, as well as distinctions (nurseries in Ballina; milk, cattle and poultry production in Lismore). While not as great as elsewhere, Byron Shire still produces significant macadamia, nursery, cattle and milk output. Cattle, macadamias, poultry and milk are the Northern Rivers’ leading commodities.
The Northern Rivers provides opportunities for agribusiness research collaboration with Southern Cross University. The Australian Government has a number of programs to support research and development.

New industries currently investing in new technologies in the region include a multi-million dollar medicinal cannabis plant that will potentially generate up to $1 billion in revenue and create 300 new jobs in the region. This facility will utilise state of the art Ag-technology, with ongoing research and development a key focus of the plant.

There is so much to discover in the diverse Mid West region. A wealth of resources and natural beauty takes you on a journey through a range of industries. Here are a few examples:
• Closer to the coast, you will find the City of Greater Geraldton, Dongara, Kalbarri and the newly named national park, the Houtman Abrolhos Islands.
• The broad-acre farming land of the North Midlands awakens in spring with vibrant cascades of wildflowers across the breakaway country. These host one of the biggest open gardens in the world!
• The pristine coastline of the Batavia Coast and its rich coastal bounty includes the Western Rock Lobster of the Indian Ocean. A treasure of marine stories opens, full of courage and mutiny, to thrill all who dare discover them. A diverse culture of people and activities guarantees enjoyment to all who visit this region.

The Gascoyne region stretches across some 600km of pristine, postcard-perfect coastline that borders the Indian Ocean. This includes:
• The breathtaking, World Heritage area of Shark Bay. It is well known for its pearling history, sensational shell beaches, stromatolites and the dolphins at Monkey Mia.
• The Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range National Park showcases the world’s largest fringing reef bursting with marine life including the breathtaking whale sharks.
• The rich ochre reds of the desert country. The vast outback of the Upper Gascoyne leads to Mt Augustus, the largest monolith in the world, and the awe-inspiring Kennedy Ranges which are part of the Kennedy Range National Park.
• Carnarvon is a sub-tropical coastal town that sits on the banks of the powerful Gascoyne River. This fresh water river system enables the successful growth of a diverse agriculture industry, recognised as the ‘food bowl’ of Western Australia and is a regional hub for many outlining pastoralists. Carnarvon gained world recognition for playing a part as integral support with its Tracking Station, ensuring man landed successfully on the moon. Now a space museum is a major attraction in town.

The dairy industry is moving towards a more intensive system of production, with efficiencies in establishing ‘dairy pads’ as well as the more traditional fodder-based dairies.

In the region, beef farming is undertaken on a smaller scale that other regions across NSW due to the smaller size of properties. It operates as part of a mixed farming system with cropping or hay production, enabling feed to be stored on farm for drier periods or sold. The nursery industry relies on many of the similar secondary industries as the other agricultural industries in the region.

Wheat, oats and maize grown in the Shoalhaven provide feed for dairy cattle in the region. Lucerne, pasture and cereal hay grown in the Shoalhaven provide feed for cattle and Lucerne hay for the equine industry. The Bega Cheese processing plant is the main milk processor in the South East and Tablelands Region. The plant employs over 500 staff in the Bega Valley.

The south coast’s oysters, mussels and scallops enjoy an international reputation as
being safe, sustainable and high quality. Aquaculture provides regional employment, tourism opportunities, food security and a reliable supply of quality fresh seafood for locals and international diners alike.

Anyone can have a great idea or come up with an innovative solution to a problem. The hard part when you’re in a region can be getting access to the help you need to turn ideas into a business and a business into a global success story. Advance Queensland is helping Queenslanders to grow their business and build an innovation economy.

The Whitsunday Climate Innovation Hub, an initiative of the Whitsunday Regional Council, is aiming to improve the resilience of the Whitsunday region in the face of increasing climate change hazards, such as storm tide and coastal erosion. The Hub acts as a think-tank, bringing together national and international experts in law, climate adaptation, finance, insurance, tourism and agriculture, and provides climate information to the wider community.

Who can work from home?
The ability for people to do their job from home is strongly tied to their occupation and the tasks they are required to perform. Working from home is particularly suited to office-based workers such as managers, professionals and clerical and administrative workers, where workers use computers, interact less with the public, do not perform outdoor work or physical activity, and do not work with immovable structures, materials or equipment.
Census data from 2016 shows that approximately 35% of workers had jobs that were amenable to working from home. This potential to work from home is associated with higher levels of education and higher incomes, and full-time jobs.

Why didn’t these people work from home before the pandemic?
Prior to the pandemic, the technology allowing many people to work from home existed — but very few took it up. HILDA data show that, in 2019, around 8% of employees had a formal work-from-home arrangement, and worked a median of one day per week from home. Overall, around 2% of total hours were worked from home. Census data from 2016 also suggests that a small proportion of workers (5%) worked from home instead of commuting on census day.
A number of reasons can be advanced for low take-up of work-from-home arrangements prior to the pandemic. Management practices and cultural norms in workplaces, and stigma associated with working from home, may have discouraged remote work. Firms would have been reluctant to invest in the technology and systems for large-scale working from home, given uncertainty about its benefits. As the CEO of Morgan Stanley explained in 2020:
If you’d said three months ago that 90% of our employees will be working from home and the employer would be functioning fine, I’d say that is a test I’m not prepared to take because the downside of being wrong on that is massive. (Cutter 2020)

North Queensland has long been a base for various major industries, including mineral processing, sugar mills, beef processing and concrete batching plants.
Industries considered for the region include sea, air, rail and road-dependent industrial uses such as manufacturing (chemicals and metals production), minerals processing, food processing, intermodal freight and logistics and bulk storage.

The region is home to key defence bases including Lavarack Barracks (one of Australia’s largest), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Townsville (co-located with Townsville Airport) and the Ross Island Barracks. The Port of Townsville also supports naval operations for both Australia and foreign vessels.

Townsville is the base for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef studies, TropWATER, CSIRO and ReefHQ aquarium.

Culture and creativity are part of our Tasmanian story – it’s who we are and what we do and why we do it. It touches every facet of our lives.

Tasmanian culture is our most treasured asset, which no other people and no other place can replicate. It is the source of our pride, our regret, our mutual understanding, and our most honest and reliable engine of growth. Our culture is an expression of who we are, what it feels like to be Tasmanian.

Tasmanians express it to each other and tell our 60,000 year-old stories to visitors and to the world. We feel it in our museums, galleries, natural environment and historic places. We hear it and read it and watch it, play with it, wear it, bring it into our homes, taste it, and, most importantly, we share it.