Join these upcoming events organised by Mackay Conservation Group
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Friday, December 11, 2020 at 05:00 PM · 12 rsvps
Taylor's Hotel in Mackay, Australia2020 Christmas drinks
2020 has been a rough year for a whole bunch of reasons. It kicked off with huge amounts of the country on fire and followed up with a global pandemic that damaged the economy.
Despite these setbacks, Mackay Conservation Group supporters did an amazing job (as always) advocating for the environment. In February folks donated $12,000 to protect local waterways which allowed us to do some vital work on our campaign to stop the Urannah Dam. We have continued our hard work on the #StopAdani campaign, jamming their insurer's phones and reflected on our amazing wins and challenges with a screening go the film 'People Power vs Adani - The Fight of Our Times'
So let's catch up, have a drink and celebrate the end of 2020 and the amazing work we have done this year!
This is a casual event held in the courtyard at Taylors Hotel, folks are asked to buy their own food and drinks.
WHEN: Friday 11th December 2020
TIME: 5-7 PM
WHERE: Taylors Hotel courtyard (through the bistro), 126 Wood St Mackay -
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 05:30 PM · 11 rsvps
Mackay Environment Centre in Mackay, AustraliaHunt for the Gastric Brooding Frog
Australian wildlife has often failed to match the expectations of what animals should be. We have black swans, mammals that lay eggs and earthworms that grow to nearly three metres in length.
One of the most bizarre Australian creatures of all, Rheobatrachus vitellinus (the Northern Gastric Brooding Frog), was discovered just west of Mackay in the Eungella National Park. This amazing frog laid her eggs then swallowed them and allowed them to develop within her stomach before vomiting them out as fully-formed juveniles. Even more bizarre is that the frog was discovered in January 1984 but has never been seen again since March 1985. It is another frog that is thought to have been sent to extinction by Chyrtrid fungus.
One university researcher has not given up the species. Dr Conrad Hoskin from James Cook University is planning an expedition to the Urannah Creek west of Mackay to use modern environmental DNA detection methods to determine whether the frog still exists in this isolated waterway. In this presentation, Conrad will explain why it is thought that the Northern Gastric Brooding Frog could still exist in the streams on the western side of the Clark Range and how he plans to find them.
Our other presenter is Professor Michael Mahony, the discoverer of the Northern Gastric Brooding Frog. He will tell us more about work that has been done to try to resurrect a similar species. Researchers have transplanted the nuclear DNA of the extinct Southern Gastric Brooding Frog into the eggs of a living frog. Professor Mahony will reveal some of the exciting results that project has produced as well as the challenges that lay ahead for scientists trying to bring that unique species back from extinction. Find out more about the project in this video: -
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 05:30 PM · 23 rsvps
Mackay Conservation Group Zoom in Mackay, AustraliaHunt for the Gastric Brooding Frog - Zoom
Australian wildlife has often failed to match the expectations of what animals should be. We have black swans, mammals that lay eggs and earthworms that grow to nearly three metres in length.
One of the most bizarre Australian creatures of all, Rheobatrachus vitellinus (the Northern Gastric Brooding Frog), was discovered just west of Mackay in the Eungella National Park. This amazing frog laid her eggs then swallowed them and allowed them to develop within her stomach before vomiting them out as fully-formed juveniles. Even more bizarre is that the frog was discovered in January 1984 but has never been seen again since March 1985. It is another frog that is thought to have been sent to extinction by Chyrtrid fungus.
One university researcher has not given up the species. Dr Conrad Hoskin from James Cook University is planning an expedition to the Urannah Creek west of Mackay to use modern environmental DNA detection methods to determine whether the frog still exists in this isolated waterway. In this presentation, Conrad will explain why it is thought that the Northern Gastric Brooding Frog could still exist in the streams on the western side of the Clark Range and how he plans to find them.Our other presenter is Professor Michael Mahony, the discoverer of the Northern Gastric Brooding Frog. He will tell us more about work that has been done to try to resurrect a similar species. Researchers have transplanted the nuclear DNA of the extinct Southern Gastric Brooding Frog into the eggs of a living frog. Professor Mahony will reveal some of the exciting results that project has produced as well as the challenges that lay ahead for scientists trying to bring that unique species back from extinction. Find out more about the project in this video: