TNQ Drought Hub

03/08/2026

🌾 Expressions of Interest Open!

Looking to start a career in agriculture or build your practical skills?

Expressions of interest are now open for the LEADAg Certificate II in Rural Operations, a six-month program designed to equip participants with the practical, industry-recognised skills needed to succeed in agriculture.

Throughout the program, participants will complete hands-on training, workplace activities, online learning and assessments to achieve a nationally recognised qualification.

Program highlights:
✔ Fully funded training*
✔ Six-month program
✔ Delivered across Central and Western Queensland
✔ No age limit
✔ Nationally recognised qualification

Whether you're entering the industry, looking to upskill or wanting to strengthen your existing knowledge, this is a great opportunity to build practical, job-ready skills.

*Eligibility criteria apply, including a Green Medicare Card and a participant gap fee of $600.

👉 Register your expression of interest: https://www.cognitoforms.com/CHRRUP1/LEADAgExpressionOfInterestCertificateIIInRuralOperations

31/07/2026

The future of agriculture depends on strong collaboration, fresh thinking and meaningful conversations.

That’s why we’re proud to be involved in the A Place To Call Home Next-Gen Ag Forum in a few weeks and be a part of the conversation around AI (the other AI...), what innovation actually works on-farm and host a producer-led panel on what delivers real value.

Tickets are still available: https://nextgenag2026.eventsairsite.com/

31/07/2026

A great resource on water allocation for future projects in the Cape!

The fact sheet is an outcome from the collaborative regional food security workshops our Sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Enterprise program has been supporting.

💧 Sustainable access to and use of water is essential for agriculture and food production on Cape York Peninsula.

If you want to pump water for irrigation, aquaculture, horticulture or other commercial food production activities, you may require a water licence.

More than 90 per cent of the consumptive water available under the Cape York Water Plan is reserved within the Cape York Peninsula Heritage Area Reserve to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic and social development. It can also be made available to non-Indigenous businesses through sublicence agreements.

✅ Our new fact sheet explains the Water Plan for Cape York, including how businesses, community enterprises and climate-smart food security projects can get access. Find out more 👉 https://www.capeyorknrm.com.au/post/understanding-water-access-on-cape-york

TNQ Drought Hub

29/07/2026

🌱 Grow your leadership. Grow your impact.

If you're an emerging leader living or working in rural, regional or remote Australia, the TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program could be your next step.

Delivered by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, this immersive seven-day program helps participants build confidence, strengthen communication and collaboration skills, and develop the practical leadership capability needed to navigate change and uncertainty. Through a mix of outdoor experiential learning, workshops and real-world challenges, you'll gain skills you can apply in your workplace, industry and community.

Whether you're stepping into a leadership role or looking to expand your influence, TRAIL offers the opportunity to challenge yourself, connect with like-minded people and become part of a national network of rural leaders.

Find out more:

The TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program is a challenge-based leadership development experience designed for emerging leaders across rural, regional and remote Australia.

28/07/2026

Five days. Countless conversations. A stronger national soil network.

We recently welcomed Regional Soil Coordinators and soil science professionals from across Australia to Tropical North Queensland for their annual Community of Practice.

From visiting rice, sugarcane, banana and grazing enterprises to learning from researchers and industry experts, participants experienced first-hand the diversity of our region's soils, farming systems and climate.

💬 "The diversity of soils, industries and climate across relatively short distances surprised many people. Those conversations are valuable because they help build a broader understanding that can be applied in other regions," said TNQ Hub Regional Soil Coordinator Dhiraj Gajera.

By sharing knowledge and building connections, we're helping strengthen soil management and drought resilience right across Australia.

Read the full story: https://tnqdroughthub.com.au/regional-soil-coordinators-gain-fresh-perspective-in-tropical-north-queensland/

Thanks to Soil Science Australia, Terrain NRM, Cape York Natural Resource Management, Soil CRC, Sugar Research Australia, Farmacist Pty Ltd, JCU: James Cook University, Australia, Speedbird, Australian Banana Growers, Queensland Agriculture and most importantly to the producers and farmers to hosted everyone.

27/07/2026

🧑‍🏫👨‍🌾 We were proud to support GrowHer 2026 led by CQUniversity Australia where hub Program Lead Kara Glenn-Worth volunteered as a mentor, sharing her experiences and encouraging young women to explore careers in agriculture.

“One of the most rewarding parts of the day was seeing students become more confident as they discovered just how many opportunities exist in agriculture,” Kara said.

Through hands-on activities and conversations with people working across the industry, students discovered the many career pathways available across agriculture, horticulture and AgTech.

Read the full story: https://tnqdroughthub.com.au/inspiring-the-next-generation-of-women-in-agriculture-through-growher/

Image Credit: Agri-tech Education and Innovation

26/07/2026

Join North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd, ABC and the hub for Episode 6 'Deer' of ABC’s Eat the Invaders, followed by a panel discussion featuring experts in the field to talk about how invasive species are changing the environment around us.

Panellists for the evening are:
🎤Thaine Mills, Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait Islander)
🎤 Tanya Anau, Guda Maluilgal woman and Mura Buway Ranger, Saibai Island, Torres Strait
🎤Tony Mitchell, First Nations Engagement Partnerships Lead, Cape York NRM
🎤 Linda Harper, PhD Candidate, Central Queensland University

Moderated by Barry Hunter, NAILSMA CEO

📅: Wednesday 29 July 2026 | 6:30pm to 8:30pm
📍: Salt House, 6/2 Pier Point, Cairns City
🔗: https://events.humanitix.com/eat-the-invaders-screening

24/07/2026

Leadership opportunity for First Nations emerging leaders.

Are you an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person looking to grow your leadership skills and make a positive impact in your community?

The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation's Milparanga Emerging Leadership Program is a culturally safe, immersive experience designed for First Nations people aged 21 years and over who are at the beginning of their leadership journey. The program focuses on building confidence, strengthening connections, developing communication skills and supporting participants to create positive change in their communities.

Participants will learn from Indigenous leaders, connect with peers from across Australia and take part in hands-on experiences that build self-awareness and leadership capability. Scholarships cover the program fee, with only a small participant contribution required.

Learn more or apply here: https://rural-leaders.org.au/milparanga-emerging-leadership-program/

24/07/2026

FREE Wambiana grazing trial field day

If you're a Burdekin grazier looking for practical ideas that can make a difference on your property, this is a day worth attending.

We recently took a busload of local graziers to the Wambiana grazing trial, and it was one of the standout stops of the trip. Seeing nearly three decades of grazing research in action sparked plenty of discussion about what works, what doesn't, and how the findings can be applied back home.

When: Friday 14 August
Where: Wambiana Station (south of Charters Towers)

Hear directly from researchers and producers about:
- What 28 years of grazing trial results are telling us.
- The latest AgTech, including remote weighing, activity sensors, virtual fencing, drones, and remote monitoring, and where these technologies fit in northern grazing businesses.
- Two northern producers sharing their experiences, what they've learned, and what they'd do differently.

Whether you're interested in improving productivity, exploring new technology, or simply hearing what other graziers are doing, this field day offers practical insights you can take home and put to work.

Tickets are free, but registrations are essential. Register here: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1591392

21/07/2026

🥑 🪨 The TNQ Drought Hub was proud to support the Enhanced Rock Weathering Research in Australia and New Zealand Symposium last month in Cairns and Mareeba.

The event brought together 60 researchers, practitioners, early-career researchers and collaborators in person at JCU's Nguma-bada Campus in Cairns, with a further 20 participants joining online, to discuss the latest developments in enhanced rock weathering (ERW).

On the following day, participants, students and members of the community visited the ERW Avocado Trial Site near Mareeba. This trial, one of the first sites established under the James Cook University and Adelaide University led ERW Project, is investigating the effects of basalt and limestone applications on irrigated avocado production, soil health and carbon sequestration potential. During the field visit, researchers demonstrated the equipment and methods being used to monitor trial outcomes for the application of basalt.

Here are the highlights from a highly successful symposium and field visit!

📽️ https://youtu.be/QZV5rA6JyHc

This Enhanced Rock Weathering project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the . The project is delivered in partnership with JCU: James Cook University, Australia, Adelaide University, Carbonaught, Cascade Climate and the Tropical North Queensland Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.

The Enhanced Rock Weathering Research in Australia and New Zealand ...