Fluke Matcher was developed by a team of researchers including Daniel Burns and Professor Peter Harrison, from Southern Cross University’s Marine Ecology Research Centre, and Dr Eric Kniest, from the University of Newcastle and was funded by the Australian Government.

Dan Burns said the whale research group was excited to be releasing this powerful new technology to the research community.

“Researchers from Australia and around the world have been collecting hundreds and sometimes thousands of fluke photographs to identify individual humpback whales over many years. We recognise whales by their tail fluke pigmentation and scarring patterns,” Mr Burns said.

“This is a valuable collection of data but because of the difficulty we have had comparing images within different catalogues, the potential of this resource has not been fully realised. Traditional methods have required substantial time, effort and expertise.

“With this computer-aided matching system, our knowledge and understanding can grow significantly from here. At present different research groups tend to use different programs, but we think Fluke Matcher will take photo-identification analysis to new levels and get everybody onto the same page, allowing different groups to collaborate and match their data more efficiently in a standardised way.

“We have already received interest from researchers around Australia and all over the world. We will be conducting training in Australia soon, and I will be travelling to Auckland in a few weeks to train researchers from the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium, of which I’m also a member, in the use of the program. We also hope to collaborate with Northern Hemisphere scientists in the future.”

Mr Burns said that while computer-based matching systems had been developed for other marine species, including some cetaceans, Fluke Matcher was the first successful computerised system for humpback whales.

“The program uses various characteristics of humpback whale flukes to identify individuals, including black and white pigmentation distribution; angles and distances describing the shape of the fluke; and the location of distinctive features such as spots, lines and areas of damage,” Mr Burns said.

“When searching for a given fluke, the program then ranks all of the images in the database from the most likely to the least likely match for that fluke, and the operator then visually checks the ranked images to find any matches.

“Photo-identification is a valuable tool that allows whale researchers to determine various aspects of humpback whale biology and ecology, including estimates of abundance, migration patterns and interchange rates, and biological parameters such as calving and mortality rates.

“The collaborative aspect of this project is particularly important for improving our understanding of the movements and mixing of humpback whales on and between their feeding grounds in Antarctica and their breeding grounds in tropical and sub-tropical waters.

“This will help to determine the relationship between the endangered Oceania population and the faster-recovering east Australian population, the amount of mixing in the Antarctic and improve the accuracy of pre-whaling population estimates and recovery assessments.”

Professor Peter Harrison, director of the Marine Ecology Research Centre, said this was a significant development which would lead to greater international collaboration.

“This revolutionary tool will enable a much more efficient and collaborative use of data that is collected from around the world and will lead to improved management and conservation outcomes,” Professor Harrison said.

To find out more you can visit the Fluke Matcher website at: www.scu.edu.au/research/whales/fluke-matcher/index.php/3

PICTURE: The new Fluke Matcher computer program will enable researchers from around the world to collate humpback whale photographic catalogues.

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Peta Beeman, who is completing a Master of Marine Science and Management and is part of the University’s Marine Ecology Research Centre, is aiming to bring together photographs of individual whales from Victoria north to the Whitsunday Islands.

Her project aims to provide a better understanding of humpback whale migration timing, travel speed and movement patterns.

Through her project, being undertaken with the support of Whale Watching Byron Bay, she is collecting photos of humpback whales from tourists and tour operators along the Australian east coast, from the Whitsunday Islands to southern Victoria.

“These photos will be used to create a fluke catalogue that will significantly expand the range of individually identified humpback whales along the Australian east coast,” Ms Beeman said.

“Each season many encounters with humpbacks will be photographed by operators and tourists and some of these photos can provide potentially useful scientific information. These are an untapped source of valuable data.

“The photos I am particularly interested in show the unique pigmentation pattern on the ventral surface (underside) of the tail fluke that enables individual whales to be identified.

“Each of these photographs will be matched against photographs from other locations and other years. This opportunistic data can prove to be extremely valuable to build information about life histories, movement patterns and the timing of migration.

“For example, if a known individual whale is photographed at different points on its east coast migration path, the travel speed, timing of migration, association patterns and whether it has a calf is important information that can be incorporated into a long-term population-level dataset.”

Ms Beeman said anyone who contributed would receive feedback on the individual whale, such as whether it had been seen previously. A website was also being developed so people could upload their photos of tail flukes.

“Throughout the whale watching season, while working as a whale watch guide at Byron Bay, I photograph the tail flukes of humpback whales and record behavioural data,” she said.

“The number of whales heading north has been building since late May and in the last couple of weeks we have seen a lot of competitive behaviour between adult whales, such as lunging at each other, breaching and slapping the surface of the water with their tails.

“We have also been hearing whale song when we listen on the vessel’s hydrophone. The singing and competitive activity are both typical behaviour during the breeding season.”

Professor Peter Harrison, director of the Marine Ecology Research Centre, said this project was part of the ongoing work of the Centre, which was vital for the protection and management of humpback whales.

Last year the Centre prepared a major report on the Global Conservation Status of Cetaceans for the Federal Government, which listed 14 species of whales and dolphins as threatened.

“There are a range of serious threats facing cetaceans, including ongoing whaling. These issues and their impacts on the global status of cetaceans are being examined through this project and other work being done in collaboration with international research and conservation groups,” Professor Harrison said.

Ms Beeman’s project is being supported by Whale Watching Byron Bay.

Anyone interested in more information or contributing photographs can contact Peta at peta.beeman@internode.on.net

PICTURE:Humpback whales can be individually identified through photographs of their flukes (tails). Photo by Peta Beeman.

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A number of homes have been destroyed, power lines are down and a number of caravans have been overturned at the Lennox Head Caravan Park.

The storm hit the township of Lennox Head around 7.30am today (Thursday 3 June).

Police urge all local residents to stay inside their homes and to contact the State Emergency Service should they require assistance on 132 500. In the case of emergencies call Triple Zero (000).

Pacific Parade, Lennox Head, has been closed to traffic and residents are asked to stay away from this area as power lines are down and are considered dangerous.

Further details with respect to evacuation centres will be supplied in due course.

The SES reports that, according to the Bureau of Meteorololgy, a trough lying off the New South Wales North Coast has deepened overnight, leading to the development off a low pressure centre off the coast.

Widespread showers and rain are expected over the north-east of the state during this time, with the chance of local thunderstorms.

Later today and on Friday the low is forecast to move slowly south, before moving away to the Tasman Sea on Saturday.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones, very heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Intense waterspouts near these thunderstorms may also produce destructives winds. Locations which may be affected include Lismore, Lennox Head, Byron Bay, Ballina, Brunswick Heads, and Evans Head.

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Collaboration between the tourism industry and four NSW regional tourism organisations, including Northern Rivers Tourism, along with $500,000 received through the Australian Government’s TQUAL Grants program, has provided the opportunity to develop the new brand and create new marketing opportunities. 

“The brand repositions the section of the Pacific Highway between Sydney and Brisbane as a place where personal memories and legendary experiences are waiting to be created by today’s travellers. The Legendary Pacific Coast represents a touring destination that embraces the open road, the freedom and both the magnificent beaches and hinterland that lie to either side,” said the CEO of Northern Rivers Tourism, Russell Mills.

“It stretches for more than 200 kilometres right through our region, so the rebranding and intended marketing will be of great benefit to the Northern Rivers.”

Industry and stake holders will be invited to take part in a suite of innovative and targeted opportunities from a new website, tourist signposting along the route, media and brand activities and a technology campaign, to provide an innovative approach to visitors planning to travel The Legendary Pacific Coast.

The Legendary Pacific Coast brand campaign is being communicated to attendees at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) in Adelaide, up to 4 June. It will also provide the platform to announce a Road Show planned for the 1 to 5 November for The Legendary Pacific Coast. 

The Road Show will begin at Sydney Harbour Bridge and complete its journey at the Story Bridge, Brisbane. 

“We will be getting right behind the Road Show when it reaches the Northern Rivers as it will be a significant media and touring event to heighten the profile of The Legendary Pacific Coast for travellers along the new Pacific Coast corridor,” Mr Mills said.

The Legendary Pacific Coast project was initiated by PCTR Inc, which was formed by four North Coast Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) – Central Coast Tourism, Hunter Regional Tourism Organisation, Mid North Coast Tourism and Northern Rivers Tourism, in March 2008 to manage Australia’s most popular and the fastest-growing corridor and tourism initiative in Australia. 

The project is overseen by a Project Management Committee comprising of the CEO’s and industry representatives from each RTO. 

Enigma, a leading advertising agency, is working closely with The Legendary Pacific Coast project, following its work on the Barrington Tops project, to develop the brand and communication activities for this project.

Collectively The Legendary Pacific Coast accounts for nearly 22 million visitors to NSW, and over 33 million visitor nights. Total expenditure was $5.4 billion in 2008.

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National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Pest Management Officer Lisa Wellman said that this is the second year Brunswick and Billinudgel nature reserves have been targeted with aerial spraying, and the seventh year for Bundjalung National Park.

For public safety, temporary closures of areas to be sprayed will occur between the 17th May and 30th June.

Indicative closure dates are as follows:

• Bundjalung National Park 31st May – 4th June
• Brunswick Heads (north) and Billinudgel nature reserves 10th June – 18th June  

“These closure dates are only indicative as operations are very weather-dependant. Spraying may occur on any day until the 30th of June,” Ms Wellman said.

“Brunswick Heads (north of the river) and Billinudgel nature reserves will be closed at the commencement of each scheduled spray day until the work is completed. The reserves will be reopened daily if conditions are not suitable for spraying.

“In Bundjalung National Park the temporary closures will affect Ten Mile beach from Goanna (Snapper) Headland to Shark Bay and Woody Head to Iluka.

“This will include access to Ten Mile Beach at Black Rocks and Shark Bay.

“Woody Head and Black Rocks camping area and Iluka Bluff are not within the treatment area and will remain open. Beach access at Black Rocks will be restricted while spraying is in progress.

“Aerial spraying enables us to control Bitou Bush over a broad area, which would otherwise be extremely difficult.

“Two years of concentrated control at Cape Byron and Broken Head have seen expanses of Bitou Bush turn into healthy regenerating headlands. The control has been so successful in these reserves that aerial spraying is not required this year.

“The 2009 aerial spray in northern Brunswick Heads and Billinudgel nature reserves was also highly effective, with 90% of Bitou Bush killed and no negative impacts on native species.

“Monitoring of the site has found that native plants have increased in size, number and variety on the fore-dune.

“A follow-up spray is crucial to enable native plants to continue reclaiming the sand dunes from the monoculture of Bitou Bush.”

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A new online community Dolphin Sighting Network to monitor dolphin behaviour in the region stretching from Coffs Harbour to the Gold Coast has been set up as part of the University’s Dolphin Ecology and Acoustic Project.

Leading the project is Dr Liz Hawkins, who has been monitoring dolphins in the North Coast region for more than seven years.

“We are calling on people along the North Coast, from Coffs Harbour to the Gold Coast, to report their dolphin sightings and if possible send us their photos of the individual dorsal fins,” Dr Hawkins said.

“One photo can give us so much information, and if we have multiple sightings, that really helps us build up a valuable database of information.”

Dr Hawkins said very little was known about many of the dolphin populations that lived along the northern New South Wales coastline.

The information provided by members of the public will be particularly valuable for assessing the habitat use and abundance, as well as the health of dolphin populations.

Anyone in the community can become a certified Dolphin Sighting Network member by attending one of the workshops being planned up and down the coast.

The first workshop session will be held at the Byron Bay Community Centre, SCU room, on Friday May 21. There will be two workshops on this day, the first from 2pm to 4pm and the second from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

“The workshops will be presented by researchers and provide an overview of dolphin ecology, behaviour and communication and provide tips on what to look for, how to distinguish individual dolphins and how to take a good photo for research purposes,” Dr Hawkins said.

As part of the Dolphin Ecology and Acoustics Project, members of the community, businesses and schools can also participate in the ‘Adopt-a-dolphin’ program which will assist in providing funds for ongoing research.

“This program gives people the opportunity to support our research and to learn about the characteristics of individual dolphins,” Dr Hawkins said.

“Anyone can ‘adopt’ one of six individual dolphins and in return they will receive regular updates about the movements and behaviour of their dolphin and an official adoption package,.

“We already have a number of businesses supporting the program, including the Ramada Hotel and Suites in Ballina and the Beach Hotel, Byron Bay.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for schools and businesses to assist in the conservation and protection of our dolphins.”

Dr Hawkins said over the next two weeks a team of 20 volunteers would be participating in a field survey in the Cape Byron Marine Park, observing and tracking dolphins from the land and at sea.

Anyone interested in joining the Dolphin Sighting Network or the ‘Adopt-a-dolphin’ program can visit the website www.dolphinresearchaustralia.com or email info@dolphinresearchaustralia.com

The first Dolphin Sighting Network workshops at Byron Bay are being offered at a special price of $25. Bookings can be made via the website.

PICTURE: Community members are being encouraged to get involved in a Dolphin Sighting Network.

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Myna Control Project Officer for the two councils, Pamela Gray, said the result was testament to the increasing trapping skills and dedication of the community.

In appreciation for the ongoing trapping efforts of community members involved in the Indian Myna Control program, Tweed Council has a Top Trapper Award which is presented to two trappers each quarter.

This award has two categories – Rural and Urban – and is presented to the trapper within each category who has trapped the most Indian Mynas.

“These worthy trappers are presented with a Top Trapper certificate, and their choice of a voucher to claim native garden plants from Tweed Shire Council nursery, or an Australian Bird Identification handbook,” Ms Gray said.

The December-February Top Trapper for urban areas is Rob of Banora Point, with a total of 32 Indian Mynas trapped for the period. The December-February Top Trapper for rural areas is Belinda of Condong Creek, with 39 Indian Mynas trapped for the period.

“Tweed Shire Council would like to pass on its thanks to all community members involved in theIndian Myna Control Program for their important contribution to the conservation of our native birds and animals,” Ms Gray said.

The Indian Myna (also known as the Common Myna or House Myna) is a recent invader to Tweed and Byron Shires and populations of the bird are growing in number at an alarmingly rapid rate.

Indian Mynas evict animals and birds from their nests, attack chicks of other species and breed in tree hollows rendering them unusable by other wildlife.

The Indian Myna Control Project provides education, co-ordination support and traps to local communities in northern NSW to help combat the Indian Myna bird invasion. The Project Officer position is funded through a grant from the NSW Environmental Trust plus additional funding through Land and Property Management Authority.

Indian Mynas are not to be confused with the native Noisy Miner. The key difference between the two birds is that the Indian Myna has a chocolate-brown coloured body with a black head, while the Noisy Miner is mottled grey and white.

Anyone wanting to join in the ongoing effort to control Indian Mynas can contact Pamela Gray on (02) 6670 2778 or email indianmyna@tweed.nsw.gov.au

More information on Indian Mynas is available on Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au

PICTURE: Keen trapper Andrew Preston of South Murwillumbah with one of the Indian Myna traps.

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Ballina MP Don Page welcomed the Indian Commonwealth Games Cycling Team to the local area, saying”: “I have had the pleasure of meeting the Indian cycling team and coaching staff who are here to train in our beautiful region.
 
“The team is preparing for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October this year.”

The Indian Team’s cycling road coach is Australian Olympian, Graham Seers, who competed in the Moscow Olympics.

“Mr Seers told me that the northern NSW area is an ideal training ground for his team. The team are riding in and around the Burringbar Ranges and the Tweed Valley area,” Mr Page said.

“They have chosen Brunswick Heads as their base and we are very pleased to have them here. We certainly hope they enjoy their time here as well as benefiting from the training regimen Mr Seers has planned for them.”

The team received invitations to race from many surrounding cycling clubs, including Murwillumbah and Byron Bay. 

“There is limited opportunity for these riders to compete in India, so the racing in this area will be a great opportunity to experience what competition is about in a totally different environment,” Mr Seers said.

The team are also planning to travel to Sydney where they hope to have the opportunity of riding on the Duncan Gray Velodrome made famous during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

“The team consists of 12 male cyclists and six female cyclists. They are riding about 700km a week, and are enjoying their time in our region,” Mr Page said.

The cycling team has a busy schedule in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games with plans to compete in the Asian Cycling Championships in Shar Jar UAE in April, a test event in Delhi on the newly constructed velodrome in May and a planned altitude training and racing camp in Boulder USA with the Real Aussie Kids Cycling Team in June.

“On behalf of the Ballina Electorate I wish the Indian Commonwealth cycling team all the very best for a successful Commonwealth Games and I hope their time here in our region is both beneficial and enjoyable,” Mr Page said.

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“This is especially important in times of emergency,” said Cr Jenny Dowell, president of the Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils (NOROC).

“Although the new system will show roadworks and scheduled road closures on an everyday basis, it will come into its own during a flood or in other emergency event.

“It is the experience of most councils that the information people request most is ‘what roads are closed?’ and ‘how can I travel from A to B?’

“This new system will put that information at their fingertips.”

Travellers will be able to view a map of the Northern Rivers region, from Clarence Valley in the south to Tweed in the north and out to Kyogle in the west which shows ‘roads closed information’ with markers placed at the location of the closure.
This visual guide will indicate the most reliable routes for travel across the region.

The RoadInfo website, www.myroadinfo.com.au, will be launched at the NOROC meeting on Friday, 26 February at 11am.

The initial idea came up during the post-flood review conducted after the January 2008 flood.

Councils applied for and received $14,000 from the Natural Disaster Mitigation Programme courtesy of the NSW Department of Emergency Services in May 2009.

The past nine months have been spent designing and developing the website.

The development of the website has seen strong collaboration between Lismore, Ballina, Kyogle, Richmond Valley, Tweed, Byron, and Clarence Valley councils.

Cr Dowell said, “It is really good to see our Councils working together, especially to provide such a useful service. This project shows just what can be achieved by us working together.

“We have shared resources and kept the cost down to an absolute minimum. I would like to thank all the councils for their hard work.

“Giving people across the region easy access to road closure information will be a real benefit to the whole Northern Rivers community, and although during a flood people should keep their travel down to a minimum, this new website will help to keep people safe when travel is essential,” she said.

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“The Sustainable Street program is a joint initiative of Tweed and Byron shire councils which aims to bring neighbours together for local environmental improvements,” Councillor Warren Polglase said.

“This project has been so successful that Tweed and Byron shire councils are now seeking more streets to take part.

“Tweed and Byron councils are pleased to announce that we have secured State Government funding through the Tweed-Byron Bush Futures Program to deliver the Sustainable Streets package to two streets in each shire in 2010.”

For the past year, Murwillumbah Street has become ‘Sustainability Street’ and neighbours have become friends through swapping goods, information and ideas.

Murwillumbah Street resident Lisa Blackwell was one of the instigators of the project, and sought help from Tweed Shire Council’s Sustainability Officer Dan Walton to help move the project from the discussion stage to reality.

“Initially we wanted to get our little street operating as a community – we wanted to get back to grassroots,” Ms Blackwell said.

“We live in a town but it can be a village. We all know our neighbours but we don’t live in each others’ pockets.”

Interested residents meet once a month at a bench under a shady jacaranda tree to discuss joint and individual projects to reduce water and energy consumption, swap vegetables, eggs, unwanted goods and talk about practical environmental improvements, such as car pooling.

“Through our meetings, we have identified common goals, including a bushland restoration project in a nearby reserve,” Ms Blackwell said.

Over the last few months, Dan Walton has initiated a monthly project to improve environmental outcomes. One month, residents painted gutters with stormwater messages, while another, they set daily targets for water (150 litres per person per day) and energy consumption (less than five kilowatts per person per day).

Through the Bush Futures program, Mr Walton also helped residents at access a State Government grant to plant sustainable street trees, including oranges and lemon myrtles.

“This program offers residents practical ways to restore local biodiversity, improve household water and energy efficiency as well as organic gardening and ethical shopping workshops,” Mr Walton said.

“We’re hoping residents of other streets in Tweed and Byron will be inspired by the hard work, enthusiasm and practical example of Murwillumbah Street.”

Once chosen, the successful streets will participate in series of council-led workshops and community activities including the planting of community fruit trees, painting stormwater messages on gutters, energy and water efficiency workshops and culminating in a community feast using locally sourced ingredients.

Participants will also get the opportunity to provide ideas and suggestions on activities and outcomes they’d like to see for their street.

If you think your street would benefit from this exciting grassroots initiative, download the information package including the application form at www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/sustainability

The closing date for applications is 1 March 2010. People without internet access can call Dan Walton, Tweed Council Sustainability Officer on 02 6670 2555.

The Sustainable Streets program is funded by the Tweed-Byron Urban Bush Futures grant – a local government partnership under the NSW Government Urban Sustainability Program.

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