Program Leader - George Lukacs (ACTFR)
George is Manager of the ACTFR and the senior wetland scientist. He has had considerable experience in north Queensland and led several national R&D projects, including the classification of wetlands on the Burdekin River floodplain, the environmental flow assessment of Tableland streams, and the construction and testing of constructed wetlands for treating wastewaters. Additionally, he has led national R&D projects in policy development including the assessment of new irrigation schemes, the establishment of regional State of the Environment reporting frameworks, and the use of a sustainability assessments for waterways.
George also has considerable project management experience, being responsible for the routine operations of the ACTFR. This includes the management of 16 full-time staff, contract negotiations, client liaison, setting strategic objectives with senior staff, and ensuring the delivery of quality science that is both on time and cost-effective.
Aquatic, Mangrove and Seagrass Ecology - Damien Burrows (ACTFR)
Damien has over 10 years research experience in the tropics. This includes having conducted research into the plants and insect faunas of aquatic systems, forested freshwater wetlands and coastal ecosystems, particularly mangroves. Damien is also currently completing a PhD in mangrove ecology. His main areas of expertise relate to mangrove ecology, the ecology and productivity of forested and aquatic ecosystems, aquatic invertebrate communities and biological control of weeds.
Damien has project experience in aquatic fauna survey and monitoring, impact assessment in aquatic systems, rapid assessment of aquatic and riparian habitat values, mangrove ecology and environmental management planning.
Fisheries - Dr Anthony Hart (Trophia Ltd)
Trophia Ltd is a specialist fisheries management group having undertaken projects in Australia, New Zealand and across the Pacific. Dr Anthony Hart leads projects in Australia. Trophia has significant experience in fisheries assessment and management, including the rock lobster, abalone, barracouta, and fisheries. The company services four key industry areas: 1) data collection and monitoring; 2) data management; 3) data analysis and modelling and 4) fisheries policy.
Anthony brings significant experience to the project, having previously worked on a variety of assessment projects in Australasia, including the abalone, giant clam, mollusc, rock lobster and coral tout fisheries. Additionally, Anthony undertook his PhD at James Cook University (studying the crown-of-thorns starfish) and retains many contacts in both the commercial and recreational fishing industry as well as the regional research community (eg AIMS, GBRMPA, JCU, and QDPI).
Riparian Vegetation - Dr John Dowe (ACTFR)
John Dowe is a botanist specialising in the floristics and ecology of tropical riparian vegetation, and with a particular interest in the systematics and ecology of the palm family [Arecaceae]. He received his PhD from James Cook University for research on the genus Livistona (Australian fan palm), in the fields of systematics, cladistics, biogeography and reproductive biology.
Becoming involved with ACTFR as an associate researcher in 2001, John commenced on a full-time basis with the Centre in 2003, with on-going projects including:
• effects of cattle on the vegetation of the riparian zone, with the establishment of exclosure experiments
• population structure and reproductive ecology of the Burdekin endemic riparian palm Livistona lanuginosa
• vegetational characterisation of waterholes in the Burdekin River catchment
• development of a method for the rapid appraisal of the condition of the riparian zone (TRARC)
Wetland Ecology - Aaron Davis (ACTFR)
Aaron is an aquatic ecologist who works across a broad range of issues in north Queensland on stream and wetland management.
Being a local, he has a wealth of experience in the tropics. This includes previously working for the Queensland Government's hydrographic section, and since joining ACTFR, monitoring mine-related impacts on aquatic ecosystems, as well as undertaking key research for the Southern Gulf Environmental Information Program (SGEIP). He has a BSc and MAppSc from JCU. He majored in zoology and ecology for his degree and his Masters degree was on macroinvertebrates in the Burdekin River.
Waterfowl - Dr Max Finlayson & Maria Belio (ERISS)
Dr Max Finlayson and Ms Maria Bellio at ERISS have experience in wetland inventory, assessment and monitoring and preparation of reports and summary information. This includes experience with collection and statistical analysis of waterbird data. Max has developed inventory, assessment and monitoring protocols on behalf of the Ramsar Wetlands Convention and coordinates the Wetland Inventory & Monitoring Specialist Group on behalf of Wetlands International's central coordination unit. He has also provided support for recent migratory waterbird networks being developed in Australia-Asia. Maria has specifically sampled birds and collected data on waders for many years. She has undertaken statistical analyses as well as developed databases and presented such data in graphical and tabular formats. Both are familiar with tropical Australia and its many and varied wetland types.
Sediment and Contaminants - Assoc. Prof David Parry (Northern Territory University)
David has been involved in the general area of metals in aquatic environments for about 20 years. This has included metals in biota, water and sediments. More specifically over the past 10 years he has been involved in a number of studies in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. This has included the baseline studies for the McArthur River Mine load out facility at Bing Bong in the south west corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the baseline studies for the Pasminco Century Mine loadout facility at Karumba in the south east corner of the Gulf. These studies involved establishing baseline levels for metals in seawater, sediment and biota (including a range of fish species, crabs, prawns, oysters, telescopium and seagrass). He has also led a number of research projects investigating the potential impacts of metal sulfide concentrates in the marine environments of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria.
Consultation and communication - Robert Dark (Northern PR Services)
Robert is Principal of Northern PR Services Pty Ltd, Townsville and has access to groups operating across all levels in the region. Robert's professional experience in the region includes:
- Indigenous and remote area communities through his role as Media Manager for Centrelink in Area Central and Northern Queensland,
- Marine industry and research groups via contracted services to the CRC Reef Research Centre for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area,
- More than a decade in senior reporting roles for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and
- A four-year career as Public Relations Officer for the Australian Army's Eleventh Brigade, whose area of operations extend from Rockhampton to the Gulf and Torres Strait.
Robert has extensive community consultation experience with both community and industry groups, including liaising with local authorities, primary industry groups covering commercial fishing, community bodies such as Sunfish and industry and business lobby groups. A significant part of his experience is organising public information campaigns through a number of avenues including indigenous media and mainstream media houses to build links and partnerships.
His professional experience also includes on-going publishing contracts with major public and private institutions based in north Queensland, including:
- ATSIC North Queensland Zone and Upper Burdekin Enterprises, and
- North Queensland Newspapers to produce the quarterly magazine, 'Industry and Business NQ', which covers issues in the mining, construction, heavy industry and finance sectors.
