Bird Walks And Talks 2017: PNHA
Come and see and hear some of our fantastic native birds, many of which you'll never see in your garden. Join in a Sunday guided bird walk with Pittwater Natural Heritage Association. All walks start at 8am and end about 10am.
March 26, Irrawong reserve. Meet at corner Irrawong Rd and Epworth Rd.May 28, Warriewood Wetlands, meet at End of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.August 27 Chiltern Track. Meet at gate, off northern of Chiltern Rd Ingleside.September 17 Irrawong reserve. Meet at corner Irrawong Rd and Epworth Rd.November 26 Warriewood Wetlands. Meet end of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.
Bring binoculars if possible. Drink, hat and comfortable shoes.More information contact pnhabirdwatching@gmail.com or Ph Kerry on 0402605 721.
You don't need to book but if we know you're coming we'll watch out for you. Call if in doubt about weather as we won't go out if it's raining.
Come and see and hear some of our fantastic native birds, many of which you'll never see in your garden. Join in a Sunday guided bird walk with Pittwater Natural Heritage Association. All walks start at 8am and end about 10am.
March 26, Irrawong reserve. Meet at corner Irrawong Rd and Epworth Rd.
May 28, Warriewood Wetlands, meet at End of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.
August 27 Chiltern Track. Meet at gate, off northern of Chiltern Rd Ingleside.
September 17 Irrawong reserve. Meet at corner Irrawong Rd and Epworth Rd.
November 26 Warriewood Wetlands. Meet end of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.
Bring binoculars if possible. Drink, hat and comfortable shoes.
More information contact pnhabirdwatching@gmail.com or
Ph Kerry on 0402605 721.
You don't need to book but if we know you're coming we'll watch out for you. Call if in doubt about weather as we won't go out if it's raining.
AVGT's 2nd Ever Sustainability Day!
Australia’s Key Biodiversity Areas: Discover Nature’s Hotspots
New Species Of Hard Coral From World Heritage-Listed Lord Howe Island, Australia
March 22, 2017
This is a holotype of the new hard coral species Cyphastrea salae.Credit: Prof. Andrew Baird; CC-BY 4.0The discovery of a new species of hard coral, found on Lord Howe Island, suggests that the fauna of this isolated location in the Tasman Sea off south eastern Australia is even more distinct than previously recognised.
In a recent paper in ZooKeys, Prof. Andrew Baird and Dr. Mia Hoogenboom from James Cook University, Townsville Australia and Dr. Danwei Huang from the National University of Singapore, describe the new species Cyphastrea salae.
"The animal itself is quite non-descript from a distance, although it is beautifully symmetrical up close like most corals," says Dr. Hoogenboom. "But we believe this is the first of many new hard coral species to be found in this World Heritage-listed marine protected area."
Lord Howe Island is famous for its many unique plant and animal species, known from nowhere else on Earth, including at least four species of palms, nine reef fish and 47 algae. However, the coral fauna remains largely unexplored, particularly using modern genetic techniques.
While some of the earliest work on coral reef ecology was done on Lord Howe Island, the species lists were compiled using a morphological taxonomy that has since been revised.
"On my very first dive in the lagoon at Lord Howe I knew I was looking at something very special," says Prof. Baird. "Twenty years of diving all over the globe had not prepared me for what I saw. I could hardly put a name on any coral!"
Now, six years later, and largely due to the molecular skills of colleague Dr. Huang, the team is ready to name its first species.
"Interestingly, Cyphastrea salae looks almost exactly like other closely-related corals. However, its gene sequences are distinct and there is no doubt it is a species that is new to science," says Dr. Huang.
The team now have hundreds of specimens to work through, but they are confident that there are more new coral species left to describe.
"The Acropora, in particular, look highly promisingly," says Prof. Baird. "There are at least five species that look unlike anything I have seen anywhere else in my travels."
Lord Howe Island lies over 900 km south of the next major area of coral diversity, the Great Barrier Reef, and therefore the populations on Lord Howe are highly isolated. Such isolation creates the potential for speciation, however, C. salae is the first new local coral species described to date. The discovery of this new species greatly increases the conservation significance of Lord Howe Island and reinforces the need for strong management measures to protect this unique fauna.
Andrew H. Baird, Mia O. Hoogenboom, Danwei Huang. Cyphastrea salae, a new species of hard coral from Lord Howe Island, Australia (Scleractinia, Merulinidae). ZooKeys, 2017; 662: 49 DOI:10.3897/zookeys.662.11454
March 22, 2017
This is a holotype of the new hard coral species Cyphastrea salae.
Credit: Prof. Andrew Baird; CC-BY 4.0
The discovery of a new species of hard coral, found on Lord Howe Island, suggests that the fauna of this isolated location in the Tasman Sea off south eastern Australia is even more distinct than previously recognised.
In a recent paper in ZooKeys, Prof. Andrew Baird and Dr. Mia Hoogenboom from James Cook University, Townsville Australia and Dr. Danwei Huang from the National University of Singapore, describe the new species Cyphastrea salae.
"The animal itself is quite non-descript from a distance, although it is beautifully symmetrical up close like most corals," says Dr. Hoogenboom. "But we believe this is the first of many new hard coral species to be found in this World Heritage-listed marine protected area."
Lord Howe Island is famous for its many unique plant and animal species, known from nowhere else on Earth, including at least four species of palms, nine reef fish and 47 algae. However, the coral fauna remains largely unexplored, particularly using modern genetic techniques.
While some of the earliest work on coral reef ecology was done on Lord Howe Island, the species lists were compiled using a morphological taxonomy that has since been revised.
"On my very first dive in the lagoon at Lord Howe I knew I was looking at something very special," says Prof. Baird. "Twenty years of diving all over the globe had not prepared me for what I saw. I could hardly put a name on any coral!"
Now, six years later, and largely due to the molecular skills of colleague Dr. Huang, the team is ready to name its first species.
"Interestingly, Cyphastrea salae looks almost exactly like other closely-related corals. However, its gene sequences are distinct and there is no doubt it is a species that is new to science," says Dr. Huang.
The team now have hundreds of specimens to work through, but they are confident that there are more new coral species left to describe.
"The Acropora, in particular, look highly promisingly," says Prof. Baird. "There are at least five species that look unlike anything I have seen anywhere else in my travels."
Lord Howe Island lies over 900 km south of the next major area of coral diversity, the Great Barrier Reef, and therefore the populations on Lord Howe are highly isolated. Such isolation creates the potential for speciation, however, C. salae is the first new local coral species described to date. The discovery of this new species greatly increases the conservation significance of Lord Howe Island and reinforces the need for strong management measures to protect this unique fauna.
Andrew H. Baird, Mia O. Hoogenboom, Danwei Huang. Cyphastrea salae, a new species of hard coral from Lord Howe Island, Australia (Scleractinia, Merulinidae). ZooKeys, 2017; 662: 49 DOI:10.3897/zookeys.662.11454
Reversing Declines Of Australian Forests Should Be A National Priority
March 21, 2017 -by NPA NSW
High rates of forest clearing in Queensland and Western Australia—with NSW set to follow—act in concert with intense native forest logging as an all-out assault on Australian forest environments says the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA).
It’s easy to become blasé about forests when living on the eastern seaboard of Australia, because most settlements (including the large urban areas of Sydney and Brisbane) are fringed by forests and daily life puts millions in contact with forests and forest animals like king parrots and kookaburras.
But this disguises the reality that forests are a rare feature in this vast, arid continent. In fact, native forests only cover 15% of Australia. The vast majority of this is woodland, or scattered trees (10% of Australia), with eucalypt forests—those areas that people typically think of as a forest—only accounting for 3% of our land mass and rainforests just 0.5%[1]. Non-eucalypt forests and woodland make up the rest.
NPA senior ecologist, Dr Oisín Sweeney said: “despite the rarity of forests, they host a disproportionate number of our favourite animals. Gliders, koalas, quolls, phascogales, brush-tailed rock wallabies, powerful owls—they’re all forest species that are only found in Australia. And they’re all threatened because of the rapid loss and degradation of forests.
“In fact, this concentration of species is why the Forests of East Australia are recognised as one of just 36 global Biodiversity Hotspots. It’s incredible: almost everyone living on the east coast of Australia lives in a biodiversity hotspot!
“But with this great privilege of living in one of the most special areas on earth comes great responsibility. And so far we’re not taking that responsibility seriously.
“We have already cleared close to half of our forests in the short time that Europeans have been here, and we’re still clearing faster than any developed country on earth. What hasn’t been cleared has largely been broken up into little bits or heavily degraded—for example through intensive logging.
“We must do better or we’ll find ourselves suddenly regretting the extinction of lots of animals we once took for granted. That would be a national tragedy, because it’s the wildlife that makes Australia unique in the world.
“What can we do? Well, NPA is calling on state and federal governments to come together and make forest conservation and restoration a national priority. In particular we want governments to:- Develop a full set of environmental accounts that quantify the value of hidden aspects of forests like water production, carbon storage and wildlife tourism. Without these data we’re making decisions—usually decisions to destroy or degrade forests—based only on partial information.
- Urgently map the growth stages of forests, particularly those subject to logging. This is vital because the oft-repeated justification for logging is that the trees grow back. That’s just not good enough for the hundreds and hundreds of species that require tree hollows, because only older, large trees have hollows. We urgently need to know the growth stages so that we can assess how much of our forests are now sub-optimal for hollow dwellers and plan accordingly.
- Reign in land clearing, and instead develop a long-term scheme to identify suitable areas for biodiverse reforestation and incentivise landholders to undertake this reforestation. This will also have the added advantage of helping to reverse regional climate change and protect agriculture in the long term.
“If we grasp the nettle and do this now we can halt and reverse the declines in our magnificent forests. If we wait, we’ll continue to loose forests and see our wildlife being chipped away.”Top: Greater Glider photoby David Gallan
March 21, 2017 -by NPA NSW
High rates of forest clearing in Queensland and Western Australia—with NSW set to follow—act in concert with intense native forest logging as an all-out assault on Australian forest environments says the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA).
It’s easy to become blasé about forests when living on the eastern seaboard of Australia, because most settlements (including the large urban areas of Sydney and Brisbane) are fringed by forests and daily life puts millions in contact with forests and forest animals like king parrots and kookaburras.
But this disguises the reality that forests are a rare feature in this vast, arid continent. In fact, native forests only cover 15% of Australia. The vast majority of this is woodland, or scattered trees (10% of Australia), with eucalypt forests—those areas that people typically think of as a forest—only accounting for 3% of our land mass and rainforests just 0.5%[1]. Non-eucalypt forests and woodland make up the rest.
NPA senior ecologist, Dr Oisín Sweeney said: “despite the rarity of forests, they host a disproportionate number of our favourite animals. Gliders, koalas, quolls, phascogales, brush-tailed rock wallabies, powerful owls—they’re all forest species that are only found in Australia. And they’re all threatened because of the rapid loss and degradation of forests.
“In fact, this concentration of species is why the Forests of East Australia are recognised as one of just 36 global Biodiversity Hotspots. It’s incredible: almost everyone living on the east coast of Australia lives in a biodiversity hotspot!
“But with this great privilege of living in one of the most special areas on earth comes great responsibility. And so far we’re not taking that responsibility seriously.
“We have already cleared close to half of our forests in the short time that Europeans have been here, and we’re still clearing faster than any developed country on earth. What hasn’t been cleared has largely been broken up into little bits or heavily degraded—for example through intensive logging.
“We must do better or we’ll find ourselves suddenly regretting the extinction of lots of animals we once took for granted. That would be a national tragedy, because it’s the wildlife that makes Australia unique in the world.
“What can we do? Well, NPA is calling on state and federal governments to come together and make forest conservation and restoration a national priority. In particular we want governments to:
- Develop a full set of environmental accounts that quantify the value of hidden aspects of forests like water production, carbon storage and wildlife tourism. Without these data we’re making decisions—usually decisions to destroy or degrade forests—based only on partial information.
- Urgently map the growth stages of forests, particularly those subject to logging. This is vital because the oft-repeated justification for logging is that the trees grow back. That’s just not good enough for the hundreds and hundreds of species that require tree hollows, because only older, large trees have hollows. We urgently need to know the growth stages so that we can assess how much of our forests are now sub-optimal for hollow dwellers and plan accordingly.
- Reign in land clearing, and instead develop a long-term scheme to identify suitable areas for biodiverse reforestation and incentivise landholders to undertake this reforestation. This will also have the added advantage of helping to reverse regional climate change and protect agriculture in the long term.
“If we grasp the nettle and do this now we can halt and reverse the declines in our magnificent forests. If we wait, we’ll continue to loose forests and see our wildlife being chipped away.”
Top: Greater Glider photoby David Gallan
Dunmore Quarry Extension
Call To Local Councils As Floodplain Management Grants Open For Applications
Public Comment Open: Dolphin Mitigation Strategies For The SPF And SESSF
Call For Public Comment On Draft Seabird Threat Abatement Plan
15th March 2017
Public comment is now being sought on the draft Threat abatement plan for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations (Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds). The public consultation period is open until 30 June 2017.
The draft Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds provides a national strategy to guide the activities of government, industry and research organisations in abating the impact of oceanic longline fishing operations on seabirds in Commonwealth fisheries.
The consultation paper and related documents are available on theDepartment of the Environment and Energy website. Your comments on this consultation paper are welcome.
Further information about the existing Threat abatement plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations is available at the Threat Abatement Plan – seabirds page
A black-browed albatross with chick, on Macquarie Island. (Photo: Kim Kliska)
15th March 2017
Public comment is now being sought on the draft Threat abatement plan for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations (Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds). The public consultation period is open until 30 June 2017.
The draft Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds provides a national strategy to guide the activities of government, industry and research organisations in abating the impact of oceanic longline fishing operations on seabirds in Commonwealth fisheries.
The consultation paper and related documents are available on theDepartment of the Environment and Energy website. Your comments on this consultation paper are welcome.
Further information about the existing Threat abatement plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations is available at the Threat Abatement Plan – seabirds page
A black-browed albatross with chick, on Macquarie Island. (Photo: Kim Kliska)
Draft Threat Abatement Plan For The Impacts Of Marine Debris On Vertebrate Marine Species (2017)
As part of our 60th Anniversary celebrations, NPA is running a photo competition! This competition will be running over most of the year. Winners will have their photos printed and displayed in an exhibition and a voucher for private photography lessons with Smart digital.
Enter the Photo CompetitionIf you are a keen nature photographer or have a great photo in one of the categories below please share it with us. This competition is open to everyone.
Categories can include:- National Parks or other naturally significant areas
- Underwater and Marine Photography (NSW only)
- Bushwalking or outdoor activities (NSW only)
- Animals and Wildlife (Australian wildlife only)
- Historic photos related to NPA, nature conservation or wildlife in NSW
Photo Competition Rules HERE
Enter Competition on Flickr or submit photos tophotocomp@npansw.org.au
As part of our 60th Anniversary celebrations, NPA is running a photo competition! This competition will be running over most of the year. Winners will have their photos printed and displayed in an exhibition and a voucher for private photography lessons with Smart digital.
Enter the Photo Competition
If you are a keen nature photographer or have a great photo in one of the categories below please share it with us. This competition is open to everyone.
Categories can include:
- National Parks or other naturally significant areas
- Underwater and Marine Photography (NSW only)
- Bushwalking or outdoor activities (NSW only)
- Animals and Wildlife (Australian wildlife only)
- Historic photos related to NPA, nature conservation or wildlife in NSW
Photo Competition Rules HERE
Enter Competition on Flickr or submit photos tophotocomp@npansw.org.au
Department Seeks Community Views On Narrabri Gas Project Proposal
Av. Green Team Back At Work
If Victoria Can Ban CSG, NSW Can Too!
By The Wilderness SocietyCoal seam gas (CSG) threatens our water, our health and our climate. Many jurisdictions around the world are permanently banning this dangerous industry, most recently Victoria. We do not need or want risky coal seam gas in NSW. It’s clear that the industry has no social licence in our state, yet vast and critical areas—as well as human health—are still under threat from CSG across the state.
Call on the new Premier Berejiklian and the new Planning Minister Roberts to follow Victoria's lead and ban this harmful and risky industry in NSW.
By The Wilderness Society
Coal seam gas (CSG) threatens our water, our health and our climate. Many jurisdictions around the world are permanently banning this dangerous industry, most recently Victoria. We do not need or want risky coal seam gas in NSW.
It’s clear that the industry has no social licence in our state, yet vast and critical areas—as well as human health—are still under threat from CSG across the state.
Call on the new Premier Berejiklian and the new Planning Minister Roberts to follow Victoria's lead and ban this harmful and risky industry in NSW.
Myna Action Group
Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)
Indian Mynas - what a pest - like flying rats. Contact us on pnhainfo@gmail.com for more information and have a look athttps://www.facebook.com/MynaProblems/
Indian Mynas are displacing our native birds. They often nest in and around shops where their food source is. I took this one down this morning in Avalon (no chicks or eggs but I disturbed the female). There were literally hundreds of tiny bits of plastic in the nest which makes you think that all this plastic would be swilling down the stormwater drains into the sea.
Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)
Indian Mynas - what a pest - like flying rats.
Contact us on pnhainfo@gmail.com for more information and have a look athttps://www.facebook.com/MynaProblems/
Indian Mynas are displacing our native birds.
They often nest in and around shops where their food source is. I took this one down this morning in Avalon (no chicks or eggs but I disturbed the female). There were literally hundreds of tiny bits of plastic in the nest which makes you think that all this plastic would be swilling down the stormwater drains into the sea.
Federal Senate Inquiry: The Rehabilitation Of Mining And Resources Projects As It Relates To Commonwealth Responsibilities
A Newly Discovered Frog Gets Some Help From Kangy Angy And EDO NSW
March 23, 2017 - BY EDO NSWHave you ever heard of Mahony’s Toadlet? Probably not, given that this little frog has only recently been discovered. We’ve just helped a residents’ group from Kangy Angy, on the NSW Central Coast, get an emergency listing for this rare frog on the NSW threatened species list.
Not much is known about the Mahony’s Toadlet (or Uperoleia mahonyi). So far, it has been found at only eight sites, in Myall Lakes, Port Stephens and the Central Coast.
Because the species is so new (to science, not to the planet), we were unsure about how it should be protected by law; should it be considered endangered, critically endangered, threatened, or vulnerable? There’s little doubt that it’s rare, otherwise it would have been documented and described before now. But because we still know so little about this frog, it hasn’t appeared on the NSW threatened species list.
Until now.
The community actsLate last year, the Kangy Angy Residents Action Group contacted us. A local population of Mahony’s Toadlet was discovered at the site of a proposed new Intercity fleet maintenance facility in Kangy Angy.
But the development’s impact on the toadlet wasn’t assessed during the approval process because the species isn’t on the NSW list of threatened species. The group saw that this was a problem, and asked for our help.
Engaging the scienceOn behalf of the group, we engaged amphibian expert Simon Clulow, Research Scientist at the University of Newcastle, who is researching the species and is responsible for its identification.
We briefed Simon to write an expert report on whether the toadlet should be listed under NSW threatened species legislation. Although Simon’s report identified a number of reasons why the toadlet could be listed, there simply was not enough information to say how rare the species was and how endangered it might be.
However, it was clear to us from Simon’s report that the species was eligible for an interim emergency listing. In November 2016, we wrote to the NSW Scientific Committee requesting that the toadlet be listed on a provisional and emergency basis. We also requested the Committee to arrange for further work to be carried out so that the toadlet can be better understood and appropriately listed to ensure its protection.
On 6 March 2017 the Committee wrote to us to say that, after considering our request, they had found that Mahony’s Toadlet should be given a ‘provisional listing, on an emergency basis’ as an endangered species.
This is both good and bad news. To be listed as ‘endangered’ means the Mahony’s Toadlet faces a very high risk of extinction in New South Wales in the near future. But listing is an important step toward protecting the species.
So although it’s sad to add another species to our ever-growing list of endangered species, at least we now have a better chance of ensuring that the Mahony’s Toadlet doesn’t become extinct.
Making connections to defend the environmentThis is an example of how EDO NSW can play a pivotal role in connecting communities, scientists and lawmakers to protect a species.
If you’d like to help us continue this unique work, why not donate to ourEnvironmental Defence Fund. Your support will help us connect people to help maintain biodiversity and protect the environment.
LinksFor more on the process of listing threatened species, read our Fact Sheet on Native Plants & Animals
Threatened species listing for Mahony’s Toadlet
March 23, 2017 - BY EDO NSW
Have you ever heard of Mahony’s Toadlet? Probably not, given that this little frog has only recently been discovered. We’ve just helped a residents’ group from Kangy Angy, on the NSW Central Coast, get an emergency listing for this rare frog on the NSW threatened species list.
Not much is known about the Mahony’s Toadlet (or Uperoleia mahonyi). So far, it has been found at only eight sites, in Myall Lakes, Port Stephens and the Central Coast.
Because the species is so new (to science, not to the planet), we were unsure about how it should be protected by law; should it be considered endangered, critically endangered, threatened, or vulnerable? There’s little doubt that it’s rare, otherwise it would have been documented and described before now. But because we still know so little about this frog, it hasn’t appeared on the NSW threatened species list.
Until now.
The community acts
Late last year, the Kangy Angy Residents Action Group contacted us. A local population of Mahony’s Toadlet was discovered at the site of a proposed new Intercity fleet maintenance facility in Kangy Angy.
But the development’s impact on the toadlet wasn’t assessed during the approval process because the species isn’t on the NSW list of threatened species. The group saw that this was a problem, and asked for our help.
Engaging the science
On behalf of the group, we engaged amphibian expert Simon Clulow, Research Scientist at the University of Newcastle, who is researching the species and is responsible for its identification.
We briefed Simon to write an expert report on whether the toadlet should be listed under NSW threatened species legislation. Although Simon’s report identified a number of reasons why the toadlet could be listed, there simply was not enough information to say how rare the species was and how endangered it might be.
However, it was clear to us from Simon’s report that the species was eligible for an interim emergency listing. In November 2016, we wrote to the NSW Scientific Committee requesting that the toadlet be listed on a provisional and emergency basis. We also requested the Committee to arrange for further work to be carried out so that the toadlet can be better understood and appropriately listed to ensure its protection.
On 6 March 2017 the Committee wrote to us to say that, after considering our request, they had found that Mahony’s Toadlet should be given a ‘provisional listing, on an emergency basis’ as an endangered species.
This is both good and bad news. To be listed as ‘endangered’ means the Mahony’s Toadlet faces a very high risk of extinction in New South Wales in the near future. But listing is an important step toward protecting the species.
So although it’s sad to add another species to our ever-growing list of endangered species, at least we now have a better chance of ensuring that the Mahony’s Toadlet doesn’t become extinct.
Making connections to defend the environment
This is an example of how EDO NSW can play a pivotal role in connecting communities, scientists and lawmakers to protect a species.
If you’d like to help us continue this unique work, why not donate to ourEnvironmental Defence Fund. Your support will help us connect people to help maintain biodiversity and protect the environment.
Links
For more on the process of listing threatened species, read our Fact Sheet on Native Plants & Animals
Threatened species listing for Mahony’s Toadlet
UNSW Scientists Unveil A Giant Leap For Anti-Aging
March 24, 2017: University of New South WalesUNSW researchers have made a discovery that could lead to a revolutionary drug that actually reverses ageing, improves DNA repair and could even help NASA get its astronauts to Mars.
In a paper published in Science today, the team identifies a critical step in the molecular process that allows cells to repair damaged DNA.
Their experiments in mice suggest a treatment is possible for DNA damage from ageing and radiation. It is so promising it has attracted the attention of NASA, which believes the treatment can help its Mars mission.
While our cells have an innate capability to repair DNA damage -- which happens every time we go out into the sun, for example -- their ability to do this declines as we age.
The scientists identified that the metabolite NAD+, which is naturally present in every cell of our body, has a key role as a regulator in protein-to-protein interactions that control DNA repair.
Treating mice with a NAD+ precursor, or "booster," called NMN improved their cells' ability to repair DNA damage caused by radiation exposure or old age.
"The cells of the old mice were indistinguishable from the young mice, after just one week of treatment," said lead author Professor David Sinclair of UNSW School of Medical Sciences and Harvard Medical School Boston.
Human trials of NMN therapy will begin within six months.
"This is the closest we are to a safe and effective anti-ageing drug that's perhaps only three to five years away from being on the market if the trials go well," says Sinclair, who maintains a lab at UNSW in Sydney.
What it means for astronauts, childhood cancer survivors, and the rest of usThe work has excited NASA, which is considering the challenge of keeping its astronauts healthy during a four-year mission to Mars.
Even on short missions, astronauts experience accelerated ageing from cosmic radiation, suffering from muscle weakness, memory loss and other symptoms when they return. On a trip to Mars, the situation would be far worse: five per cent of the astronauts' cells would die and their chances of cancer would approach 100 per cent.
Professor Sinclair and his UNSW colleague Dr Lindsay Wu were winners in NASA's iTech competition in December last year.
"We came in with a solution for a biological problem and it won the competition out of 300 entries," Dr Wu says.
Cosmic radiation is not only an issue for astronauts. We're all exposed to it aboard aircraft, with a London-Singapore-Melbourne flight roughly equivalent in radiation to a chest x-ray.
In theory, the same treatment could mitigate any effects of DNA damage for frequent flyers. The other group that could benefit from this work is survivors of childhood cancers.
Dr Wu says 96 per cent of childhood cancer survivors suffer a chronic illness by age 45, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancers unrelated to the original cancer.
"All of this adds up to the fact they have accelerated ageing, which is devastating," he says.
"It would be great to do something about that, and we believe we can with this molecule."
An anti-ageing pill could be on the horizonFor the past four years, Professor Sinclair and Dr Wu have been working on making NMN into a drug substance with their companies MetroBiotech NSW and MetroBiotech International.
The human trials will begin this year at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.
The findings on NAD+ and NMN add momentum to the exciting work the UNSW Laboratory for Ageing Research has done over the past four years.
They've been looking at the interplay of a number of proteins and molecules and their roles in the ageing process.
They had already established that NAD+ could be useful for treating various diseases of ageing, female infertility and also treating side effects of chemotherapy.
In 2003, Professor Sinclair made a link between the anti-ageing enzyme SIRT1 and resveratrol, a naturally occurring molecule found in tiny quantities in red wine.
"While resveratrol activates SIRT1 alone, NAD+ boosters activate all seven sirtuins, SIRT1-7, and should have an even greater impact on health and longevity," he says.
Jun Li, Michael S. Bonkowski, Sébastien Moniot, Dapeng Zhang, Basil P. Hubbard, Alvin J. Y. Ling, Luis A. Rajman, Bo Qin, Zhenkun Lou, Vera Gorbunova, L. Aravind, Clemens Steegborn, David A. Sinclair. A conserved NAD binding pocket that regulates protein-protein interactions during aging. Science, 24 Mar 2017: Vol. 355, Issue 6331, pp. 1312-1317 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad8242
This is professor David Sinclair and his UNSW team. Photo Credit: Britta Campion
March 24, 2017: University of New South Wales
UNSW researchers have made a discovery that could lead to a revolutionary drug that actually reverses ageing, improves DNA repair and could even help NASA get its astronauts to Mars.
In a paper published in Science today, the team identifies a critical step in the molecular process that allows cells to repair damaged DNA.
Their experiments in mice suggest a treatment is possible for DNA damage from ageing and radiation. It is so promising it has attracted the attention of NASA, which believes the treatment can help its Mars mission.
While our cells have an innate capability to repair DNA damage -- which happens every time we go out into the sun, for example -- their ability to do this declines as we age.
The scientists identified that the metabolite NAD+, which is naturally present in every cell of our body, has a key role as a regulator in protein-to-protein interactions that control DNA repair.
Treating mice with a NAD+ precursor, or "booster," called NMN improved their cells' ability to repair DNA damage caused by radiation exposure or old age.
"The cells of the old mice were indistinguishable from the young mice, after just one week of treatment," said lead author Professor David Sinclair of UNSW School of Medical Sciences and Harvard Medical School Boston.
Human trials of NMN therapy will begin within six months.
"This is the closest we are to a safe and effective anti-ageing drug that's perhaps only three to five years away from being on the market if the trials go well," says Sinclair, who maintains a lab at UNSW in Sydney.
What it means for astronauts, childhood cancer survivors, and the rest of us
The work has excited NASA, which is considering the challenge of keeping its astronauts healthy during a four-year mission to Mars.
Even on short missions, astronauts experience accelerated ageing from cosmic radiation, suffering from muscle weakness, memory loss and other symptoms when they return. On a trip to Mars, the situation would be far worse: five per cent of the astronauts' cells would die and their chances of cancer would approach 100 per cent.
Professor Sinclair and his UNSW colleague Dr Lindsay Wu were winners in NASA's iTech competition in December last year.
"We came in with a solution for a biological problem and it won the competition out of 300 entries," Dr Wu says.
Cosmic radiation is not only an issue for astronauts. We're all exposed to it aboard aircraft, with a London-Singapore-Melbourne flight roughly equivalent in radiation to a chest x-ray.
In theory, the same treatment could mitigate any effects of DNA damage for frequent flyers. The other group that could benefit from this work is survivors of childhood cancers.
Dr Wu says 96 per cent of childhood cancer survivors suffer a chronic illness by age 45, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancers unrelated to the original cancer.
"All of this adds up to the fact they have accelerated ageing, which is devastating," he says.
"It would be great to do something about that, and we believe we can with this molecule."
An anti-ageing pill could be on the horizon
For the past four years, Professor Sinclair and Dr Wu have been working on making NMN into a drug substance with their companies MetroBiotech NSW and MetroBiotech International.
The human trials will begin this year at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.
The findings on NAD+ and NMN add momentum to the exciting work the UNSW Laboratory for Ageing Research has done over the past four years.
They've been looking at the interplay of a number of proteins and molecules and their roles in the ageing process.
They had already established that NAD+ could be useful for treating various diseases of ageing, female infertility and also treating side effects of chemotherapy.
In 2003, Professor Sinclair made a link between the anti-ageing enzyme SIRT1 and resveratrol, a naturally occurring molecule found in tiny quantities in red wine.
"While resveratrol activates SIRT1 alone, NAD+ boosters activate all seven sirtuins, SIRT1-7, and should have an even greater impact on health and longevity," he says.
Jun Li, Michael S. Bonkowski, Sébastien Moniot, Dapeng Zhang, Basil P. Hubbard, Alvin J. Y. Ling, Luis A. Rajman, Bo Qin, Zhenkun Lou, Vera Gorbunova, L. Aravind, Clemens Steegborn, David A. Sinclair. A conserved NAD binding pocket that regulates protein-protein interactions during aging. Science, 24 Mar 2017: Vol. 355, Issue 6331, pp. 1312-1317 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad8242
This is professor David Sinclair and his UNSW team. Photo Credit: Britta Campion
Artful: Art & Dementia
Consumer Involvement In Their Own Healthcare – Key To A Sustainable National Health System
Rugby Great Fine Addition To Portrait Gallery Collection
March 21, 2017: National Portrait GalleryA portrait of Australian rugby great, Dr Mark Loane AM MBBS FRANZO FRACS, is the latest addition to the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection. The work is the final in a series of three commissioned portraits of Australian rugby luminaries funded by Gallery benefactor, Mr Patrick Corrigan AM.
The portrait, a photograph taken by Canadian-born Joachim Froese, shows Loane in a hospital change-room, the setting alluding both to his achievements in medicine and his sporting accomplishments.
Mr Angus Trumble, Director of the Portrait Gallery, believes the portrait is a worthy addition to the Gallery’s collection, noting Dr Loane’s successful and meaningful career spanning two very different fields.
‘Dr Loane is fondly remembered for his achievements on the football field as a former captain of the Wallabies, and is greatly admired as an ophthalmologist for his medical work with disadvantaged patients in remote areas,’ said Mr Trumble.
‘Mr Corrigan’s support was instrumental in the commissioning of this series of rugby greats, culminating with this final portrait of Mark Loane. Philanthropic support is vital to growing the Portrait Gallery’s national collection and the representation of individuals who have significantly contributed to or influenced the shape of Australia as a nation and a society.’
Loane made his debut for the Wallabies against Tonga at the age of 18, when he was a second year medical student at the University of Queensland. He is the youngest forward selected to represent Australia since the Second World War, and in all likelihood Australia’s youngest forward of all-time, a fact that remains unconfirmed solely due to the scarcity of pre-Second World War birth records. Loane was appointed Wallabies captain in 1979 against the All Blacks, and led the team to the first Bledisloe Cup victory in Australia in 45 years.
Loane retired from rugby in 1982 to pursue studies in ophthalmology (the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye), receiving the Cedric Cohen Medal for the best pass in the eye surgery first pass exam in 1984.
Since then, Loane has built his career in medicine with further studies and fellowships. He set up the Cape York Eye Health project in 1999 to provide eye health services to remote Indigenous communities of Cape York. He became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011 for his work with Indigenous communities in North Queensland.
The photograph of Mark Loane joins the two other works in the series added to the Gallery Collection– Ken Catchpole OAM by Gary Grealy and Mark Ella AM by Nikki Toole.
The portrait will be on display to the public at the National Portrait Gallery from 10 April 2017.
Mark Loane, 2016 by Joachim Froese
Mark Loane AM, MBBS [Qld], FRANZCO, FRACS (b. 1954) - eye surgeon and former rugby international, made his debut for the Wallabies against Tonga at the age of 18 when he was a second year medical student at the University of Queensland. Mark Loane is the youngest forward selected to represent Australia since World War II and in all likelihood Australia’s youngest forward of all-time, a fact that remains unconfirmed solely due to the scarcity of pre-World War II birth records.
By the time Loane graduated 4 years later, he had become the captain of the Queensland state side at the age of 21. He won Test caps against the All Blacks, England, Japan, Fiji and France and toured the British Isles in 1975-76 and 1981-82 and France in 1976. Appointed Wallabies captain in 1979 against the All Blacks he led the team to the first Bledisloe Cup victory in Australia in 45 years and captained the side to the first tour of Argentina in 1979. He captained 6 of the 28 Test matches he played. Considering himself more a doctor than a footballer, Loane retired in 1982 to pursue studies in ophthalmology (eye surgery) where he received the Cedric Cohen Medal for the best pass in the eye surgery first part exam in 1984, then completing the second and final part exams in1986. Further studies and fellowships followed at Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia and the University of California, San Diego. Returning to Queensland and to private practice, he set up the Cape York Eye Health Project in 1999 to provide eye health services to the remote Indigenous communities of Cape York, chairing the Indigenous and Remote Rural Eye Health Service for 5 years.
Loane was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011, particularly for his work with the Indigenous communities of North Queensland. His sporting honours include the Australian Sports Medal and inductions into the Wallabies and Queensland Reds Halls of Fame.
Joachim Froese is an Australian contemporary art photographer who lives and works in Brisbane and Berlin. Born in Montreal, Canada, he grew up in Germany and migrated to Australia in 1991. He is best known for his highly constructed still life photography, which investigates crossovers with art history, personal memory, portraiture and nature photography. Froese has exhibited widely across Australia, Europe, Asia and North America. His work is included in numerous public collections including the National Gallery of Australia and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art and has been featured in international art publications. He has taught photography as a casual lecturer at universities in Australia and Germany for more than 10 years and has been invited to give guest lectures at major universities and art institutions in Australia, Asia and Europe.
March 21, 2017: National Portrait Gallery
A portrait of Australian rugby great, Dr Mark Loane AM MBBS FRANZO FRACS, is the latest addition to the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection. The work is the final in a series of three commissioned portraits of Australian rugby luminaries funded by Gallery benefactor, Mr Patrick Corrigan AM.
The portrait, a photograph taken by Canadian-born Joachim Froese, shows Loane in a hospital change-room, the setting alluding both to his achievements in medicine and his sporting accomplishments.
Mr Angus Trumble, Director of the Portrait Gallery, believes the portrait is a worthy addition to the Gallery’s collection, noting Dr Loane’s successful and meaningful career spanning two very different fields.
‘Dr Loane is fondly remembered for his achievements on the football field as a former captain of the Wallabies, and is greatly admired as an ophthalmologist for his medical work with disadvantaged patients in remote areas,’ said Mr Trumble.
‘Mr Corrigan’s support was instrumental in the commissioning of this series of rugby greats, culminating with this final portrait of Mark Loane. Philanthropic support is vital to growing the Portrait Gallery’s national collection and the representation of individuals who have significantly contributed to or influenced the shape of Australia as a nation and a society.’
Loane made his debut for the Wallabies against Tonga at the age of 18, when he was a second year medical student at the University of Queensland. He is the youngest forward selected to represent Australia since the Second World War, and in all likelihood Australia’s youngest forward of all-time, a fact that remains unconfirmed solely due to the scarcity of pre-Second World War birth records. Loane was appointed Wallabies captain in 1979 against the All Blacks, and led the team to the first Bledisloe Cup victory in Australia in 45 years.
Loane retired from rugby in 1982 to pursue studies in ophthalmology (the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye), receiving the Cedric Cohen Medal for the best pass in the eye surgery first pass exam in 1984.
Since then, Loane has built his career in medicine with further studies and fellowships. He set up the Cape York Eye Health project in 1999 to provide eye health services to remote Indigenous communities of Cape York. He became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011 for his work with Indigenous communities in North Queensland.
The photograph of Mark Loane joins the two other works in the series added to the Gallery Collection– Ken Catchpole OAM by Gary Grealy and Mark Ella AM by Nikki Toole.
The portrait will be on display to the public at the National Portrait Gallery from 10 April 2017.
Mark Loane, 2016 by Joachim Froese
Mark Loane AM, MBBS [Qld], FRANZCO, FRACS (b. 1954) - eye surgeon and former rugby international, made his debut for the Wallabies against Tonga at the age of 18 when he was a second year medical student at the University of Queensland. Mark Loane is the youngest forward selected to represent Australia since World War II and in all likelihood Australia’s youngest forward of all-time, a fact that remains unconfirmed solely due to the scarcity of pre-World War II birth records.
By the time Loane graduated 4 years later, he had become the captain of the Queensland state side at the age of 21. He won Test caps against the All Blacks, England, Japan, Fiji and France and toured the British Isles in 1975-76 and 1981-82 and France in 1976. Appointed Wallabies captain in 1979 against the All Blacks he led the team to the first Bledisloe Cup victory in Australia in 45 years and captained the side to the first tour of Argentina in 1979. He captained 6 of the 28 Test matches he played. Considering himself more a doctor than a footballer, Loane retired in 1982 to pursue studies in ophthalmology (eye surgery) where he received the Cedric Cohen Medal for the best pass in the eye surgery first part exam in 1984, then completing the second and final part exams in1986. Further studies and fellowships followed at Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia and the University of California, San Diego. Returning to Queensland and to private practice, he set up the Cape York Eye Health Project in 1999 to provide eye health services to the remote Indigenous communities of Cape York, chairing the Indigenous and Remote Rural Eye Health Service for 5 years.
Loane was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011, particularly for his work with the Indigenous communities of North Queensland. His sporting honours include the Australian Sports Medal and inductions into the Wallabies and Queensland Reds Halls of Fame.
Joachim Froese is an Australian contemporary art photographer who lives and works in Brisbane and Berlin. Born in Montreal, Canada, he grew up in Germany and migrated to Australia in 1991. He is best known for his highly constructed still life photography, which investigates crossovers with art history, personal memory, portraiture and nature photography. Froese has exhibited widely across Australia, Europe, Asia and North America. His work is included in numerous public collections including the National Gallery of Australia and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art and has been featured in international art publications. He has taught photography as a casual lecturer at universities in Australia and Germany for more than 10 years and has been invited to give guest lectures at major universities and art institutions in Australia, Asia and Europe.
Launch Of Mind Australia Report
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Winning Entries 2017
New Species Of Hard Coral From World Heritage-Listed Lord Howe Island, Australia
March 22, 2017
This is a holotype of the new hard coral species Cyphastrea salae. Credit: Prof. Andrew Baird; CC-BY 4.0The discovery of a new species of hard coral, found on Lord Howe Island, suggests that the fauna of this isolated location in the Tasman Sea off south eastern Australia is even more distinct than previously recognised.
In a recent paper in ZooKeys, Prof. Andrew Baird and Dr. Mia Hoogenboom from James Cook University, Townsville Australia and Dr. Danwei Huang from the National University of Singapore, describe the new species Cyphastrea salae.
"The animal itself is quite non-descript from a distance, although it is beautifully symmetrical up close like most corals," says Dr. Hoogenboom. "But we believe this is the first of many new hard coral species to be found in this World Heritage-listed marine protected area."
Lord Howe Island is famous for its many unique plant and animal species, known from nowhere else on Earth, including at least four species of palms, nine reef fish and 47 algae. However, the coral fauna remains largely unexplored, particularly using modern genetic techniques.
While some of the earliest work on coral reef ecology was done on Lord Howe Island, the species lists were compiled using a morphological taxonomy that has since been revised.
"On my very first dive in the lagoon at Lord Howe I knew I was looking at something very special," says Prof. Baird. "Twenty years of diving all over the globe had not prepared me for what I saw. I could hardly put a name on any coral!"
Now, six years later, and largely due to the molecular skills of colleague Dr. Huang, the team is ready to name its first species.
"Interestingly, Cyphastrea salae looks almost exactly like other closely-related corals. However, its gene sequences are distinct and there is no doubt it is a species that is new to science," says Dr. Huang.
The team now have hundreds of specimens to work through, but they are confident that there are more new coral species left to describe.
"The Acropora, in particular, look highly promisingly," says Prof. Baird. "There are at least five species that look unlike anything I have seen anywhere else in my travels."
Lord Howe Island lies over 900 km south of the next major area of coral diversity, the Great Barrier Reef, and therefore the populations on Lord Howe are highly isolated. Such isolation creates the potential for speciation, however, C. salae is the first new local coral species described to date. The discovery of this new species greatly increases the conservation significance of Lord Howe Island and reinforces the need for strong management measures to protect this unique fauna.
Andrew H. Baird, Mia O. Hoogenboom, Danwei Huang. Cyphastrea salae, a new species of hard coral from Lord Howe Island, Australia (Scleractinia, Merulinidae). ZooKeys, 2017; 662: 49 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.662.11454
March 22, 2017
This is a holotype of the new hard coral species Cyphastrea salae. Credit: Prof. Andrew Baird; CC-BY 4.0
The discovery of a new species of hard coral, found on Lord Howe Island, suggests that the fauna of this isolated location in the Tasman Sea off south eastern Australia is even more distinct than previously recognised.
In a recent paper in ZooKeys, Prof. Andrew Baird and Dr. Mia Hoogenboom from James Cook University, Townsville Australia and Dr. Danwei Huang from the National University of Singapore, describe the new species Cyphastrea salae.
"The animal itself is quite non-descript from a distance, although it is beautifully symmetrical up close like most corals," says Dr. Hoogenboom. "But we believe this is the first of many new hard coral species to be found in this World Heritage-listed marine protected area."
Lord Howe Island is famous for its many unique plant and animal species, known from nowhere else on Earth, including at least four species of palms, nine reef fish and 47 algae. However, the coral fauna remains largely unexplored, particularly using modern genetic techniques.
While some of the earliest work on coral reef ecology was done on Lord Howe Island, the species lists were compiled using a morphological taxonomy that has since been revised.
"On my very first dive in the lagoon at Lord Howe I knew I was looking at something very special," says Prof. Baird. "Twenty years of diving all over the globe had not prepared me for what I saw. I could hardly put a name on any coral!"
Now, six years later, and largely due to the molecular skills of colleague Dr. Huang, the team is ready to name its first species.
"Interestingly, Cyphastrea salae looks almost exactly like other closely-related corals. However, its gene sequences are distinct and there is no doubt it is a species that is new to science," says Dr. Huang.
The team now have hundreds of specimens to work through, but they are confident that there are more new coral species left to describe.
"The Acropora, in particular, look highly promisingly," says Prof. Baird. "There are at least five species that look unlike anything I have seen anywhere else in my travels."
Lord Howe Island lies over 900 km south of the next major area of coral diversity, the Great Barrier Reef, and therefore the populations on Lord Howe are highly isolated. Such isolation creates the potential for speciation, however, C. salae is the first new local coral species described to date. The discovery of this new species greatly increases the conservation significance of Lord Howe Island and reinforces the need for strong management measures to protect this unique fauna.
Andrew H. Baird, Mia O. Hoogenboom, Danwei Huang. Cyphastrea salae, a new species of hard coral from Lord Howe Island, Australia (Scleractinia, Merulinidae). ZooKeys, 2017; 662: 49 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.662.11454
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The End Festival 2017: A Celebration Of Arts, Culture And Heritage
Media release: 24 March 2017: NPWSHill End’s festival of arts, culture and heritage is back by popular demand for a second year this April.
‘The End’ festival will be held from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 April in the historic gold-mining village of Hill End.
Presented by NSW National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) with support from program partner Bathurst Regional Council, the unique festival will feature cabaret and music shows, live music, art exhibits and installations, and the best of the region’s wine, craft beer and food.
The market, of artisan wares and regional produce, will also feature exhibitions of rare trades including leather and woodwork.
NPWS Central West Area Manager Sarah Carr said ‘The End’ is a one-of-a-kind eclectic event in an extraordinary location with something for everyone.
“This festival is a chance for locals and visitors alike to explore the charming Hill End Historic Site and enjoy the wide variety of things on offer,” said Ms Carr.
“Festival-goers can book a ticketed show in the Royal Hall, or wander freely around the village, sampling produce from the Bathurst, Mudgee and Orange regions in the Golden Age garden while taking in great live folk, country and bluegrass acts and the free art installations and exhibitions that will really bring the town to life.”
A great program of free music will take place on the Golden Age Stage on Saturday and Sunday. Indie-folk singer-songwriters ‘All Our Exes Live in Texas’ will headline the outdoor stage on Saturday, supported by seven piece bluegrass band ‘The Morrisons’.
On Friday night, the festivities kick off with ‘The Beginning of The End’, a variety spectacular in The Royal Hall featuring a diverse array of musical and cabaret talent. This ticketed show includes ‘Man of Constant Sorrow: A tribute to the music from the film O Brother Where Art Thou’ and ‘Cabaret Sasquatch’. The shows will feature again on the Saturday night. Tickets can be booked via Moshtix.
“Tours of the historic village are also on offer during the festival period, including evening ghost tours,” said Ms Carr.
“We’re inviting people from near and far to join in this unique festival weekend. Local accommodation is available at the Village Campground and the Glendora Campground, and a tent-town with set-up camping is also available to book.”
For more details about ‘The End’ festival, including the full program of events, accommodation options, and to purchase tickets for the Royal Hall shows, go to nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/the-end
Media release: 24 March 2017: NPWS
Hill End’s festival of arts, culture and heritage is back by popular demand for a second year this April.
‘The End’ festival will be held from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 April in the historic gold-mining village of Hill End.
Presented by NSW National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) with support from program partner Bathurst Regional Council, the unique festival will feature cabaret and music shows, live music, art exhibits and installations, and the best of the region’s wine, craft beer and food.
The market, of artisan wares and regional produce, will also feature exhibitions of rare trades including leather and woodwork.
NPWS Central West Area Manager Sarah Carr said ‘The End’ is a one-of-a-kind eclectic event in an extraordinary location with something for everyone.
“This festival is a chance for locals and visitors alike to explore the charming Hill End Historic Site and enjoy the wide variety of things on offer,” said Ms Carr.
“Festival-goers can book a ticketed show in the Royal Hall, or wander freely around the village, sampling produce from the Bathurst, Mudgee and Orange regions in the Golden Age garden while taking in great live folk, country and bluegrass acts and the free art installations and exhibitions that will really bring the town to life.”
A great program of free music will take place on the Golden Age Stage on Saturday and Sunday. Indie-folk singer-songwriters ‘All Our Exes Live in Texas’ will headline the outdoor stage on Saturday, supported by seven piece bluegrass band ‘The Morrisons’.
On Friday night, the festivities kick off with ‘The Beginning of The End’, a variety spectacular in The Royal Hall featuring a diverse array of musical and cabaret talent. This ticketed show includes ‘Man of Constant Sorrow: A tribute to the music from the film O Brother Where Art Thou’ and ‘Cabaret Sasquatch’. The shows will feature again on the Saturday night. Tickets can be booked via Moshtix.
“Tours of the historic village are also on offer during the festival period, including evening ghost tours,” said Ms Carr.
“We’re inviting people from near and far to join in this unique festival weekend. Local accommodation is available at the Village Campground and the Glendora Campground, and a tent-town with set-up camping is also available to book.”
For more details about ‘The End’ festival, including the full program of events, accommodation options, and to purchase tickets for the Royal Hall shows, go to nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/the-end
Cane Toad Found Near Mount Kosciuszko
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Launch Of Neurological Alliance Australia Joint Position Paper
Wednesday 22 March 2017: Media Release
Launch of Neurological Alliance Australia joint position paper parliament house, Canberra - Wednesday 22 March 2017
People with progressive neurodegenerative diseases in the NDIS
Ten national peak not-for-profit health organisations making up the Neurological Alliance Australia (NAA) are calling for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to transform the lives of over 850,000 Australians living with progressive neurological or neuromuscular conditions that have no known cause and no cure, outlined in a Joint Position Paper, People with progressive neurodegenerative diseases in the NDIS, which accompanies this release.
Dealing with progressive neurological or neuromuscular conditions comes at an annual cost of almost $30 billion to the Australian economy.
Deidre Mackechnie, CEO of MS Australia and NAA Chair says the NAA is an alliance representing adults and children living with progressive neurological and neuromuscular diseases in Australia. The Alliance was established in 2010 to promote improved quality of life, coordinated services and greater research investment.
“The impact of progressive neurological conditions on individuals and families can be significant both financially and emotionally and can have a huge impact on their ability to remain engaged in their community to maintain a life of meaning and purpose,” continues Ms Mackechnie.
The NAA believes that the NDIS has the ability to transform the lives of people living with progressive neurodegenerative diseases and has promoted and supported the Scheme since its inception. To date, some NDIS participants have received plans that have had positive, life-changing impacts on their lives, however, many others have received insufficient plans that will adversely affect their quality of life and place some at risk of avoidable hospitalisation.
To ensure the best outcomes for people with progressive neurodegenerative diseases under the NDIS, the NAA recommends:
- Improved pre-planning support for people with a progressive neurodegenerative disease;
- NDIS planning sessions that recognise the unique needs of people with a progressive neurodegenerative disease;
- Mandatory inclusion of Coordination of Support in all NDIS plans for people living with a progressive neurodegenerative disease; and
- The needs of people with a progressive neurodegenerative disease be addressed in the Productivity Commission’s upcoming Review of NDIS Costs.
Ms Mackechnie says, “The NAA remains an advocate of the NDIS and understands the roll out of this Scheme is one of the greatest changes to healthcare since the introduction of Medicare. However, if people with a progressive neurological disease are to receive equitable and effective support within the NDIS it is imperative that the NDIA and government addresses these unmet needs. The recommendations outlined in the Position Paper launched today will go a significant way to aligning the original intent of the NDIS with its practical application”.
Round Three Of The Bridges Renewal Programme Now Open
16 March 2017: Media Release - The Hon. Darren Chester, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
The Coalition is getting on with the job of building better bridges throughout the nation, with funding now up for grabs under the third round of a specialised funding program which keeps communities connected and regional industries profitable.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said Round Three of the $360 million Bridges Renewal Programme would accept submissions from state, territory and local governments from tomorrow (Friday 17 March 2017).
“From coast to coast, communities are getting the bridges they deserve with the help of this programme. It has been a resounding success since it started in 2014–15, with $211 million invested in 204 projects across the nation under the first two rounds,” Mr Chester said.
“By working together with governments at all levels—particularly local Councils which often need a hand to get big-ticket projects underway—we are upgrading and repairing bridges in all corners of the country.
“Better bridges enhance safety and access for local communities, and keep local businesses and the road freight sector powering on—delivering dollars into the pockets of local businesses and supporting local jobs.
“Successful applicants can receive up to 50 per cent of the cost associated with fixing their ageing bridges, with submissions going through a competitive merit-based selection process.
“State, territory and local governments are eligible to apply for up to $5 million in Australian Government funding per project.”
Mr Chester said proponents should discuss priorities with their local communities, industry stakeholders, Regional Development Australia committees and relevant government road agencies early in the process of compiling their proposals.
Round Three is open for applications until 15 May 2017. Guidelines and proposal forms are now available on the Bridges Renewal Programme website at: www.infrastructure.gov.au/bridges
Rugby Great A Fine Addition To Portrait Gallery Collection
March 21, 2017: National Portrait Gallery
A portrait of Australian rugby great, Dr Mark Loane AM MBBS FRANZO FRACS, is the latest addition to the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection. The work is the final in a series of three commissioned portraits of Australian rugby luminaries funded by Gallery benefactor, Mr Patrick Corrigan AM.
The portrait, a photograph taken by Canadian-born Joachim Froese, shows Loane in a hospital change-room, the setting alluding both to his achievements in medicine and his sporting accomplishments.
Mr Angus Trumble, Director of the Portrait Gallery, believes the portrait is a worthy addition to the Gallery’s collection, noting Dr Loane’s successful and meaningful career spanning two very different fields.
‘Dr Loane is fondly remembered for his achievements on the football field as a former captain of the Wallabies, and is greatly admired as an ophthalmologist for his medical work with disadvantaged patients in remote areas,’ said Mr Trumble.
‘Mr Corrigan’s support was instrumental in the commissioning of this series of rugby greats, culminating with this final portrait of Mark Loane. Philanthropic support is vital to growing the Portrait Gallery’s national collection and the representation of individuals who have significantly contributed to or influenced the shape of Australia as a nation and a society.’
Loane made his debut for the Wallabies against Tonga at the age of 18, when he was a second year medical student at the University of Queensland. He is the youngest forward selected to represent Australia since the Second World War, and in all likelihood Australia’s youngest forward of all-time, a fact that remains unconfirmed solely due to the scarcity of pre-Second World War birth records. Loane was appointed Wallabies captain in 1979 against the All Blacks, and led the team to the first Bledisloe Cup victory in Australia in 45 years.
Loane retired from rugby in 1982 to pursue studies in ophthalmology (the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye), receiving the Cedric Cohen Medal for the best pass in the eye surgery first pass exam in 1984.
Since then, Loane has built his career in medicine with further studies and fellowships. He set up the Cape York Eye Health project in 1999 to provide eye health services to remote Indigenous communities of Cape York. He became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011 for his work with Indigenous communities in North Queensland.
The photograph of Mark Loane joins the two other works in the series added to the Gallery Collection– Ken Catchpole OAM by Gary Grealy and Mark Ella AM by Nikki Toole.
The portrait will be on display to the public at the National Portrait Gallery from 10 April 2017.
Mark Loane, 2016 by Joachim Froese
Mark Loane AM, MBBS [Qld], FRANZCO, FRACS (b. 1954) - eye surgeon and former rugby international, made his debut for the Wallabies against Tonga at the age of 18 when he was a second year medical student at the University of Queensland. Mark Loane is the youngest forward selected to represent Australia since World War II and in all likelihood Australia’s youngest forward of all-time, a fact that remains unconfirmed solely due to the scarcity of pre-World War II birth records.
By the time Loane graduated 4 years later, he had become the captain of the Queensland state side at the age of 21. He won Test caps against the All Blacks, England, Japan, Fiji and France and toured the British Isles in 1975-76 and 1981-82 and France in 1976. Appointed Wallabies captain in 1979 against the All Blacks he led the team to the first Bledisloe Cup victory in Australia in 45 years and captained the side to the first tour of Argentina in 1979. He captained 6 of the 28 Test matches he played. Considering himself more a doctor than a footballer, Loane retired in 1982 to pursue studies in ophthalmology (eye surgery) where he received the Cedric Cohen Medal for the best pass in the eye surgery first part exam in 1984, then completing the second and final part exams in1986. Further studies and fellowships followed at Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia and the University of California, San Diego. Returning to Queensland and to private practice, he set up the Cape York Eye Health Project in 1999 to provide eye health services to the remote Indigenous communities of Cape York, chairing the Indigenous and Remote Rural Eye Health Service for 5 years.
Loane was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2011, particularly for his work with the Indigenous communities of North Queensland. His sporting honours include the Australian Sports Medal and inductions into the Wallabies and Queensland Reds Halls of Fame.
Joachim Froese is an Australian contemporary art photographer who lives and works in Brisbane and Berlin. Born in Montreal, Canada, he grew up in Germany and migrated to Australia in 1991. He is best known for his highly constructed still life photography, which investigates crossovers with art history, personal memory, portraiture and nature photography. Froese has exhibited widely across Australia, Europe, Asia and North America. His work is included in numerous public collections including the National Gallery of Australia and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art and has been featured in international art publications. He has taught photography as a casual lecturer at universities in Australia and Germany for more than 10 years and has been invited to give guest lectures at major universities and art institutions in Australia, Asia and Europe.
Astronomers Hazard A Ride In A 'Drifting Carousel' To Understand Pulsating Stars
March 21, 2017
Antenna 'tiles' of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) are in the Western Australian desert. Credit: MWA Project / Curtin University
What sounds like a stomach-turning ride at an amusement park might hold the key to unravelling the mysterious mechanism that causes beams of radio waves to shoot out from pulsars -- super-magnetic rotating stars in our Galaxy.
New research from Curtin University, obtained using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) radio telescope located in the Western Australian outback, suggests the answer could lie in a 'drifting carousel' found in a special class of pulsars.
Curtin PhD student Sam McSweeney, who led the research as part of his PhD project with the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), described pulsars as extremely dense neutron stars that emit beams of radio waves.
"These pulsars weigh about half a million times the mass of Earth but are only 20km across," Mr McSweeney said.
"They are nicknamed 'lighthouses in space' because they appear to 'pulse' once per rotation period, and their sweeping light signal can be seen through telescopes at exceptionally regular intervals."
Thousands of pulsars have been seen since their first discovery in the late 1960s, but questions still remain as to why these stars emit radio beams in the first place, and what type of emission model best describes the radio waves, or 'light', that we see.
"The classical pulsar model pictures the emission that is shooting out from the magnetic poles of the pulsar as a light cone," Mr McSweeney said.
"But the signal that we observe with our telescopes suggests a much more complex structure behind this emission -- probably coming from several emission regions, not just one."
The 'drifting carousel' model manages to explain this complexity much better, describing the emission as coming from patches of charged particles, arranged in a rotating ring around magnetic field lines, or a carousel.
"As each patch releases radiation, the rotation generates a small drift in the observed signal of these sub-pulses that we can detect using the MWA," Mr McSweeney said.
"Occasionally, we find that this sub-pulse carousel gets faster and then slower again, which can be our best window into the plasma physics underlying the pulsar emission."
One possibility the researchers are currently testing is that surface temperature is responsible for the carousel changing rotation speed: localised 'hotspots' on the pulsar surface might cause it to speed up.
"We will observe individual pulses from these drifting pulsars across a wide range of radio frequencies, with lower frequency data than ever before," Mr McSweeney said.
"Looking at the same pulsar with different telescopes simultaneously will allow us to trace the emission at different heights above their surface."
The researchers plan to combine the data from the MWA, the Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope in India and the CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope in New South Wales to -- literally -- get to the bottom of the mysterious pulses.
S. J. McSweeney, N. D. R. Bhat, S. E. Tremblay, A. A. Deshpande, S. M. Ord. Low-frequency Observations of the Subpulse Drifter PSR J0034−0721 with the Murchison Widefield Array. The Astrophysical Journal, 2017; 836 (2): 224 DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/aa5c35