About

Who are we?

The people behind BMRG

The Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management Ltd. (BMRG) is the peak body for natural resource management (NRM) within the Burnett Mary region. Established in 2001, we are one of 56 national, not-for-profit regional bodies providing an essential link between the community and various programs procured by Government and other funding sources.

What do we do?

Fostering strong relationships

BMRG’s vision is “to protect and enhance the agricultural and natural environment of the Burnett Mary region for future generations”. We achieve this by directing investment into a wide range of community-based programs that deliver positive outcomes in the areas of ecological diversity, sustainable land management, water quality, cultural heritage values and coastal and marine management. Community collaboration and partnerships are paramount to us achieving our vision. We continue to foster strong relationships with a range of organisations including: Local, State and Federal Governments; Landcare and Catchment Care groups; Indigenous organisations; agricultural and industrial sectors; universities and schools.

MEET THE BOARD

Tony Ricciardi

In addition to serving for many years as a BMRG Director, Tony also has a long history of service in Local government. He served for seventeen years as an Isis Shire Councillor and post amalgamation, another seven years as a Bundaberg City Councilor. Tony is also a third generation cane farmer and has diversified into other crops including avocados and peanuts. His wealth of Local government experience, rural farming skills and previous experience as a Board member make him the ideal person to take up the role of Chair of BMRG.

Nadia Campbell

Nadia is a lawyer and in-house counsel for government-owned corporations, as well as the director of Goondicum Pastoral Co., an agricultural enterprise with a focus on sustainable land management. As a legal practitioner, Nadia has comprehensive experience in advising regarding high-level strategic development, and in communicating and negotiating with external experts, landholders and lawyers regarding finance, property acquisition, land management and operational performance. Nadia is also a skilled business leader with a focus on combining optimal business solutions with sustainability of the environment and local communities.

Dale Holliss

Dale is a current non-executive Director on the National Irrigators Council and Chair of the energy committee. He has a wealth of experience in a vast array of sectors, including economics and finance, natural resource management, agriculture, renewable energy and business management. Furthermore, he holds a Masters in Environmental Management, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Horticultural Technology. Dale’s goal as a BMRG Director is to attain ecological sustainability in economic, environmental, social and cultural practices in the region.

Brent McLellan

Brent is the co-coordinator of the Port Curtis Coral Coast Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement, the largest of its kind in Australia and dedicated to the perseveration and sustainability of the Port Curtis Coral Coast Region, including Great Barrier reef and Sandy Strait. Additionally, Brent manages the Gidarjil Land and Sea Ranger programs, ensuring that rangers and managers achieve sustainable management of natural resources, preservation of the region’s wildlife, and cultural heritage protection. As a proud Tarebilang Bunda, Goreng Goreng man, Brent collaborates with numerous partners and the community about Indigenous Elders’ aspirations for sea country, in accordance with his commitment to his people and to the future of the natural environment.

Elke Watson

Elke has extensive experience in both agriculture and governance. She currently runs a pasture-based dairy farm in the upper Mary valley with her husband, which has given her 35 years of natural resource management skills, as well as an award for Outstanding Land Managers from BMRG. She has served, and is currently serving, as director for multiple organisations dedicated to sustainable agriculture, and is presently the Chair for the Sunshine Coast branch of Subtropical Dairy. These roles have additionally afforded her extensive skill in strategic planning and management, experience that has made her an effective leader in her time on boards working with a multitude of different people in a variety of industries.

MEET THE TEAM

Sheila CharlesworthCEO

Leadership is about creating opportunities that enable your organisation to find successful outcomes. It’s also great to see young people develop and grow in their ability to deliver these opportunities. We all want to leave the world in a better place for future generations!

Jason OgdenBusiness Services Manager

I have completed a dual degree in Sustainability and Accounting in order to become a ‘Green Accountant’. Working within NRM is a privilege and is suited to what I believe in. I am also motivated by knowing I have done my role to the best of my ability and helping other people to succeed.

Pete KafkaDigital Transformation Manager

I am an experienced digital transformation executive and marketing professional with over 15 years experience across a number of different industries. Leveraging my experience, my focus will be to help BMRG drive digital transformation across the business to create new business benefits. I am very excited and proud to be part of the BMRG team.

Cathy MylreaLand and Water Program Manager

I really love seeing younger staff who are starting their careers at BMRG get out and deliver extension, improving the bottom line for producers and improving our natural resources.

Nick MacleanIndigenous and Coastal Program Manager

I love seeing holistic environmental outcomes achieved through partnerships with our stakeholders. Projects where once completed, everyone has a better understanding of the issue and the solutions – stronger country, stronger people. For me the glass is always half-full, and every cloud has a silver lining.

Kevin BowdenGIS and Drone Program Manager, Chief Remote Pilot

Exploring new GIS and mapping technology to solve real world problems, that’s what keeps me motivated. I’m passionate about providing practical GIS solutions to meet NRM outcomes.

Abbie TaylorProject Coordinator

I am passionate about protecting and preserving the marine environment. As a marine biologist I understand how fragile the Great Barrier Reef is and I am excited to contribute to its protection through coastal projects at BMRG.

Ryan TrottProject Coordinator

Having grown up in the grazing industry, I really love working with landholders to enhance their businesses, especially when they reap the rewards of sustainable agricultural practices. This is what motivates me to keep going.

Phoebe BaldwinCommunications Engagement Coordinator

I am a communications and project management professional with a scientific background and a passion for the environment. I am excited to bring my skills to BMRG and collaborate with both the team and the community on a variety of interesting and meaningful initiatives.

Wendy ThorsborneRegional Extension and Education Coordinator

I’m passionate about the people and industries of rural and regional Australia – my aim is to use my accumulated skills and knowledge to contribute to their development, particularly in the agricultural sector. The highlight for me is interacting with such a range of people, and I’m motivated to see them reach their full potential!

Allysa BrownBunya Mountains Murri Rangers Coordinator

My mob is from the Birdsville area, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to be here learning the different cultural practices and the significance of the Bunya Mountains. I love being outdoors and taking care of country, returning fire to the grasslands. I want to pass down what I’ve learnt to the future generations.

Kori MunroSenior Bunya Mountains Murri Ranger

Being a Murri ranger, it’s a position where I can really embrace my culture and my love for the outdoors. What makes me most passionate about this role is that we are caring for and preserving sacred land that was once walked upon by our ancestors.

Daniel AlbertsBunya Mountains Murri Ranger

I love my work because we don’t do the same jobs two days in a row. We’re outside living and working on the land our ancestors controlled and maintained, and we’re teaching young kids about the Bunya Mountains. Not many people get an opportunity like this!

Hedley BellBunya Mountains Murri Ranger

After high school I felt motivated to become an Indigenous Ranger. Working on and protecting my own traditional country, Wakka Wakka country – it’s a dream come true.

Chantelle MickeloAdministration Officer, Bunya Mountains Murri Rangers

My culture is my passion. I love working for the Murri Rangers because it enables me to be involved in caring for this beautiful part of the country that I grew up in, where my dad would take us kids out on country to teach us about the land and our culture. He was one of the first Murri Rangers, so I like being able to carry on the hard work that he did getting this program started.

Radka JackProject Officer

Originally from a Czech farming family, I appreciate the diverse and beautiful Australian environment. The need to proactively manage and safeguard it for future generations and my own children is important to me.

Hannah RussellAdministration and Project Officer

I have a Bachelor of Applied Science and experience in the sugarcane industry as an extension officer. In my role as Project Officer, I look forward to collaborating with the community to improve water quality, stakeholder productivity and natural resource management.

Ann McKenzieGrazing Land Management Officer

I enjoy working with people, having conversations and sharing information. I believe in healthy food, produced in a healthy environment.

Emma BakerGrazing Extension Officer and Paddock to Reef Regional Coordinator

I come from four generations of farming in Australia. I live and breathe the Agricultural industry, thriving on the knowledge that I am helping people to improve their business productivity and sustainability.

Simon HuntProject Officer, GIS Support/Drone Pilot

I love healthy landscapes and strongly believe that for Australia to thrive, it needs humans who know the land. It excites me everyday that my job allows me to work with landholders to build their capacity to live on that land.

Sam MorisonTechnical Support Officer

I enjoy discussing and discovering new ways to improve our understanding of regional ecosystems and agriculture. Through new technologies, we constantly gain a greater appreciation for the natural environment and produce solutions to solve NRM challenges.

Victoria ClarkeAdministration and Project Officer

I have a great love for the outdoors and am passionate about the preservation of the natural wonders of the Australian continent. With a Bachelor of Science and experience in wildlife presenting, I look forward to bringing both into my role to assist in the good work BMRG does.

Our colours

The BMRG icon is a reflection of who we are, bringing assets together to work in harmony for our region.

Blue represents the waters of our rivers and marine areas, we are working hard to improve water quality in our region to maintain healthy and diverse ecosystems.

Green represents our unique environment and the people who live there, this is reflected in our daily actions and commitment to sustainability.

Brown represents the agriculture and industry of our region who we support to develop more sustainable practices for better farming outcomes with fewer environmental impacts.

BMRG DOCUMENTATION

Annual Reports & Audited
Financial Statements

Strategic Plan

BMRG Constitution

BMRG Board Minutes

Operational Performance Excellence Review

Burnett Mary NRM Climate Adaptation Plan

Water Quality Improvement
Plan for the Burnett Mary

BMRG Community
Prioritisation Report

OUR REGION

Covering approximately 56,000km² of land and 11,000km² of sea, the Burnett Mary Region is internationally renowned for its ecological diversity, extensive primary production and rich cultural heritage.

The region also supports Queensland’s largest regional population (approximately 300,000 people) – outside of the South East Corner.

Natural Assets

The Burnett Mary region provides habitat for more than half of Australia’s bird species and more than 7,500 of its flora and fauna species are rare, threatened or endangered. Abutting the Southern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef, the region’s marine environment has more marine fish diversity than the reef itself. The region also includes:

World Heritage listed K’gari [Fraser Island] – K’gari is the largest sand island in the world and was added to the World Heritage list in 1992 in recognition of its outstanding natural universal values. It is characterised by long uninterrupted white beaches flanked by strikingly coloured sand cliffs, majestic tall rainforests and numerous freshwater lakes of crystal-clear water.
Ramsar listed Great Sandy Strait – Covering 93,160 ha this internationally renowned site is a double ended sand passage estuary receiving tidal flows from Hervey Bay in the North and Wide Bay in the South. Fresh water is delivered from a 1.25million ha catchment via the Mary and Susan Rivers, creeks, coastal streams and Cooloola Sand Mass to the Great Sandy Strait Ramsar site.

Primary Industries

The Burnett Mary region is well-known for its prime agricultural land, well-managed water resources and innovative farming and fishing practices. These attributes support a range of industries including grazing, pork, sugar, dairy, tree crops, seafood, grain and wine and associated processing and value adding industries.

Cattle grazing represents the largest industry by land use and largest regional employer. The region also represents Australia’s largest macadamia, avocado, sweet potato and chilli producers as well as Queensland’s largest timber plantations.

Traditional industries such as sugarcane, have spawned world-class beverage processing industries including for example, Bundaberg Rum and Bundaberg Brewed Drinks.

Being adjacent to the Southern boundary of the Great Barrier Reef, the region’s fishing industry has an international reputation for clean, sustainable fishing practices.