Who is Jimirara?

Jimirara Wildlife Conservation and Research Centre (Jimirara) is a grassroots organisation in the early planning stages of its existence. Jimirara aim to conserve threatened and endangered Australian wildlife through education, research and captive breeding programs. Located on a rural property in Mount Surround, 50 minutes south of Townsville, North Queensland in Australia. Jimirara is comprised of 40 acres of moist to dry eucalypt woodlands. Adjoining the Bowling Green Bay National Park, Jimirara is home to an abundance of wild native flora and fauna, including Orchids, Cycads, Northern Quolls, and Red-tailed Black cockatoos. One primary project is contirbuting to dingo conservation through public education in collaboration with the Australian Dingo Foundation's world renowned conservation program. In the future, Jimirara hope to contribute to the conservation of other local species such as the Black Throated Finch, Northern Quolls and a variety of flora. 

Jimirara will provide a community hub for wildlife education and research by providing educational public tours (such as school groups, community groups and general public), workshops where key environmental themes are explored (featuring expert guest speakers) and collaborating with Universities to provide study sites for research. 

For more info visit www.jimirara.com.au

 The February 2019 North Queensland Monsoon Event

In February this year Townsville in Northern Queensland, Australia and the surrounding region was devastated by an unprecendented rain event. Over a period of 10 days almost 1500mm (1.5 metres) of rain fell, after a long period of drought. Upward of 10,000 residents in the city of Townsville and wider region were evacuated from their homes as flood waters rose in conjunction with dam water releases and seasonal high tides.  Jimirara Wildlife although situated at Mount Surround some 30 minutes south also received a torrential downpour over the same period. The purpose built Dingo enclosure became a newly sprung water course. At the peak of the rain event almost half a metre of water flowed through the enclosure damaging the surrounding enclosure fences and subfloors installed to stop the Dingos from digging out.  In addition to this the road access was washed away rendering the 1.2 kilometre road unsurpassable to two wheel drive vehicles. In all the access and enclosures were greatly affected undoing the previous two years work.

Where will your money go?

Unforeseen events that occurred earlier this year threw Jimirara plans a big curve ball, with the flood impacts creating both a financial and time burden. Jimirara are hoping to commence  public educational tours of Jimirara by December 2019 and provide an ecological study site for local university students during 2020. To do this, we need financial support to complete the following tasks to provide a comfortable and safe learning space for our visitors. 

Driveway repairs and upgrade to allow 2 wheel drive access 

Diamond grid plate to prevent future erosion 

Machinery hire

Stone road base delivered

Dingo enclosure maintenance and repairs

Cement and builders mix

Concrete mixer

Fencing wire

Basic public facilities required

Shade shelter

Self-sustainable toilet block

Local council building approvals

Material quotes (not including labour) for for the above works exceed the funding target. Should materials purchased for the above projects not exhaust the funding received, remaining funds will be put towards new wildlife enclosures (e.g. a large habitat aviary for the Black Throated Finch).