A heartfelt cry from the Kununurra Community to the Nation.

KIMBERLEY SPECIALISTS

Volunteer CANE TOAD Training & Toad Busting NEWSLETTER No.13

WWW.CANE TOADS.COM.AU

The Cane Toad is a Key Threatening Process to the Australian Nation.

Federal Government 12 April 2005

IF EVERYONE WAS A TOADBUSTER
THE TOADS WOULD BE BUSTED!!

www.kimberleyspecialists.com.au

www.kimberleyspecialists@westnet.com.au

 14 volunteer Kimberley Toad Busters hit the cane toad front line last weekend and while a record number of 844 toads were picked up, the news was not all that bad.  Almost 60% of the toads 'busted' averaged around 6 to 8cm in size with a further 30% 5cm and under.  The startlingly few first generation large adult cane toads now being picked up strongly suggest that the consistent 'toad busting' by the volunteers and the CALM team have definitely made an impact on the population numbers of the mature adults.  Consistent with this is the declining numbers of eggs and tadpoles being located and busted throughout the area.  Adding to this good news is that the consistent wet season toad busting has resulted in giving the KTB's a pretty fair idea on where the toads have reached and what areas we will need to focus on during the dry season to knock out and push back the present cane toad front line. Combined with NT local knowledge and the toad busting activities undertaken by the KTB's east of the Victoria River Road House we are now fairly certain of the location of the main 'corridor' being used by the cane toads to get to the Victoria River.  With the help of Bill Harney and his Community on Innesvale Station the KTB's will also work consistently in this general area over the dry season in an attempt to minimise the number of toads getting through to the Victoria River next wet season. 

The total number of toad caught by our volunteer toad busters to date is 11,773 toads

 Record number of Toads.

Record numbers of toads are hitting the Victoria River Road House area right through to Brownies Creek, 45 kilometres east of the Road House.

While it was expected that the huge influx of water into the Victoria River system would wash toads downstream, what was unexpected was the large number of large gravid females and male toads of breeding age actually making their way across the Victoria River, despite the flooding (whose theory is it that toads don’t swim well?). Up until the recent rains and flooding our Kimberley Toad Busting volunteers, in conjunction with the work being undertaken by CALM had managed to knock a significant dent in the adult population number of cane toads in the general area of the Victoria River Road House. Both teams had reported significant drops in adult toads although there had been a marked increase in the number of metamorphs and juveniles being picked up. (Metamorphs were even picked up at the base of the surrounding escarpment so yet another theory that toads don’t climb is put to rest).

The up-side of this disturbing news is that we now know for certain that the flooded rivers are no barrier and that while we continue to have volunteer teams of toad busters on the ground during the wet we can deal with these new threats. It does mean however that we need as many volunteers as we can get to ‘put in the time’ over the next few weeks so we can deal with these new incursions. The Kimberley Toad Busters can now meet everyone’s fuel and food bills thanks to a further commitment from Biodiversity Protection Inc in Perth and other local businesses who have continued to sustain our volunteer toad busting activities.

Please remember when you put your name down to volunteer with the Kimberley Toad Busters that we are the only volunteer body that has consistently been working at the cane toad front since September 2005. We are not Stop the Toad Foundation but hope to, in the future, work with this Perth based group.

We have just undertaken our 31st volunteer toad bust, recording a total of 492 individuals (children and adults) who have put in their own time and a total number of 738 community members who have registered their support.

The total number of toad caught by our volunteer toad busters to date is 10,929 toads.

Every weekend we select our ‘Junior Toad Buster Extraordinaire’ and last weekends winner was Georgia Edland, aged 4and a half. Georgia received a water backpack. Mikaelha Byrnes and Ebonie Pedretti, year 9 students and first time ‘toad busters’ were not only ‘quick learners’ in the field but provided great support and input into the ‘weighing, measuring and general recording of cane toad data’ the following morning. Both Mikaelha and Ebonie are well on their way to becoming senior toad buster leaders. Thank you both from the Kimberley Toad Busters.

Toads have also moved against the flood up river along the Victoria River system and have now moved through several creek systems south east to Moolooloo Station. We would like to thank Gary for contacting us on this new development and it is this ‘network of communication’ that will help our volunteers and CALM to deal with each new incursion. The cooperation of every station contacted has been greatly reassuring in our fight to stop the cane toad from advancing any further than we can help.

Unfortunately until our Toad Busters put boats into the Victoria River (an exercise we plan to undertake as soon as possible) we still do not have any real idea of how far the toads have managed to travel downstream along the Victoria River system.

The up-side of this disturbing news is that we now know for certain that the flooded rivers are no barrier and that while we continue to have volunteer teams of toad busters on the ground during the wet we can deal with these new threats. It does mean however that we need as many volunteers as we can get to ‘put in the time’ over the next few weeks so we can deal with these new incursions. The Kimberley Toad Busters can now meet everyone’s fuel and food bills thanks to a further commitment from Biodiversity Protection Inc in Perth and other local businesses who have continued to sustain our volunteer toad busting activities.

Please remember when you put your name down to volunteer with the Kimberley Toad Busters that we are the only volunteer body that has consistently been working at the cane toad front since September 2005 (and have largely done this at our own cost).

Toad Busting on the ‘Wedding’ weekend!

Despite the most amazing ‘Toad Busting wedding’, Kimberley Toad Busters (and Dean and I) did manage to do some serious toad busting over the weekend. 777 toads were ‘busted’ and tadpole incursions located west of Timber Creek were identified and dealt with. Amazingly, 777 in numerology tradition shows your wishes will come true and you should expect more miracles to occur. Furthermore, we are told that it means magic is happening and miracles will happen. 777 translates to,

the angels applaud you , congratulations, you are on a roll, keep up the good work and know your wishes are coming true.

Hopefully this also means that the efforts and dedication of the Kimberley Toad Busters truly indicates that we will be successful in keeping cane toads out of the Kimberley.

How does one thank those ‘Kimberley Toad Busters’ involved in making our ‘toad busting wedding’ one of the most special ‘days of our lives’? Dean and I had been pretty relaxed about the whole thing, particularly as this was more of a commitment rather than a ‘wedding’. However Toad Buster leaders managed to turn our ‘occasion’ into something ‘unique’ and ‘special’ and something we will remember for the rest of our lives.

It is so hard to know whom to thank on such a ‘unique’ occasion such as this. Particularly as so many involved are personal friends as well as dedicated ‘toad busters’. Ted Birch traveled from Wyndham (with Roxanne-his daughter) to perform the ceremony and then actually ‘toad-busted’ for the rest of the weekend. Special thanks must go to Sharon McLacklin (with daughters Ellie and Paige and friend Andrea Waser) and Cathy Cummins who provided the special Kimberley flowers and decoration and the wonderful gift voucher with Olivers from a large number of friends. The most amazing cartoon depiction of Dean and I by Kenton Day (do we really look like that?). Sandy Boulter (her third trip up from Margaret River to toad bust and offering her ‘lawyer’ background’ experience to help out the Kimberley Toad Busters) and Sarah Brett. Both organised for the whole weekend to be professionally photographed – especially the toads - and contributed in unaccountable ways to make the whole weekend the success it was. Jill and Quentin Parker made sure Dean and I did not ‘retire’ to swags by ensuring we ‘had the honeymoon suite’ at the Roadhouse. Teresa and Roy from the Victoria River Roadhouse readied the Shed for the wedding festivities – it has never looked so good! - and catered for us so wonderfully.

Georgina Wilson, one of our most experienced toad buster’s with her sister Annie (both great friends) agreed to be attendants along with Sandy Boulter and Dean’s sister Anita (who had traveled all the way from Adelaide for the event). Bruce Russell, under great sufferance (kidding) supported Dean (or did he hold him down?).

Thank you to everyone who produced a memorable wedding –while Dean and I also celebrated our 27th weekend toad-bust. It is impossible to thank everyone who was involved and helped to not only make the day so special for Dean and I, but also ‘hung’ in there for the ‘toad busting’ after the ‘ceremony’.

The weekend was one of the ‘best’ Dean and I have ever experienced in our time together, and the shared passion of those all around us made our commitment to each other at the Roadhouse one of great joy.

Toad Buster ‘extraordinaire’

 Toad Buster ‘extraordinaire’ for the weekend was Alec Desiree (junior toadbuster under 10) from Wyndham. While most of the adult (and committed) Toad Busters were feeling their age (and relaxing and ‘boasting’ about who had the best ‘bust’) Alec, beyond exhaustion, continued to ‘patrol’ the grounds of the Victoria River Road House and almost certainly ‘busted’ all the ‘toads’ game enough to make their way from the Victoria River to the Road House grounds. Alec still managed to join the early Sunday ‘Cane Toad tadpole bust’ and the early morning scientific data recording with amazing energy and dedication. Alec is well on his way to becoming a ‘Junior Toad Buster’ Warrior and Leader and won the Toad-Buster weekend award. Alec is also an example of how important it is to involve our youth in this fight against the ‘toad’. He personifies the ‘pride’ felt by our young toad busters in helping to save the Kimberley from this ‘invasive species’.

Area’s Toad Busted!

 Road Bust 20km East of the Victoria River Road House!

Chris Spur and his family undertook the major ‘toad-busting’ exercise to the east of the Victoria River and were the last to finish for the evening, not arriving back to base until the ‘wee’ hours of the morning. Toad finds in this area still indicate that the main cane toad front is still largely east of the Victoria River and that the Kimberley Toad Busters need to continue to ‘bust’ this area regularly. The TAFE team will focus on this area during the week. It is hoped that by putting a ‘dent’ in the front-line population numbers that this, (with the focused effort by CALM and the Kimberley Toad Busters working east of the river) will eventually wipe out incursions found west of the Victoria River as well as having an impact on the ‘number’ of toads continuing to making their way over the river.

 Brownies Dam!

 Brownies Dam continues to produce predominantly male toads, both in the traps and in the ‘toad busting’ results. This is interesting as there is evidence of eggs, tadpoles and metamorphs in and around the dam.

Doolies!

Road Bust West of the Victoria River Road House!

Old Victoria River Road Crossing!

Victoria River Road House!

Victoria River Road House Boat Ramp Road !

Timber Creek and West!

 Kimberley TAFE, Kununurra Ranger Training Course for CDEP Kimberley Toad Busters!

 Around 20 TAFE Kimberley Toad Busters currently undertaking the Ranger Training course are travelling mid-week up to the ‘identified’ threat areas and will ‘bust’ and trap anything our teams may have left behind over the weekend. Triple J is providing the use of their bus for this exercise and will continue to support any ‘effort’ made by the Kimberley Toad Busters. Kimberley Toad Busters will, over the next few weeks start to build in a toad busting program that enables ‘volunteer Toad Busters’ to work at the ‘cane toad front’ on any day of the week that is convenient.

Timber Creek Toad Buster Reports!

The following reports are from Kimberley Toad Buster teams who have been working west of Timber Creek,

 25 February 2006

David Woods

John Cugley

On way out to Timber Creek, we had a look at some likely locations to head to after dark. After stopping at Timber Creek, made our way to Sandy Creek near The Gregory Tree and waited for the sun to set.

First stop for the night was a gravel pit east of Sandy Creek south of the highway. This pit had a large shallow water hole. Played the hummer but no return calls. Had a walk around the water, and did not see any signs of toads. We left and headed off to the next gravel pit east. This is a very large pit on the south side of the highway. It has a large lake in the west end, with much standing water in the surrounding bush. A toad was in the CALM trap. We had a good look around the area and found another male toad.

After leaving this pit made our way to a pit on the north side of the highway. We found no standing water, and after looking around, we made our way up the highway to the creek just west of the Gregory Tree turn off. After playing the hummer got two return calls. Both on the north side of the road. One was found about 500m in to the west of the creek. The other one was found to the east of the creek in one on the numerous ponds. Both of these were males. After getting back to the car we headed of to The Gregory Tree. At the turn off there was a male caught in the trap. We made numerous stops along the gravel road on the way, to stop and play the hummer. There was no return calls. We also had a scout around several of the ponds. At The Gregory Tree we went in both directions looking for toads for about 1km. Did not find any evidence. Got back to the car and meet up with the other toaders who had come from Timber Creek. At the junction of the highway and The Gregory road, got some very far of toad calls to south east area. This is an area that will have to be walked to and visited in a future trip.

We made our way back to Kununurra stop at creeks and culvert but did not locate any more toads.

David and John

Below is just one of the amazing community gestures that contribute towards making the fight to stop the cane toad from crossing into Western Australia a sustainable effort.

A L OVELL D IVERSION

GALLERY Special Opportunity

To win a popular piece of artvalued at $8,000………..and help

Bust the Cane Toad

The volunteers who are out there busting their backsides

to bust the toads, need more help.

L OVELL D IVERSION G ALLERY

is raising funds to go directly to this local programme.

“ Bathed in Gold ” is a framed oil painting

( 92x 76cm fr. 114 x 98 cm ).

Painted by Nadeen Lovell, this work has had

50 only Limited Edition prints made. These are selling fast but HOW ABOUT OWNING THE ORIGINAL ?

The painting may be viewed in the gallery or on

www.lovelldiversiongallery.com.au then click on Limited Editions

By committing just $20 to our very own

East Kimberley environment,

you will receive a ticket which may bring you

$8,000 worth of art ! 500 tickets only, for sale.

call into… L OVELL D IVERSION G ALLERY

or the … Kununurra Visitors Centre

to buy your ticket and do your bit of busting

for further information… Ph 91681781 or 0409 922 706

Closes 30 th May 2006 Drawn 31 st May 2006 .

Result published in Kimberley Echo on 8 th June 2006 .

All proceeds go to Kimberley Toadbusters.

Permit # LS034429

Kimberley Toad Busters Cane Toad Sighting Hotline!

 Kimberley Toad Busters now have some of the most experienced cane toad ‘experts’ in Australia . Particularly when it comes to

Contact Sarah Brett on 0407691229;

Del Collins ( Sister Del ) on 0417175427;

Ronnie Atkins (Warrangari) 0438550103;

Georgina Wilson (Aboriginal Toad Buster extraordinaire) 0417934429; Or at Bell Springs

Bruce Russell 0418778366;

Dean Goodgame 0417181755.

Chris and Tina (Barra-Barra) on 91 682098

Annie and Anne Marie Wilson (Wyndham) 0438514005

Lee Scott-Virtue 91682576.

 Our team will then pass all relevant information onto Conservation and Land Management.

Latest Kimberley Toad Busters Cane Toad Count:

 The latest cane toad count for the Kimberley Toad Busters as of the weekend of the 19 th March is 6,790. Not included in this count is the tens of thousands of metamorphs or cane toad tadpoles our volunteers have picked up over the last several months.

 Nobody is too young or too old in this fight to stop the cane toad from crossing into Western Australia .

 If you don’t have a vehicle we can always find a seat on the Triple J Toad Busting Bus.

IF EVERYONE BECAME A TOAD BUSTER.

THE TOADS WOULD BE BUSTED!

www.canetoads.com.au

kimberleyspecialists@westnet.com.au

Lee or Dean on 91682576

Or contact Sarah Brett 0407691229