Jonathan testing a battery bank with a Micro-Celltron Battery Conductance Tester.
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Many thanks to Anna Staeubli (Switzerland) for coping so amazingly while the Directors were away. Anna worked alone managing the entire station in the wettest November in 100 years; no mean feat!
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| Three of our bats gave birth this year, including one little red flying fox. Pictured here is Haley (a Spectacled FF) with her new bub. The flying fox cage was substantially extended late this year and is now 9m square. However, this was a sad year for many of the animals; five little red flying foxes, three spectacled bats and one black flying fox died. Many of the deaths were due to old age; some hastened by the incredibly wet first half of the year. |
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From the University of Queensland at Gatton, Jonathan Cowie ("Jono"), carried out a third year research project looking at the "satisfaction of the Daintree community with their renewable energy systems, and evaluating their performance". The absence of main power in the area means that the majority of residents use Remote Area Power system (RAPS) or generators. Over 80% of these use solar photovoltaic panels to provide a high quality 240V power system. He interviewed about 50% of the inhabitants of the area and was warmly welcomed by most. Overall, most of the systems were working well despite difficult climate, and residents are slowly accepting that there will be no grid power supplied to the region.
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A major aim this year was to work on improving the Bat House, the Information and Education Center, where our volunteers introduce visitors to our resident flying foxes. Many thanks to all those volunteers who have contributed so far. Hopefully, next year will also see the extensions in place. They are not particularly complex, and will result in a 50% increase in display area. Associated with that will be the erection of a new tracker and eight solar panels and associated batteries and components to provide a satisfactory solar power system for the building, which will be part of a display of appropriate technology.
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We have purchased two 'Sea-Breathe' floating battery-powered air systems for shallow water (10 meters) research; particularly reef related research. ($1,100AU ea.) These will allow students to do reef-related research and will hopefully allow us to do conservation research work on eutrophication affects on the reef. Here Lynn Bateman (UK) models the latest in Station fashion.
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| The road to Cape Tribulation gets bigger and the animals get flatter! That's progress for you. So far, we have had no success in getting either the local Council or the Wet Tropics Management Authority to curb the road builders' (Douglas Shire Council) desire for sub-arterial roads in the rainforest. |
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The laboratory was finished and useable by August this year, although the de-humidifier needs substantial improvement. The toilet block was repainted and detailed, with new steps. The first accommodation building was repainted and detailed, the verandah sanded and oiled (but still requires an extension to the roof to prevent water flooding the verandah). All accommodation buildings now have fitted Aluminum fly screens. The room adjacent to the kitchen was upgraded to an office, which can now accommodate two workers. The kitchen was upgraded by having a new double sink unit fitted and new benches and shelving around the walls, leaving an open area, which can accommodate more than two people preparing food. Also, a new 10 panel solar tracker was installed.
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| A Japanese Business Group (BE Japan Co.) made a commitment to donate $1000(AU) per year from now on. This group has an R&R farm in the upper Daintree and is interested in using us as a source of know-how (for regeneration projects), and with the possibility that various members might be interested in sponsoring particular projects. The Myer Foundation had made a grant of $2,000(AU) in response to our request for capital funding Here we have Yumi Smith, representative of BE Japan Co, giving a check to Hugh Spencer and Teresa Elizabeth (and interested flying foxes). |