Celebrating 25 Years of Regional NRM

The 9th National Natural Resource Management Knowledge Conference, held September 8–12 in Cairns, marked a significant milestone, 25 years since Australia adopted the regional natural resource management (NRM) model. The conference brought together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to reflect on the achievements of the past quarter-century and chart pathways for the next 25 years.

The program began with a full day of workshops, followed by two days of conference presentations, and concluded with inspiring field trips that showcased local projects in action. Throughout the week, the halls of the Cairns Convention Centre were filled with poster displays, creating opportunities for informal learning and discussion during breaks.

Co-hosted by North Queensland Regional NRMs—Cape York Natural Resource Management, Gulf Savannah NRM, Terrain NRM, North Queensland (NQ) Dry Tropics NRM, and NRM Regions Queensland, this year’s theme, “Changing Landscapes and New Horizons,” captured both the challenges of caring for our environment in a time of rapid change and the transformative potential of integrated landscape management. The program highlighted the innovation, resilience, and ingenuity that continue to shape the NRM sector as it responds to complex, “wicked” problems.

SATSIE Participation
First Nation representatives from Cape York Peninsula, Wet Tropics, Burdekin Dry Tropics and Fitzroy Basin NRM regions, Cape York NRM, Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council were sponsored by the Sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Enterprise (SATSIE) Program to attend the conference. An initiative of the Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) Drought Resilience Hub at The Cairns Institute, SATSIE partners Indigenous Local Governments, First Nation corporations and businesses building community and climate resilience. The program supports Indigenous-owned businesses and organisations through strategic guidance on water rights, governance and planning capability development, creating pathways for sustainable development and climate resilience.

Key Learnings and Reflections
The conference was rich with insights across plenary and concurrent sessions. Below are some highlights that stood out:
• The Power of Artificial Intelligence (AI): The opening keynote on generative AI was both eye-opening and cautionary, emphasising the need to manage and harness AI responsibly so it delivers long-term value to the NRM sector.
• Indigenous Innovation: A plenary session on Indigenous enterprise reinforced the importance of creativity and resilience, inspiring participants to approach challenges with fresh perspectives. As one presenter put it: “All day may not be good, but there is something good about every day.”

November 2025