New book: Early Career Research Pathways
Launching in November 2025, Early Career Research Pathways shares advice on managing seven tensions faced by new doctoral graduates. The book, edited by Cairns Institute Adjunct Susan Gasson, is based...

The Australian Government's Future Drought Fund (FDF) works with states and territories to support regions to develop drought resilience plans which enables stakeholders to identify vulnerabilities and develop strategies to reduce risks and potential regional impacts: building resilience across four key areas such as people, culture and community. The joint initiative is the Regional Drought Resilience Planning (RDRP).
Working in partnership with Far North Regional Organisation of Councils (FNQROC), Terrain and Gulf Savannah Natural Resources Management, Professors Hurriyet Babacan and Allan Dale have been conducting extensive consultations in the Wet Tropics and Gulf Hinterland regions about the impacts of drought and strategies for resilience.
The Regional Forum Wet Tropics & Gulf Hinterland took place November 23 last year and was hosted by the Development in the Tropics team, led by Professor Hurriyet Babacan. Over 25 stakeholders attended the forums and explored questions around the following:
• The economic, social and environmental impact of a major heatwave
• The economic, social and environmental impact precipitation deficit
• The impact of before or after incidents of cyclones, floods combined with heatwave/low precipitation
RDRP plans are being finalised and will be presented to FNQROC and the Australian Government by June 2024.
Image: The forum participants at The Cairns Institute. Credit: J. McHugh

Launching in November 2025, Early Career Research Pathways shares advice on managing seven tensions faced by new doctoral graduates. The book, edited by Cairns Institute Adjunct Susan Gasson, is based...
Drought and climate variability continue to challenge Northern Australia, but the scholarship program is helping to equip future researchers with the tools to respond. The TNQ Drought Hub Honours Scho...
At the recent Social Science Community for the GBR’s symposium “REEFLECTIONS” in Townsville, the workshop was presented by The Cairns Institute’s D/Prof Stewart Lockie, Dr Rana...
The Developing Northern Australia Conference in Cairns provided an opportunity to show case some of the Tropical North Queensland Drought Hub's Sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Long term colleague of the Development in the Tropics Team, Dr John Coyne is co author of recent report that frames Northern Australia as a developing economy within a developed nation.The A...
On Friday 8 August, six inspiring alumni, working across law, government, conservation, and medicine, were awarded for their outstanding contributions to their fields in a ceremony held at t...
The 2025 Developing Northern Australia Conference (DNAC) took place from the 22-24 July in Cairns, bringing together over 500 delegates from across the north, the rest of Australia and the&n...
FNQ Connect, located within The Cairns Institute, has welcomed a new director to guide the now fully-staffed backbone team ahead of its cross-sector leadership table in August. The initiative, inspire...
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