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QUOLL SEEKERS NETWORK

Australia has four species of quoll: the spotted-tailed, the northern, eastern and western quoll. The spotted-tailed quoll and the smaller northern quoll are both found in Queensland.

Spotted-tailed quolls are mainland Australia’s largest native marsupial carnivore.

About QSN

Quoll Seekers Network (QSN) was established to raise community awareness of quolls in Queensland, gather information on quoll populations, and help people enjoy living alongside quolls. The network aims to be Queensland’s central non-government body for collecting and disseminating information about quolls in order to achieve good conservation outcomes. Networking with other organisations is a key component of Wildlife Queensland’s operations and communications strategy.

Get involved

QSN welcomes wildlife enthusiasts who want to join the network. Membership is free - we just ask you to fill out the form for our records. You’ll get our regular Network News, merchandise discounts, as well as prior notification of workshops and volunteer opportunities.

We encourage everyone who has ever seen a quoll to send in a QSN sightings form.

Or if you have a story to share about where and when you saw an quoll, send it to Quoll Bites - along with a picture if you have one and we may publish it on our website.

If you don't have too much time on your hands, you can support the work of Quoll Seekers Network through our adopt-a-quoll scheme.
QSN in Action

QSN collects data on quoll populations, threats and conservation initiatives to better understand how to support their continued existence in Queensland.

Network members contribute in many ways - helping out at Quoll Discovery Days, writing articles for our publications, fundraising, office support, and assisting with our education program. Above all, members help to raise the profile of quolls in the broader community.


Photo © www.ataglance.com.au

These are QSN's moct recent projects and campaigns:

Looking out for Quolls in Logan 2011-2014

Our latest project 'Looking out for Quolls in Logan' is a 3 year program which will build on the survey work undertaken in 2006 by Scott Burnett and Ivell Whyte in the northern section of the then Beaudesert Shire, as well as addressing possible sightings in other areas. Wildlife Queensland is very grateful to Logan City Council for the funding to get this exciting project underway. Read more about this project.


Photo © Jo McLellan

Uncertain future for Cullendore quoll population 2011

Local residents of the Elbow Valley in south east Queensland have alerted Wildlife Queensland to a proposed mega-resort development at Cherrabah near Warwick. They fear this development will have local environmental implications including a serious impact on the spotted-tailed quoll population and other threatened species.

A PhD thesis published in 2008 by Meyer-Gleaves titled 'Ecology and Conservation of the Spotted-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) in Southern Queensland' focussed its study on the site called Cullendore, consisiting of two adjacent properties including Cherrabah.


Photo © Amanda Ainley

To help understand the significance of this quoll population and the implications of further habitat disturbance, read a summary of the Meyer-Gleaves PhD thesis.

If you would like to support the petition by local residents against the development, go to the July 2011 News Page.

Quolls in your Community 2010-2011

Thanks to funding from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, Quoll Seekers Network have held 2 successful Quoll Discovery Days in Ballandean and in Mackay, with another event scheduled for Mareeba on 3 September. Field surveys are continuing and the funds have also contributed towards much-needed equipment such as survey cameras, educational materials and signage.

 

For more details on these and other activities, see resources, news and information below as well as the Network Newsletters.

Regional QSN groups

Spotted-tailed Quoll
Photo © Luke Jackson

Granite Belt Quoll Seekers Network

Thanks to a commited team of volunteers in the Granite Belt region, QSN has another active group helping quolls. The Granite Belt is one of the last strongholds of quolls in Southern Queensland.

If you live in the Granite Belt region and would like to join, call QSN member Betty Balch on 4683 3271.

Support: QSN is providing some support to the group but local sponsorship is urgently needed.

Far North Quoll Seekers Network

Luke and Glenn coordinate this group and are passionate advocates of quolls and conservation. They collect data on spotted-tailed quolls and northern quolls in the Cairns, Daintree and Atherton Tablelands areas. The profile of quolls has been increased through prominence in the local media and through activities in the local community.

For more information, contact Glenn Kvassay or read the latest Spot Tales newsletter.

Support: FN QSN is partly supported by Cairns Regional Council and is interested in hearing from anyone wishing to help fund or extend its activities.

North Queensland Quoll Seekers Network

The project aims to build knowledge of northern quoll populations in the Townsville region. Activities include community quoll surveys, field data collection, quoll population mapping and monitoring.

For more information, Contact NQ QSN or read the latest survey reports below.

Support: NQ QSN is supported by Townsville City Council and is interested in hearing from anyone wishing to help fund or extend its activities.
Resources, news and information

QSN acknowledges the valuable contribution to quoll conservation and education by Martin Fingland and his lively quolls (aka Geckoes Wildlife Presentations.)
Photo © Amanda Ainley

Species profiles

Forms

News releases

Network Newsletters

QSN News is available by email only.

QSN Projects and Survey Reports

Wildlife Queensland and Quoll Seekers Network have run several projects over recent years and produced a number of field reports.

Projects

  • Protecting Quolls in Queensland landscapes 2009 — completed

Tiger Quoll pauses before jumping across mountain stream.
Photo © John McCann

This was the most significant quoll research and conservation project that Wildlife Queensland has ever undertaken. One of the outcomes we had hoped to achieve through our activities during 2009 was to increase community knowledge of quolls and engage people in the project.

There is no doubt we succeeded in more ways than one! There were:

  • 5 quoll discovery days – with 210 people attending
  • 49 quoll-proof poultry pen applications – with 23 successful applicants
  • 16 schools visited - with 1159 students attending
  • 46000 hours of camera surveillance
  • 45 new quoll records
  • 218 new QSN members
  • 35 radio, television and newspaper appearances (that we know of)
  • 5 Quoll Seekers Network newsletters
  • 1000 Quoll Info kits produced – distribution continues through online sales
  • 5000 Mary River quoll brochures distributed.

Our Network Newsletters, available online, have more information about how this project progresed throughout 2009.

The final report under the Caring for our Country project 'Protecting Quolls in Queensland Landscapes' 2009 was submitted to the Australian Government by Wildlife Queensland. Download your copy of the field report here.

For more information about this project, please email Quollseekers

Supported by: The Australian Government through the Caring for Our Country program.

Other partners were University of the Sunshine Coast; SEQ Catchments; Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM; Gympie Regional Council; Townsville City Council; Cairns Regional Council; Queensland Parks and Wildlife; and the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee.

  • Border Ranges of Queensland/NSW border: Quoll survey and community liaison – completed

Purpose: Survey quolls in Border Ranges, including Main Range, Lamington, Springbrook, Mount Barney and Goomburra.

Outcomes: No photographic evidence was found of spotted-tailed quoll populations in the Border Ranges but reliable sighting reports were received. Survey and liaison activities completed September 2007: 6120 camera hours from camera traps were established at 5 sites in the Queensland Border Ranges; 4 Quoll Discovery Days presented public talks and introduced local communities to live captive quolls; and 5 pilot quoll-proof poultry pens were in place by the end of 2007.

Supported by: Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, Gold Coast City Council, SEQ Catchments, QPWS

Project completed: August 2008

  • Beaudesert report to be available via North Beaudesert Study: Quoll survey and community liaison – completed

Purpose: Establish community and field surveys to provide information on the distribution of spotted-tailed quolls in the Greenbank–Munruben area, Beaudesert Shire, and to raise local awareness.

Outcomes: Spotted-tailed quolls were confirmed in North Beaudesert Shire as a result of scat and hair analysis, and the logging of road kills. Survey and community awareness activities completed June 2007: 150 local residents attended an information session; the local press covered the project and the quoll existence in the area; and 500 trap nights were undertaken using hair tubes and live traps. An ongoing quoll sighting report network was established.

Supported by: Beaudesert Shire Council and Southern Regional Pipeline Alliance

Project completed: September 2007

Reports

Other Resources and Merchandise

  • Quoll Info Kit - Available now on CD $10 ($5.50 for QSN Members). Available online or contact us for your copy.
  • Quoll Soft Toy - support us by buying a Quoll Seeker soft toy. Available online or contact us.
  • Building a quoll proof poultry pen. Download here
  • Spotted-tailed quolls: Queensland a great spot for quolls. Free copy - QSN members only
  • Quolls in North Queensland ... the best spot for Quolls. Free copy- QSN members only
  • Quolls in the Mary River headwaters. Free copy - QSN members only
Quoll Seekers Network background

Originally established in 2001, QSN became a new program under Wildlife Queensland in 2007 where its work continues to expand. Wildlife Queensland’s support of QSN will ensure the ongoing collection of data on quoll populations throughout Queensland and try to address the threats that quolls face from habitat loss and invasive species.

For more information on WPSQ's projects, email or phone +61 (7) 3221 0194.

© Wildlife Queensland 2012. All rights reserved.
This web site is presented for the purpose of disseminating information free of charge for the benefit of the public. While all reasonable care has been taken in publishing and maintaining this website, Wildlife Queensland and the sponsors of any material presented on this website accept no liability or responsibility whatsoever for, or in respect of, any use of this site or any reliance upon material contained on this website or any linked website.