Community & Business
30 September, 2026
Diamantina wildlife presentation
WELL-known wildlife photographer Martin Willis will present a free talk this week on the many fascinating, rare and unusual wildlife that live in Diamantina region.
Called the “The Not So Dusty Diamantina”, the presentation, hosted by the Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group (TKMG), will take place on Thursday evening from 7.15pm at the Malanda Hotel.
The Diamantina region is in southwestern Queensland and was the subject of a highly popular song written and performed by Redgum called The Diamantina Drover which includes the line “The rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina”.
And while the area is a dry, dusty, semi-arid desert environment used primarily to graze cattle, Martin will show that when rains do fall, the land is dramatically transformed.
Named for the mighty Diamantina River, the shire is about half the size of Victoria, and yet has only about 200km of sealed roads, with 25% of the region set aside as National Parks.
This is mostly open Mitchell grass plains but it also boasts some diverse habitats including gibber plains, extensive river channels, red dunes to the southwest and some spectacular sandstone mesas and ranges to the northeast.
Not surprisingly, it supports a fascinating and diverse range of rare and unusual wildlife including Bilbies, Kowaris and Hopping Mice.
Martin’s talk will focus on some of the amazing wildlife that are able to survive this environment in harsh times and boom when conditions are favourable.
The evening will start at 7pm in the ballroom of the hotel, with the free talk to follow the AGM of the TKMG.
