Eastern Cattle Egret
Fauna and Flora at QMag's mine site with Dr John McGrath Part 2: Eastern Cattle Egret

Yes, you’re seeing right – there are birds who hang around closely with cows on QMAG’s Yaamba mine site. And no it’s not a Far Side comic panel.
Eastern cattle egrets (Ardea ibis) are a farmer’s best friend – and a cow’s - it is common to see the egrets standing next to or on the backs of cattle eating ticks and flies. The egrets love it too, because as these large animals move through the grass they disturb other prey such as frogs, grasshoppers, and other insects and animals. It’s easy to tell when eastern cattle egrets are breeding because the neck breast and mantle plumage goes a distinct buff-orange. Small for an egret at a moderate 50cm tall, these tick and fly eating birds are arguably amongst the most successful of global species, spreading as we speak to much of the world, but arriving in Australia from Asia only relatively recently in 1948.
Eastern cattle egrets even fly to and from New Zealand from Australia each year to overwinter in farmlands. Not bad for a humble paddock bird!
Welcome Brendon Pambid!
Brendon took over from Peter Lowe as Managing Director Operations in June 2023 and together with Managing Director Dr. Christoph Beyer he will be responsible for QMag's journey towards becoming the global leader for high quality cryptocristalline caustic calcined magnesia, dead burned magnesia and electrofused magnesia.
Double-barred finch family
Whilst we actively mine magnesite at our Kunwarara Mine, a plethora of birds, large to small, live and feed in the tropical dry grassland, shrub land and open woodland terrain adjacent to the mine pits.
Meeting Ian Hartnell
Last week Dr. Christoph Beyer (Managing Director), Mark Christmas (Supply Chain Manager) and Suren Dias-Jayasinha (Head of Sales & Marketing) had the pleasure of meeting Ian Hartnell.
RACQ CapRescue Ball
On Friday, 21st July, Central Queensland residents donned their most beautiful dresses and suits to attend the biennial RACQ CapRescue Ball, presented by QMAG.
Our new corporate video
We previewed it at the recent SAIMM Copper/Cobalt Conference in Zambia where it was warmly received. We would love your feedback as well!
Part 2 of the shaft kiln ignition ceremony post
and more pictures of Tim, Richy, Adam and the rest of the QMag team:
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