A team of Griffith University archaeologists has uncovered evidence that humans were using mind-altering substances much earlier in time than previously supposed.
Led by Professor Adam Brumm from Griffith’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE), and involving ARCHE colleagues Associate Professors Carney Matheson and Michelle Langley, the team combined biochemical and archaeological evidence to trace the prehistoric roots of one of the world’s most popular addictive stimulants, “betel nut”, an ancient drug used throughout much of the Asia-Pacific region.
The group’s research, conducted in collaboration with Indonesian archaeologists from Makassar’s University of Hasanuddin and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), shows that the use of betel nut as a drug emerged among some Indonesian communities by up to 25,000 years ago, moving beyond the previously suggested Neolithic or Bronze Age (~3,500 years ago) start times.
Betel nut fruits with a dehusked betel nut in foreground. Credit A Brumm
Current theories on the earliest history of drug-taking
Presently, it is thought the world’s first traditions of psychoactive drug use arose after the Neolithic advent of farming, beginning with the innovation of fermented alcoholic drinks (barley beer) about 13,000 years ago in Israel.
“However, this theory fails to account for the possibility that very ancient drug-taking lies at the roots of our most commonly used psychoactive substances,” Professor Brumm said.
Professor Brumm’s investigation focused on the origins of betel nut usage, a near-universal tradition among hundreds of millions of people between India and the South Pacific (about one in 10 of the modern global population).
Consuming betel nut induces a sense of mild euphoria and heightened alertness, among other effects.
“Although poorly known in western societies, it is the world’s fourth most widely used psychoactive substance, after alcohol, caffeine and nicotine,” Professor Brumm said.
Modern users take the betel drug by mixing a processed seed of the Areca catechu palm (the betel “nut”) with slaked lime – commonly made by grinding burnt shells into a fine powder – and other ingredients to form a “quid”, which is then chewed to get high.
“Slaked lime is an essential ingredient because it causes a chemical reaction that releases the nut’s psychoactive compounds into the bloodstream more rapidly,” Professor Brumm said.
The early history of this drug use practice had remained uncertain, largely because areca seeds were rarely preserved at archaeological sites.
Discovery reveals prehistoric drug use
In the new study, published in Science Advances, the Griffith team reports the discovery of extremely rare skeletal remains of two early human foragers from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, one dating to 25,000-16,000 years ago, the other to 7,600-6,300 years ago.
Both hunter-gatherers display a highly unusual dental-wear pattern (deep, rounded tooth grooves), a novel bioarchaeological marker the researchers established was caused by a previously unknown drug-use behaviour: habitual sucking of whole betel nuts.
Previous reports suggested the main neuroactive alkaloid in betel nut (arecoline) was released by chewing the processed nut in a prepared quid with slaked lime, with the latter converting arecoline into a free base form, thereby increasing its bioavailability.
“But our team conducted experiments in which we soaked betel nuts in artificial saliva and tested the resultant broths against a panel of cloned human receptors expressed in frog egg cells, including specialised proteins that act as molecular switches, regulating neural activity,” Professor Brumm said.
Lead author Professor Adam Brumm.
“This showed that just sucking on intact betel nuts will release arecoline in sufficient amounts to have a physiological effect, altering brain function.”
In addition, biochemical analyses carried out by Associate Professor Carney Matheson detected the presence of arecoline in the dental tissues of the foragers, providing strong evidence for betel nut ingestion.
Taken together, the findings suggest early foragers in Sulawesi engaged in an ancient and longstanding practice of habitually sucking betel nuts, resulting in dramatic alterations to their teeth.
Bad medicine
While the psychoactive “high” of sucking betel nuts may have been milder than modern quid chewing, the team suggested the habit was significant enough to cause severe periodontal disease.
Ancient foragers on this island generally had bad teeth, and arecoline is a natural analgesic (“painkiller”), so the team suspected one reason for betel nut-sucking was to alleviate the discomfort of toothache.
“Over time, however, sucking these hard, abrasive seeds wore down the foragers’ teeth so badly that in some cases the inner pulp chamber became completely exposed – this would have been extremely painful, caused difficulty eating, and greatly increased the rate of chronic tooth infection,” Professor Brumm said.
The remains were found with nut-wear facets in the lower jaw. Credit: Fakhri
“So while this habit may have been a remedy for toothache, years of prolonged nut-sucking eventually caused much worse dental health problems, creating a cycle of continued habitual use.”
Earliest evidence for drug use
This finding marks a significant shift in our understanding of human drug history, as the practice of using betel nut can now be traced to the Late Pleistocene period.
“Emerging by up to 25,000 years ago in Sulawesi, thus long preceding the onset of agriculture, betel nut-sucking may be the earliest evidence for drug use anywhere in the world,” Professor Brumm said.
“By identifying the ancient practice underlying betel-nut chewing as we know it, the study implies that some modern drug-taking behaviours are deeply rooted in forager traditions.”
The findings also suggest habitual psychoactive substance use, and its associated health costs, were already present among hunter-gatherers tens of thousands of years before agriculture.
School principals are under growing pressure, as social media scrutiny, formal complaints and demands for documentation change the way schools work with parents.
New research from Griffith University shows parent engagement, while central to the moral fabric of schooling, has become an increasingly delicate and emotionally weighted dimension of educational leadership.
The study drew on interviews with 14 Australian primary school leaders in Queensland and New South Wales.
Dr Carolyn Wade addresses students in her role as a school leader in 2011
“School leaders are finding that care is no longer just about the relationship they have with a parent or family; increasingly, they have to demonstrate, document and defend that care,” Dr Wade said.
“Parents can communicate, comment and mobilise through digital networks, while school leaders are constrained by professional obligations, confidentiality and privacy requirements.
“A complaint that begins as a disagreement can quickly move from a conversation to a formal process, requiring leaders to gather evidence, write reports and involve HR or senior administrators.”
The research found leaders subsequently began documenting more of their everyday interactions with parents, including positive ones, because they could not know when a conversation might later become the subject of a complaint.
“The irony is that systems designed to protect fairness can sometimes make genuine relationships harder to maintain,” Dr Wade said.
School leaders described parent Facebook groups, WhatsApp chats, TikTok videos and online reviews as spaces where school decisions could be rapidly discussed, reframed and judged by audiences well beyond the original interaction.
One school principal recalled a situation that escalated quickly.
“It started as a few angry comments on Facebook, and by the end of the day there was talk of a protest at the gates because I wouldn’t change the rules,” she said.
“They were saying, ‘We’ll all stand outside until she comes out,’ and that we were ‘destroying the kids’ mental health.’ It was completely organised through a parent Facebook group.”
School leaders reported attempting to reclaim some control over their time and emotional energy, including switching off notifications, avoiding social media and establishing clearer working hours.
“Setting boundaries is actually a way of protecting the capacity to care,” Ms Thackwell said.
“If leaders are expected to be constantly available, constantly responsive and constantly prepared to defend themselves, there is a real risk that the relational side of education gets squeezed out.”
“Parent engagement remains enormously important,” Dr Wade said.
“But if we want strong relationships between schools and families, we need to recognise the emotional and ethical work involved in maintaining them and make sure accountability systems support that work rather than inadvertently undermining it.”
Why do travellers choose one hotel over another, and what makes them return?
New research from Dr Haroon Iqbal Maseeh, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Griffith University’s Department of Tourism and Marketing, has uncovered important insights into the factors that drive tourist patronage and how those influences vary across different markets, hotel types and traveller groups.
Drawing on a meta-analysis of 37 studies involving more than 26,000 individuals across 18 countries, the research examined the relative importance of factors such as design, service and food quality, amenities, price, customer satisfaction, sustainable practices, reputation and trust.
Rather than identifying a single formula for success, the study found that different factors matter more in different contexts. Tourism businesses often invest heavily in improving guest experiences, but the findings show that not all investments deliver the same value in every setting. According to Dr Maseeh:
Dr Haroon Iqbal Maseeh
“What works for a luxury hotel may not work for a green hotel, and what appeals to younger travellers may differ from what influences more experienced guests.”
The research found that hotel design plays a particularly important role in environmentally focused or “green” hotels, where guests expect sustainability values to be reflected in the physical environment. However, the influence of design has weakened since the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting travellers now place greater emphasis on other considerations.
Service and food quality were found to be especially important for conventional hotels, particularly among student travellers and in Asia-Pacific markets. Amenities such as recreational facilities and convenience services have also become increasingly influential in the post-pandemic era, especially for luxury hotels and mature travellers.
These findings highlight the importance of tailoring business strategies to specific customer segments rather than relying on broad assumptions.
“Managers often face difficult decisions about where to allocate limited resources. Our research provides evidence to help tourism operators prioritise investments that are most likely to influence customer choice in their particular market.”
The study also revealed that price is less important for guests choosing green hotels, indicating that environmentally conscious travellers may be willing to pay more for accommodation that aligns with their values. Meanwhile, sustainable practices were found to be more influential in the Americas than in other regions, suggesting that sustainability messaging should be tailored to different international audiences.
Perhaps most significantly, the research identified a major shift in traveller priorities since COVID-19. Reputation and trust, once relatively modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage.
“In an environment where travellers are more aware of risk and uncertainty, trust has become a critical asset. Businesses that communicate transparently, manage their reputations effectively and build strong customer relationships are likely to be better positioned to attract and retain guests.”
The findings provide valuable guidance for tourism and hospitality operators seeking to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market, demonstrating that successful strategies depend not only on what businesses offer, but also on understanding when and where those offerings matter most.
For Griffith Business School Student Leaders, leadership is about more than developing skills for the workplace. It is also about understanding the impact you can have on the people and communities around you.
Recently, a group of GBS Student Leaders had the opportunity to put that idea into practice, volunteering their time as part of Queensland Meals on Wheels’ 70th anniversary celebrations.
The experience began on the streets of Brisbane CBD, where students helped sell special 70th anniversary cookbooks to raise funds for the organisation’s work supporting people in communities across Queensland.
GBS Student Leaders Tina and Chloe
That evening, seven students continued their volunteering at the Meals on Wheels 70th Anniversary Charity Gala Dinner, helping set up the event, arrange tables and decorations, distribute programs, sell raffle tickets and assist guests purchasing cookbooks.
For students developing their leadership capabilities, community volunteering provides a valuable opportunity to see leadership from a different perspective. It is about stepping outside the classroom, working alongside others, contributing without expecting anything in return and recognising that meaningful change is often built through many small acts of service.
Leadership beyond the classroom
Giving back is an important part of the Griffith Business School Student Leadership Program, which provides students with opportunities to develop their leadership skills while contributing to the wider community.
The program encourages students to build confidence, communication and interpersonal skills through a combination of leadership development, mentoring, University events and volunteering. Community engagement is a particular focus, giving students the opportunity to work with organisations tackling real-world challenges and to understand the role they can play in creating positive change.
Students volunteering at FareShare Australia.
The Meals on Wheels volunteering builds on a strong history of community engagement by GBS Student Leaders. In 2025, students contributed to the Hope in a Suitcase initiative, while previous Little Spark Project activities have included volunteering with FareShare Australia and supporting The Centre for Women Co. These experiences are not simply volunteering opportunities. They are opportunities for students to learn what leadership looks like when there is no title, position or formal responsibility attached to it.
Leading with purpose
For many students, university is a time to develop the knowledge and skills needed for their future careers. But it is also an opportunity to consider the kind of leader they want to become. Through community volunteering, GBS Student Leaders are encouraged to look beyond their own experiences and consider how their skills, time and energy can contribute to something bigger.
About the Griffith Business School Student Leadership Program
The Griffith Business School Student Leadership Program gives selected students from Brisbane South (Nathan), Gold Coast and online the opportunity to participate in leadership development and mentoring activities, University and alumni events, and community volunteering.
Students gain real-world professional experience while developing confidence, interpersonal, leadership and communication skills. The program includes leadership development workshops, a two-day Leadership Development Camp, peer mentoring, community volunteering opportunities, participation in School and University events, and opportunities to build lasting connections with fellow students.
Australian swimming star Shayna Jack OAM OLY is celebrating a different kind of victory, graduating from Griffith University with a degree in criminology and criminal justice.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist claimed accolades across international competitions including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan Pacific Championships, highlighted by two gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Shayna Jack OAM OLY
Having recently retired from competitive swimming, Ms Jack said her graduation ranked amongst her proudest achievements.
“I’m proud to have achieved success in the pool while also investing in my education and building a strong foundation for my future,” Ms Jack said.
“Choosing Griffith was an easy decision because no other university compares to the support Griffith provides sporting students.
“There were frantic moments when I wasn’t on top of my studies, but I could always count on the Sports College to support me through it.”
As a recipient of a Griffith Sports Excellence Scholarship, Ms Jack balanced her studies with the demands of an international swimming career.
“I’m incredibly proud of Shayna and everything she has achieved, both as an athlete and as a student,” Ms McCarthy said.
“Shayna’s success in the pool speaks for itself, but completing a degree while competing at the highest level demonstrates the same dedication and work ethic that have defined her career as an athlete.”
Shayna Jack OAM OLY
Ms Jack was amongst the Griffith athletes and alumni who contributed 34 per cent of Australia’s medal tally at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Griffith was the first university recognised by the Australian Olympic Committee as an Olympic Pathway University, helping athletes to pursue academic success alongside sporting excellence.
Ms Jack said it was important to push on with her academic studies alongside her swimming career.
“Every day in the pool you are either applauding yourself or beating yourself up with your daily results,” Ms Jack said.
“It was healthy to have something outside of swimming that gave me a sense of purpose and brought me joy, because I didn’t have to feel like my whole future was on the line in every race.”
Time away from competition prompted Ms Jack to think more deeply about her future beyond the pool and ultimately influenced her decision to pursue a career focused on helping others.
“I wanted to do something that made me feel like I was making a difference in the world and helping people,” she said.
“I had applied to join the Queensland Police Service during that time, but as I made my swimming comeback, I realised I couldn’t balance the policing academy with elite swimming.
“When I first started my degree, I chose business, but with a new perspective, I switched to criminology and criminal justice, which I have loved.”
Balancing study with international competition schedules was not always easy, but Ms Jack credited Griffith’s trimester system and the support of the Griffith Sports College team for helping her stay on track.
“The flexibility of Griffith’s trimester system meant I could focus on major competitions without putting my studies on hold,” she said.
Beyond the academic flexibility, Ms Jack said the sense of community within Griffith Sports College made her student experience particularly memorable.
“My advice to young athletes who are considering studying at university while pursuing their sporting goals is: go to Griffith,” she said.
“No matter the request, and no matter where I was, Griffith Sports College always showed up for me to ensure I didn’t stress about uni while I needed to focus on swimming.
“It was always an honour to represent the Griffith Sports College.
“In the future, I hope to eventually work with the Queensland Police, but for now, I’m enjoying sharing my story through speaking engagements and writing my book.”
A new national report authored by Griffith University’s Professor Naomi Birdthistle has revealed a significant opportunity to strengthen Australia’s economy by supporting more women-led businesses to scale.
Professor Birdthistle, Griffith Business School’s MBA Director, joined industry and business leaders at the launch of The Gender Index Australia 2026 in Sydney on 3 September, where she also contributed to a panel discussion examining the report’s findings and implications for women entrepreneurs.
The Gender Index Australia is the first comprehensive, data-led study of female business leadership in Australia. It brings together business structure, leadership composition and commercial performance to provide a national benchmark for understanding women’s participation and progression through the Australian business economy.
The report draws on 3,355,459 Australian business records, including Australian Business Number (ABN) sole traders and Australian Company Number (ACN) registered companies, covering every state and territory.
A ‘scaling cliff’ for women in business
One of the report’s most significant findings is the sharp decline in women’s representation as businesses grow.
Women lead 42.2 per cent of sole trader businesses nationally, but just 15.2 per cent of incorporated companies. Representation falls further as businesses increase in size, with women leading 15.8 per cent of micro companies, 13.3 per cent of small companies, 8.1 per cent of medium companies and just 7 per cent of large companies.
The report describes this as a ‘scaling cliff’ — highlighting that Australia has a strong pipeline of women entering entrepreneurship, but too few women-led businesses progress into larger, more economically significant organisations.
The gap is particularly pronounced in the transition from small to medium-sized business. Male-led businesses progress from small to medium at a rate of 13.68 per cent a year, compared with 6.71 per cent for women-led businesses. Closing this progression gap could support approximately 29,000 additional women-led growth businesses.
Importantly, the research challenges the idea that business performance or capability is the primary explanation for the gap.
Women-led businesses that reach scale demonstrate productivity outcomes comparable with, and in some cases stronger than, their peers. Instead, the report identifies access to capital, customers, markets, networks and institutional support as key structural factors affecting the ability of women-led businesses to grow.
“The Gender Index Australia highlights a critical reality: women are participating in business more than ever before, but participation alone is not enough. The next challenge is ensuring women have equal opportunities to scale, lead and influence Australia’s economic future.”
Professor Naomi Birdthistle
A significant opportunity for Australia
The findings point to a substantial economic opportunity.
Modelling in the report estimates that closing the gender gap in business scaling could support approximately 745,000 additional jobs and generate more than $100 billion a year in combined additional wages and government tax revenue.
This includes an estimated $79.4 billion in additional annual wages and $24.4 billion in additional government tax revenue.
Most of the opportunity lies earlier in the growth journey. The report estimates that 86.3 per cent of the potential additional women-led growth businesses would come from closing the gap between micro and small businesses, highlighting the importance of supporting established businesses through their first meaningful stage of scale.
Queensland leads the nation
The report also provides a detailed picture of women-led businesses across Australia’s states and territories.
Queensland records the highest proportion of women-led sole traders nationally, at 45.1 per cent, as well as the highest proportion of women-led incorporated companies, at 16.3 per cent.
However, Queensland also reflects the broader national challenge: strong participation at the entry point does not necessarily translate into progression to larger businesses.
The report identifies opportunities to improve access to growth capital, procurement, governance pathways and leadership networks to help build a stronger pipeline of women-led medium, large and listed companies.
From evidence to action
The Gender Index Australia aims to provide a consistent evidence base that can be used by government, financial institutions, industry and business-support organisations to understand where women-led businesses are progressing — and where barriers remain.
The report argues that closing the scaling gap requires a shift in focus from supporting women to enter business to supporting them to grow.
Professor Naomi Birdthistle
“We need to stop asking why women aren’t progressing faster in business and start asking whether our systems are designed to help them succeed. Women are not the problem. The problem is a lack of support, investment, and structural opportunities. Change the system, and you’ll change the outcomes. The landscape for women-led businesses in Australia could be transformed.” Professor Birdthistle.
Future areas of focus identified by The Gender Index include improving the evidence around access to finance and growth capital, examining the critical transitions between business sizes, and developing consistent measures to assess the impact of investment, programs and business outcomes over time.
For Professor Birdthistle, the report represents an important contribution to understanding Australia’s women-led economy and the conditions that enable businesses to move from start-up to scale-up.
As Australia looks to strengthen productivity, employment and economic resilience, the findings suggest that enabling more women-led businesses to reach their full potential is not only a matter of gender equity — it is an economic opportunity.
High-performance coaches are central to the success of Australia’s elite sporting system, yet their own wellbeing has often been overlooked. New research involving Griffith University is helping change that, providing the evidence base for a national shift towards supporting coaches to perform and thrive.
Led by the University of the Sunshine Coast in partnership with Griffith University, Australian Catholic University and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), the Coach Performance Wellbeing Research Program was established in 2021 to better understand the challenges facing high-performance coaches and identify practical ways to improve their wellbeing.
The research aligns with the AIS HP2032+ strategy, which aims to “Win Well” by recognising wellbeing as a driver of sustained performance, rather than a competing priority. Before this research, however, there was limited evidence available to guide organisations in supporting coach wellbeing at a system level.
The three-part research program examined athlete transitions out of elite sport, coach wellbeing needs, and the role organisational cultures and leadership decisions play in shaping coach experiences. Across the program, researchers engaged with athletes, wellbeing practitioners, coaches, CEOs and performance directors from across Australia’s high-performance sport system.
One of the most significant findings was that coaches consistently prioritised athletes’ wellbeing ahead of their own. A national survey of 118 high-performance coaches and co-design workshops involving 40 coaches from 29 sports highlighted a strong demand for psychological safety, mentoring, clear boundaries around work, and structural rather than tokenistic support.
“What makes this work particularly important is that it has moved beyond identifying challenges to creating practical, evidence-based solutions that sporting organisations can implement. When coaches are supported to thrive, athletes, teams and organisations all benefit.”
The research findings have already influenced policy and practice across the sector. The recommendations developed through the project have been embedded in the Australian Sports Commission’s Coach Development Strategy and informed the AIS Coach Performance Wellbeing Framework, which supports coaches through referral networks, wellbeing resources, organisational support and personal development opportunities.
The research has also contributed to operational resources including the AIS Guidelines on Optimising Athlete Transition, the Athlete Transition Journey, and the High Performance Coach Development Capability System Tool.
Perhaps the most tangible example of impact is the South Australian Sports Institute’s Performance Wellbeing Lead pilot. Designed using insights from the research, the pilot embedded a dedicated wellbeing practitioner alongside elite coaches, providing relationship-based support within a high-performance environment. The success of the pilot has led to an extension of the program and plans for further pilots across the National Institute Network.
The work is also attracting international attention, with findings informing discussions through organisations including Sport Ireland and the International Council for Coaching Excellence, which has established a new research group focused on Winning Well and safe coaching practices.
As Australia looks ahead to major international competitions over the coming decade, the research is helping ensure that the people responsible for developing and supporting athletes receive the support they need as well. The program continues to generate new opportunities for research translation, policy development and practical implementation across the high-performance sport sector.
Visit the Winning Well project webpage and download the full publication to explore the research findings, impact and practical applications for high-performance sport.
From the rock ‘n’ roll and punk scenes, milk bars and schoolies, surfies, skaters, ravers and the modern-day Eshay, generations of young Australians have been creating culture, but much of it risks disappearing from the historical record.
A new archive dedicated to Australian youth culture could help unlock a richer, more inclusive national history, according to research from Griffith and Monash Universities.
Dr Feldman-Barrett’s membership to Medusa’s nightclub in Chicago
Dr Christine Feldman-Barrett, from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, said a formal national archive celebrating the culture young people have created, collected and shared would provide a dynamic “third space” for youth to better understand themselves and their contributions to society.
“An archive like this could give young Australians a new way into Australian history, through the music, fashion, places, objects and experiences that actually mattered to them,” Dr Feldman-Barrett said.
“Youth culture has often been treated as fleeting or frivolous, but those throwaway trappings of teenage life, a diary, a T-shirt, a mix tape, can become powerful historical artefacts.”
The proposed archive would bring memories and objects together while also embracing the digital culture that increasingly defines young people’s lives, including gaming, websites and social media platforms.
The research suggested closer observation of young people’s experiences across time helps illuminate a wider scope of socio-historical realities such as the role and experience of different genders and ethnic communities.
“These are not traditional archives, but dynamic spaces dedicated to collecting and sharing youth culture using exhibitions, workshops, digital projects and community participation,” Professor Long said.
The work highlighted an archive could also help bridge generations, helping young people see themselves as part of Australia’s history, while validating the experiences of older generations as worthy of historical attention.
“Everyone has been young,” Dr Feldman-Barrett said.
“That gives youth culture an extraordinary power to connect generations.”
The researchers argued this intergenerational exchange could be particularly valuable at a time when questions of belonging and social cohesion are increasingly important.
One of Australia’s most comprehensive assessments of endemic, rare or threatened freshwater fish has found numerous species were severely at risk of extinction due to multiple threats including habitat loss, invasive species and warmer waters.
The species facing the highest risk was the diminutive Daintree rainbowfish (Cairnsichthys bitaeniatus), found only in small rainforest streams in the Daintree region in Far North Queensland, with up to 10 unique threats to its population.
“These freshwater fish species are unique,” lead author Dr Kaitlyn O’Mara said.
“Many are found nowhere else on Earth.
“If they are lost from the Wet Tropics, they become globally extinct.
The Bloomfield River cod is among the freshwater fish facing high threat of extinction. Credit: Brad Pusey
“Freshwater fish are also important components of stream ecosystems and are indicators of ecosystem health.
The study of 22 freshwater fish species across the entire Wet Tropics region was led by Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute and funded by Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and the Australian Government under the National Environmental Science Program’s Resilient Landscapes Hub.
The team of 18 experts representing Australian universities, government agencies, consultancies and regional natural resource management organisations, assessed published and grey literature, and conservation listings as well as previous research on species biology, distribution and threats to identify the species most at risk and the actions needed to save them.
They assessed 24 separate threats ranging from climate change and invasive species to water extraction, habitat degradation and hybridisation, and for every species they considered not only the threat itself but its likelihood, consequence, extent, timing, trend and confidence level before assigning risk ratings.
“You can’t save what you can’t see, so understanding the risk of impacts of historical, emerging, and intensifying threats to these species is a critical knowledge gap that has hindered conservation planning,” Dr O’Mara said.
“Extreme climate events, altered river flows, habitat clearing, poor water quality, invasive fish, and hybridisation with introduced native fish are a high-risk threat to many species, but the species with smallest ranges or lowest numbers were the most vulnerable.”
Lake Eacham rainbowfish (Melanotaenia eachamensis)
Utchee rainbowfish (Melanotaenia utcheensis)
Other highly threatened species
Bloomfield River cod (Guyu wujalwujalensis)
Mulgrave goby (Glossogobius bellendenensis)
Several cling gobies, including:
Opal cling goby
Emerald cling goby
Black Stiphodon
Orange cling goby
Discord goby
Fehlmann’s Sicyopus
Frog goby
Opal cling gobies are also an facing extinction threat due to habitat degradation. Credit: Brendan Ebner
The assessment identified invasive species, climate‑driven changes to temperature and hydrology, habitat and water quality degradation, and hybridisation with translocated native fishes as among the most severe threats, particularly for narrowly distributed rainbowfishes and migratory cling gobies.
The research team called for urgent conservation planning and recovery actions such as habitat restoration, invasive species control, improved riparian management, and captive breeding.
“We hope our study can inform the development of a multi-species recovery action plan to guide on-ground management to reverse declines and help recover these unique fish species,” said project leader Professor Mark Kennard.
What if a 10-minute virtual escape could help you recharge during the working day?
That is the question being explored by Griffith University PhD researcher Minh Nhan, who is investigating whether short, immersive virtual tourism experiences could provide some of the restorative benefits of travel — without leaving the workplace.
Imagine walking through a World Heritage-listed forest or relaxing on a beach in your dream island destination. Ten minutes later, you remove the virtual reality headset and return to work.
Minh describes this concept as ‘microdosing tourism’ — experiencing short bursts of virtual travel regularly, rather than taking part in one long virtual reality experience.
Travel has a unique way of helping us recharge, learn new things and come back feeling different.
“What if we could bring some of those positive experiences to people who can’t travel frequently due to time, money, or other constraints? That curiosity led me to my research.”
Griffith Institute for Tourism PhD Student Minh Nhan presenting his research on virtual tourism microdosing at the 2026 Griffith Business School Research Conference.
A new role for virtual tourism
While virtual tourism has traditionally been explored as a way to preview destinations or provide an alternative to physical travel, Minh is investigating whether it could also have a role in everyday wellbeing.
His PhD research examines the experiences and wellbeing of full-time workers as they engage with a series of immersive virtual reality tourism experiences over time.
The research is still underway, so evidence of its impact is emerging. However, Minh hopes it will help identify how virtual tourism could be designed and applied as a workplace wellbeing approach.
“It creates opportunities for the tourism industry to position and develop virtual tourism as a wellbeing-focused product.”
The concept is not intended to replace physical travel. Instead, virtual tourism could complement everyday wellbeing, particularly for people who have limited time, resources or ability to travel regularly.
Shorter experiences may also help address some of the challenges associated with longer virtual reality sessions, including cybersickness.
“Since work is such a central part of our lives, even small improvements in how people feel at work could have a real impact on individuals, organisations and society.”
Short bursts of virtual travel in the workplace has potential wellbeing benefits, currently being explored by Minh Nhan
Exploring what tourism could become
Minh’s research brings together tourism, wellbeing and emerging technology to explore a relatively new question: can the positive effects associated with travel be experienced in small doses, wherever we are?
For the tourism industry, it could open new possibilities for developing immersive experiences focused not only on destination discovery and entertainment, but also on wellbeing.
“What excites me is that this is still a relatively new area, with many opportunities to work closely with industry to explore new applications.”
Minh is undertaking his PhD in the Department of Tourism and Marketing at Griffith University under the supervision of Associate Professor Anna Kralj and Professor Brent Moyle, members of the Griffith Institute for Tourism, with Associate Professor Sebastian Filep as an external supervisor.
To read the full Tourism Research News article, visit the Griffith Institute for Tourism LinkedIn eNewsletter. Subscribe for free regular eNews updates, to stay informed.
