Southern Gulf NRM provides natural resource management for much of the North West while NQ Dry Tropics does the same for the Townsville and Lower Burdekin region. Both not-for-profit organisations are now asking for ideas and opinions about the merger that would combine 334,000 sq km and a population of 272,000.

According to the proposed merger document, an initial reason for the proposal was the uncertain financial future of Southern Gulf NRM which had been trading "at a significant loss" though its position has improved.

"Southern Gulf must support high-fixed overhead costs in relation to the scale of its project funding. Analysis has concluded that a merger would allow for a substantial reduction in those fixed costs and that the merged entity would be financially viable," the merger document said.

Southern Gulf NRM CEO Andrew Maclean said the proposed merger would broaden the revenue base and provide better delivery outcomes for natural resource management services across the Southern Gulf.

"At the moment Southern Gulf is very dependent on state and Commonwealth project funding," Mr Maclean said.

"We are interested in seeing if there are other sources of funding that might come to the region. To do that it is very difficult with our small capability to explore those options while we keep the business going, and a bigger organisation might have more capacity to find additional funding.

"NQ Dry Tropics is a much bigger organisation, they have some capacity and capability in their system that we don't have, can't afford and unlikely to ever recruit the income we would need to have that capacity.

"So we are thinking by merging with NQ Dry Tropics we can create a stronger platform for the delivery of NRM projects in the Southern Gulf region."

Mr Maclean said the proposed merger was all about ensuring the continued delivery of high quality NRM services to diverse community needs in both regions.

"There is no suggestion that Southern Gulf services will disappear and get sucked to Townsville, it is all about delivering our current projects and more," he said.

"We will continue to deliver projects for Southern Gulf region from our staff in Mount Isa office."

The document also said the NQ Dry Tropics CEO would lead the merged organisation with role of the Southern Gulf CEO being discontinued.

"The preferred option is to implement a merger by transferring the staff and assets of Southern Gulf NRM to NQ Dry Tropics," the document said.

"The NQ Dry Tropics constitution would be amended to reflect its role and objectives following the merger. Southern Gulf NRM would then be wound up.

"Discussion continues about how best to ensure the merged organisation maintains capacity to continue to engage with Southern Gulf region partners and communities at an appropriate level of seniority."

Southern Gulf NRM is planning a public forum around August, before the annual general meeting in October.

Both organisations would like to hear from members, locals and stakeholders to provide any concerns or suggestions. Contact Southern Gulf CEO Andrew Maclean on 4743 1888 or NQ Dry Tropics CEO Scott Crawford on 4799 3500.

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