NEWSLETTER OF THE NANATIONALTIONAL MALLEEFOWL RERECOVERYCOVERY TEAM AUTUMAUTUMNN 2017 EDITION ELEVEN NATIONAL MALLEEFOWL RECO VERY TEAM by Sharon Gillam, Chairperson and VMRG member ) a nd John Olsen the many landholders across the (President, VMRG) at a meeting we country who continue to protect attended last November. valuable habitat for Malleefowl and Joe explains how it is possible to get address some of the threats that this volunteers excited about sorting species encounters. through tens of thousands of photos Hiking for days through the Mallee to from his Camera Trap project (pp 3p 3),3 check out and ground-truth Malleefowl and the value of capturing this data; mounds doesn’t have to be boring, as while Graeme shares with us his recent attested by Jessica Stingemore and Lis trip to WA, where he trained a good McLellan, who share their entertaining number of new volunteers in the and insightful experiences of surveying monitoring system, visiting 100s of mounds in the remote scrub of Charles JOHN OLSEN, SHARON GILLAM, PETER STOKIE mounds across a number of sites (pppp 444). Darwin Reserve in WA (pppp 999).9 Hello everyone and welcome to This upholds the commitment that the Be captivated by the tales of one of Edition 11. We’re already in April and Recovery Team has made to roll out our early explorers in The Mallee Post 2017 is shaping up to be another and deliver a high quality monitoring section, with colourful descriptions of exciting year in Malleefowl program across the states, that mounds and how Malleefowl conservation. continues to train volunteers in a were ‘revered’ in those times (pp 1010). In Five years down the track, and the standardised method resulting in the this section we also have an article Adaptive Management Project collection of high quality data. from Rod Guest, who takes us back to continues to forge ahead, with the first Another breeding season has drawn the days (and mounds!) of Harry Frith, batch of data coming in from a few to an end, with unpredictable weather esteemed Malleefowl biologist and WA sites. Tim and Darren bring you bringing in a range of results in conservationist, who did his ground- up to date on the latest developments Malleefowl breeding activity. Once breaking research on the in the (pppppp 2 & 33) which include the addition again our enthusiastic volunteers have 1950s. And an article from recovery of two new recruits: Liz Fenwick and been out in force, gathering valuable team member Stephen Davies, which Liz Kingto n, whom we welcome to the data from the mounds. Find out the adds to the history of the Eyre team. Meet the ladies and learn a little results from three regions in SA – Observatory (EBO), published in the of their backgrounds (pp 1212)))). Eyre Peninsula (pp 66), the South East last edition. Now who would have The National Malleefowl Recovery (pppp 6 & 77) and the Murraylands (pppp 888).8 thought that one of our own members Plan, which forms the basis from And check out the latest from the would have purchased the EBO, and which Malleefowl recovery is directed, Malleefowl Monarto Working Party, for the paltry sum of $5!! is in the process of being updated, and who plan to hold a summit in July 2017 From the recovery team, we farewell discussions are underway to begin (pppp 888).8 NSW representative and team planning for the Sixth National Read about a successful collaboration member David Roshier, from the Malleefowl Forum, to be held in between landholder and state agency, Australian Wildlife Conservancy Mildura, Victoria, in August 2018. resulting in a concerted effort to (AWC), who is taking on new The Iluka Malleefowl Management protect not only Malleefowl, but a challenges with AWC in SA and NT. Committee, which advises on the range of other threatened species, in a We also say goodbye to Jessica Pink, allocation of offset funds, will wrap up remnant patch of Mallee in north-west Commonwealth rep on the team, and in July this year, after seven years in Victoria (pp 5p 5).5 The Hinton’s are an welcome Simon Nally. Many thanks to operation. I’m pictured (above) with inspiration, showing that a leap into the David and Jessica for their valuable two other members of this committee, unknown can bring with it unexpected contributions and input into the team. Peter Stokie (fellow Recovery Team and very satisfying rewards. They join

2 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017 NATIONAL MALLEEFOWL R ECOVERY TEAM COORDIN ATOR UPDATE

BY TIM BURNARD I was off on my own African safari for right. I’m new to the world of statistics partners in whatever way possible to the last ATM, so there’s a whole year to but have grown to appreciate the get sites established for Malleefowl catch up on. And what a year! immense value of research to establish and predator monitoring, and then The Malleefowl has been recognised the baselines for our experiment. get all the data up to our database. as one of the icon species in the When I say ‘baselines’ I mean things We are confident that in the coming Threatened Species Commissioner like how many sites do we need to few years we will be able to (Gregory Andrews, shown below) monitor; how many cameras do we confidently say whether fox and cat 20/20 Program under the Threatened need to monitor predator activity; how controls currently being employed, Species Strategy , and been featured in many years do we need to gather data actually assist Malleefowl. Soon after his Prospectus to philanthropists and in order to be really confident (in a establishing this we will start using businesses for sponsorship. This statistically robust way that scientists the same sites and methods to presents a great opportunity for the around the country can be confident understand the impacts from Malleefowl to secure funding at a time with). Now we head into the real herbivore competitors like rabbits, when we are entering into our greatest experiment of the AM Project. kangaroos and goats. project yet. Sites are being established in SA, Vic On top of this we have been and WA. In Kalgoorlie, Jennifer featured in two upcoming CSIRO Jackson (DPaW) has sent in the first publications. One is a book looking at camera trap data for us to test the successful Recovery Teams and the predator activity data. Soon we hope other a book on the best to be receiving camera data from a environmental monitoring programs number of other sites. In the Mt Gibson across the country. Both show the area (WA) Graeme managed what I high regard that the Malleefowl think is our largest ground-truthing project is held in, by the country’s exercise, about 900 suspected leading scientists. Almost all of this mounds. In Dangalli/Gluepot/ recognition hinges on the work done Calperum area (SA), Chris Hedger is by our team of loyal citizen scientists placing cameras at five sites to (sometimes called volunteers!). capture predator activity. These are very exciting times for all In the past we have managed to However, perhaps the greatest step of us in the Malleefowl family. gather up all known Malleefowl data forward is the engagement of two Threatened Species Strategy web from SA, WA and Vic (we dearly hope additional staff; Liz Fenwick in Victoria address: to include NSW soon) and then build a and Liz Kington in WA. http://www.environment.gov.au/bio new monitoring system and develop The AM Project has grown and diversity/threatened/publications/str the process that enables the easy entry grown to a point where I am ategy-home to the database. Then we built the struggling to maintain the contact and Threatened Species Prospectus web database to house it. Now we start the assistance needed with the many address: Adaptive Management Project. partners involved. To my great relief http://www.environment.gov.au/syst After five years ground work we find we were able to appoint both new em/files/resources/86e2d7df-6523- ourselves heading full steam into this staff in time for the upcoming annual 44b4-bb7a- AM project. The past four years have AM meetings in Perth and Mildura. 692576bd0d67/files/threatened- seen a time of getting all the science Their main task is to help the AM species-prospectus.pdf

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROJECT REPORT BY DARREN SOUTHWELL

We welcome two new additions to the Malleefowl AM team: Liz Kington and Liz Fenwick. Both will help oversee the AM project from opposite ends of the country. Liz Kington lives near Perth and will coordinate the Western Australian AM sites, while Liz Fenwick will oversee the eastern Australian AM sites from her home city of Melbourne. Both are a wonderful addition to our team and bring a wealth of experience to the AM project. One of their first jobs is to help run the annual Malleefowl AM workshops in Perth and Mildura, which will be held in late May this year. These workshops will bring together all of the AM partner organisations to determine how each of the AM sites are progressing AM PROJECT TEAM - BACK: DARREN SOUTHWELL, GRAEME TONKIN, LIZ KINGTON, JOE BENSHEMESH across the country. Continued FRONT: TIM BURNARD, LIZ FENWICK. PHOTO SHARON GILLAM

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AM PROJECT (CONTINUED) BY DARREN SOUTHWELL For those of you who haven’t In recent months, the AM team has already heard, the Malleefowl collaborated with partner organisations adaptive management (AM) to ensure that enough sites are being experiment aims to learn about the set-up for the experiment to provide effect of predator control on informative results over the coming Malleefowl. Predator control is the years. But perhaps the most exciting most common and probably the most news is that first camera data have been expensive management strategy for collected from two of the AM sites in this species, yet its benefits are not Western Australia (the Die Hardy Range entirely clear. and Jackson Range) by Jennifer The project is ambitious – we plan to Jackson from the Department of Parks MALLEEFOWL AT MOUNT JACKSON SITE better understand the relationship and Wildlife WA. These data were between predator control, predator collected by motion-triggered cameras densities and Malleefowl by deployed at each site over the last 12 monitoring the number of active months, and have captured some great mounds/predator densities at about images of the local wildlife, including 40 AM sites across Australia. About Malleefowl. We recently sorted these half of these sites will be managed images by ‘species captured’ in photos (treatment sites), the other half won’t and will soon analyse these data using (control sites), so we get a clear statistical models to estimate ‘predator picture of the effect of predator activity’ at each site. control on Malleefowl activity. FOX AT THE MOUNT JACKSON SITE

VICTORIAN CAMERACAMERA----TRAPTRAP PROJECT UPDATE BY JOE BENSHEMESH

Last year VMRG volunteers went between observers, these were through photos from 48 camera- generally small and inconsequential. traps we have placed at 6 sites in There were a couple of cases where Victoria and involving about 48,000 people accidentally placed a bunch of photos. That’s a lot of photos, but photos in the wrong category, so we do really only represented about six need to error check our photo CONTACT US months of results because the camera processing, but these errors were easily National Malleefowl Recovery Team

traps were only installed in May and detected and corrected. And another Chairperson --- Sharon Gillam downloaded in November 2015. positive result: just about everyone who [email protected] Nonetheless, we had so many processed photos is keen to do it again 08 8463 6927 people keen to lend a hand at (it’s kind of fun!). processing the photos that we were This result is a really positive outcome Coordinator ––– Tim Burnard [email protected] able to send out the same batch of and augurs well for using the camera- 0448 477 919 photos (usually in batches of 9,000 traps to monitor the trends in predators photos) to up to five people for and competitors of Malleefowl. DatabaseDatabase/Training/Training ––– Graeme Tonkin [email protected] sorting and thereby obtain a measure Measuring these trends is vital for of just how variable people are in understanding the threats to Malleefowl Newsletter Editor --- Gil Hopkins their identifications. Anybody who and also for measuring the [email protected] has tried identifying in effectiveness of management (eg. 03 5383 8207

camera-trap photos will know that whether baiting foxes actually reduces there are ample opportunities for their numbers appreciably, and whether Submissions for Edition twelve of observers to differ! For instance, this increases cat numbers). Around the Mounds Newsletter animals don’t always make it easy and Understanding how variable observers close on Friday 88////9999/1/1/1/17777. often a tail or nose or other bit is all may be in photo processing is clearly For editing, articles are best sent by an observer has to go on; sometimes important for knowing how much faith email to Sharon or Gil as attached the photo is too dark, or too light, or we should have in the results, and it’s documents with photos also as it’s foggy or unclear for some other also important for devising strategies attachments . reason; and even when the photos for correcting errors that people may are clear and the posing nicely, make. We now have a much better idea This Newsletter is available in colour at it’s easy to miss something when of how to make the most of these data www.nationalmalleefowl.com.au you’re tired and looking at so many in the future, and of course we also alongside the National Malleefowl photos, or to accidentally sort the have great information on the Database. photo into the wrong species folder. abundances of various animals at these So how variable were our sites. Thank you to the 25 volunteers Other important websites for news, observers? For the most part, who offered their services! information and photos include observers were very consistent. www.malleefowlvictoria.org.au Although there were differences www.malleefowl.net.au

4444 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017 NATIONAL MALLEEFOWL MONITORING/TRAINING REPORT BY GRAEME TONKIN On Monday morning October 17 th , I Sunday morning we completed the travelled with Steve (a volunteer) from ground-truthing and I then travelled Mt Gibson mine to Mt Gibson to Charles Darwin Reserve. Sanctuary, arriving at 8.00am. We met up with Laura and Nicola, enviros from AWC, and then settled in to the Supporters accommodation where we would be staying for the next five nights. The task at Mt Gibson Sanctuary was to monitor all known mounds and ground-truth the LiDAR locations on WILDFLOWERS AT MT GIBSON MINE both w27 & w28. We finalised maps and location data On Tuesday October 11, 2016 I flew and headed out to w27 Mt G ibson A to MMMONITORINGMONITORING AT NINGHAN STATION out of Adelaide at 6.45am SA time do some training on monitoring known mounds and ground-truthing LiDAR and landed in Perth at 7.40am WA Monday 24 th , Steve & I commenced locations. We worked as a team of four time. After picking up a donated mine ground-truthing the remaining during the training and then split into spec vehicle from Astron in East Perth locations on w44 CDR South, and late two teams for more monitoring and I headed for Mt Gibson Mine, arriving that afternoon two volunteers Bill & ground-truthing. there at 1.30pm. Three of the Sally Lambe arrived from Perth. On On Tuesday morning Laura, Nicola & volunteers also arrived about that Tuesday Steve & Bill and Sally & I Steve co ntinued with the monitoring & time and the remainder of the formed two teams and over the next ground-truthing and I travelled to afternoon was spent completing the two days were able to complete the Charles Darwin Reserve, a Bush mine site induction which takes about last of the ground-truthing. Heritage property to start and train a four hours. The remaining three Finishing earlier than expected gave group of volunteers who would be volunteers arrived later that evening me a chance to catch up with an old ground-truthing the LiDAR locations at and completed their site induction the school buddy who farms at Ballidu the two sites on the Bush Heritage following morning. Four of the six and lives at Wongan Hills. property. The known mounds on w09 volunteers took part in the 2015 Monday 31 st I travelled on a FIFO were not to be included in the monitoring. flight to Forrestania to conduct a monitoring unless they were a LiDAR The 109 mounds we were required to Malleefowl monitor training session. location as well. The group consisted monitor were completed between w45 Forrestania is the newest site in th th of Vanessa, Richard, Lis, Jess, Noel & Wednesday 12 & Friday 14 . With the WA and is situated 80km east of Vaughan. Both Noel & Vaughan are benefit of the experience gained in Hyden, just outside the wheat belt. part of the Badimaya Indigenous 2015, the monitoring went very Tuesday November 1 st I flew back to Ranger Program. smoothly. In 2015 monitoring Perth and then on to Adelaide to see th We spent the day in the bush commenced on November 24 and my long lost wife and family. covering the training for Malleefowl heat was a real issue. Commencing six weeks earlier this year was a distinct monitoring and LiDAR ground- advantage and we were rewarded truthing. Over the next three days this with fine & mild weather and only one group would form working teams and day was hot at around 37°C. The wild ground-truth LiDAR locations on w09 flowers were also a welcome Charles Darwin Reserve and a new site, attraction. w44 CDR South. I returned to Mt Our sincere thanks go to Astron for Gibson Sanctuary that evening. their donation of a mine spec vehicle Wednesday, Thursday & Friday were for the Mt Gibson contract, saving in spent monitoring known mounds & excess of $1,000 which can now be ground-truthing LiDAR locations on reinvested into Malleefowl w27 Mt Gibson A which is outside the fenced enclosure and w28 Mt Gibson B conservation. MONITOR TRAINING AT FORRESTANIA inside the enclosure.

Late Friday afternoon I travelled to Ninghan Station where I met up with Vanessa Westcott from Bush Heritage and the Bell family, the indigenous owners of Ninghan Station. Saturday morning we had a training session on mound monitoring and LiDAR ground- truthing and then went on to monitor around 40 LiDAR locations. We were also treated to a special visit to an Indigenous Protected Area including Warrdagga Rock. THE MONITORING CREW AT MT GIBSON MINE

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HELHELPING PING TO PROTECT OUR MALLEE ICON CITIZEN SCIENCE IN AACTIONCTION BY JACINTA ALLAN-GANGE, MILDURA, VIC Neth Hinton had never even seen a natural state. The remaining 1,400 recommended that we bait twice a year, Malleefowl before she and her acres is Mallee scrub. and we will try this and review it after 12 husband Trevor decided to make the When the couple bought the months.” move to a life on a remote property property from Trust for Nature the “We have our own camera now so we near Hattah. But the couple are now terms of sale were that covenants can set that up and check on predator custodians of one of the Mallee’s hot needed to be established and they activity and know if we are having an spots for the emblem bird, with 17 remain in place on the entire property impact. I’ve just got my 1080 poison known Malleefowl mounds on their apart from the area around the endorsement and we will do the baiting property – and counting. couple’s home. “When we came to ourselves from now on.” The couple bought the block which have a look at the property we were Neth said that while predators could adjoins the Hattah Kulkyne National told about some rare species that never be eradicated completely, the Park from Trust for Nature seven were here including the Yellow-faced couple are committed to minimising the years ago with retirement in mind, and Whip Snake, Mallee Emu Wrens, impact of foxes on the resident for the past three years the 1,780 acre Regent , and Malleefowl, but Malleefowl, while doing more work on property has been home. Neth admits we didn’t know where the Malleefowl quantifying bird numbers. “They’re such it has been, and still is, a steep nests were,” Neth said. determined little birds, they build such learning curve. “When we started walking around amazing nest structures and we’ve we found quite a lot of mounds – 17 found that Mallee people are as nests so far, but there is a fair bit of interested in them as we are,” she said. bush here so there are probably a few “The birds keep a certain distance from we haven’t found yet,” she said. you but they are quite tolerant of you if Neth said Bush Tender funding had you approach them quietly, and it’s not helped them do some initial work to that difficult to watch them working the protect the Malleefowl, such as goat nests. We still get a kick out of it. We’ve and cat trapp ing, rabbit poisoning and learnt a bit, but the more you learn the fox shooting. more you realise there is more to learn.” “Last year we approached the Mallee Neth said one of the best outcomes CMA to see if we could work had been an enhanced relationship with cooperatively to do more to protect the Mallee CMA. “When we developed them,” she said. With the support of the relationship with them they were so the Mallee CMA’s Project Officer for generous in helping us try to deal with LANDOWNER NETH HINTON Land and Biodiversity Kate the issue,” she said. “They just ran with it “We moved from a terrace house McWhinney, remote cameras were set and it’s been a really equal relationship, in Fitzroy to here and it was up in October 2016 to monitor active which has been a very positive absolutely the right thing for us – we Malleefowl mounds and the presence experience. If it weren’t for their interest needed something to do when we of pest species. Kate said the two in putting the cameras in place, we retired and we just love it,” Neth cameras were left for 28 days would never have known how bad the said. “We were familiar with Mildura overlooking two active mounds. “The fox problem was.” because Trevor has family there but footage showed us there were “The more you see of the Mallee, the we had only ever driven through multiple foxes returning to the more you appreciate it. It’s beautiful, Hattah,” she said. mounds each night to raid the nests,” peaceful and remote. We have the “We saw the property advertised Kate said. “There were some amazing Hattah Lakes right near us; the river is and spent two years thinking about pictures, including an interaction in close; Ouyen is a great town with pretty whether to buy it or not. Then we which a Malleefowl defends its mound much everything we need and Mildura’s decided on our third visit we had to from a fox.” (The vision is available on not too far away either. It was have it. We weren’t blind to what the Mallee CMA Facebook page). absolutely the right decision for us and was ahead of us, but we were ready the longer we are here the more we love to learn and our neighbours were so it.” welcoming and generous in sharing their knowledge about the Mallee. This project is supported by the Mallee We couldn’t have overcome all the Catchment Management Authority hurdles involved in moving to [email protected] Hattah without their support and encouragement. They also know a lot about Malleefowl and have given us a lot of advice about these great birds. In return, we give them a lot of laughs at all the mistakes we make!” Neth said the vision gathered by the “As well, the partnership that we’ve cameras was an eye-opener. We developed with the Mallee CMA has didn’t realise the extent of the been a great thing to help us problem so we started a fox baiting protect the Malleefowl in particular”. program straight away,” she said. Neth said 300 acres of their “We engaged a contractor to come property had been cropped in the and lay baits. We put out 30, and 18 past, but was slowly returning to its were taken. The contractor

6666 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017 MALLEEFOWL MONITORINMONITORINGG ON EYRE PENINSULA BY LIBBY HUNT, NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OFFICER, DEWNR, SA

With perfect weather conditions, the annual Lock Malleefowl survey occurred in mid-February 2017. Conducted in a heritage agreement on private land the survey enabled volunteers, a local landholder and DEWNR staff, to collect vital data on the local Malleefowl population. Due to a combination of habitat loss, predation and wildfire contributing to a decline in Malleefowl numbers, the grid surveying technique is a vital component of Malleefowl conservation across the Eyre Peninsula. This surveying technique provides an indication of population dispersal, nesting and chick activity, and interaction with other species. To monitor the area, three teams were formed, walking over 15km, to ensure all existing mounds were revisited. Five hours of intensive searching enabled thorough data collection including tracks, scats and eggshells. Results from the survey Malleefowl breeding. This site has CAROL LYDEAMORE, CHRIS MALCOM, SHERRY MALCOM, demonstrated an active pair of supported at least one pair of PAULA MODRA, LIZ MCTAGGART, TAYLA BOWDEN AND Malleefowl were in the area, with one breeding Malleefowl over the last 10 DARYL DOLPHIN team discovering two lots of fresh years. Natural Resources Eyre chick from recent hatchings. Peninsula sincerely thank the Volunteers and DEWNR staff were volunteers who contributed to this excited to see active signs of monitoring project.

2016 MONITORING SEASSEASONON SOUTH EAST SA BY VICKI NATT, COORDINATOR SE SA

Monitoring of South East SA sites for five sites, 28 mounds were found to ambiguous requiring further season 2016 commenced October 10 be active, four more than 2015 and investigation. Most of the five year at Mount Boothby and finished at one more than the 2014 season. The mounds were not visited as they were Gum Lagoon (Naen Naen) on Coorong had two active mounds monitored last year. Four mounds December 13. Sites covered were within the grid and one active off-site were missed. Reasonable winter, Mount Boothby to the north, two sites nearby making a total of three, the spring and summer rainfall was in Gum Lagoon Conservation Park, best result for many years. The status experienced overall for the whole (Coola Coola and Naen Naen), the of four mounds, 5 and 26 in Coola region. The table on the next page Coorong South of Salt Creek and Coola, 47 in Mount Scott and 34 in gives a breakdown of mound activity Mount Scott Conservation Park, the Mount Boothby were declared for each grid. most Southerly South East site. Monitoring also took place at Desert Camp this season on October 19. Though the results were disappointing with no active mounds being found, it does give us more information on the status of Malleefowl in the South East of South Australia. Sam Rothe who lives next to the Park has been talking to local landowners in an effort to find out historically where Malleefowl occurred in the area. The goal is to eventually encourage them back into these areas with landowner support and cooperation. Of the five original sites, in total 170 (of a possible 208 mounds) were monitored, including three mounds outside the Coorong grid. Across the

AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017 777 SE SA MONITORING CONTINUED BY VICKI NATT Season Grid Number and Name 72 – Mount 13 - Mount Scott 14 – Coola Coola 65 - Coorong 66 – Naen Naen Boothby Total mounds 47 Total mounds 57 Total mounds 36 Total mounds 15 Total mounds 53 Mounds Active Mounds Active Mounds Active Total Active Total Active

visited mounds visited mounds visited mounds mounds mounds mounds mounds 2005 36 8 23 0 2006 39 6 31 0 14 3 2007 39 1 54 9 32 1 14 5 2008 40 9 54 10 32 0 10 5 46 5 2009 42 6 52 14 32 0 10 4 46 6 2010 43 6 52 9 32 0 10 4 47 10 2011 44 6 52 8 32 0 10 2 49 13 2012 46 4 51 10 32 1 14 2 49 15 2013 36 6 51 7 23 1 11 3 49 12 2014 36 5 46 9 22 0 13 3 38 10 2015 46 2 56 9/11 36 1 15 2 51 9 2016 36 6 53 8 23 2 15 3 43 8

A total of 458 hours was spent idea on what may potentially impact have on the soil and vegetation monitoring South East sites, including on the Malleefowl population. Tim compared to outside the fence. The preparation, training and travel. (139 Burnard helped with their purchase feral-free zone seemed to also suit volunteer hours and 319 staff hours). and did an excellent job setting them Malleefowl as there were noticeably Ten individual volunteers and thirty up ready for use in the field. more active mounds inside the fence. staff members from various ‘Review of Malleefowl Regional Thanks to Felicity and the team who organisations, including DENWR, Action Plan for the South East of SA’ showed me around and made me feel Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan, has been finalised and sent to the very welcome. Green Army, Aboriginal Cultural Dept. of Environment, Water & Thanks to the Coorong Tatiara Local Rangers, Nature Glenelg Trust, Friends Natural Resources by Bryan Haywood, Action Plan, who funded my position of Coorong, Friends of Butcher Gap Senior Ecologist at Nature Glenelg as project officer for another year. and the National Malleefowl Recovery Trust. He also organised two teams to Special thanks to Samantha Blight of Team participated this season. Both monitor Desert Camp this season as Coorong Tatiara LAP as she not only Mount Boothby and Coola Coola sites well as participating in the monitoring made herself available to help with the were completed in one day (instead of at Mount Scott. monitoring but organised a Green two) for the first time. The only Tim Burnard arranged for me to Army team as well. Graeme Tonkin as downside was that we didn’t get to assist staff at Scotia Sanctuary in usual has been ironing out all the enjoy the camping and other natural Western NSW with their Malleefowl problems with the technology and highlights after hours. A very good monitoring this season. Part of the showing lots of patience. Thanks turnout of 24 people occurred at Gum monitoring was conducted inside an Graeme. Lagoon Coola Coola, swelled by a electric fence designed to keep Once again a very big thank you to large Green Army contingent. Tim introduced feral animals out enabling everyone who participated this Burnard and Donna Higgins took on native marsupials such as Bettongs, season, especially those who the Naen Naen grid once again, Bilbys and Numbats to live and breed. volunteered their time, it was much camping overnight; though Donna had It was interesting to observe the appreciated. I hope it was an her leg in plaster so could only offer effect these small burrowing animals enjoyable experience. moral support while Tim completed the monitoring on his own. Three volunteers monitored Mount Scott over two days, while despite some setbacks, Wendy Easson from Friends of the Coorong and a number of Aboriginal cultural rangers managed to get the Coorong site completed in a day. Bryan Haywood, Samantha Blight and myself spent time after Mount Boothby monitoring choosing sites to place remote cameras as part of the 2015 post burn research project, designed to answer questions re the effects of fire on Malleefowl. Sam and the Green Army team then cleared the sites and placed the cameras. The first batch of photos were collected prior to Christmas by Sam and analysed. Malleefowl as well as other wildlife were caught on camera. Remote cameras have also been purchased for placement i n Malleefowl SOME OF THE MONITORS monitoring sites. Hopefully they will capture fauna activity, giving us an

8888 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017

MALLEEFOWL MONARTO WORKING PARTY BY KAREN ECKERMANN, COUNCILLOR, MURRAY BRIDGE, SA

The Malleefowl Monarto Working Party is a grassroots group of enthusiastic volunteers and local government representatives located just outside of Murray Bridge, a regional township situated 70kms south east of Adelaide, South Australia. The group has met monthly over the pa st twelve months and achieved some significant milestones. A year ago the Working Party employed a consultant to assess a target property adjacent to the Monarto Conservation Park for suitable Malleefowl habitat. Survey findings firmly indicated that Malle efowl food sources are good to excellent; Malleefowl nesting resources are sufficient; pest animals are of concern and will need to be managed; and the Mallee habitat will provide habitat for numerous other species of mammals, birds and reptiles. It was also PARTICIPANTS IN THE 'MALLEEFOWL WALK' determined that the preservation and The Working Party has developed as the keynote speaker (TBC). Experts enhancement of existing Malleefowl promotional materials to create in pest animal control, representatives habitat at Monarto South can be community awareness of the aims and from the Monarto Zoo and the local achieved with limited funding, including objectives of the group; specifically, Ngarrindjeri will be present at the the preservation of existing remnant posters and signage at the Monarto Summit. In addition to an excellent native vegetation and linking Information Bay and Mannum Ferry, array of informative guest speakers, a Conservation Parks by using existing and flyers distributed at the recent field visit to conservation areas at patches of remnant native vegetation opening of the Kinchina and Monarto Monarto South will be offered to and Council unmade road reserves. Woodlands Conservation Parks. participants. The event is FREE and Last October, a community event at The Working Party will hold a the Working Party looks forward to the Monarto Conservation Park, the Malleefowl Summit at Murray Bridge in welcoming a diverse group of ‘Malleefowl Walk’, included an July 2017. Invitees will include other participants to Murray Bridge. For informative presentation on Malleefowl regional Malleefowl groups, farmer further information, please visit habitat and food sources within the conservationists and interested Facebook: malleefowlmonarto or Monarto Conservation Park and parties. The Threatened Species [email protected] adjacent properties – and was met with Commissioner, Mr Gregory Andrews, to register your interest. considerable local interest. has expressed interest in presenting

SA MURRAY DARLING BASIN UPDATE BY DAVE SETCHELL, SA MDB COORDINATOR 27 grids were monitored this season hopes for a productive season. Rainfall in with the monitoring program. The Shorts (586 mounds) on DEWNR reserves, spring was generally above average but grid, which is in a heritage agreement on private properties and Commonwealth temperatures were below average. Despite Henry’s property was one of the first land. This included 7 grids monitored by this, there was still evidence that some areas monitoring grids established in SA and BirdLife Australia volunteers on Gluepot missed out on the winter and spring rains. has been regularly monitored since 1989. Reserve, 4 grids monitored by Australian There was also a lot of evidence of mounds More recently, Henry has hosted the Landscape Trust (ALT) volunteers on being prepared but then being abandoned Scientific Expedition Group, who monitor Taylorville Station and 3 grids monitored prior to laying. the Shorts grid and the nearby Bakara by ALT staff on Calperum Station. The Bakara, Karte and Gluepot 8 grids were grid. Henry recently sold his property but 40 active mounds were recorded, down the only grids to record an increase in active he made sure that the malleefowl baton from 44 last season, although an extra 96 mounds this season. It was the best result for was passed on to the new owner, who is mounds (including 5 year mounds) were Bakara since 1998 and the best result ever happy to continue to be involved with the checked last season. Only 3 active recorded for Karte (which has been monitoring program. All the very best mounds were recorded north of the monitored annually since 2001). On the other wishes Henry but visiting your property Murray River (2 on Calperum Station and 1 hand, 6 grids (Shorts, Ferries MacDonald, won’t be quite the same again – I hope on Gluepot Reserve) which is the same Danggali 2, Bandon, Ettrick and Murray you don’t miss it too much! total as last season. Bridge Army Range) recorded a decrease in A summary report will be sent to all the A total of 538 hours of volunteer time active mounds. Peebinga continued its volunteers, landholders and stakeholders was contributed to the monitoring recent strong run of breeding activity, with involved by the time this goes to print. program and I would like to pass on my 13 active mounds again this season. Overall We are always looking for volunteers to heartfelt thanks to all the individuals and the results were very variable, although I help with monitoring, particularly with groups involved. We welcomed Michelle suspect the cool wet spring had a negative some of the more remote grids in the McMahon on board this season as a new influence on breeding activity on some grids, region. If you are interested please volunteer. whereas some northern grids seemed to contact: Dave Setchell, SAMDB The weather was variable across the have missed out on the winter and spring malleefowl monitoring program region in 2016. Rain in May made up for a rains. coordinator, Mallee Eco Services dry start to autumn, with average to I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Phone: 0428 873 090 above average rain during winter raising Henry Short for his long term involvement [email protected]

AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017 999

A FOWL TALE BY JESSICA STINGEMORE, NORTHERN AGRICULTURAL CATCHMENTS COUNCIL, WA

Once upon a time in a land far, far LIDAR, which stands for Light appear. And then we saw a flicker of away there was a very special bird that Detection and Ranging, is a remote movement – a Malleefowl. We watched everyone was looking for – the sensing method that uses light in the it for about two minutes before it just Malleefowl! form of a pulsed laser to measure melted away into the bush. We were One of Australia’s curiosities, the ranges (variable distances) to the awestruck.” Malleefowl does not build a nest like Earth. While the focus of the surveys was to most other birds. Instead it uses its These light pulses (combined with ground truth the LIDAR data, a field strong feet to scrape large amounts of other data recorded by the airborne trip to Charles Darwin is not complete leaf litter and sand from the ground system) generate precise, three- without some sightseeing. Other and into a large pile. The eggs are then dimensional information about the marvellous curiosities sighted on the laid into a cavity near the bottom of shape of the Earth and its surface trip included an old stick-nest rat nest, the mound and covered over. characteristics. gnamma holes, granite lizard traps, As the leaf litter begins to compost, it The enthusiastic group spent several baby birds, salmon gums and generates heat and this is used to days hiking across Charles Darwin trap-door spiders. incubate the eggs, rather than sitting Reserve and checking the accuracy of Fun Fact on them. The male Malleefowl checks the LIDAR data. While some were Malleefowl are one of three mound- the temperature of his breeding disappointments, on the whole most building birds – also known as mound regularly, and scrapes material were old Mallefowl mounds and a – in Australia, and the only onto or off the mound to keep the handful were active. But alas, none of species that live in arid areas. The temperature just right. the elusive Mallefowl were seen. others are the Brush and the During National Bird Week NACC Until on the drive to our final site, Orange-footed Scrub-fowl. staff joined Bush Heritage and their Bush Heritage’s Regional Ecologist To volunteer for this project or to find dedicated volunteers for a week of Vanessa Westcott pulled the car over other citizen-science projects, please Mallefowl madness. and exclaimed “Look, a Major Mitchell visit the Bush Heritage website Funding from Gunduwa Regional Cockatoo – that is a good sign for http://www.bushheritage.org.au/get- Conservation Association WA was today!” And lo and behold about one involved/volunteer used to produce LiDAR imagery to hour later I was staring face to face detect Malleefowl mounds in the with a Mallefowl. For another perspective, keep reading! region which will allow for a more “We had been trudging our way efficient method of searching larger through the thick undergrowth and out areas. of the blue we saw a massive mound

THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEERING BY LIS MCLELLAN

I recently had the privilege of lights a fire for others, it will also brighten dense, prickl y and scratchy bush; and the volunteering with Bush Heritage Australia one’s own way.” Malleefowl were elusive. But the rewards on Charles Darwin Reserve. I helped with a The opportunity to be in the wild places were incalculable. Morning sunrises; sunset small field survey team looking for the of a Bush Heritage Reserve; to be with wine and cheese on a magnificent granite elusive Malleefowl, or hopefully at least people knowledgeable about the science outcrop; beautiful wildflowers still in bloom; their nests. and the land, and to contribute to our majestic york, salmon gum and gimlet What I would like to share is a reflection understanding and conservation of these woodlands; the camaraderie and on the value and experience of special places, and their flora and fauna, is satisfaction of a good job well done; the volunteering. Just this morning I read an incredibly precious, and provides a care taken by Bush Heritage of its Op-Ed in the New York Times – written by wonderful opportunity to make a volunteers; the sheer beauty of the bush; the Dalai Lama and Arthur Brooks, entitled contribution. and that wonderful feeling of making a ‘Behind our Anxiety: the fear of being We were also lucky enough to have contribution and being needed – all added unneeded’. Badimia Elder Vaughan Lane with us up to an unforgettable experience. It's a great piece – well worth reading. throughout our Malleefowl search. He And yes, we did get to see those elusive And it struck me that this is precisely what graciously shared part of his Aboriginal Malleefowl in the end and discovered new volunteering allows: being needed culture and local knowledge with us, which active nests! (whether they know it or not) by society, totally enriched our experience. Thanks Bush Heritage. I’m already looking by the environment, by those unable to And what an experience! The mornings forward to the next time! fend for themselves, etc. As the 13th- were early; the bush was harsh – century Buddhist sages taught, “If one Malleefowl like to build nests in incredibly

10101010 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017 THE MALLEE POST ATM HISTORICAL ARTICARTICLELELELE BY GRAEME TONKIN Extracts from the book ‘Australia Twice Traversed’ by Ernest Giles

First Expedition, 1872 – 1873, pink tinted, and so terribly fragile that, if a these, which no doubt they looked upon as Chambers Pillar to Lake Amadeus person is not careful in lifting them, the their own peculiar and lawful property, Chapter 2.1 - August 1873 fingers will crunch through the tinted shell they eyed them with great anxiety, and, “I was compelled to ride in advance with a in an instant. Therefore, carrying a dozen of pointing to them, they spoke to one bell on my stirrup to enable the others to such eggs is no easy matter. I took upon another, probably expecting that we should hear which way to come. In seventeen myself the responsibility of bringing our hand the eggs over to them; but we didn’t miles we struck a small gum creek without prize safe into camp, and I accomplished do it. At night they went away; their camp water, but there was a good herbage. In the the task by packing them in grass, tied up in could not be far off, as we continually scrubs to-day we saw a native ’s a handkerchief, and slung round my neck; a heard sounds of voices and could see their nest, the Leipoa ocellata of Gould, but fine fardel hanging on my chest, camp fires. Before sunrise the following there were no eggs in it. This bird is immediately under my chin. A photograph morning the mercury fell to 32 °; although known by different names in different of a person with such an appendage would there was no dew to freeze, to us it parts of Australia. On the eastern half of scarcely lead to recognition. We used some appeared to be 100 ° below zero. The only the continent it is usually called the of the eggs in our tea as a substitute for animals’ tracks seen round our well were Lowan, while in Western Australia it is milk. A few of the eggs proved to possess emus, wild dogs, and Homo sapiens. known as the Gnow; both I believe are some slight germs of vitality, the Lowans and other desert birds and native names”. preliminary process being the formation of marsupials appear never to approach the eyes. But explorers in the field are not such Chapter 2.4 - October 1873 watering-places.” particular mortals as to stand upon such “These hills also have the metallic clang Chapter 4.4 - November 1875 trifles; indeed, parboiled, youthful, Lowans’ of the Bell Rock, and are highly magnetic. “To-day we managed to get thirty-four eyes are considered quite a delicacy in the In the scrubs to-day Gibson found a Lowans’ eggs, yesterday we had secured camp”. Lowan’s or scrub pheasant’s nest. These twenty-seven. These birds swarm in these birds inhabit the most waterless regions Fourth Expedition, 1875 – 1876, scrubs, and their eggs form a principal item and the densest scrubs, and live entirely Port Augusta to New Norcia & Perth in the daily fare of the natives during the

without water. laying season. We seldom see the birds, Chapter 4.2 - October 1875 This bird is figured in Gould’s work on “Tommy and others had also found a few but so long as we get eggs I suppose we have no great cause on complaint”. Australian ; it is called the Lowans’, Leipoa ocellata, nests, and we Leipoa ocellata. Two specimens of these secured a few of the pink-tinted eggs; this “The country between the cliff and Mt birds are preserved in the Natural History was the laying season. These, with the Churchman was filled to overflowing with Department of the British Museum at turkey Mr. Young had shot on the plain, the densest of scrubs; Nature seemed to Kensington. We obtained six fresh eggs were the only adjuncts to our supplies that have tried how much of it she could from it. I found another, and got five we had obtained from this region” possibly jam into this region. We

more. We saw several native huts in the Chapter 4.3 - October 1875 encamped at the foot of the cliff. We got scrubs, some of them of large dimensions, “During the morning, before we arrived several Lowans’ - or, as the West having limbs of the largest trees they here, Tommy had been most successful in Australians call them, Gnow’ - eggs, thirty could get to build them with.” yesterday, and forty-five to-day. obtaining Lowans’ eggs, and we had eleven “To-day we came upon three Lowans’ or or twelve with us. When the natives saw native ’ nests. These birds, which somewhat resemble guinea-fowl in appearance, build extraordinarily large nests of sand, in which they deposit small sticks and leaves; here the female lays about a dozen eggs, the decomposition of the vegetable matter providing the warmth necessary to hatch them. These nests are found only in thick scrubs. I have known them five to six feet high, of a circular conical shape, and a hundred feet round the base. The first, though of enormous size, produced only two eggs; the second, four and the third, six. We thanked Providence for supplying us with such luxuries in such a wilderness. There are much easier feats to perform than the carrying of Lowans’ eggs, and for the benefit of any readers who don’t know what those eggs are like, I may mention that they are larger than a goose egg, and of a more delicious flavour than any other egg in the world. Their shell is beautifully AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017 111111 MORE ATM HISTORICAL ARTICLES

FRITH’S RESEARCH SITE, NSW BY ROD GUEST After reading Frith ’s book ‘ The Malleefowl’ I found it quite interesting Just a bit of a story for the photos on that he believed one of the main the right. causes of Malleefowl decline was I'm the ‘farmer’ referred to in the grazing of livestock. When we used to Spring 2016 newsletter who attended walk through these reserves they the training day at Mt Hope, NSW. would be bare as the fences were not Whilst attending the day I mentioned good enough to keep the sheep out that we had old research mounds from and kangaroo numbers were a lot the 1950's and was informed that they higher than pre-white man as there is would have been Harry Frith’s sites. water on every paddock, so this did As a youngster in the late 60's early not help with the survival of many 70's we would often go into the Mallee species. It was also Frith’s comment and look at the nests which were still that this area was prime habitat for in use although I never saw a bird. The the birds with an average of 35 acres last 3 birds in the Pulletop reserves per pair of birds as I always believed it were allegedly shot in the 1980's by was 200 acres. someone who use to eat them when In the last 10 years sheep have been they were younger - so the story goes. removed from most farms in this area After the training day at Mt Hope I and it is amazing how nature has thought I would have a look for the sprung back. We have native grasses site that I remembered as a kid and back and we have Antechinus living in after 40 years I walked straight to it. our yard and we see Dunarts. In a To my amazement the tag was still survey conducted by a Canberra there albeit with no number but the university this spring they counted 32 numbers were just readable when we Dunarts in their traps. This shows that were kids. As for the nest I really had we have a healthy Mallee environment to use my memory and imagination and maybe one day Malleefowl could and I placed the stick cross on so be re introduced into this area which hopefully next time I go there, there has a rich historical past of Malleefowl will be an active nest! research. If anyone would like to see It was amazing that the branch the the Frith site I would be more than tag was on was only a branch of 70 happy to show them. mm diameter which I thought would My contact - 0427 487601 have become termite-tucker long ago.

EYRE BIRD OBSERVATORY, WA When they finished with it they sold it, and a lease for the place was agreed in BY STEPHEN DAVIES by conveyance, to Mackie, who owned 1984. Up till then the RAOU had Madura Station and other pastoral occupied it by grace and favour, but For at least ten years before 1976 interests on the Nullarbor. He began to the stimulus for a formal lease was the Dom Serventy had been saying to me demolish it and use the materials for his impending restructure of F and W to that we should establish a field station stations, but soon he ‘sold’ it at a table WA Conservation and Land for naturalists. I had looked at various in a café to another pastoralist. There Management. places but none were really suitable. In were no documents. Soon after this The reconstruction was in 1977 and the early 1970's Dick Tomlinson (then ‘sale’, Mackie died - he was found dead Syd Baker the first caretaker, followed Chief Vermin Control Officer, APB) in Kings Park - and his deceased estate by John Martindale as the first warden, asked my advice about keeping was unable to sell the site - Nurina followed by Nick Dymond and then starlings out of WA. I strongly Location 14. However, materials were Peter Congreve.. endorsed the need to do so and this taken from the telegraph station and it led me to make several expeditions was ‘sold’ again. When I came along I Note: Dom Serventy and Stephen onto the Nullarbor, the front line of the eventually tracked down the latest Davies both worked for the CSIRO in starling's invasion. On one of these ‘owner’ and ‘bought’ Eyre for $5, WA at the time of the EBO purchase. trips I decided to look at the Eyre receiving a signed Transfer of Land Telegraph Station. I had heard years form. before from Kaye Vollprect of its When I took this to the Lands existence - she had been there with Department they would not accept it her father in the 1950's. So Terry without the original conveyance - Knight and I drove down and looked. which would of course be in Mackie's On the way back to Perth I realised name. So I contacted Mackie's estate, that it met all the requirements that WA Executor and Trustee Co, but they were needed for a bird observatory of said it would cost $100 even to open the kind Dom had in mind, and so I set the file. By this time I had convinced about convincing others of it. First I the RAOU Council and the WA had to find out who owned it. It was Department of Fisheries and Wildlife on a title separate from the Nuytsland that it should be a Bird Observatory run Nature Reserve and was originally by RAOU, so I then asked Fisheries and owned by the PMG (Commonwealth). Wildlife to resume it. Which they did EYRE OBSERVATORY - PHOTO GRAEME TONKIN

12 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2017

NEW MEMBERS OF THE N MRT ADAPTIVE MANAG EEEMENT PROJECT LIZ KINGTON, WA

government monitoring of Malleefowl Prior to my work in the NRM mounds in the chosen paired sites. We sector, I obtained a multi- are also keen to build the capacity of disciplinary PhD from the University the Malleefowl preservation of WA, where I looked at the policy communities, spread the word about environment surrounding dryland this important project and ensure that salinity problems in Western future AM project work is funded. Australia and its management It’s great being part of this important intractability. This got me biodiversity conservation experiment interested in resilience theory and that will bring real insights to our adaptive capacity and so I’m super management efforts. I’ve come from excited to be now employed in the 12 years working in Landcare with one largest land-based adaptive of the 54 regional Natural Resource management project in Australia. Management (NRM) groups (or CMAs I live on the edge of the WA as they are known in the east). Yilgarn plateau, in the regional Wheatbelt NRM covers the Wheatbelt Avon River town of Toodyay, landscapes of Western Australia where I hobby farm a variety of where large-scale land clearing for woolly and feathered friends, I’m Liz Kington and together with Liz agriculture has also created salinity including emus. I love to Samba, Fenwick from Victoria, I have been problems and biodiversity loss. I was and every year organise for Perth’s contracted as a Project Officer for the there from the beginning of a new era energised community to ‘Activate University of Melbourne and National in Australian Landcare and it has the Wheatbelt’ through Malleefowl Recovery Team partnered taught me the value of our community tree-planting parties. For the past Adaptive Management (AM) Malleefowl as the backbone to building a resilient three years we have been project happening across southern future environment. I skilled-up in revegetating land between Australia, where the Malleefowl still project management, marketing, bushland reserves in known ‘hang out’. communications, and strategic Malleefowl country. Our work will involve making sure that planning, and so I bring NRM industry Contact Liz at: the AM project gets the data it needs experience to this new role. [email protected] from the field through community and

LIZ FENWICK, VIC knowledge at the Prince Charles after aged -care program for visitors Hospital in Brisbane. During this time, from Japan was developed in I developed an awareness of the conjunction with a number of abyss that then existed between Australian health care agencies. information technology developers I have a life-long love of Country and and the information needs of health passion for wild-life diversity. With a sector professionals. growing awareness of the impacts of Joining IBM at their national Health Climate Change to our environment, I Industry Centre provided an have worked more recently in opportunity to assist developers and initiatives which address renewable implementers of information systems energy systems, energy efficiency and and to address and communicate the sustainability in community, needs of the health sector. My career residential, engineering and business at IBM covered national and sectors. I am currently the international networks in health and Vice-President of the Committee of other private and government sectors Management at the Port Phillip and I worked in sales, marketing and EcoCentre in St Kilda, a Board systems engineering roles. member of LIVE (Locals Into Victorias Then I branched out on my own and Environment) and have volunteered I have a background in scientific became a health industry consultant, for the Malleefowl monitoring group research; attaining my PhD in providing strategic planning, project as well as the Anglesea Indigenous Biochemistry at Monash University, management and information Plant propagating group (Angair). and then working in Germany at a Max technology advice to public, private, I am a keen bird photographer and Planck International Research not for profit and government traveller and I revel in open-water Institute. On returning to Australia, I agencies. Education programs were swimming. continued research as well as also developed for information Contact me at: developing clinical biochemistry systems training, and a much sought [email protected]