NEWSLETTER OF THE NA TIONAL MALLEEFOWL RE COVERY TEAM AUTUMN 201 4 EDITION FFFIVEIVEIVE NATIONAL MALLEEFOWL RECOVERY TEAM BY SHARON GILLAM, CHAIRPERSON Environment in Canberra. Both of weekend, I was in Peter’s group as he these gentlemen bring a wealth of led us out for refresher training at the knowledge from their respective mounds. I recall that we had a nice backgrounds into the team. Lisa chat out in the scrub – a lovely Farnsworth has resigned from her memory to keep. Peter Stokie and position at the Australian Wildlife Kathryn Schneider have provided a Conservancy’s Mt Gibson Sanctuary, fitting tribute to this quietly spoken, WA, to pursue other options back in yet determined campaigner for the eastern States, and hence has left Malleefowl recovery who will not be the team. Although Lisa was only with forgotten. Our sincere thoughts go to us for a short time, she made a very Patsy, family and friends. important contribution by providing Inside are our regular articles updates on AWC monitoring and including the Mallee Post, more Malleefowl recovery activities; and recovery team profiles, updates from supporting WA volunteers and the Tim, our National Coordinator, plus a monitoring program. We wish Lisa all range of other news – don't forget to the best. Long-serving member Peter check out our new website! - enjoy Ewin also made a quiet exit, taking on the read! Extreme summer temperatures and a planning role with his Department, wildfires in the Mallee country, and is now based in Albury, NSW. IN THIS ISSUE: followed by severe rainfall events, at Many thanks to Peter for his support PAGE 2 Malleefowl Recovery least in SA, have seen the end of and involvement with recovery Coordinator; New Website; another Malleefowl breeding season. activities over the years and firmly Contacts While relatively good rainfall was putting NSW on the Malleefowl map. experienced last winter, it was Peter was also Deputy Chair and PAGE 3 5th National MF Forum; followed by a dry spring in many participated in a number of NSW project areas, apparently leading to several subcommittees. He has kindly offered th PAGE 4 Vale Peter Sandell; abandoned nesting attempts by to remain involved with the 5 Forum Coordinator’s NSW trip Malleefowl. preparations. Best wishes to Peter Read on to find out more about the from the team. PAGE 5 NCMPG & Yongernow, WA fires in SA and Victoria, and how the On a sad note, we say farewell to PAGE 6 SA habitat restoration; breeding season panned out across Peter Sandell, who passed away on SA MDB monitoring the States. Many t hanks to all the keen March 18 after a long battle with volunteers and staff for their efforts melanoma. Peter was a long-time PAGE 7 SA MDB Mallee fires this season in setting up gear, training supporter of Malleefowl conservation, PAGE 8 SE SA monitoring; folks, monitoring sites, uploading and promoting the management of this VMRG monitoring validating data into the national species through his career with Parks PAGE 9 Vic Mallee fires database; and all the other little in- Victoria, on the recovery team and between tasks that go into gathering with the VMRG. Peter diligently PAGE 10 ‘Mallee Post’ historical this valuable information. chaired the recovery team for seven Malleefowl articles To bring you up to date on recovery years before passing the baton to me. PAGE 11 More history; team membership, we welcome two I am thankful for the advice and Interesting mounds new members to the team: John encouragement Peter gave me, as we DeJose, CEO of the MPG in WA, and caught up over a number of enjoyable PAGE 12 Introducing members Gerard Hogan, replacing Andrew lunches in my early months as chair. National Malleefowl Recovery Team Chalklen from the Department of the At the October 2013 VMRG training Milton Lewis WA, Sharon Gillam SA

2222 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 OUR NEW WEBSITE: NATIONAL MALLEEFOWL RECOVERY www.nationalmalleefowl.com.au

The National Malleefowl Recovery Team PROGRAM COORDINATOR is excited to announce the birth of our BY TIM BURNARD own website. It’s a great place to read the latest Malleefowl news from across Australia as well as back copies of ‘Around the Mounds’. Many people will also be interested in the ‘Library’ which is gathering a range of papers and documents including many of the important research papers that have been generated over the years. INNES NP MONITORS- You can also access other interesting TIM, PARTNER DONNA websites via the ‘Important Websites’ & MICHAEL GILLAM IN BACKGROUND page. These include some fascinating footage of Malleefowl on sites like the ‘Lachlan CMA YouTube presentation’ and ‘Malleefowl Conservation Farm’. The site is also an ideal place to tell any of your own Malleefowl stories...like the story sent in by Roger Pitman from Badja Station WA detailing the successful hatching of chicks from a mound that had just been rebuilt after being mostly washed away in a heavy rain event. If you In the past six months (since the last that the outcomes of their monitoring have any newsy items or papers that you edition of this newsletter) I’ve had the efforts can be seen on the national think should be added to the website great pleasure of meeting many more monitoring database. You can get to please forward them to me at volunteers involved in the important the database via our new website [email protected] task of Malleefowl monitoring. Being www.nationalmalleefowl.com.au If you relatively new to the world of still don’t have a password to the Malleefowl I have taken the database, contact your State opportunity to get involved with Coordinator to get access - Joy monitoring training with the MPG at McGilvray (WA), Sharon Gillam (SA) or Babakin (WA), VMRG at Wyperfeld Peter Stokie (Vic). My favourite section (Vic) and at Innes, Karte and Gum is ‘Sites and Mounds’ which shows the Lagoon sites in SA. It’s been the best monitoring sites across Australia and Malleefowl introduction a National gives fantastic historical information Coordinator could ask for. (including photos) of mound With the breeding (and monitoring) monitoring over the years. There are CONTACT US season winding up and validation of all other sections that detail the data National Malleefowl Recovery Team monitoring nearing completion we will gathered by monitors but I like this one Chairperson soon be able to get a bigger picture of because it gives an excellent overview Sharon Gillam how the season has turned out for of each site and mound. I encourage all [email protected] Malleefowl. On the face of it, it’s not of our volunteers to take a look and 08 8463 6927 great. The Bureau of Meteorology see where all the data goes. reports that 2013 was Australia’s Malleefowl monitoring is probably the Editor warmest year since records began in most important activity we collectively Gil Hopkins 1910. Maps produced by the Bureau undertake each year. Not only does it [email protected] show that temperatures were well let us know how the species is going 03 5383 8207 above average for the entire but it forms the basis of all future

Malleefowl range and perhaps more research. The monitoring is all fed into Submissions for Edition Six of importantly, rainfall was below average the database and is quite possibly the Around the Mounds close on for much of the range. The rising best dataset of any bird in Australia. Friday 1919////9999/1/1/1/14444. temperature may not impact Importantly, the data doesn’t just sit For editing, articles are best sent by Malleefowl in more temperate regions there looking good; the Adaptive email as attached documents with but it could be serious for birds that Management Team is using this photos also as attachments. live in the more interior of the range information as the foundation of where temperatures are already high. knowing just what are the critical This Newsletter is available in colour at Along with increased temperatures we threats to our bird. This is thought to www.nationalmalleefowl.com.au can expect an increase in fire activity. be a first in threatened species or from the National database at This season saw significant fires in research in Australia and something all http://database.malleefowlvictoria.or some traditional Malleefowl sites like involved can be proud of....especially g.au/Start.aspx (copy/paste this link), Bronzewing (Vic) and Billiat/Ngarkat our magnificent team of volunteer

(SA) that will severely impact on monitors from across Australia. Other important websites for news, Malleefowl. Anyone wanting to contact Tim information and photos include Now that monitoring is done for the Burnard can use email www.malleefowlvictoria.org.au season, I’d like to remind all volunteers [email protected] www.malleefowl.com.au or phone 03 5581 2205 www.malleefowl.net.au

3 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 333

FI FTH NATIONAL MALLEEFOWL FORUM DUBBO, 12 – 15 SEPTEMBER 2014 Organisation of the Fifth National Malleefowl Forum is well underway. The date has been set, the venue booked and a call for abstracts has gone out. Several highly regarded speakers have been secured including our own favourite Malleefowl researcher Joe Benshemesh, Australia Museum ornithologist Walter Boles (author of two fascinating papers that delve into the prehistoric Malleefowl improve management for Malleefowl. day attendance this represents past), and Ian Fraser (author of the Past Forums have been held in excellent value for all participants. recently published book Bird Names Adelaide (1995), Mildura (2004), The Forum will cover subjects which received a 2013 Whitley Award Katanning WA (2007) and Renmark including latest technology, Commendation for Zoological (2011). This time it is NSWs’ turn and the interaction with industry (including Resource). More speakers are still in forum will be held at the award-winning mining companies), managing negotiation. convention centre at Western Plains populations and updates on the Across Australia there are many Zoo, Dubbo. Monitoring Database and the people and organisations undertaking Registration is not yet open but if you Adaptive Management Project. a wide variety of activities to save would like to ensure that you are on the Following the formal two days of the Malleefowl. These activities are mailing list to be included in all Forum (Sat & Sun) we will have a undertaken by volunteers, notifications regarding the Forum, selection of field trips available for professionals and academics but please email participants to take part in. there is little opportunity for us all to [email protected] or phone The National Forum is only held share knowledge and thus learn of 03 5581 2205. Registration fees have once every three years and it’s our improved ways of doing things. The been substantially subsidised through big chance for everyone interested in Forum will benefit Malleefowl across an Iluka Malleefowl Management Fund Malleefowl to come together; so make Australia by providing an opportunity Grant. At just $65 for volunteers ($130 sure you put the date aside! to share experiences and collectively for organisation staff) covering the two

WHAT HAS MILTON BEEN UP TO IN NSW? BY TIM BURNARD

An important part of my Malleefowl trip fencing work is the lengths Milton has work has been undertaken. Malleefowl to NSW was to catch up with Milton Lewis gone to record what the impacts of the mound monitoring will be used as the at Mount Hope (Central NSW) to see work will be. Inside the fenced areas there gauge of success. My hope (and firsthand the work going on to help save are numerous additional fenced areas expectation) is that over time, all of this Malleefowl. And I have to say, it’s pretty (50m by 10m) that will be used to measure work can be included in the National AM inspiring. other impacts. These smaller sections are project and thus assist our understanding Just for starters there’s some very fenced to exclude rabbits and Milton has of Malleefowl threats across Australia. impressive fencing work to keep goats out set some vegetation baselines, to measure Milton has been employed by the Lachlan of some good-looking Mallee country. how all this work will influence vegetation CMA on this work for the past 7 years. Just Three privately owned properties are in growth. As we know, good vegetation is recently CMAs were dismantled in NSW the process of removing all goats using critical to Malleefowl in supplying the and replaced by Local Land Service some lovely fencing (I love a well materials needed for mounds to compost Boards. Milton has been working in what is constructed straight fence that disappears and provide heat for eggs to hatch. Milton now the Western LLS region. With the into the horizon). The fence has one-way has gone to the extent of measuring change of management from CMA to LLS gates dotted along the perimeter that individual plant responses to protection there has been a change to management allow goats to move out of the enclosure even counting the number of seeds boundaries and Milton is now employed in but not back in. One property has produced on some grass plants. On top of a LLS some distance from his study area. 50,000ha fenced and all goats removed this, there are strong fox control programs Our immediate challenge is to ensure the (well, all but one billy with horns too large in place and soon there will be some fire work continues and the outcomes build on to get through the one-way gates), the trials working with local Aboriginal people the Malleefowl literature.* next property of 40,000ha is in the to produce cool mosaic burns that It was extremely rewarding to meet process of removing all goats and the third replicate traditional fire regimes for the Lynda Waters, the new Land Services property is soon to start the fencing work. region, aimed at increasing acacia and Officer from Cobar and the Erlina In all, about 115,000ha! This is a remarkable grass growth critical to Malleefowl. Compton, Manager of Strategic Land achievement in itself but Milton has also All of this work is supported by local Services from the Western LLS. Both are managed to obtain PVP orders on all three landholders who, with the Invasive Species Malleefowl lovers and very enthusiastic properties that place permanent CRC are running an extensive fox control about keeping the work continuing with protection on the properties by placing a program. Milton has taken a lead in guidance from Milton. Milton is adamant caveat on the property title. Clearly, the development of a land-owner group who that the work will continue! land owners involved have made a huge really care about Malleefowl. *Did you know that we have started commitment to Malleefowl protection and In order to measure all the work within building a library on the new National must be commended for their efforts. the fenced areas, there are well website that will one day hold all of the Perhaps just as impressive as this major established control sites nearby where no Malleefowl literature?

4444 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 VALE! PETER SANDELL - MALLEEFOWL CONSERVATIONIST BY KATHRYN SCHNEIDER (PARKSVIC) AND PETER STOKIE (VRMG)

West Victoria, especially following the Peter was a widely respected acquisition of the Murray Sunset authority on the Mallee landscape National Park which significantly because his views and ideas were expanded the habitat of Malleefowl. always supported by the diligent Peter continued to carry out significant application of science. He was research into the effectiveness of the extremely influential in the restoration management program for this park, and of the Mallee parks through improved as a result of the VMRG monitoring of management practices and he multiple sites that were established in significantly progressed our the park, it was evident that Malleefowl understanding of landscape-scale fire breeding numbers increased management in the north-west. He significantly over time since the early was a strategic thinker and an 1990’s. Peter carried out detailed innovator when it came to It is with great sadness that we research on the impact of foxes upon environmental management. This acknowledge the sudden passing of Malleefowl, especially after the release coupled with his passion for the Peter Sandell on March 18, 2014. of Calici virus, and published a number natural environment and his focus on Peter was an outstanding of scientific papers in conjunction with a scientific basis for management conservationist at multiple levels Dr Joe Benshemesh based on his meant he was a true leader in during his distinguished career and a research. environmental management in dedicated champion of Malleefowl Peter was a great supporter and Victoria. His work resulted in research and recovery initiatives and advocate for the Victorian Malleefowl substantial accolades including the programs. Recovery Group in his PV role. He was prestigious Australian Fire Service Peter was well-known through his the Ranger contact person for the Medal in the 2010 Queens Birthday role as Chairman of the National group, contributed great advice to the honours and ParksVictoria’s Malleefowl Recovery Team and his group’s safety policies, and provided Outstanding Achievement Award in involvement with the Victorian great support to the volunteer monitors 2008 for his environmental works in Malleefowl Recovery Group. He joined when they were in the field. Peter the Mallee. the VMRG Committee four years ago nominated VMRG for a prestigious PV It has been a significant blow to lose and held the position of Vice Kookaburra Award in 2007. such a colleague, but his memory and President for two years. It was a pleasure to have Peter as a wisdom will live on, not least through Peter worked with Parks Victoria and volunteer member of the VMRG during a number of environmental programs the former Department of his working career, and since his he was instrumental in establishi ng. He Sustainability and Environment for 24 retirement he and Patsy have continued will be greatly missed. years. During this time Peter was to monitor the Bambill site in the Murray Our thoughts are with his wife Patsy, instrumental in the management of Sunset NP, as they have done for many his family and his many friends and the expanded Mallee parks of North years. colleagues.

MY LATEST MALLEEFOWL TRIP...NSW BY TIM BURNARD

I have just returned from another field would say they are just involved to While in Dubbo I also caught up with Tim trip. This one had several objectives; meet protect their sheep investments but it was Hosking, President of the local Field the NSW Malleefowl family, help link all clear that this group is dedicated to the Naturalist group which is exploring the monitoring to the National Database, preservation of Malleefowl. They will soon possibilities of getting involved with explore opportunities for the upcoming AM be erecting interpretive signage all about Malleefowl monitoring and contributing to project experiments and finally to look at Malleefowl and there’s interest in the National database. This would be a facilities for this years National Forum. constructing a large Malleefowl to help great outcome. With a membership of As always, the Malleefowl family have attract others into the cause. I talk more about 100 and an active onground group proved to be an inspiration. It doesn’t about the Mount Hope work in an article of maybe 20 people, we are hopeful that matter where I go in Malleefowl territory, about Milton on page 3. the Dubbo Field Nats may become an there seems to be a strong fellowship of In Dubbo I was ably guided by Mel important member of our national people dedicated to saving Malleefowl. Bannerman. We started with a quick trip Malleefowl family. I also met with In Central NSW I caught up with Recovery to Goonoo State Conservation Area to management at the Western LLS to see if Team member Milton Lewis and visit a mound in Ironbark forest...with we can get all of the past NSW monitoring Threatened Species Officer Marc Irvin as Glossy Black-Cockatoos calling in the onto the database and thus fill a large well as a group of landholders involved i n a background. Then it was down to information gap for this important large scale fox control program. At a business visiting what seemed like a Malleefowl region. 7.30am breakfast meeting run by the hundred potential venues for the Finally, on the way back south I dropped Invasive Species CRC, a group of about 15 upcoming National Forum. In the end in to Griffith to meet Parks staff (Laura and landholders turned up to pick up fox baits there was little doubt that the Western Robin) and discuss how monitoring plus and discuss their on- ground works. Plains Zoo was the ideal venue for both volunteers can equal additional information Landholders in this region manage vast the Forum and Dinner. The surrounds are to our database. All in all, I’m very happy areas compared to what I’m used to down great with a range of local and exotic with the trip. I met some great people south, often around 100,000ha. So 15 species (including monkeys) frolicking on dedicated to helping our Malleefowl who landholders represent a large tract of land islands in the lake just outside the venue are mor e than willing to gather information being controlled for Malleefowl. Some doors. and add this to the database.

5 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 555 NCMPG NEWS, WA BY GORDON MCNEILL Grant received The North Central Malleefowl Preservation Group (NCMPG) has received a grant of $19,400 from the Gundawa Association which is a new regional conservation association in Western Australia engaging with community organisations to stimulate practical biodiversity and conservation work. The association intends to THE PHOTOS ARE THE SAME MOUND AT 7AM AND develop strategic research and 8.30AM ON THE SAME DAY. landscape conservation within an area which includes parts of the Dalwallinu, Mound Monitoring Results 20132013----14141414 Perenjori, Morawa, Mullewa, Yalgoo, The group has also been able to pay NCMPG monitors four sites in the Koorda & Mount Marshall Shires. It is Joe for his time in processing data for Dalwallinu & Perenjori Shires comprising funded through the lease agreements the NCMPG from before 2006 and up 143 mounds and works in with Jessica and interests of Extension Hill and Mt to 2010. This work has involved Sackmann of Mt Gib son Iron at their iron Gibson Mining. The NCMPG has examining, confirming, registering and ore lease in the south of the Yalgoo operated as a local voluntary validating mounds from the group’s Shire where over a hundred mounds are organisation for 21 years working in the records. In 2014 NCMPG will use the also monitored. community to locate, monitor and grant to purchase hand held mapping At the four NCMPG sites this season protect Malleefowl activity in the devices to support its monitoring there were nine active mounds which is Dalwallinu, Perenjori & lower part of the program and to conduct a volunteers the average number of active mounds Yalgoo Shires. training weekend in best practice per year over the last six years. During The grant application was developed monitoring in August. The NCMPG this time we have seen a high of 13 following the visit of Tim Burnard in would like to express its gratitude to active mounds one year to a low of 3 September and makes a contribution to the Gundawa Association for the active mounds another year. the costs of his role as national co- provision of this grant which has However the activity is not evenly ordinator. Some of the money has also enabled it to renew its activity in the spread over the four sites with one been used for the benefit of the national region. having no active mounds for the last database in a naming and extraction If you are interested in becoming a two seasons even though there is project completed by Cybertracker in member of the NCMPG and/or significant evidence of Malleefowl being the US and supervised by Joe volunteering to be trained to present. Another site has had just one Benshemesh. Joe reports that the newly undertake monitoring work (requires active mound each of the last two years. developed facility “saves an enormous walking through dense bushland), The other two sites had five & three amount of time for volunteers please contact Gordon McNeill on active mounds respectively this season. processing photos, reduces 0427611645 or [email protected] At Mt Gibson there were eight active transcription errors and enables the for more information. mounds. time the photo was taken to be written in the file name.”

YONGERGNOW CENTRE CH ICKS HATCHING AGA IN!! BY JANE CAMPBELL, WA

The Yongergnow Malleefowl Centre in Three eggs have successfully hatched, Ongerup is proud to announce our new one was not viable and two more show arrivals for 2014 with three healthy promising signs. The sex of the chicks will Malleefowl chicks hatched in January. be unknown until DNA testing is carried The centre is already home to one pair of out at 6 weeks. The first two chicks were Malleefowl and one lonely female whose named Benedict and Maggie after the companion sadly passed away last year. We latest two babies to be born in the district hope one of the new chicks will be a male and the third has been named Crackle as mate for JC. he came from Corackerup. Just before Christmas the centre received a The remaining Malleefowl will be banded licence from Department of Parks and and released back into the area they came Wildlife to collect 6 eggs to incubate. from with the aim of increasing the Volunteers Jane Campbell and Sandy Vaux numbers of this vulnerable species. The collected the eggs on December 27 from population of Malleefowl in the bush Foster Road north of Ongerup, and continues to be threatened by loss of Corackerup Nature R eserve to the south east habitat and the effects of introduced NUMBER TWO CHICK MAGGIE IN HER NEW HOME of the town. predators.

6666 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 HABITAT RESTORATION IN THE SA MURRAY -DARLING BASIN UPDATE NORTHERN MURRAY MALLEE, SA BY DAVE SETCHELL The 2013/2014 breeding season marked BY CRAIG GILLESPIE, SA MDB DEWNR the tenth year of an ongoing project to Halfway between Swan Reach and project delivered by the Murray Mallee implement best practice monitoring of Loxton in the South Australian Murray LAP with funding from the DEWNR-managed Malleefowl grids in the Mallee is a very special place for Commonwealth Government and the SA Murray-Darling Basin. Malleefowl. Surrounding and adjoining Native Vegetation Council and A total of 13 grids were monitored this the Bakara Conservation Park is an scientific guidance from NR SAMDB. season (411 mounds), with a further 7 grids extensive mosaic of remnant Mallee Over this time the project has initiated (86 mounds) monitored by BirdLife vegetation, much of which has long restoration on over 840 hectares of Australia volunteers at Gluepot Station, been committed to Native Vegetation deep sand environments so far. The with support provided by DEWNR. Heritage Agreements. This land is well Mantung-Maggea group has also been A total of 31 active mounds were managed by its private owners who heavily involved contributing to site recorded, which was well down on the 54 comprise the Mantung-Maggea Land preparation, revegetation, pest animal active mounds recorded last season. Only Management Group. The group is management and the commitment of 5 active mounds were recorded north of committed to sustainable farming and key restoration sites on their own the Murray River, but this was consistent good custodianship of natural land. with last season’s tally. A total of 659 ecosystems and manage their land A focus for the restoration project hours of volunteer time was contributed to with a landscape-scale approach. has been a crown land parcel locally the monitoring effort and DEWNR thank Assisted by Heritage Agreement known as ‘Hamilton’s Scrub’, which is all individuals and groups involved. grants, many landholders bait foxes in soon expected to be proclaimed as The Murraylands Malleefowl monitoring autumn as well as spring realising the the ‘Mantung Conservation Park’ and volunteer network also received a dual benefit of increased lambing has been the site of much of the on- welcome injection of new blood this rates and protection of their resident ground works including innovative season, with Peter Graff, Michael Dolan Malleefowl. approaches to revegetation, dune and Sporting Shooters SA involved for the The presence and activity of these reconstruction and an experimental first time. Malleefowl in fact seems to be as field trial designed to determine Early winter rains gave us some optimism much a bragging right within the successful restoration pathways, using for a productive breeding season but the group as any aspect of farm optimal combinations of fire, remainder of the critical May to Sep tember productivity. The landholders know herbivore control and other period was extremely dry with above exactly how many n est mounds are on management interventions. average temperatures. The warm and dry their property, which ones are active All stakeholders, not least the local conditions were more pronounced in the and where the birds are breeding each private landholders, recognise the northern areas, while the southern areas year. Many of these mounds are also pending Mantung CP as a key experienced better conditions and this monitored using digital surveillance component of the recovering was reflected in the breeding activity. It cameras. landscape being surrounded by was also a bumper season for ambiguous The local landscape also benefits Malleefowl populations and mounds, with a lot of evidence of mounds from extensive and sustained rabbit contributing greatly to habitat extent being worked early in the season then control by the Land Management and connectivity. later abandoned without being used to Group in concert with the Murray The Woorinen Recovery Project incubate eggs. Mallee Local Action Planning enjoys plenty of on-ground support. We are always looking for volunteers to Association and Natural Resources There is much work still to be done in help with monitoring, particularly with SAMDB. This integrated cross-tenure the landscape and the field trial, now some of the more remote grids in the land management makes for an two years underway is beginning to Murray Mallee area. If you would like to important asset for biodiversity reveal valuable insight. Funding for become involved with the Murraylands conservation. future works is as yet unconfirmed but monitoring program, please contact: The findings of a Landscape the proclamation of a new Park will Dave Setchell, Monitoring Program Assessment Framework underscore acknowledge the great work of the Coordinator, Mallee Eco Services this importance having identified the community and reinforce their efforts Phone: 0428 873 090 deep sand environments common in into the future. Email: [email protected] this area as the landscape scale priority for habitat restoration. This was indicated by the declining RESTORATION TRIAL trajectory of another group of birds IN FOREGROUND, CONTROL BEHIND that rely on the patchily dense shrubby understoreys of the Eucalyptus incrassata and E. leptophylla Mallee habitats that form on these sandy soils. This bird response group includes the Southern Scrub-robin, Shy Heathwren, Purple- gaped Honeyeater and Inland Thornbill and has its local stronghold in the area. Since 2006 this priority has been addressed via the Woorinen Recovery Project, a landscape restoration

7 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 777 MALLEE FIRES IN MURRAY-DARLING BASIN, SA BY CHRIS HEDGER, SA MDB DEWNR

Large landscape scale fires proved to be a theme for much of the semi arid regions of South Australia and Victoria during the 2013-2014 fire season. In the South-Australian Murray-Darling Basin, three concurrent fires in the Riverland Biosphere, Billiatt Wilderness Protection Area and Ngarkat Conservation Park pushed fire authorities to the limit, and collectively burnt over 222,000 hectares of Mallee or heath habitat(see map). Despite truly honourable efforts by many to halt these fires and reduce loss of priority ecological values, significant environmental losses were felt across the region. The last known populations of Mallee-Emu wren in South Australia were unfortunately burnt, whilst core habitat for the Mallee sub-species of Western Whipbird was also lost. Such unfortunate circumstances have left the persistence of these species questionable within the region. For Malleefowl, the extensive loss of habitat in Billiatt and the Riverland Biosphere will no doubt affect local populations. Fortunately for Billiatt and surrounds, grid surveys indicate unburnt islands and neighbouring habitats around this burn contain diverse habitat. In places like Billiatt ONE FIRE IN NGARKAT CP IS KNOWN AS THE RED BLUFF FFR FIRE IN VICTORIA! some of the most productive and where drought conditions followed the SEE MAP ON PAGE 9 healthiest populations in the State, last major fire in 1988, we may see the thus implying that recovery of the return of habitat healthier than what we species should occur naturally once saw before the fire. the mallee has regrown. For the Riverland Biosphere however, where grid surveys indicate much poorer levels of productivity, increased recovery efforts may be needed to support local recovery of Malleefowl. Despite all these losses, it is important to remember that fire is a natural component of these landscapes, and is needed occasionally to maintain a healthy system. Adding further to this silver lining were the promising above average rainfalls experienced across the fire scars in late summer and early autumn, which will hopefully help facilitate the return of a healthy and

8888 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 SOUTH EAST OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2013 MONITORING SEASON BY VICKI NATT codes’ on the second day. Mount setting up, testing and presenting Scott took a day with 7 volunteers them beautifully set up in a plastic and the Coorong grid took 2 case, with shock proof packing and all volunteers a day to complete. the accessories set out in separate The Haywood family joined in the compartments. The younger team monitoring for the first time at Mount members from the Coorong had little Boothby camping out, participating in trouble mastering the phones. the mound monitoring and exploring a I am grateful to the Coorong Tatiara number of butterfly species active at Local Action Plan who approved the Monitoring of the five grids of the the time. Everyone enjoyed showing grant for Malleefowl monitoring as a South East Region of South Australia the kids the natural treasures as we biodiversity project, covering four for season 2013 included Mount moved from mound to mound. grids for the next five years, allowing Boothby to the north, two grids in Then came learning how to use the me to continue as Project Officer. Gum Lagoon Conservation Park, new technology. Apart from the Finally, thanks to everyone who (Coola Coola and Naen Naen), one in reliable old back up ‘hard copy’ data, helped make this year’s monitoring a Mount Scott Conservation Park and this year the teams had to learn how success. A special thanks to Janet the Coorong grid located in the Mallee to use Cybertracker on a Copping who assisted with all the of the Southern Coorong. The weather MobileMapper and 4 mobile phones. monitoring and to Graeme Tonkin for was kind and the bush was in good Graeme Tonkin spent many hours his time and patience! condition showing good spring growth. In total, 120 mounds were monitored with 20 mounds found to be active, 2 less than last year, but a reasonably productive season. Fourteen different volunteers and fourteen different DEWNR staff participated in the monitoring on one or more days this season. Eight volunteers and nine staff took part at Mount Boothby over two days. The Gum Lagoon grids took two days with 3 volunteers and 11 staff. Rain hampered progress on the first day and led to some interesting ‘dress VICTORIAN MONITORING REPORT – 2013/14 SEASON BY PETER STOKIE, VMRG

During the 2013/14 Malleefowl
The total time spent monitoring in Peter Stokie (VMRG) as group leaders. breeding season, trained volunteer the field by all monitors was 988 We spent about 5 days undertaking monitors from the Victorian hours this year these searches and it is our plan to Malleefowl Recovery Group have
The total travel time, including complete this site during 2014/15. In visited 40 sites and more than 1,200 return trips from home and driving total there may have been 12 people mounds and collected data from around sites was 454 hours involved in these searches, many of these sites and mounds according to One of the time-consuming tasks them on multiple days. the National Malleefowl Monitoring that the VMRG aim to undertake each Oldfields was led by CVA using procedures. year is site re-searching (re- volunteers from overseas and Victoria, A few statistics help us understand surveying). There were no new sites (about 15 in total) over two days and the incredible achievements of the established this year as the VMRG up to 8 new mounds were found. Victorian members of the large priority was to carry out expansions in There is still about one third of this national Malleefowl community sites that had not been fully surveyed site to be searched
There were 76 individual monitors from previous years. Broken Bucket is a big site (approx. involved this year coming from all We have worked in three sites this 600 hectares) and is now fully parts of Victoria, many being year, namely Tooan State Park near searched. The search was led by CVA community members close to the Natimuk in the Wimmera, Oldfields (a over 4 or 5 days using overseas and monitoring sites, but more than half Trust for Nature property) near Nhill Victorian volunteers, and maybe 10 or come from city centres of and Broken Bucket Bush Reserve on 12 extra mounds were added to the Melbourne, Geelong and other the south western edge of the Big site. country towns. Desert. The Oldfields and Broken Bucket
Some people monitor in more than We have now systematically searches were funded by a grant from one site, so 76 volunteers is the searched about 200 hectares of the Malleefowl Offset funds from Iluka actual person count – one VMRG Tooan using volunteers from the Resources. Part of these funds was volunteer monitored at six sites, Horsham unemployed group and used to provide training for CVA several monitored at three sites, and interested locals from around leaders which the VMRG conducted at quite a few more monitored at two Natimuk. We had the support of Jody the Little Desert Nature Lodge in May sites. When all monitors are c ounted Taberner (CVA and Wimmera CMA), and June in 2013. CVA leaders then at all sites, the tally is 126 volunteers. Jess Gardner (Greening Australia) and led groups at the sites.

9 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 999

MALLEEFOWL AND 2014 VICTORIAN MALLEE BUSHFIRES BY KATHRYN SCHNEIDER, PARKSVICTORIA/DEPI The fire at Bronzewing on the than 30 years post-fire) in that area of Wednesday afternoon was immediately Wyperfeld was impacted by high intensity treated as a priority considering the fire. There were also significant impacts to upcoming weather conditions and the the translocated Black-eared Miner fact that it is a medium-sized reserve populations and other threatened Mallee surrounded by farmland. The risk of bird species within the Reserve. bushfire impacting private property was The report identified the Bronzewing a prime consideration as were the Threatened Bird Community as a key asset ecological values within the Reserve. Six at risk and included a number of aircraft were immediately dispatched to recommendations that were developed in the Bronzewing bushfire to water-bomb consultation with representatives from the head of the fire. However, sunset and VMRG (including the late Peter Sandell, extreme fire behaviour meant aerial Keith Willis, Neil Macfarlane, and Myf attack could not halt the spread. Macfarlane). Ground and aerial attack continued Current recovery activity in Bronzewing throughout Wednesday and Thursday Flora and Fauna Reserve is focused on re- ahead of a forecast weather change establishing private property fence lines coming through on Friday that would and rehabilitation of mineral earth control bring a strong and gusty wind change lines constructed during fire suppression. with it. Ultimately weather conditions The ecological impacts of the Bronzewing

before and during the weather change fire are significant and long term outcomes January 2014 was a period of extreme resulted in 95% of Bronzewing Flora and unknown. However, DEPI and Parks Victoria bushfires in the Victorian Mallee. Fauna Reserve being burnt, mostly at crews have reported seeing some Lightning ignited 18 bushfires in the high intensity. Malleefowl tracks near Bonzewing so we’re Mallee Parks on the evening of Tuesday The final all-clear message for all the hopeful that surviving birds have fled to the January 14, with another two bushfires bushfires was issued on February 12. State Forest or Wyperfeld. Local residents ignited by more lightning on Wednesday. During the almost month-long campaign, have reported seeing at least one These conditions resulted in six more than 700 people worked on the Malleefowl at Bronzewing since the fires. significant bushfires in the Mallee Parks: Mallee fires using a variety of fire fighting
Murray-Sunset National Park, Rocket vehicles plus aircraft, bulldozers and Lake 1,214 ha graders. Fire fighters and support staff
Murray-Sunset National Park, Danyo came from across the State to assist local Reference Area 4,668ha agencies.
Bronzewing Flora and Fauna Reserve As the bushfires were brought under (FFR) 14,102 hectares control in late January, the management
Big Desert Wilderness Park/Red Bluff focus turned towards recovery of the FFR 29,896 ha communities, infrastructure and the
Paradise FFR 4,430 ha environmental assets affected by the
Wyperfeld NP, Lake Albacutya fires. To assist with this, a multi-agency Wirrengren Plains 56,543 ha Bushfire Rapid Risk Assessment team There have been larger fires in the (BRRAT) visited the Mallee. Mallee before but these fires were the The BRRAT is a multi-disciplinary team most complex and difficult for fire that rapidly (in 7 days) identifies, agencies to manage due to number of assesses, prioritises and evaluates risks ignitions and the fact some were in on public land to minimise further threat remote locations and difficult to get to, to life, property, critical infrastructure and while others were close to communities. the environment following a bushfire. It Each had its own challenges and threats produces a report that identifies priority with DEPI, CFA and PV fire fighters risks, provides practical treatment working around the clock to contain solutions and estimated costs of risk them. mitigation. Aircraft and ground crews were In the case of the Mallee bushfires the immediately dispatched to bushfires on BRRAT focused their attention on the Tuesday evening. High fire intensity significant fire impacts in a number of caused dramatic fire-driven weather, with ecologically important areas including: fire running in directions other than the Lake Albacutya and Pine Plains in prevailing wind. Fire behaviour was Wyperfeld National Park as well as the extreme with flame heights of 7-10 Bronzewing and Red Bluff Flora and metres and rates of spread in excess of Fauna Reserves. one kilometre an hour. Fires were In relation to Bronzewing, the BRRAT VICTORIAN MALLEE FIRES 2014 spotting 200 metres ahead. For safety team noted it as one of the highest reasons, aircraft were grounded at dusk density populations of Malleefowl in when visibility diminished, however Australia and that the Malleefowl overnight ground crews were tasked with monitoring grid within Bronzewing was building containment lines from the fires’ entirely burnt. They were able to points of origin around the fire ascertain that 40% of the most suitable perimeters. Malleefowl habitat (ie Triodia Mallee older

10101010 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 THE MALLEE POS T ATM HISTORICAL ARTICLES BY GRAEME TONKIN

Thomas Paine Bellchambers, 1858-1929

"There is the evil that comes from the destruction of valuable links in nature’s chain, on which man's very existence largely hangs.” Thomas Paine Bellchambers, 1858-1929

Tom Bellchambers was well known as a naturalist and conservationist and was most notable for his study of and life-long passion for Malleefowl. In 1914 he became the first person to breed Malleefowl in captivity. Tom was born in England in 1858 and immigrated to Australia in 1874. He had an intense interest in the environment, nurtured by his mother, and in 1905, at the age of 47, he bought some land in the Mount Lofty Ranges and started the Humbug Scrub Wildlife Sanctuary. Tom and his wife Eliza lived on the Sanctuary with their 10 children. Tom died and was buried in the Sanctuary in 1929. Tom wrote many articles for local papers on the topic of conservation and the native flora and fauna. He also wrote two books, ‘ Nature: Our Mother’ and ‘A Nature-Lovers Notebook’, both of which are available in PDF format from the National Library of Australia at the following addresses: ‘Nature: Our Mother’ http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn2451768 ‘A Nature-Lovers Notebook’ http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn4772760 The following extract is from ‘A Nature-Lovers Notebook’ , published in 1931: In the story of Hoohow & Hoola I am making a special plea for the preservation of the wildlife of the Australian bushlands, which generally speaking, is so little valued, and all too swiftly passing. The story is founded on facts gathered over a great number of years, and after the study of many birds, with the idea of presenting a life history of one of the most wonderful forms of the feathered tribe-one of the small group of mound-building birds known as the malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata). This bird is remarkably intelligent--a born philosopher, an engineer in its knowledge of construction, and a chemist in its adaption of the laws that govern fermentation. As a physicist, too, one would almost imagine that the bird understands the principles of heat, radiation, capillarity, evaporation and meteorology, for it appears to be able to regulate the temperature and gauge the thermal conditions of its gigantic mound, which acts the part of an incubator. Malleefowl bred at the Humbug Scrub Sanctuary were supplied to aviculturists across the country, including the Le Souef brothers in Melbourne and Sydney. (The Le Souef brothers, William Henry (1856-1923), Ernest Albert (1869-1937) and Albert Sherbourne (1877-1951) were directors of the Melbourne, Sydney and Perth Zoos around that time and were also trained scientists). In 1924, a pair of Malleefowl bred at the Humbug Scrub Sanctuary were presented to His Majesty King George V. "Nature always provides a surplus for legitimate use, far in excess of needs, to ensure continuance of species...unrestrained, man uses up the capital instead of the surplus and this must, by natural law, end in disaster." In his ideas and beliefs Tom Bellchambers was truly ahead of his time. Thomas Paine Bellchambers was a remarkable man with a remarkable vision. The Humbug Scrub Wildlife Sanctuary has been kept going by the Bellchambers family, with the assistance of Volunteers. Information from the Humbug Scrub Sanctuary web site at http://www.humbugscrubsanctuary.org.au

11 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 111111 ATM HISTORICAL ARTIC LES (CONTINUED) chief reason for entering the literary mer rains and low temperatures. My The following article was printed world has been that I might possibly greatest success has been during drought in The Register, help in some way to a better under- times. I have had as many as 12 chicks Tuesday 17 th February 1914 standing of man's relation to the 'all from the pair. Many of their descen- MALLEE FOWL IN CAPTIVITY. mother Dame Nature.' “ And whoever dants have gone to various zoos, private Mr. J.P. Bellchambers, "Nature Lover reads will assuredly have his under- sanctuaries, parks, etc." Mr. Bell- and Zoological Collector, Humbug Scrub" standing in that respect deepened. There chambers says that the hatching tem- writes:— "It should prove of interest to are accounts of ramblings here and perature required to produce good re- bird lovers to learn that the mallee fowl, there, and stories of kangaroos, snakes, sults is from 86 deg. to 96 deg. and that although so shy and retiring of disposition, birds, and many other bush denizens, the earlier eggs laid in August, never has at last been induced t0 carry to a suc- with many illustrations. A long article hatch. "The highest number of eggs cessful issue the art of mound-building and on the life and habits of the mallee fowl laid" he states has been 29. The birds hatching, while in a state of captivity. I has illustrations showing the birds mak- are strictly monogamic. He says he have several pairs of these birds all reared ing their nesting-mound, the female lay- could stock and keep stocked a large in captivity from eggs of wild parents. I ing, the male placing the egg and cover area, providing a surplus of birds— "but have for some years endeavoured by ing it, the eggs uncovered to show their our governments have not realised the thought-suggestion to get the birds to take positions in the egg chamber, a twelve- importance of such a work." Mr. Bell- up family duties. At two years old they day chick and an egg, and a last one chambers does not make his point quite would hardly entertain the thought; at showing the male replacing material clear: but if he means to advocate that three years they made a start, but in a heated by the sun. Finally there is a Government should finance and assist very half-hearted way that proved abor- diagram of a section of a mound, show- someone to run a mallee-fowl farm, then tive. At four years old they accepted ing construction. I am afraid Government never will rea- the suggestion; so I gave them all the lise the importance of such a course. material required, which they skilfully In South Australia. Which I hasten to say, is as much a manipulated, and eventually formed into Giving as his address, "Wild Life matter for regret to me as it is to him. the orthodox natural incubator-a large Sanctuary. Humbug' Scrub, South Aus- That Mr. Bellchambers knows some- loose mound inclosing a hot bed composed tralia," Mr. Bellchambers writes: — thing about mallee fowls is particularly of decaying vegetable matter. They "With us this bird (the mallee hen) in- borne out by his statement tha t he has were seriously handicapped up till Christ- habits the dry mallee lands, with rain- bred these birds for the purpose of mas by excessive moisture, which destroyed fall from 7 to 10 inches. The dingo supply the requirements of other States, many eggs; but during the last two weeks and the aboriginal were its natural "some of which were, I re- living chicks are issuing from the mound. checks in primitive times. It is — or was member," he remarks "to the This is, I believe, the first instance on re- — one of the most fecund life forms orders of the Le Souef brothers, Mel- cord of these birds breeding in captivity. of our bushlands, not, as some scien- bourne and Sydney." The following The birds are confined in an aviary about tists have stated in the past, a member note should appeal to readers interested 35 feet long by 10 to 15 feet wide." of a dying type. Undoubtedly, though in the gnowa: — ''In the life history of this wonderful bird is doomed unless these birds one thing awaits solution: The West Australian, adequate steps are taken for its pre- that is, how the egg becomes reversed Saturday 20 September 1924 servation . . . To show what was pos- in the catch hole of the egg chamber, DENIZENS OF THE BUSH. sible I took the mallee fowl (Leipoa seeing that the egg is extruded large (By "Mo'Poke.") ocellata), one of the shyest of bush end first, yet the narrow end down- "Nature: Our Mother." denizens, a difficult subject, but a valu- ward straight from the act of laying, This is the title of a booklet of na- able and wonderful type. I secured a which I have often watched." In con- ture studies by T. P. Bellchambers, price pair of birds for experimental work: clusion, the writer says his ambition 1s. I can safely recommend it to those they are still living and busy with a is to see a Nature Lovers League form- interested in the life of the bush, and mound. The female is 15 years old, the ed with branches in every State. Many I have enjoyed reading the copy the male 14. In spite of adverse condi- will be opposed to such an organisation: author has sent to me. Wandering up tions—the rainfall here is 30in., some but the time is not far distant when and down the "fringe of settlement," time reaching 40 — they have built their each State will have its own circle of Mr. Bellchambers has learned to love mound incubator every year since their naturalists and these, no doubt, will the bush and the folk it shelters. In fourth season. Two seasons proved work hand in hand.” his introductory chapter he says: "My disastrous to them, owing to heavy sum-

INTERESTING MOUNDS BY TIM BURNARD One thing that strikes me as I travel about visiting Malleefowl people is the variety of habitat we find our birds in. Take for example the two mounds I photographed on my recent trip to NSW. On the left is a mound near Mount Hope and the right one is in Goonoo State Forest near Dubbo. As can be seen, very different surrounds. The Mount Hope mound is in sparsely vegetated Mallee, the other in quite dense Ironbark forest.

If you have any interesting mound photos I’d love to see them. Send to [email protected] 12 AROUND THE MOUNDS • AUTUMN 2014 NATIONAL MALLEEFOWL RECOVERY TEAM MEMBERS Brindabella Ranges in the ACT. Although headed Cisticola. I then moved on to work never wanting to admit to having been a with the Northern Territory Parks and twitcher I do have quite a passion for Wildlife Commission to research the role keeping lists and was proud to display my of fire in the decline of the Gouldian Finch 600 badge as a teenager. Thankfully that as well as the ecology of several other side of my birding behaviour declined as I northern savannah species. Returning to focused on my undergraduate studies at the south saw me take a position with the the Australian National University and Lachlan Catchment M anagement Authority surprisingly an honours year in insect to work with a declining population of taxonomy. I then went on to work as a Bush Stone-curlew as well as Glossy Black- Research Officer for several years, banding cockatoos and for the past five years my the entire population of Superb Fairy- beloved Malleefowl. wrens in the National Botanic Gardens. I have been very lucky in my career over Never happy with just helping to answer the past 30 years but have had strong someone else’s questions, I was support from my family during the many

encouraged to accept a PhD scholarship weeks that I have been away from home. I MILTON LEWIS, NSW and Associate Lecturer’s position at James do have a little spare time during which I I started my obsession of studying birds Cook University. During this period I endeavour to build a family home, breed at an early age when I was allowed to focused on behavioural and evolutionary and show Dalmatians and Border Canaries. accompany my father and friends to the ecology and investigated the role of tail I treasure my vegetable garden and even Bush Ranger Creek bird-banding site in the length in the mating system of the Golden- manage to pursue a love of photography.

amazing experience. Upon our return to Database – two hugely significant Adelaide, I embarked on a career change objectives for Malleefowl recovery. At a through further study. I completed my state-level, recovery initiatives picked up undergraduate degree in Natural pace with the setup and monitoring of 43 Resource Management at Adelaide Uni, operational Malleefowl grids using the Roseworthy, then BSc Honours at the national monitoring system (30 of which Adelaide campus under David Paton, on are now regularly monitored); State-wide the ‘Regeneration of heathland meetings and workshops with a range of vegetation after fire in Ngarkat stakeholders on Malleefowl conservation; a Conservation Park, SA’. comprehensive report on the status of I took on a short-term assignment Malleefowl monitoring in SA, plus a range collecting soil and plant samples from of on-ground activities in the regions. Eyre Peninsula, investigating plant My position with threatened fauna ended responses to fire and fire frequency in at the time of the 3 rd National Malleefowl remnant Mallee ecosystems, before Forum in Katanning in 2007, when I then winning the position of Threatened Fauna moved into the role of Biodiversity Status Officer with the now Department of Assessment Officer. A pilot project was

Environment, Water & Natural Resources, established to assess the conservation SHARON GILLAM, SA in Adelaide. In October 2005, after three status and population trend of all of SA’s I was born and raised in the suburbs of days on the job, I attended the VMRG native flora and fauna at a regional scale, Adelaide. My love of animals and Malleefowl Monitoring Training Weekend to assist in the conservation of threatened appreciation of the Australian bush grew in Wyperfeld NP. There I met Peter and species at the regional level. Over a period from a young age, as my folks kept Ann, Joe, Graeme, and a whole range of of (almost) seven years, the assessment chickens and canaries and I had a range of wonderful and inspiring folks whom I still process is now successfully completed and pets, and from regular outings into the have the pleasure of working with today. I am currently writing up reports for the conservation parks around the Adelaide My position involved, among other final two regions. It is hoped that this will region. I showed an interest in drawing activities, implementing key recovery then lead to the review of the State listings very early on, which eventually translated actions for priority threatened fauna for threatened species. During this time I into three years at Art School, a stint in an species, including Hooded Plovers and continued my involvement with Malleefowl artists’ cooperative and as a practicing Brush-tailed Bettongs, with the primary recovery at both the State and National artist. I explored my love of the landscape focus on Malleefowl. I was fortunate levels. I remained on the National through various media and developed a enough to come in at a very exciting time Recovery Team, kept up my part in the passion for travelling, camping and when the Multi Regional National State monitoring system, and then photography whilst gathering inspiration Malleefowl Monitoring, Population volunteered for the role of facilitator of the for my artwork. During this time I ventured Assessment & Conservation Project was 4th National Forum. This took place in into office work, working my way through launched, which provided funding to Renmark in July 2011, at which time I then to becoming office manager for a small pursue and implement a myriad of took on the role as Chair of the recovery health organisation, where I worked for recovery initiatives for Malleefowl, across team. My aim is to continue to drive and eight years. the whole of the bird’s range. This project support Malleefowl recovery actions to the In 1998 my husband Michael and I had the produced the National Monitoring best of my ability whilst I hold this opportunity to travel and work around System for Malleefowl and kick-started position, with the collaboration of the Australia, which we did for two years - an the National Malleefowl Monitoring recovery team.

This newsletter is supported by Malleefowl Offset Funds from Iluka Resources Ltd.