The Victoria Malleefowl Recovery Group has been working on the development of some Training Videos, a project that has been led by Greg Davis. This initiative is part of the committee's quest to try new ways to train our monitors, or to provide some revision for our more experienced monitors. This allows us to maintain the high quality of the data that we collect.

We have just released the National Malleefowl Update for 2017-18

Take a look HERE to so all the amazing work from last year

We are very happy to share with you the Program (as it stands at this stage) for the 2018 Malleefowl Forum in Mildura. We are sure that you'll be impressed with the calibre of our speakers and range of Malleefowl topics being presented.

You will also find information about tours we are suggesting for the Monday after the conference.

Please note we have extended registrations to close Monday 6th August.

The team are looking forward to seeing you in Mildura 18th-19th August.

CLICK HERE to get the PDF Program

On behalf of the organising committee we are pleased to announce that registrations are now open for the 2018 National Malleefowl Forum 18th-19th August, Mildura.

It will be four years since our last Forum (in Dubbo) and with Sally Box, the new Threatened Species Commissioner attending, we are expecting a stellar line up of speakers to get us all up to date on the latest in the Malleefowl world.

Please CLICK HERE to download the Registration form.

The 2018 National Malleefowl Forum has put out the call to all the Malleefowl community for abstracts of both papers and posters.

Click Here to download a copy of the Call for Abstracts

The National Malleefowl Recovery Team is delighted to announce the dates for the 2018 National Malleefowl Forum in Mildura as Friday 17th August to Sunday 19th with tours available on the Monday. 

Put the dates asside, we will have much more information in the new year. In the mean time you can go to our Forum page to see papers delivered at past national gatherings.

The 2017 Malleefowl monitor training dates have been announced. Sessions will be taking place in Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Dalwallinu and Ongerup over the next two months.

Malleefowl lay their eggs in huge mounds to incubate from heat of decomposing vegetation. They also heat soil in the sun and put it in the mound and can regularly move a tonne of soil in a day in the process.The chance of actually seeing a Malleefowl working the mound is a major (but definitely not guaranteed) draw card for volunteers. 

Each year, the Malleefowl Recovery Team checks up on about 3500 Malleefowl mounds across Australia including 1350 in WA. Considering the mounds are located in some very remote spots, it represents a massive effort and is only possible with the help of hundreds of volunteers.

But before volunteers can head out into the bush, they have to be shown how to do the job. It involves using very modern equipment to GPS locate Malleefowl mounds and record a number of measurements. It also involves a lot of walking through bush. Our volunteers call it Bushwalking with a Purpose.

Liz Kington (WA Malleefowl Project Officer) is organising the training sessions that will be run by very experienced volunteer monitors from SA, Vic and WA. Liz said the sessions attract lots of people, mostly because Malleefowl are such amazing birds and people just love them.

On the serious side, the training ensures that monitoring is consistent across all states. The data is gathered and sent back to state coordinators (also volunteers) who upload it to a central database for analysis on how the species is going. This is a critical element in conserving this endangered bird.

To get involved in Malleefowl monitoring simply contact Liz Kington on 0417 996 719 or email at lizk@nationalmalleefowl.com.au.

The 2017 Malleefowl monitor training dates have been announced. Sessions will be taking place in Kingston SE as well as a number of places across the country over the next two months.

Malleefowl lay their eggs in huge mounds to incubate from heat of decomposing vegetation. They also heat soil in the sun and put it in the mound and can regularly move a tonne of soil in a day in the process.The chance of actually seeing a Malleefowl working the mound is a major (but definitely not guaranteed) draw card for volunteers. 

Each year, the Malleefowl Recovery Team checks up on about 3500 Malleefowl mounds across Australia including 1350 in WA. Considering the mounds are located in some very remote spots, it represents a massive effort and is only possible with the help of hundreds of volunteers.

But before volunteers can head out into the bush, they have to be shown how to do the job. It involves using very modern equipment to GPS locate Malleefowl mounds and record a number of measurements. It also involves a lot of walking through bush. Our volunteers call it Bushwalking with a Purpose.

Vicki Natt (SE South Australia Malleefowl Project Officer) is organising the training sessions that will be run by very experienced volunteer monitors from SA and Vic. Vicki said the sessions attract lots of people, mostly because Malleefowl are such amazing birds and people just love them.

On the serious side, the training ensures that monitoring is consistent across all states. The data is gathered and sent back to state coordinators (also volunteers) who upload it to a central database for analysis on how the species is going. This is a critical element in conserving this endangered bird.

To get involved in Malleefowl monitoring simply contact Vicki Natt on 0428 673 273 or email at whynunga@activ8.net.au.

The National Malleefowl Recovery Team are looking for a recruit to the team. This is a very interesting position that we ask you to share with your networks. 

Click here for a PDF of the Expression of Interest

Astron Environmental Services have lent a vehicle to the National Recovery Group so they can carry out a monitoring project coming up in WA. This represents a huge saving for the National Team and will allow more of our funds to be targetted at our other projects. Many thanks go to Astron for their generous donation.

Preparations for this years Malleefowl monitor training are well under way. There will be plenty of opportunities for new volunteers to learn how to monitor Malleefowl mounds in WA, SA, Vic and NSW. Contact us to find where the nearest is to you.

Our National Coordinator, Tim Burnard, has just concluded a hectic round of presentations in Perth, Kalgoorlie, Mildura, Berri, Meningie, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The large audience at the 2016 GEMG Conference Kalgoorlie.

In NSW the Riverina LLS and Western LLS have just approved funding for three Malleefowl monitoring training courses to go ahead. This August we will conduct training at Buronga, Mount Hope and West Wyalong thanks to the support from the two Local Land Services agencies.

It’s that time of year when our coordinators are busily getting all of last years Malleefowl monitoring data up onto the database.

Joy McGilvray, our newest member to the Recovery Team reported from Perth;

"These tent lanterns featuring native fauna are part of Perth international arts festival opening concert this evening. Malleefowl was first in the line as we walked past."

Malleefowl have been added to the Federal Minister, Greg Hunt, and Threatened Species Commissioner, Gregory Andrews, list of just 20 birds for the 2020 threatened species strategy. See more at the press release LINK.

This is great news for Malleefowl as it will raise our profile across Australia.

2015 has been a very for all the Malleefowl monitors across Australia. The Recovery Team wish you all a great, well deserved break

On Saturday 10th Oct I commenced stage 2 of the 2015 training sessions by attending the VMRG weekend at Wyperfeld.

Dusk Training Session at Secret Rocks SA

Dubbo training group in Goonoo NSW

Last month was very busy. Not only the Kalgoorlie and Norseman training but also at Merriden Dalwallinu and Murray Bridge in SA.

Monitor training in Merredin WA

National Malleefowl Recovery Team members Joe Benshemesh and Tim Burnard recently visited Kalgoorlie and Norseman for the first of eleven Malleefowl monitoring training sessions happening across Australia this spring.

Malleefowl monitor training in Norseman

The National Team have been approved funding from the Eyre Peninsula NRM Board to purchase four new smartphones. 

Group using new phones at training in Lock

A combined grant application to Gundawa from NCMPG, AWC and Bush Heritage has been approved. The grant will cover most of the costs for aerial LiDAR mound searches. An essential first step in Malleefowl monitoring.
Gundawa have also sponsored the NCMPG to run this years training and monitoring.

The Dalwallinu mob go training

It's that time of year when we seem to go a bit quiet in the Malleefowl world. But be assured there's plenty going on behind the scenes.

Graeme presenting at Murray Bridge

The Adaptive Management (AM) Project has been running since 2012. It has progressed through several stages, and the AM team are excited with the latest progress, which takes us from a planning stage to an operational stage.

As the Malleefowl monitoring season draws to a close, our Coordinators are working away to get all of the data uploaded to the database ready for validation. Validation is where a few specialists comb over all the data and photos gathered to get rid of any mistakes.

With well over 2,000 mounds monitored it’s a big job! And all the more impressive as it is all done by volunteers.

I must brag that when Donna and I were monitoring this year we had special guests at our knock off drinks…..and, no the photo is not doctored!

In Dec 2014 Tim Burnard and Joe Benshemesh headed north on a mission to get greater representation from NSW on the national database. And it’s looking very good!

Joe Benshemesh shows how to monitor.

Secret Rocks is the 26,000ha private nature reserve property of Katherine Moseby and John Read located in north east Eyre Peninsula.

At the end of a hard days walking the group is rewarded with a spectacular sunset at 'Beer Rock'

Every year on the second weekend of October, the Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group (VMRG) hold a monitor training weekend at Wyperfeld National Park. The weekend is the group’s main event of the year and the ideal chance to hone up skills and catch up with friends.

Some of the many campers at the 2014 VMRG training weekend

The 5^th National Malleefowl Forum has been concluded!

Over 140 people came to Dubbo and experienced the excellent Taronga Zoo hospitality.

The North Central Malleefowl Preservation Group has concluded a highly successful Malleefowl monitoring training weekend in Dalwallinu. With nearly 40 people attending, President Gordon McNeil said he was very thrilled with the outcome.

Trainee Malleefowl monitors head into the bush.

The National Malleefowl Forum (Dubbo 13-15 Sept) registration dates have been extended! With seats still available, the organising group decided to extend the registration date, but urge everyone to register as soon as possible.

Use this form to register

THe Forum Program is now available.

Click HERE to get a copy of the packed program of interesting speakers.

It’s full steam ahead for the National Malleefowl Forum in Dubbo, 13-15 Sept. A full program of speakers is being finalised and will soon be available on this site.

However, attendees are reminded that registrations close Friday 1^st August and with limited places, all Malleefowl lovers are encouraged to register soon.

Click HERE to get your registration form.

Registrations have opened for the National Forum to be held in Dubbo September 12-15.

Click HERE to get a copy of the registration form.

Organisation of the Fifth National Forum has entered a new stage with a great article appearing on page two of the Dubbo Saturday paper.

The Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group will hold its annual Reporting Back Weekend on Saturday 5 April. One big topic for discussion will be the recent fires that destroyed so much Malleefowl habitat.

The National Malleefowl Recovery Team is seeking abstracts for the Fifth National Malleefowl Forum for both oral and poster presentations from individuals and community groups, academics, agencies and organisations involved in management and conservation of Malleefowl. 

Roger Pitman reported from a very hot Badja Station in Western Australia the story of a determined Malleefowl Parent.

Sharon Gillam, Chair of the National Malleefowl Recovery Team, is very happy to announce the launching of the new National website.

Tim Burnard has recently returned from a very successful tour of Malleefowl territory in Western Australia. He reports here how the trip went.

Around the Mounds Autumn 2018 Edition 13 (3.9Mb)

Around the Mounds Spring 2017 Edition 12 (1.4Mb)

Around the Mounds Autumn 2017 Edition 11 (2.3Mb)

Around the Mounds Spring 2016 Edition 10 (2Mb)

Around the Mounds Autumn 2016 Edition 9 (3.3Mb)

Around the Mounds Spring 2015 Edition 8 (1.3Mb)

Around the Mounds  Autumn   2015  Edition 7 (3.5Mb)

Around the Mounds  Spring    2014  Edition 6  (3.5Mb)

Around the Mounds  Autumn   2014  Edition 5 (2.2Mb) 

Around the Mounds   Spring    2013  Edition 4 (2.4Mb)

Around the Mounds   Autumn  2013  Edition 3 (2.6Mb)

Around the Mounds   Spring    2012  Edition 2 (1.8Mb)

Around the Mounds   Autumn  2012  Edition 1 (2.4Mb)