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From the Chairman, The Mulloon Institute
One month into a new financial year I'm taking the opportunity in this monthly update to emphasise that this update is 'just about July' as from the beginning of September I'm planning on moving to quarterly or seasonal updates. As one who receives newsletters and other information from a myriad of organisations and individuals, I know how one can often feel overloaded with information. So, in early September I will send out the seasonal update, being a Spring update. That will be followed by one in Summer at the beginning of December, Autumn in early March and Winter in early June. Although, if something of particular note or importance occurs between those updates, I will keep you informed as they happen. In the interim you can always stay up-to-date with our latest news via our various social media channels - see the links at the bottom of this update.
But when I say 'just in July', a lot in fact happened, so please read on!
[Image: Structure DM6 in the foreground at Duralla, looking upstream towards Palerang]
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Tony Hill (Land to Market) and Gary Nairn (TMI) |
Australian first for Mulloon Creek Natural Farms!
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Tony Coote AM Memorial Lecture
Early in July we extended an invitation to Allan Savory, founder of the Savory Institute and its holistic management initiative, to deliver this year's Tony Coote AM Memorial Lecture.
While it would have been ideal to have Allan deliver it in person at Mulloon Creek, with the current COVID situation we've decided to deliver it as a virtual event. I was delighted to receive Allan's enthusiastic acceptance and his response that he would make the lecture 'truly meaningful for Australia and globally' and 'a game changing talk'.
Details about how to book will be released in the next week or so, meanwhile please save the date in your calendar.
What: Tony Coote AM Memorial Lecture, presented by Allan Savory
When: Wednesday 16 September 2020
Time: 7.30 - 8.30pm
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Looking straight down on leaky weir DM8 at Duralla |
Mulloon Rehydration Initiative
On-ground works for the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative continued apace during July once we had accessed logs for the leaky weirs after a shortage caused by the summer bushfires. Project Coordinator Peter Hazell has been very much 'back in the creek' directing another stage of the MRI. Read more
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Mulloon Rehydration Initiative - Duralla |
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Hydrologist Tony Bernardi mid installation, near Peter's Pond on the Home Farm |
Science & monitoring
One of two new weather stations commissioned from Environdata has been successfully installed at the Home Farm property by Research Coordinator Luke Peel and Hydrologist Tony Bernardi with a second installation planned at Duralla in the coming weeks. Read more
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Martin Royds | |
Mulloon Creek Natural Farms
Last month, I mentioned the departure of our farm manager Michael Fitzgerald from Mulloon Creek Natural Farms. While our search for a replacement continues (see job advert below), Jillamatong regenerative farmer and TMI Board member, Martin Royds, has stepped in as our interim farm manager to keep things ticking along. We also had the benefit of having Sam Skeat from Mulloon Consulting Contracting & Certifying (MCCC) spending a week visiting at the Home farm and Duralla, down from northern Queensland. Sam has worked with Cam Wilson on finalising MCNF's whole farm plan with recommendations presented to the July Board meeting. A 90 day implementation plan will be ready to go at our August Board meeting. More on that in the Spring update! |
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Mulloon Consulting Contracting & Certifying
Activities have been busily underway in both southern Queensland and in the Southern Tablelands as the MCCC team dove into site assessments, facilitating workshops and providing quotes for landscape rehydration works. Read more
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Log and rock weir installation for NQ Dry Tropics |
Mulloon Consulting at your place
Are you passionate about restoring and rehydrating the landscape on your farm or catchment, but don't know where to start? Did you know that we can bring the work of the Mulloon Institute to you? Read more
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Cultural Burn at Birkenburn
Tom and Martina Shelley from Birkenburn Farm near Bungendore hosted a cultural burning workshop with Cultural Fire practitioner Den Barber during July, as part of their ongoing commitment to environmental projects that includes large-scale tree-planting, creating wildlife corridors and controlling erosion.
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Restore Australia
Throughout July we kept in touch with the various organisations involved in the Restore Australia project as we all await an outcome from Global Evergreening Alliance on the funding for this significant project. The various coordinating and collaborating organisations have now done substantial preparation so once the final approval comes through there should be action on the ground throughout the nation. We should know more in the coming weeks and will hopefully have a more detailed update and plan of our proposed activities in the Spring update.
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Job Opportunities
LANDSCAPE PLANNEREntry level position with Mulloon Consulting Contracting & Certifying who demonstrate and share regenerative methods of land management. Closes: 14 August 2020. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGERPart time position with the Mulloon Institute , a world class research, education and advocacy organisation in the regenerative agriculture sector. Closes: 28 August 2020.
Full time role with Mulloon Creek Natural Farms which promotes regenerative agriculture and holistic farming practices and are run organically using biodynamic principles.
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Events
Mulloon Creek Natural Farms
6-9 Oct 2020. SOLD OUT
Virtual event, booking details coming soon 16 September 2020, 7.30-8.30pm 2020 Mulloon Creek Field Day
Mulloon Creek Natural Farms
POSTPONED TO MARCH 2021
Bibbaringa, Bowna NSW
28-29 October 2020, 8.30am-4.30pm
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Mulloon Law Amendments - Background
(view the video series on Vimeo) |
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As you can see, just in July, and despite COVID, plenty happening within our organisations. As we learn to live with this virus until a vaccine is found, there appears to be a growing interest in how our food and fibre is grown. Much of that interest is focused on how we treat our land, impact our soils and water. Regenerative agricultural processes that we support and work hand in hand with restoring natural landscape functions, not only produce healthier and more nutritious food, they improve the ecology of our soils and vegetation that form the basis of our farms. As our by-line says, 'for the environment, farming and society'. Each one depends on the others.
I want to thank the many supporters who gave generous, tax deductible donations in the lead up to the end of the 2019/2020 financial year. We are very grateful for that support and your help will allow us to plan ongoing and new projects over the coming year. I look forward to being back in touch in my first seasonal, Spring update, in early September.
Cheers,
Gary Nairn AO
The Mulloon Institute, Chairman
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