The focus has come about as, for example, during October TMI in partnership with Tarwyn Park Training (TPT) completed three 4 day workshops, two at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms (MCNF) and one at Wombramurra near Nundle in rural NSW.

Two out of three workshops were fully subscribed  so the interest and understanding of the need for  landscape rehydration and regenerative agriculture is rapidly growing. That's about an additional 50 people adding to hundreds that have done this training in recent years.

Across the nation it is estimated that there is around one million kilometres of degraded and eroded rivers, streams, creeks and gullies. Fixing this problem will take substantial funds but getting the money is one thing, having the trained people to do the work is something else.
We know we have a need and now through our field days and workshops we know the interest in wanting to understand how to go about fixing the problem, is growing exponentially.

Peter Hazell has been back up in North Queensland  with  Mulloon Consulting Contracting & Certifying  (MCCC) supervising on-ground works at  Mt Pleasant Station, which will be  utilised as a demonstration site and community learning hub. The landscape rehydration works designed by MCCC are aimed at reinstating hydrological function and the control of erosion to limit sediment reaching the Great Barrier Reef.  

We had hoped to be on the ground at Palerang for the  Mulloon Community Landscape Rehydration Project (MCLRP) but we still await approval from the relevant NSW Government regulatory body, the Natural Resources Assessment Regulator (NRAR). 

For all regulated waterways approval is required to repair the degraded and eroded creeks and streams, which in our case is Mulloon Creek. Our very detailed application that includes the design of leaky weir interventions, waterflow modelling, vegetation planting, etc. was lodged many months ago so we wait in earnest for the approval so we can put the Federal Government's grant to good use.

Speaking of those regulations, our recently formed  Mulloon Law Committee (MLC) under Matt Egerton-Warburton's guidance has been hard at work preparing a submission to the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) on  Water Sharing Plans for the Greater Metropolitan Region. Our MCLRP falls within the Shoalhaven Catchment which forms part of the Greater Metropolitan Region. The NRC's review of the Water Sharing Plans was timely as our MLC separately works on how the current regulations applying to regulated waterways could better meet the needs of landscape rehydration processes.

This review by the NRC has given us an opportunity to raise many of the issues confronting, and therefore delaying, the environmental repair sorely needed. Our submission highlights the very positive result we have achieved within the Mulloon Creek Catchment and the role that work has played in improving the quality of the water that ultimately flows into the Sydney Water Catchment. Our submission was lodged with the NRC late in October and you can access the full submission ( here). Excellent work done by Matt, Mark and Wilf of our MLC that included expert input from Peter Hazell, Carolyn Hall and Anne Gibson.

While we focus on fixing Australia's degraded landscapes we shouldn't overlook the applicability of our work internationally. That was a particular focus during October when the Federal Government Department of Agriculture asked TMI to host a visiting  Chinese delegation. They were particularly focused on regenerative agriculture practices and so we were very pleased to take them on a tour of Mulloon Creek Natural Farms and show the work of TMI. Luke Peel and Carolyn Hall hosted the delegation that also included Federal Department of Agriculture officials. MCNF's Farm Manager, Michael Fitzgerald, and Walter Jehne from our  Science Advisory Council provided expert comment during the day from a practical farming perspective in the case of Michael and the role of soils, water and plants in the regenerative process from Walter. After a delightful lunch at the Homestead, t he Chinese delegation then went on to inspect regenerative farmer Martin Royds' Jillamatong farm near Braidwood.

The TMI, MCCC & MCNF teams spent time during October organising all the logistics required for a major Mulloon Creek Field Day scheduled for early November. With well over one hundred attendees anticipated it was all hands on deck during the final days of October. With guest presenters being Charles Massy, Sue Ogilvy, Tony Hill and Walter Jehne it was no surprise that ticket sales ran hot from day one. As I write this update the Field Day is now over, and was very successful but I'll leave it to my November update to give you a full report.

The Mulloon Institute's Annual General Meeting

Sunday 1 December 2019, Mulloon Creek.  More details .