At the time of my brief 'Welcome to 2020' eNews much of south-eastern Australia was under attack from bushfires. There has been very little reprieve since then and as I write this update the ACT has declared an emergency due to out of control fires in Namadgi National Park. Reminiscent of 2003 to many including myself as I chaired a parliamentary inquiry into those and other fires that occurred throughout Australia at that time - A Nation Charred: Report on the inquiry into bushfires.

So while debate will ensue, TMI will be ensuring that debate includes the urgent need to rehydrate our landscapes so they function as they once did and make them more resilient to the next inevitable bushfire.

While we know from our work the increased resilience obtained through catchment scale repair and rehydration, the TMI team is currently putting together examples of where intact, hydrated valley areas had a significant slowing and cooling effect on the fires. You may have read during the fires that fire fighters were dropped from helicopters to irrigate an area around the Wollemi pines and guess what, they were saved. They hydrated the land and therefore kept the fire at bay. If landscapes were repaired and rehydrated then many more areas can be resilient not just Wollemi pines.

We all want some decent rain, but high intensity, high volume rainfall can cause further degradation through soil erosion and washing away any remaining organic material and ash into dams and other waterways. This has the potential to cause major issues with water quality that can affect the health of humans, stock and other plants and animals that rely upon this water.

To help provide land managers with ways to protect their land resources and waterways and help initiate recovery following Australia's recent fires, we have put together a flyer on 'Post-fire remediation'.

DOWNLOAD 'Post-fire remediation' flyer

Early in December TMI held an Information Session in Bedford CA's office in Sydney for the many people who are supporters, followers and donors that weren't able to get to our AGM in November. The response was fantastic with around 50 people who came along to hear about our achievements over the past 12 months and what is in store for the coming year. We also had copies of our Annual Report 2019 on hand.

The National Youth Science Forum's annual visit to Mulloon Creek was regrettably cancelled this January due to the local fire risk and extreme smoke conditions. Usually we welcome two groups of Year 12 students who are studying  science, technology, engineering and mathematics to learn about our work in landscape rehydration and regenerative farming practices. Hopefully, next year conditions will be better.

We have two dates scheduled for Natural Sequence Farming training coming up at Mulloon, with our training partners Tarwyn Park Training: 16-19 March (SOLD OUT) and 19-22 May 2020. Bookings for these courses are being taken via the TPT website.

We also have several private tours for groups wishing to see our landscape rehdyration works at MCNF, including Belltrees Public School, Hovells Creek Landcare, Barker College and the Turnip Creek Restoration Project.

Upcoming events at Mulloon open to the public include:

MCCC has also received the very positive news that a project proposed for Tidbinbilla has received development approval from the ACT Government in January.  We look forward to delivering the on-ground works in the coming months. Site Assessments in our local area and as far south as Albury were completed prior to Christmas and detailed designs are currently being prepared for one of these projects near Braidwood. Draft detailed designs have also been completed for a Farm Plan in the Hunter Valley.

Returning to the bushfires, one of the first fires to occur in our region was the Tallaganda fire on 29 November just to the south east of Mulloon Creek Natural Farms (MCNF). Fortunately MCNF has not been directly impacted by that fire as it moved easterly toward the Braidwood region. Many properties were burnt from that 'out of control' fire and it ultimately linked with the coastal fire that devastated villages south of Bateman's Bay and beyond.

While not impacting directly on MCNF, having such a large fire on your backdoor was something that kept MCNF Farm Manager, Michael Fitzgerald, more than occupied and concerned. But life on a farm goes on, chickens continue to lay, so eggs have to be collected, sorted and packaged. Also the cattle need to be managed and moved. MCNF's growth in egg production hit 120,000 pasture raised, organic and biodynamic eggs per week during this period. Well done to Michael and his team! TMI very much appreciates everyone who purchases those eggs as every sale helps to support the important work of TMI.

Congratulations also to the staff and backpackers working at MCNF who recently held a 'Fire Fundraiser Bake Sale' outside the Bungendore IGA, where they raised over $1000 to support the Majors Creek Wildlife Carers to help their efforts in caring for wildlife that have been injured in the recent bushfires. Of course, all the cakes were made using our famous MCNF eggs!

Weirs continue to flow through drought and fires, The Land, 20 December 2019