Monday 13th to Friday 17th October, 2025
The purpose of the Floodplain Ecology Course is to promote awareness and greater understanding of these complex ecosystems in a drying climate, their ecological importance and values, the intimate connection of floodplains with the health of their parent rivers, and how in a volatile political setting consideration of floodplains is important to the long term sustainable use of our waterways.
The course is a week-long, high intensity, fascinating and fun experience. Topics covered include:
> Geology and landscape history and climate – how floodplains are formed
> Geomorphology, hydrology and hydraulics of floodplains
> Floodplain soils
> Floodplain vegetation
> Floodplain fauna
> Biogeochemical processes and functions on the floodplain.
Course aims to give participants:
> a better understanding of the geomorphological, hydrological and ecological processes of floodplain ecosystems;
> an understanding of flooding dynamics and the impact of human use on this process, past and present
> provide examples of practical skills in observation, description, survey/assessment, analysis, interpretation, and assessment, of geomorphological features, hydrological regimes, soils and flora and fauna on floodplains.
The focus of the course will be on the floodplains of the Goulburn – Murray system in the region of Barmah.
Instructors & presenters:
> Keith Ward is a wetland ecologist whose main areas of research have been the vegetation, waterbirds and frogs of Barmah-Millewa Forest and fish and water bugs of the Hattah Lakes system near Mildura.
> Neville Rosengren has surveyed the geomorphology and geology of conservation sites in most parts of Victoria. He is particularly interested in the modes and dynamics of landscape evolution.
> Damien Cook is a restoration ecologist with a keen interest in plant and frog taxonomy, wetland ecology and the processes which lead to the degradation of natural ecosystems and how these can be reversed. He has studied natural history for over 25 years and has worked as an ecologist, project manager and environmental educator for the last 20 years.
> Ian Rutherfurd Ian Rutherfurd is a fluvial geomorphologist with over 20 years experience working on the geomorphology and management of streams.
> Lindy Lumsden is a wildlife biologist with a passion for bats, their ecology, and introducing them to people. In recent years Lindy’s research has focused on rural landscapes, investigating the distribution, ecology, and habitat requirements of insect-eating bats.
> Zeb Tonkin is a senior scientist / freshwater ecologist within the Waterway Management and Restoration section of the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, with over 15 years experience in freshwater fish ecology, having worked on a variety of projects relating to recruitment dynamics of freshwater fish, environmental flows, pest species and habitat restoration.
> Keith Chalmers joined the Victorian Environmental Water Holder in 2015 and works primarily on coordination of environmental water delivery in northern Victoria and across the connected Southern Murray-Darling Basin.
> Susan Watson oversees the Living Murray Program within Victoria and has also worked on waterway and wetland restoration and rehabilitation programs in Victoria and NSW.
> Other presenters may include representatives from Parks Victoria, YYNAC, Agriculture Victoria, Arthur Rylah Institute, VEWH, Turtles Australia, and MDBA.
NB: Presenters may be subject to change but topics will remain the same.
Location details:
The course is based at Barmah in River Red Gum floodplain country. Accommodation will be shared, in comfortable on-site units at the Morning Glory River Resort Gilmour Rd Moama, with shared bathroom & kitchen facilities. Catering is inclusive of all meals.
Course Fee:
The course fee for 2025 is $2400 inc GST which includes accommodation, meals, transport during the course, instruction, and course notes. There is an additional charge of $150 per person for those who wish to stay the Sunday night before the course. Please note that the course commences at 8am on the Monday morning.
Numbers:
Bookings are now open for the 2025 course. The course is limited to 25 participants. Further details, including the Course Notes, will be given out to registered participants, closer to the date.
Enquiries:
Phone: (03) 5821 3530 or email: info@gmln.com.au