Skip to content

Swags, snails & sunrises for the iROOS

Published 12 May 2016 by John McLaughlin (student)

Queensland student, John McLaughlin, shares some of the highlights of a recent iROOS trip to Edgbaston Reserve and explains why it's so important to leave the lecture theatre behind for a while and head bush to experience "real life" conservation work.

The autumn of 2016 saw a dozen young conservationists renounce their Brisbane comfort for a taste of the outback. Prominent for its global diversity and exceptional ecosystems, Edgbaston Reserve is located no less than 1,000km away from the University of Queensland. The group who ventured onto the reserve, represent a contingent of environmental students, sharing a love for not only nature, but for the active protection and preservation of areas such as Edgbaston.

It was a similar passion and mindset towards conservation that sparked the founding of iROOS in 2007 by a handful of undergraduates at the University of Queensland.

The iROOS is a student-driven volunteer group made up of environmental science undergrads, working in close accordance with UQ staff and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services (QPWS).

Whilst initially focusing on conservation projects in Idalia National Park in Western Queensland, the group is now involved in several management projects throughout the state, with an ever growing student base to fulfil their aims. Over the past nine years, the iROOS have seen more than 200 members source funding from small, student-run fundraising initiatives, sponsorship from the School of Biological Sciences at UQ, and further support from the QPWS.

The chance for the iROOS to work with Bush Heritage Australia was particularly exciting. We revelled in the prospect of leaving the lecture theatre and getting our hands dirty in the unique artesian springs of the Edgbaston Reserve. In a field where students are constantly addressing negative instances with regard to global biodiversity, witnessing successful cases of conservation management practices, policies and organisation is at times far more valuable than anything that can be learnt in a lecture hall.

With that in mind, 12 iROOS piled out of a university mini bus, which had been their home for 17 hours of travel. For many of them it was their first time in the Australian ‘outback’, while for others a welcome return to a region that grows on you with each visit.

From the Mitchell grass plains, to the dessert uplands and the aquatic haven of the natural springs, Edgbaston Reserve offers regional ecosystem diversity which is rarely seen elsewhere.

As dawn took hold, swags began to rustle as everyone woke to begin what would become the standard morning procedure over the coming days. A quick meal of muesli or beans and a cuppa heated over the last of the coals from the night before. Then we were off.

Renee Rossini, a PhD student from the University of Queensland, has been studying the endangered and endemic invertebrates inhabiting the artesian spring communities of Edgbaston since 2013. Her understanding of what may seem to passers-by simple water holes was imperative to our appreciation of the importance of this reserve.

We began to recognise the significance of springs both biologically and culturally, and how they fit into the complex structure of the Great Artesian Basin (GAB). The fact that no less than 15 species found on Edgbaston Reserve are found nowhere else in the world, and that this can be said for many GAB fed springs, highlights the need for the protection of endemism in these locations.

Over the coming days, iROOS members gained awareness and understanding of research practices and how these projects translate into specific management strategies and scientific understanding.

Individuals were given the chance to learn a number of different roles: species identification, GPS positioning, mapping techniques, and sampling methods to name just a few. Each task presented new difficulties and challenged each individual to put their scientific mind into gear, while repeatedly being educated and encouraged by the post-graduate students present.

Whilst some students strode around the small yet biologically rich artesian springs of the reserve, others spent time lapping up the knowledge and experience of the reserves caretaker. David, or Cugo as he would quickly become known to the iROOS, was a treasure trove of information concerning the entire semi-arid region of Central Queensland, and his dedication toward the conservation of the reserve was touching.

In particular, students actively took part in reducing the presence of a particularly expansive invasive plant species, the Prickly Acacia.

This exercise was eye opening in that it gave students a chance to see the extent of damage poor practices can have on native communities, but also showed how good management can impact the Prickly Acacia presence.

The benefits of staying at the site of the study were quickly noted, as students minds became engulfed with all things scientific, and conversations rarely strayed from topics of conservation, artesian springs and the fauna and flora from the day gone by.

Dinner conversations were suddenly taken up by questions regarding management practices of invasive species, or arguments over grazing sustainability in semi-arid environments; whist free time was spent dissecting each page of ‘Birds of Australia’ or peppering Renee and Professor Gimme Walter with questions ranging anywhere from endangered species conservation projects, to the broader involvement of Bush Heritage Australia throughout the country.

To understand what the trip meant to the iROOS one would only have had to be present on that last morning. Cries of ‘one more day’ and ‘leave me here please’ rang through the group, with each student having fallen well and truly in love with this sanctuary for endangered natives and species biodiversity.

Experiences like this do something particularly exceptional – inspiring young students from not only Australia, but abroad, to dedicate their careers and their lives to a cause much greater than their own. Working side by side with ecologists and reserve managers has a profound effect on young students who can see firsthand the influence that Bush Heritage Australia has on preserving national biodiversity in a time when global urgency in the matter is critical if we are to develop the next generation of conservationists.

For more photos of the iROOS trip to Edgbaston see PhD student Renee Rossini’s blog

Some of the iROOS reflected briefly on their time at Edgbaston Reserve…

Amanda Maier:
Going to Edgbaston was a fantastic experience. Not only did I get to meet some great, like-minded friends and unplug for a week in a beautiful location but I got to experience conservation work in action with Renee and Bush Heritage. Edgbaston contains species found nowhere else and to be involved in this volunteer work (mapping springs, snail collecting and weed management) was very rewarding.  

Gaia Marini:
Going to Edgbaston was a great opportunity to see how astonishingly beautiful and rich Australia can be, even in the most remote and arid areas. A strong reminder of why it's so important that for organisations like Bush Heritage exist and are supported: such a beauty must be protected.

James Hardcastle:
This trip provided me with a great first impression of field ecology as well as an opportunity to get to know other people from the environmental and biological science degree programs at UQ. Seeing the landscapes of Central Queensland was an experience in itself and given the opportunity I would go on this trip again in a heartbeat. All this wouldn't have been possible without the hard work of Bush Heritage Australia and the Idalia Recovery Organisation of Students who I hope will continue to offer opportunities like this trip for students well into the future.

Dawn at Edgbaston. Dawn at Edgbaston.
UQ students learning the ropes. UQ students learning the ropes.
iROOS field trip to Edgbaston Reserve April 2016. iROOS field trip to Edgbaston Reserve April 2016.
David Coulton and some of the iROOS team. David Coulton and some of the iROOS team.

Related stories

BLOG 17/11/2022

Western Grasswrens translocated

After extensive genetic and behavioural research, Western Grasswrens from sub-populations at Hamelin Station and Francois Peron National Park were mixed together. The translocation was informed by Aline Gibson Vega’s PhD and is part of a collaboration between DBCA, Bush Heritage Australia and the University of Western Australia.

Read More

BLOG 11/11/2022

Recycling provides new homes for native animals

Tenaya Duncan, Conservation and Wildlife Biology PhD student at Murdoch University, is using salvaged pallets, fence posts and corrugated iron in a unique way – as homes for native wildlife on our reserves!

Read More

BLOG 21/02/2022

What’s in a wombat scat & why does it matter?

Bon Bon Station Reserve is home to what is believed to be the northern most population of Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats. This population also holds the distinction of existing in one of the lowest rainfall zones across the species’ distribution, recording an average of just 150 mm annually.

Read More

BLOG 06/01/2022

Restoration improves biodiversity & soil

Vegetation clearing for new agricultural land continues to cause environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and increased carbon emissions. But there are also large swathes of land no longer used for agriculture with potential to be remediated.

Read More
ichard McLellan is monitoring Sandalwood at Hamelin Reserve. Photo Shayne Thomson.

BUSHTRACKS 18/06/2021

The Great Sandalwood Transect

Across a 1500km arc from the Gibson Desert to Shark Bay, researcher Richard McLellan is uncovering the ecological and cultural value of sandalwood.

Read More

BLOG 11/06/2021

Monitoring vegetation cover remotely

I'm completing my PhD with the Spatial Sciences Group in the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Adelaide in collaboration with Bush Heritage Australia. My research will be conducted at Bush Heritage’s Bon Bon and Boolcoomatta reserves in South Australian.

Read More

BLOG 08/06/2021

Opening the door to soil

One giant void in conservation is made up of millions of tiny particles and organisms.

Read More

BLOG 12/02/2021

What if soil could talk?

Soil: often misunderstood yet critically important to a healthy planet. Monash University Masters student Luke Richards explores how we can understand soil better.

Read More

BLOG 17/12/2020

The impact of kangaroos on termites

I am a PhD student at the University of New South Wales investigating the indirect top-down effects of the absence of dingoes on ecosystems. One of my study sites includes Boolcoomatta Reserve west of Broken Hill in South Australia. One aspect I am particularly interested in is the impact of a release in predation pressure from dingoes on kangaroos.

Read More

BLOG 21/09/2020

Studying the weird, whacky and wonderful

Over the last year I was privileged enough to study the ecophysiology of the fish at Edgbaston Reserve for my honours project at uni. Below is a little summary of my impressions of Edgy and my work. Let me say, what a year, what a project, what a place!

Read More

BUSHTRACKS 16/12/2019

Afterlife in the outback

University of Sydney researcher Emma Spencer is helping us understand how carcasses might be putting our native species at risk.

Read More

BLOG 02/10/2019

How lucky I am!

I first arrived at Carnarvon Station Reserve in mid-July, only a few weeks after accepting a PhD project, which is a collaboration between The University of Queensland, and Bush Heritage Australia.

Read More

BLOG 15/08/2019

Desert carcasses research

University of Sydney PhD student Emma Spencer is monitoring life and death out in far western Queensland.

Read More

BLOG 01/07/2019

Swept away by Santalaceae

Ecologist Georgina Gould-Hardwick writes about her time spent submersing herself into Santalaceae science at our Eurardy and Charles Darwin Reserves.

Read More

BLOG 07/10/2018

Fauna monitoring with the iROOS

The University of Queensland's environmental volunteer group, the iROOS, enjoyed an amazing week at Carnarvon Station Reserve helping the resident ecologist, Bek Diete, with fauna surveys. It was well worth the long journey and has left us all glowing with gratitude for everyone who made it possible.

Read More

BLOG 23/08/2018

Predators! Keep calm, just carrion

Have you ever stopped to think, how does the provision of resources in the landscape affect wildlife patterns in general? If you add a heap of additional unexpected food resources, what then happens to the array of carrion eaters and predators, and how does this affect other smaller animals?

Read More

BLOG 21/05/2018

Night Parrots & watching grass grow

Al Healy's research at Pullen Pullen is helping us understand the benefits of fencing cattle out of key Night Parrot feeding areas - the McFloodplains.

Read More

BLOG 09/11/2017

Fauna trapping at Yourka

After a successful field trip back in September, three environmental science students from James Cook Uni returned to help with Spring fauna trapping at Yourka Reserve. The students helped set and check pitfall, funnel, cage and Elliot traps over four consecutive trapping nights, and also conducted spotlighting transects after dark.

Read More

BLOG 09/10/2017

iROOS get dusty on Carnarvon

Students from The University of Queensland joined forces with our Central Queensland Ecologist to monitor large vertebrates on Carnarvon using soil plots and spotlighting.

Read More

BLOG 30/06/2017

Fencing in the food

Do we really need a fence on our Night Parrot reserve? Fences are a requirement in pastoral rangelands and are vital infrastructure to keep large feral herbivores off reserve, eliminating their impacts on vegetation and critical habitats.

Read More

BUSHTRACKS 14/03/2017

Come rain or shine

Braving monsoonal rains and searing heat, PhD student and Bush Heritage Environmental Research Scholarship recipient Justin McCann is unlocking the secrets of Naree Station Reserve.

Read More

BLOG 22/11/2016

BRUVS in Hamelin Pool

Renowned for its natural beauty and scientific significance, the Shark Bay World Heritage Area is home to the Wooramel Bank, which is the largest seagrass bank (4,800km2) in the world. It also has one of the largest and most stable populations of Dugongs, and the largest and most diverse assemblage of modern Stromatolites in Hamelin Pool.

Read More

BLOG 07/11/2016

Desert research after a wet winter

The unprecedented rain that fell at Ethabuka Reserve this winter has presented the Sydney University Desert Ecology Research Group with a rare chance to study life in these unusual conditions. They've been studying the ecology of the desert on Ethabuka for over 25 years and these are the most significant winter rains, leaving everyone eager to see what lies ahead.

Read More

BLOG 06/08/2016

Kirsty studies microbats

Kirsty Dixon will change your tune about bats. The University of Tasmania PhD candidate is studying microbats that call the Tasmanian Midlands home. The eight bat species in Tasmania are all forest dwelling – during the day they roost under bark and in old tree hollows.

Read More

BLOG 05/08/2016

Studying bettongs & bandicoots

In the Midlands of Tasmania there are five bettongs named Egbert, Percy, Dot, Cyril and Maud. They're not pets, but they wear collars. They're not criminals, but Riana Gardiner tracks their every move. Riana is a PhD candidate from the University of Tasmania. She's one of five students investigating how native animals feed, move and avoid predators in the Midlands, a fragmented landscape. Riana has chosen to focus on Eastern Bettongs.

Read More

BLOG 04/08/2016

Kirstin studies bettongs & quolls

Kirstin Proft is enamoured by all things bettong. She's a PhD student from the University of Tasmania. She describes Bettongs as 'weird and wonderful things... charismatic little animals, each with their own personality'.

Read More

BLOG 03/08/2016

Glen Bain studies woodland birds

When Glen Bain moved to Hobart to start his PhD, he quickly learned the calls of the 12 bird species endemic to (only found in) Tasmania, like the Green Rosella and the Yellow-throated Honeyeater. Many other Tasmanian bird species are migratory – flying across Bass Strait to the mainland over winter.

Read More

BLOG 02/08/2016

Studying quolls, cats & devils

Rowena Hamer walks through the supermarket with a trolley full of Seafood Basket, a cheap cat food. While she claims she looks like a crazy cat lady, the PhD candidate insists that it's all in the name of research. Rowena is one of five researchers from the University of Tasmania investigating the animals that live in the Tasmanian Midlands, one of Bush Heritage's priority landscapes.

Read More

BLOG 01/08/2016

Ecology in the Tassie midlands

The Tasmanian Midlands is a patchwork of colours. White sheep are peppered across a paddock. There are red roofs, silver sheds, and swathes of brown soil, cultivated for crops. The patches of remnant native vegetation appear various shades of green. From a hill top, it’s all rather bucolic.

Read More

BLOG 12/05/2016

Swags, snails & sunrises for the iROOS

In this post, University of Queensland student, John McLaughlin, shares some of the highlights of a recent iROOS trip to Edgbaston Reserve and explains why it's so important to leave the lecture theatre behind for a while and head bush to experience 'real life' conservation work.

Read More

BLOG 28/04/2016

Curtin University at Hamelin Station

Hamelin Pool is indeed one of the most phenomenal places on the planet. I recently had the pleasure of being able to share some of my favourite localities with students from Curtin University. For me it was an incredible experience to be able to share my knowledge of Hamelin Pool with a group of keen, smart students who were keen to learn and thoroughly enjoyed the wonder of the region.

Read More

BUSHTRACKS 21/06/2015

Lessons in nature: our student partners

From kangaroos at Nardoo, to snails in the springs of Edgbaston, university students from across Australia are doing research on Bush Heritage reserves.

Read More

BLOG 16/06/2015

Fish monitoring array installed

All fish monitoring stations in a 90km long fish tracking array in the Upper Murrumbidgee River have now been installed thanks to project staff and some pretty dedicated volunteers. This was no mean feat, as deployment of the monitoring stations required 8-hour long paddles into remote sections of the river to ferry in the equipment, including lengths of railway iron that are used to anchor the monitoring stations in the river.

Read More

BLOG 30/03/2015

Edgbaston’s hidden charms

As part of my doctoral research I've spent a lot of time on Bush Heritage Australia's Edgbaston Reserve. I've guided a lot of people through its plains and pockets with an expectant gaze to the faces of my visitors, looking for a reflection of the excitement I feel, but am always shocked when the sentiment expressed is 'underwhelmed'. So, for my first blog post I wanted to share three tips to help one understand why I think Edgbaston is the jewel of Bush Heritage's Queensland crown.

Read More

BLOG 01/03/2015

Judas carp tagged to show their movements

Six European carp were electronically tagged by NSW Fisheries staff at Scottsdale Reserve last week to help shed light on when and where carp move along the upper Murrumbidgee River. This information is currently a key knowledge gap in the upper Murrumbidgee catchment and is critical for the better management of this pest fish species in upland river systems.

Read More

BLOG 16/02/2015

Using your grey matter on Boolcoomatta

Drive one hour west of Broken Hill. Drive past the backdrop of Mad Max II, past feral goats and frantic emus. Drive down a dirt track, cross three cattle grids and you'll reach Bush Heritage's Boolcoomatta Station Reserve.

Read More
Loading...
{{itemsInCart}} Items - {{formatCurrency(grandTotal)}}