Mulloon Consulting

Initial Site Assessment | Landscape Rehydration Detailed Designs | Oversight of Regulatory Approvals
Implementation of Landscape Rehydration Plan | Monitoring | Catchment-Scale Projects | Enquiry Form

Mulloon Consulting applies cutting-edge landscape rehydration solutions to enhance agricultural productivity and environmental resilience throughout Australia

By utilising a property and catchment-scale approach, we assess landscape function and consider approaches to restore and rehydrate these landscapes. Our methods help farmers across Australia increase land productivity by fostering healthier, more resilient ecosystems. Our globally recognised work demonstrates the potential for agriculture and the environment to coexist harmoniously, grounded in a deep understanding of landscape function and its critical role in sustainable land management. 

Our landscape rehydration design, approval and construction oversight service, coupled with advice on regenerative land management practices, delivers a range of agricultural and environmental benefits including:  

• landscape rehydration 

• regenerating degraded landscapes 

• reinstating natural landscape function 

• increased water retention and water quality 

• increased soil health and carbon sequestration potential 

• increased biodiversity and natural capital considerations 

• improved landscape health 

• increased resilience to climatic extremes 

• improved productivity and profitability 

The Mulloon Consulting team works with farmers, natural resource professionals and other stakeholders on leading edge land and catchment rehydration and restoration projects across the country.   

The team employs technical excellence and has a rigorous quality assurance and review processes. We deliver service excellence across the entire lifecycle of landscape rehydration and regeneration projects, from site assessments and planning, capacity building and on ground works, to monitoring and review.   

Mulloon Consulting offers services in landscape rehydration to a variety of public and private clients including farmers, government agencies and catchment communities.

Mulloon Consulting is a wholly owned subsidiary of  Mulloon Institute. 

Assessments and Planning

Initial Site Assessment

Implementation of landscape rehydration works can be at any scale; from paddock, to farm, to an entire catchment (see Catchment Scale Projects below). Mulloon Consulting provides preliminary advice on the scale and scope of potential measures that may be suitable for your property, including preliminary advice on any regulatory requirements (if required). 

We undertake an initial desktop assessment of your property using existing mapping, satellite imagery, digital data sources and/or drone data to ascertain the current condition of the site and extent of possible landscape rehydration and regeneration measures.  We consider the broader catchment as part of this initial assessment, i.e. we’re not constrained by property boundaries. 

Our team will then visit the site to discuss your goals and explore the opportunities and constraints for landscape rehydration approaches on your property.   

We will identify key management issues and provide advice on the best ways to achieve a functional landscape with respectful consideration of your goals and current enterprises.  

Future actions can also be discussed along with consideration of potential improved land management practices that will contribute to positive outcomes. An important part of this review is gaining an understanding of your capacity to implement and manage landscape rehydration works into the future.  

The initial site assessment process includes:  

• desktop assessment 

• site visit by Mulloon Consulting team 

• consideration of goals and priorities 

• preparation of an Initial Site Inspection report that includes site condition assessment, identification of issues and opportunities, potential landscape rehydration interventions and conceptual plans. 

Landscape Rehydration Detailed Designs

Detailed design work follows the initial site assessment. During this process we undertake hydrological measurements and modelling, complete hydraulic calculations, as well as the preparation of construction-ready detailed design drawings for the interventions (plan view and long/cross section drawings) and preparation of site maps showing proposed interventions. In most cases regulatory approval is required before construction, and therefore our designs are prepared with the regulatory process in mind. The design specifications, construction approach and ongoing management considerations for each type of intervention is also described in these reports. 

A site visit is required to undertake specific surveying and measurements of longitudinal and cross-sectional profiles of the catchment to be treated, as well as identifying the specific locations for landscape rehydration interventions. This information is also used to determine the estimated quantities of materials required for construction. Our interventions are all nature-based solutions and during the design phase we will also consider the availability of materials (typically rock and hardwood timber logs) relative to the site location. 

The detailed design process includes: 

• site visit by Mulloon Consulting team to complete surveying and measurements 

• preparation of detailed map with likely location and type of measures required for landscape rehydration 

• detailed engineering design and construction-ready drawings 

• high level assessment of the regulatory considerations for the proposed works within the context of the applicable State/Territory requirements 

• recommendations for monitoring and review. 

Oversight of Regulatory Approvals 

We acknowledge that landscape rehydration actions may trigger the need for regulatory approvals.  If permits are required, we can provide ongoing assistance in developing and delivering the required information for the approval process. 

Our assistance with regulatory approvals includes the following: 

• assessment of regulatory framework and approvals required 

• development and delivery of supporting information required for regulatory approvals, including liaison with external consultants, such as for heritage, cultural and ecological assessments 

• liaison with relevant government agencies  

• regulatory approval application. 

Implementation of Landscape Rehydration Plan 

Mulloon Consulting can implement your Landscape Rehydration Plan in partnership with specialist contractors and our team to supervise on-ground works. We can also advise on the ongoing management of installations with a focus on vegetation and stock management, and post-rainfall reviews and remediation.  

Our construction oversight includes:  

• surveying and layout of on-ground works 

• supervision of on-ground works by qualified landscape rehydration practitioners 

• advice on monitoring and maintenance. 

Services

Monitoring

Our service includes advice and implementation of recommended monitoring of installations and structures to assist in revealing the apparent and measurable benefits of landscape rehydration. Monitoring can range from the establishment of photo points to drone footage, stream gauges, groundwater monitoring and ecological monitoring. Monitoring is best considered early in the project so that baseline data can be collected, including photos taken prior to the implementation of works. 

Our monitoring service can include any of the following: 

• advice on monitoring to match your goals 

• advice and implementation of a range of monitoring technologies 

• data analysis, management and reporting. 

Catchment-Scale Projects

As the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative demonstrates in southern NSW, catchment-scale landscape rehydration immensely benefits the local environment, agricultural productivity and regional communities.  

A critical part of catchment-scale projects, is engaging with its key stakeholders and the broader community, allowing them to observe, learn from, or even contribute their experiences to the project. Engagement typically involves local, state and federal governments, philanthropic bodies and the research and corporate sectors.  

By bringing the community along, landholders better understand landscape rehydration processes and learn how to deliver these changes on their own properties. The key to long-term success in catchment-scale landscape rehydration projects is helping landholders through ongoing support to achieve practice change.  

Mulloon Consulting provides support for catchment-scale projects in the pre-planning and planning phases, all the way through to developing catchment-scale proposals, rehydration plans and implementation. Mulloon Consulting’s specialist team can provide support in community engagement and lead the capacity building aspects of a catchment scale project. Read more about our Learning Programs here.

When working at a larger scale or in a broader catchment context, a Scoping Report is recommended. This report considers the broader biophysical nature of the catchment; current and historical land use across the catchment; catchment hydrology and geomorphology; landscape function considerations; assessment of landholders (and other community stakeholders) perceptions of the catchment; identification of opportunities for landscape rehydration (including land management practices, potential landscape rehydration interventions and vegetation); regulatory approval overview; consideration of capacity building opportunities; and development of a high level plan for implementation. 

Funding is a key consideration for catchment-scale projects and we can assist communities with identifying opportunities such as Grants. 

Our work with catchment-scale projects typically includes the following: 

• presentations to communities on landscape rehydration and Mulloon’s experiences 

• workshops with catchment communities to build a better understanding of the catchment 

• generation of a scoping report to identify the key steps and stakeholders in catchment projects 

• catchment-scale detailed design and regulatory approval information 

• catchment-scale construction 

• building the capacity of landholders in undertaking low-risk landscape rehydration work themselves and maintaining landscape rehydration measures.