Learning & Community
The Mulloon Institute owns two properties totalling 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres) in the Southern Tablelands of NSW, not far from Canberra. Known as Mulloon Creek Natural Farms, these properties operate both a cattle grazing and free-range egg enterprise using holistic, regenerative management practices.
The Institute’s research into regenerative agriculture and landscape rehydration work is showcased across the farms which form our living laboratory. A variety of research continues at the farms taking part in the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative. Visitors and scientists are invited to join the annual field day for keynote presentations from experts, a Q&A session and visits to the Mulloon Creek rehabilitation site.
Learning Programs
Our Learning Programs offer a wide range of learning experiences for community groups, landholders, business owners, Indigenous groups, schools and volunteer organisations. They have been developed with the generous support of NSW Government’s Environmental Trust.
Workshops – One-day workshop giving participants a foundational understanding of a farm’s water cycle and our approaches to rehydrating rural landscapes.
Bootcamps – Two or three day bootcamp on reading and assessing water cycle health at the property scale, prioritising issues and investigating a variety of strategies to rehydrate the landscape.
Mentoring – This program is for graduates of the Rehydrating Your Farm Landscape Bootcamp who are ready to begin a project on their property. Participants will work one-on-one with a Mentor Landscape Planner to put their plan into action. The program includes online discussion sessions as well as additional support and resources such as video tutorials, worksheets and the review of participants’ plans and maps.
Mulloon Farm Tours – Tours of the Home Farm can include a walk along an ephemeral creek and rehabilitated wetlands, contour systems along treed hilltops, pilot project sites and the latest designs of in-stream structures.
School Tours – Can be tailored for specific curriculums or to address specific educational outcomes. For secondary students of geography, biology and related sciences, farm management and social studies or to address specific educational outcomes.
University Field Trips – We regularly host Field Trips for students studying at the Australian National University and the University of Canberra with content tailored to suit the universities’ educational needs and outcomes.
We can bring our presentations, workshops and bootcamps in landscape rehydration and restoration direct to your community, across Australia. Find out more: learning@mullooninstitute.org
Landscape modelling with Gary McGuigan.
Installing brush packs. Photo: Alex Wisser
Testimonial
“After attending an introductory workshop in the Malpas Dam catchment, I immediately recognised the potential of the Mulloon Institute’s landscape rehydration methods to enhance the health of the surrounding landscapes, thereby improving the water quality entering Council’s storage dams.
“We were thrilled with the interest the 3-day Bootcamp attracted in October 2023. Land managers not only gained insights into landscape rehydration theories and their practical application to their own contexts, but also actively participated in a hands-on project on the final day.
“Peter and Erin from Mulloon, as presenters, were highly engaging and provided supportive leadership during the practical session. We are confident that land managers in the catchment will apply their newfound knowledge in a positive way that will have great flow on benefits for water users in the broader community.”
– Mark Byrne,
Manager Water and Wastewater
Armidale Regional Council
The Water Story
The Water Story is a FREE, 94 page, comprehensive 10-week learning program for teachers co-created by the Mulloon Institute and The Scots College. It looks at all aspects of the water cycle that interlink soil, plant, atmosphere and climate. It also features up-to-date content about First Nations stewardship of Country, climate change and holistic approaches to agriculture. Read more.
Download a copy (16 MB)
Water in Healthy Landscapes animation series
This animation series was developed to support public understanding of the principles of landscape rehydration and restoration.
1. Solar Energy: how plants, cycling water, manage the energy of the sun. ©2024
4. Surface Roughness: why vegetation is key to slowing water’s path. ©2024
2. The Small Water Cycle
©2024
5. Soil infiltration: Managing the soil surface to retain soil moisture. ©2024
3. Erosion and Deposition: how water, powered by gravity, shapes our landscapes. ©2024
Learning Modules
Mulloon Institute is developing a series of learning modules for teachers and educators. These contain learning activities to help demystify landscape rehydration science, principles and strategies.
The first two in this series are Making Models to Learn About Landscapes and Plants are Pumps!
Click on the images below to download a copy.
