Wild Deserts winter tours

After a very successful launch of our Wild Deserts Experience Winter Tours in 2023 where over 50 visitors enjoyed the opportunity to meet our scientists in person and learn about our work first hand, we are running further tours during the peak visitor season in mid-2024.

Tours are free and bookings are not required, just meet us at the Talpera Lookout, Sturt National Park.

Newsletters

Our newsletter is written by our chief ecologist, Dr Rebecca West and published quarterly. Starring the status of our reintroduced mammal species we also provide other research, infrastructure, community and event updates as we aim to inform our supporters and followers of all the highlights at Wild Deserts. Everyone is welcome to subscribe to our newsletter.

Read our latest e-newsletter

Wet weather fills Lake Pinaroo and greens the desert ~ Planning for the arrival of western quolls and burrowing bettongs ~ Feral cat tracking ~ Herbarium update ~ A profile of our summer caretakers ~ What's coming up in the next few months at Wild Deserts

 

Past newsletters

#12 - Jan 2024

January 20, 2024

Big rain dodges Wild Deserts during January ~ Ecological Monitoring, December track counts ~ International Conservation Translocations Conference ~ Woma Python Research ~ Cat control intensifies ~ Congratulations Brianna ~ Farewell to Ellie

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#11 - Nov 2023

November 20, 2023

NSW Environment Minister visit ~ Annual Bird and Reintroduced Mammal Monitoring ~ Spring wildflowers ~ National Science Week Rewilding Panel ~ Rotary Club of Frankston volunteers ~ Field Station upgrade ~ Free tours a hit

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#10 - Aug 2023

August 20, 2023

Lake Pinaroo dries ~ Greater stick-nest rat translocation to Sturt NP ~ Annual ecological monitoring 2023 ~ Mutawintji Board of Management visit ~ New Info shelter at Fort Grey Camground ~ Student research update

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#9 - Feb 2023

February 20, 2023

Golden Bandicoots establishing well ~ Lots of large reptile activity at Wild Deserts ~ Visitors at the Talpero Lookout ~ Banksia Foundation NSW Conservation Award ~ Bandicoots not the only rapid breeders at Wild Deserts ~ New detector dog in training

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#8 - Nov 2022

November 20, 2022

Golden Bandicoot post release monitoring ~ A feral cat sneaks in ~ New Wild Deserts staff ~ Visitors and Volunteers ~ Pilot public tours of Wild Deserts

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#7 - Aug 2022

August 07, 2022

Golden Bandicoots thriving at Wild Deserts ~ 2022 annual ecological survey ~ NSW Environment Minister visits Wild Deserts ~ Student research update ~ Peggy

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#6 - Jun 2022

June 20, 2022

Golden Bandicoots return to NSW ~ New Visitors Area in Sturt National Park complete as part of Wild Deserts Project ~ More rain for Wild Deserts ~ Research Update 

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#5 - Feb 2022

February 20, 2022

Early success for newly-released Shark Bay Bandicoots ~ Lake Pinaroo ecological surveys ~ Cat control and research ~ Wild Deserts to feature on ABC's Australian Story ~ Golden Bandicoots coming to Wild Deserts in 2022

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#4 - Oct 2021

October 20, 2021

Spring rains during COVID lockdown at Wild Deserts ~ Inaugural monitoring of all reintroduced mammals ~ More Shark Bay bandicoots arrive ~ Annual bird surveys ~ Student research at Wild Deserts ~ Threatened Species Bakeoff

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#3 - Aug 2021

August 20, 2021

Shark Bay Bandicoots released ~ Bilby and Mulgara updates ~ Waterbirds Breeding after rain ~ Cat-control research projects ~ Welcome Tom Hunt our new field ecologist ~ Visitor area construction continues

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# 2 - May 2021

May 20, 2021

Rain and more rain - great for the desert ~ Annual surveys ~ Netting sculptures arrive

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#1 - Mar 2021

March 20, 2021

Our changing environment ~ Bilbies and Mulgaras return to Sturt National Park ~ Breeding smarter threatened species ~‘Wild Training Zone’ ~ Thanks

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Major news events at Wild Deserts

2024

Wild Deserts sculpture and garden on UNSW Campus: Inside UNSW - UNSW unveils the Greater Bilby and Current Students - UNSW welcomes our newest student to campus - the Greater Bilby!

Wild Deserts family: The Australian - Remote family treasures its desert schooling

2023

Rewilding: UNSW Centre for Ideas x National Science Week 2023 Forum

Bandicoot survival: Smithsonian Magazine - The Unlikely Survival Story of Australia's Bandicoots

Rewilding the Desert: The Guardian  - Beyond the fence: what does it mean to rewild the Australian desert? 

2022

Interpretation area opens:  UNSW Newsroom - Interpretation area for wildlife conservation opens in Sturt National Park 

Golden bandicoot release:  UNSW Newsroom - A shining success as golden bandicoots return to the desert 

Wild Deserts Australian Story:  UNSW Newsroom - The most remote family in NSW are on a mission. It could change the desert...

Mammals now thriving: UNSW Newsroom - Reintroduced mammals now thriving in Sturt National Park

2021

Shark Bay bandicoot release: UNSW Newsroom - Bandicoots return to Sturt National Park after more than a century / watch on YouTube

2020

Bilby release: ABC News - Bilbies released into Sturt National Park, 100 years after being declared extinct in NSW

Mulgara release: Australian Geographic - 19 crest-tailed mulgaras have been released in NSW for the first time

2019

Rewilding project: SMH - Radical plan to halt mammal extinctions in NSW

2018

Artefact relocation: ABC News - Ancient artefacts last link to country for Wangkumara and Maljangapa Indigenous nations

Pitfall trapping and start of fence clearing: ABC News - Missing mulgaras and bashful bilbies: Sturt National Park prepares for their return

Bilby Sanctuary established at Taronga Zoo: Australian Geographic: The bilby is making a comeback in outback NSW

2017

Mulgara Discovery: ABC News: Native crest-tailed mulgara returns to NSW outback after 100-year absence 

Project Launch: UNSW Newsroom: Bilbies and bettongs to return to NSW

 

 

 

Ways to connect

Related

The team

Meet our Wild Deserts team of experts.

The mammals

From the Crest-tailed Mulgara to the Stick-nest Rat, these mammals have a story to tell. Come and meet them.

About the project

The Wild Deserts project aims to bring back seven locally extinct mammals in north-west NSW. Learn more.