Conference Schedule

Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future: The conversation we need to have.

Please find below the Conference Schedule as it stands currently. The line-up may be subject to minor changes.

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Last edited: 04.02.2025 6:00pm

The 21st Annual Western Australian Wetlands Conference 2025

Scientific Innovation, Cultural Wisdom, Creative Pathways and Collective Action towards Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future: The conversation we need to have.
Location:The Wetlands Centre Cockburn
184 Hope Road, Bibra Lake, WA 6163
Date:6th to 7th February 2025
StartEnd Time TitleSpeaker/sOrganisationTopic
DAY 1MorningThu 6thFebEMERGING HORIZONS SESSION
7:30 AM8:30 AM60minSpecial Walking Tour of Rehabilitating Roe 8 ProjectAdam PeckOptional activity (walking shoes required) —
Arrive at 7:15 am for a 7:30 am start.
8:45 AM9:00 AM15minWELCOME TO COUNTRY Marie Taylor 
9:00 AM9:10 AM10minCONFERENCE OPENING Opening by Hon. Simone McGurk MLA 
9:10 AM9:15 AM5minAcknowledgement of SponsorsProfessor Treena BurgessChair, The Wetlands Centre 
9:20 AM10:00 AM40minKeynoteProfessor Anne PoelinaNulungu Research Institute, University of
Notre Dame & Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council
Knowing Living Waters
10:00 AM10:30 AM20minMorning Tea / Networking 🍰 🍩 ☕ 🍵 🍨 
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 1Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
10:30 AM10:50 AM20minCase Study PresentationAdrian PinderDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsMaintaining Biodiversity in the Ramsar-Listed Toolibin Lake
10:30 AM10:50 AM20minExpert PresentationKurt KrispynMurdoch UniversityCharacteristics and Classification of Estuaries in Southwestern Australia
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 2Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
10:55 AM11:15 AM20minCase Study PresentationBryony FremlinWetlands Conservation SocietyAnstey-Keane Dampland: A Haven for Wildlife
10:55 AM11:15 AM20minExpert PresentationAngus LawrieMolecular and Life Sciences
Curtin University
Next Generation Environmental Monitoring:
A Taxon-Independent Index for The Biomonitoring of Wetlands
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 3Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
11:20 AM11:40 AM20minCase Study PresentationGavan McGrathDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsAshfield Flats Hydrological Study: Changing Terrestrial and Estuarine Hydrological Processes of a Temperate Estuarine Salt
11:20 AM11:40 AM20minCase Study PresentationAgustina Quadri AdrogueDeakin UniversityAssessing Biogeochemical Recovery in Restored Saltmarshes
StartEnd Time TitleSpeaker/sOrganisationTopic
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 4Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
11:45 AM12:05 PM20minCase Study PresentationJessica HarveyHiDef Aerial SurveyingDetection and Identification of Wetlands Birds Using Ultrahigh-Resolution Digital Aerial Video Footage
11:45 AM12:05 PM20minCase Study PresentationFelicity BairstowTurtle TrackersTurtles, Citizen Science, Community and Conservation. We can do this!
12:05 PM1:10 PM65minLunch / Networking 🍽️ 🥘 🥗 🥪 🍢 🍴 Plants available for sale at our Conservation Nursery during Lunch Break
        
DAY 1AfternoonThu 6thFebSHAPING THE FUTURE SESSION
1:10 PM1:40 PM30minKeynoteJane ChambersMurdoch UniversityWetlands Under Urbanisation and Climate Change: The Way Forward
1:45 PM2:15 PM30minPanel DiscussionModerated byJane ChambersPolicy Panel Discussion with Candidates from Bibra Lake
2:15 PM2:35 PM20minAfternoon Tea / Networking🍰 🍩 ☕ 🍵 🍨  
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 5Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
2:40 PM3:00 PM20minCase Study PresentationBronwyn ScallanPerth South West Metropolitan AlliancePerth Southwest Sediment Snapshot: A Case Study in Collaboration
2:40 PM3:00 PM20minCase Study PresentationDaniel Jan MartinThe University of Western AustraliaRising Tides Studio: Collaborative Visions for Our Future Coasts
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 6Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
3:05 PM3:25 PM20minExpert PresentationTom AtkinsonEmerge AssociatesIn Typha's Defence: Does the Cost of Bulrush Control Out Way the Benefits?
3:05 PM3:25 PM20minExpert PresentationAnnamaria WeldonIndependentWatermarked by the Wetlands' Wild Wisdom: Nature Writing
        
3:30 PM4:00 PM30minSpotlight SessionHeidi HardistyFriends of Lake ClaremontRestoring Lake Claremont: A Never-Ending Story (A feature on PSHB)
4:00 PM6:00 PM60minSundowner 🌅 🍻🍷🍸🍹 
Book LaunchBryony Fremlin &
David Jones
📖🎉✨ Reflections on the Anstey-Keane Dampland
END OF DAY 1
StartEnd Time TitleSpeaker/sOrganisationTopic
DAY 2MorningFri 7thFebCHALLENGES INTO TRIUMPHS SESSION
7:30 AM8:30 AM60minSpecial Walking Tour of
Bibra Lake
 Stuart Gordon AndrewsWetlands as Rehabilitation HubsOptional activity (walking shoes required) —
Arrive at 7:15 am for a 7:30 am start.
Walk followed by Short session on Eco-printing
9:00 AM9:10 AM10minACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
9:10 AM9:15 AM5minAcknowledgement of SponsorsAna Terrazas, Manager, The Wetlands Centre
9:20 PM10:00 PM40minKeynoteTim StorerDepartment of Water and Environmental RegulationBuilding Resilience of River Ecosystems to A Dryer And Hotter Climate
10:00 AM10:30 AM30minMorning Tea / Networking🍰 🍩 ☕ 🍵 🍨
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 1Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
10:30 AM10:50 AM20minCase Study PresentationRick JamesDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsWetland Flow Augmentation via Drain Alterations: A Case Study
10:30 AM10:50 AM20minCase Study PresentationBethany TreglownFlinders University South AustraliaEnvironmental Drivers and Who Eats Who? Investigating Biological Community and Trophic Responses to Environmental Change
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 2Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
10:55 AM11:15 AM20minCase Study PresentationKristy Gregory, Brett Hill, Darryl Kickett &
Jock Abraham
PHCC & Wilman (Dryandra) People CorporationShared Country, Shared Rivers: A Collaboration Project on the Hotham River
10:55 AM11:15 AM20minExpert PresentationMichael PayneNorthern Agricultural Catchments CouncilImproving Coastal Saltmarsh in the Northern Agricultural Region
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 3Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
11:20 AM11:40 AM20minCase Study PresentationJohanna SlijkermanWater Technology Pty LtdVegetation Response After the Exclusion of Feral Animal Grazing in Barmah Forest Ramsar Wetlands
11:20 AM11:40 AM20minExpert PresentationRobyn HeckenbergCurtin UniversityCultural Ways of Seeing and Hearing: Local and Global Wetlands; Ramsar & My Country Talk
Expert / Case Study Presentations – Round 4Choose to attend any one of the 2 presentations below
11:45 AM12:05 PM20minCase Study PresentationChris Charles &

Zoltan Kelly

Water Technology Pty LtdMapping Wetland Vegetation Using a Bird's Eye View
11:45 AM12:05 PM20minCase Study PresentationJem Stirling, Paul Higginson
& Jayson Sekhon
City of MelvilleLessons in Improving Urban Wetlands
12:05 PM1:10 PM65minLunch / Networking🍽️ 🥘 🥗 🥪 🍢 🍴 Plants available for sale at our Conservation Nursery during Lunch Break
DAY 2AfternoonFri 7thFebFROM IDEAS TO ACTION SESSION
1:10 PM1:50 PM40minKeynoteLuke BentleyDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsPlan for Our Parks
1:50 PM2:10 PM20minPoster PresentationsAll Poster PresentersOverviewBrief Introduction to the Posters
2:15 PM2:45 PM30minAfternoon Tea / Networking🍰 🍩 ☕ 🍵 🍨
Workshops & Hybrid PresentationsChoose to attend any one of the workshops / hybrid presentations below
2:45 PM3:45 PM60minHybrid PresentationsJack IngelbrechtHarry Butler Institute
Murdoch University
1. Silver Linings: Conservation Genetics Using Freshwater Turtle Cadavers from A Mass Mortality Event
 Anthony Santoro2. Long-Term Habitat Degradation Affects Nest Site Selection Behaviour by A Freshwater Turtle (Chelodina oblonga).
 Kiera Gordon3. Reading Between the Lines – Using Biologgers To Study Behaviour And Activity In Freshwater Turtles
2:45 PM3:45 PM60minHybrid PresentationsBasil Schur &
Aunty Carol Pettersen
Green Skills Inc1. Tootanellup Walking Together with Zamia Eco-restoration & Cultural Connections Project
 Shaun OssingerWilson Inlet Catchment Committee (WICC)2. Eungedup Wetlands: Creating a Safe Haven for Wildlife
2:45 PM3:45 PM60minHybrid PresentationsAlan CottinghamHarry Butler Institute
Murdoch University
1. Rise of the Machines. Are Cyborg Mussels the Future of Water Quality Monitoring?
 Delphine Chabanne2. Addressing Fishing Gear Entanglement in the Swan Canning Estuary: A Case Study on Dolphin Conservation
2:45 PM3:45 PM60minWorkshopLanie Cottam
Hazel Dempster
Conservation Nursery,
The Wetlands Centre
Native Plant Propagation Techniques

Workshop at TWC Conservation Nursery

 
3:50 PM4:30 PM40minPlenary SessionPlenary Session with Forum and Closing Remarks
CLOSE OF CONFERENCE
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
All Days  Poster PresentationsKindly view and interact with the Poster Presentations during breaks.
All Days   Poster PresentationBryony FremlinWetlands Conservation SocietyA Wild Heritage: Reflections on the Anstey-Keane Dampland
All Days   Poster PresentationNandi ChinnaIndependentAn Oral History of The Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre
All Days   Poster PresentationCaitlyn WhiteTown of BassendeanAshfield Flats Master Plan Implementation Project
All Days   Poster PresentationClaire FitzpatrickWater Technology Pty LtdAn Elevated Understanding of Wetland Data
All Days   Poster PresentationRay TaussIndependentDIY Tools for Landscape Planting and Weeding

 

First-Ever Conference Shuttle ServiceReducing the Conference’s Carbon Footprint by Encouraging Public Transport Use

We are excited to report that our first-ever shuttle service for The Wetlands Conference was a huge success this year. This environmentally-friendly initiative was designed to increase the use of public transport and reduce carbon emissions, and we couldn’t have…