Executive Team
Carolyn Hall
BSc, M Sus Dev, GAICD
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
& MANAGING DIRECTOR
Carolyn has over 20 years’ experience working across the agricultural and environmental sectors. Carolyn is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand.
Her experience in environmental consulting has focused on balancing biodiversity values with flood mitigation in urban and rural contexts. Her expertise is in planning and environmental legislation, biodiversity and wetland management, environmental education and community consultation. Carolyn has undertaken research and analysis on both grazing and dairy properties focussing on landscape suitability, soils and climate.
Carolyn builds strong relationships to collaborate and solve challenging environmental problems. She has been a lecturer in the Masters of Sustainable Development program at Macquarie University and has spent many years chairing regional environmental forums.
Kathy Kelly
BEc, FCA, GAICD
chief operating officer
& company secretary
Kathy is a chartered accountant, registered company auditor and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kathy is also a director of Plant Health Australia and a member of the Executive Committee of Landcare NSW.
Until June 2019 Kathy was a director of Boyce Chartered Accountants where she had a long career in practice where she specialised in the support of both family and corporate farms. Kathy has held various appointments including advising the Federal Government on the industry impacts of legislation and ‘red tape’ in small business, and R&D tax concessions.
Kathy has direct experience in the governance and management of charities including the establishment of two public benevolent institutions that were formed subsequent to the 2020 summer bushfires.
Kathy brings her financial skills, governance and widespread agricultural experience to her role. She is passionate about rural and regional areas and the people and businesses in those communities.
Jono Forrest
BBus (Ag Comm)
General Manager
Jono works closely with the Mulloon Consulting team to achieve positive outcomes for our clients and is focused on building strong relationships throughout the Mulloon network. After growing up on a mixed farm in South Australia, Jono attained his Bachelor of Business (Agricultural Commerce) from the University of Sydney and has provided professional agribusiness services for over 25 years. He spent several years working on farms in the NSW Riverina and has gradually shifted his focus to Regenerative Agriculture with various short courses and workshops, and now his current studies in a Post-Graduate Diploma in Regenerative Agriculture at Southern Cross University.
Landscape Planners
Peter Hazell
B App Sc, M App Sc, GradDip Env Edu
PRINCIPAL LANDSCAPE PLANNER
Peter has 15 years’ experience in the development and delivery of landscape rehydration works in both the public and private sectors. Peter provides on-ground advice and prepares Landscape Rehydration Plans while navigating the social, legal and technical complexities of natural resource management to achieve significant on-ground outcomes. He specialises in: Landscape planning, Landscape regeneration, Water Science, Ecology, Geomorphology, Community-based NRM and Policy analysis.
Peter is responsible for the implementation of the catchment scale Mulloon Rehydration Initiative. He worked as a Remote Sensing Specialist within the Environmental Research and Information Consortium and was an Australian Government NRM Facilitator (Landcare & Biodiversity). Peter was the first Landcare Coordinator in the Upper Shoalhaven Catchment, NSW. He and his wife, Donna, are also currently rehabilitating a 374ha farm in the Mongarlowe watershed, NSW based on principles of regenerative agriculture.
Sam Skeat
B A Sc (Production Animal Science)
Regenerative agriculture consultant (QLD)
Sam has significant experience in landscape processes and how to use rehydration design to rebuild degraded areas into functional productive landscapes. He has spent 15 years in the grazing industry and brings specialist skills in providing grazing advice in the context of landscape rehydration. Sam also spent six years in NRM working with graziers on improved management practices including project officer for the NQ Dry Tropics Landscape works. Here, he combined rehydration practices and regenerative grazing to deliver both ecological and productive returns.
Sam’s broader skills include: grazing management, landscape function understanding, reading the landscape, practical design, understanding and balancing the returns for ecology and agriculture in Regenerative Agriculture and Landscape Rehydration, extension and education with landholders. Sam is the owner and Director for Skeat Family Farms, a Regenerative Grazing company in North Queensland.
Lance Mudgway
BE (Agr), MEngSc
LANDSCAPE PLANNER (WA)
Lance Mudgway is a hydrologist based in Wagin, Western Australia with over 20 years’ experience managing surface and groundwater in WA’s agricultural landscapes. He has 16 years’ experience as a hydrologist working in landscape repair in response to salinity and land degradation issues in the WA Wheatbelt, bringing extensive experience and knowledge of natural capital, landscape properties and processes in that region.
Lance is passionate about large-scale change in agricultural systems, to a more natural systems focus, restoring saline and degraded lands to productivity and building resilience against climate change and other external factors as well as reducing agriculture’s climate impact.
Lance brings with him a well-developed network with local NRM groups, Landcare and community groups, Aboriginal groups and local and state government agencies.
Nolani McColl
B Env Sc, Dip Horticulture
executive Landscape Planner
Nolani has 15 years’ experience in freshwater management, with a long career in Federal Government and with the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, and more recently with the Mulloon Institute. Nolani assists landholders in applying landscape rehydration practices by providing on-farm inspections and advice on landscape restoration with a focus on water. Nolani and husband Peter run a small property near Braidwood where they are producing fine mohair using regenerative practices, biodynamics and holistic management to improve farm productivity and biodiversity.
Jack Smart
BEng(Env)(Hons), GradCertRivRestor&Mgt
Landscape Planner
Jack is an Environmental Engineer with a strong passion for river systems, landscape rehydration and caring for country. He has 15 years’ experience in the public and private sectors, including over 10 years’ with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.
Jack brings a wealth of experience in the delivery of projects with respect to time, quality and budget, including program oversight for the delivery of large-scale floodplain environmental watering projects on the Murray River. He has a strong understanding of the technical engineering and design elements underpinning landscape rehydration works, including hydraulic and hydrologic analysis and assessments, and has design experience in urban stormwater and Water Sensitive Urban Design projects in the ACT.
Tony Wells
B Nat Res, Ass Dip Horticulture
Landscape Planner
Tony has over 20 years’ experience as an agricultural scientist with CSIRO and the NSW Department of Primary Industries. At NSW DPI, he focussed on improving the environmental performance of vegetable and fruit farming, particularly soil health and sediment/nutrient losses. He has extensive experience in hydrological monitoring and automated runoff sampling and has worked with a wide range of farmers conducting on-farm experiments and environmental projects.
Tony has also worked with landholders on native biodiversity projects and has taught horticulture and soils at TAFE and in youth support organisations. He managed his own business providing landholders with soil management recommendations and interpretation of soil lab-tests and is passionate about using data visualisation to communicate complex concepts. Tony is currently undertaking a graduate certificate in Data Science at the University of Newcastle.
Bill McAlister
B Sc (Hons)
Senior LANDSCAPE designer
Bill’s experience is in landscape assessment – reading the landscape, designing interventions to restore landscape function for improved biodiversity and commercial outcomes, drawing on scientific literature and GIS datasets to interpret the condition of the country and its potential for recovery. Bill provides technical support and assists with the preparation of Landscape Rehydration Plans. He grew up in the Central West of NSW and it was here where his interest in regenerative agriculture and landscape rehydration evolved. This was further reinforced by travels throughout Australia and South America. He is a graduate of the Australian National University with honours.
Angus Dunne
BS ECOAg, Dip COM Ser
LANDSCAPE PLANNER
Angus has 10 years’ experience in the food system, from grazing extension in the Great Barrier Reef, to vineyards, wineries, organic vegetables and restaurants. Completing a Bachelor of Ecological Agricultural Systems from Charles Sturt University in 2018, the triple bottom line degree underpinned by systems thinking instilled a cross-disciplinary approach to agriculture.
Angus has a passion for social and soil systems, specifically the relationship between them. Angus has been building his skills in landscape literacy since a Permaculture Design Course in 2017, along with soil assessment, project management, and extension. He is currently completing postgraduate studies with the Australian National University’s Fenner School of Environment & Society. Angus has previously led day-to-day activities of Project Pioneer with Resource Consulting Services from 2019-2021 and supported an Australian first water quality trial with World Wide Fund for Nature.
Erin Healy
B Env Eng (Hons), Grad Cert Regen Ag
Landscape Planner
Erin is an environmental engineer experienced in landscape remediation, natural resource management and agriculture through her work in environmental consulting and involvement with NSW Local Land Services and Landcare.
Erin is a graduate from the University of Newcastle with honours and is currently completing postgraduate studies with Southern Cross University in Regenerative Agriculture.
Erin is passionate about the role of agriculture in restoring and improving ecosystem health and landscape resilience. Erin uses her technical skills and ability to read the landscape to support the preparation of Landscape Rehydration Plans.
Shane Hunter
BenvSc, GradDipSust
Landscape Planner (WA)
With a background in Landcare, sustainability and community engagement, Shane is passionate about repairing ecological function across the landscape. He has over 15 years of experience implementing environmental management and ecological restoration projects in Western Australia.
Shane believes that regenerative agriculture and working with nature are the key to ensuring a prosperous future for all. He spends his downtime with his family; tinkering with projects on his 260 acre block in the WA Wheatbelt; and organising tree planting festivals with Activate Tree Planting.
Science & Monitoring
Luke Peel
B App Sc, Grad Dip GIS and Remote Sensing
Research MANAGER
Luke has over 30 years in agriculture, landscape regeneration and natural resource management. He has extensive experience in spatial data collection, establishing monitoring and mapping programs using ground-based methods in combination with satellite and aerial data, scientific analysis and reporting, communication to landholders and scientists and education and training.
Luke has previously worked in various roles in the NT Government Environment Agency, specialising in soil erosion and hydrological monitoring, spatial data analysis for vegetation mapping and developing and implementing new technologies in ground monitoring methodologies.
Luke moved to Canberra to work with the Murray Darling Basin Authority on the Sustainable Rivers Audit for river geomorphology and vegetation mapping and monitoring. He went on to lead a team at Geoscience Australia to acquire elevation data, primarily LiDAR and imagery over areas of significance.
Tony Bernardi
PhD in progress
HYDROLOGIST
Tony’s focus at the Institute is in capturing hydrological data for the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative and analysing and communicating that data across academia. Tony spent 18 years with NSW Department of Primary Industries conducting field based research in assessing the impacts of changing land use and management on salinity, water and productivity in agricultural landscapes in a range of large multi-disciplinary hydrology projects.
Tony’s research interests have included the effect of land use change on the export of salt and water from small catchments in NSW and the connectivity between the stream and the alluvial and groundwater systems. Tony is a PhD candidate with the University of Canberra researching surface-groundwater interactions in a complex upland catchment in central NSW.
Education
Tam Connor
GradCert EMS, Dip Horticulture
EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Tam has over 10 years' experience in the coordination and communication of national, high-profile science and environmental education programs across government, non-profit organisations, educational institutions and community entities. Tam is an enthusiastic science communicator with a flair for engaging people of all ages and knowledge bases in unique and novel ways. Combining this with qualifications in environmental management and sustainability and horticulture, Tam uses a participatory approach in growing the environmental literacy of individuals and communities. Tam advocates for greater connections between people and their environment as a pathway to understanding the role of regenerative agriculture in resolving contemporary environmental issues.
Laura Fisher
PhD Sociology, BA Hons
creative adaptation partnerships
Laura develops partnerships that support inventive, collaborative approaches to achieving landscape rehydration. She contributes to curriculum development, science communication, community engagement and advocacy for environmental governance reform. She leads the Citizen Science project ‘Modelling Landscape Rehydration for Catchments, Communities and Curriculum’, engaging artists, designers, students and Indigenous custodians in deepening community participation in water cycle repair projects. Laura is also a widely published social scientist, creative producer and artist, and Honorary Research Fellow at Faculty of Law, Humanities and Arts, University of Wollongong. She is president of the Kandos School of Cultural Adaptation, which has an international reputation for imaginative multidisciplinary projects that support rural regeneration.
Communications & Media
Kelly Thorburn
BA (Media Arts), Dip Photography, Dip Journalism (Freelance)
Communications + Media Manager
Kelly is a communications and media professional who has worked extensively in natural resource management, including in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt, where she promoted sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and Aboriginal NRM.
With over 25 years’ experience, Kelly specialises in graphic design, photography and written communications. She is passionate about sharing stories of hope and inspiration in the face of a changing climate, and loves sharing Mulloon’s landscape rehydration story. Kelly is interested in regenerative agriculture, permaculture and Mongolia and spends her spare time exploring textile and fibre arts.
Kelly is currently studying a Bachelor of Visual Arts at the Australian National University.
Cassandra Moore
Dip Graphic Design, Permaculture Design Cert, BSc Regenerative Agriculture (in progress, SCU)
Communications + Media officer
Cass brings her comms and design skills to Mulloon after working almost 20 years in and for not-for-profit health organisations. She is studying regenerative agriculture at SCU, and runs a small cherry, peach and olive orchard in the Strathbogie Ranges in NE Victoria which is farmed regeneratively under a Demeter Biodynamic certification.
Cass’ love for natural landscapes began while working five summers as a hiking guide in the Kosciuszko National Park, with the Main Range as her office. Sharing this love for the unique alpine environment with keen walkers brought her back to farm life, with a strong interest in working with, not against, nature.
Cass enjoys downhill & backcountry skiing, travelling, hiking, eMTBing, gardening and live music in her downtime.
On-ground Works
Max Brunswick
TECHNICAL OFFICER
Max has been working in regenerative agriculture since 2015 and gained experience at Mulloon in Log sills installation, in stream erosion control and revegetation work. He initially worked on the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative as a Green Army participant before going on to supervise Green Army teams. He also supervised the provision of Green Army services to the Woodland and Wetlands Trust and ACT Parks and Conservation. Max has worked with Global Land Repair’s Matt Kilby on native revegetation planting projects across ACT and NSW and is experienced in installing erosion control structures, transplanting wetland and riparian plants and cattle fencing.
Penny Cooper
BEcolAgricSys and AdvDipEquBusMgt
Trainee Director of On-Ground Works
Penny is experienced in vegetation management consulting, environmental project management, and as a Landcare coordinator. Her formative experience on a conventional grazing property as it transitioned to holistic and regenerative practices sparked her passion in regenerative agriculture. This led her to complete a Bachelor of Ecological Agricultural Systems in 2020 through which she gained a unique and holistic perspective on the social, economic and environmental aspects of agricultural systems. Penny is particularly interested in how agricultural systems influence the health and wellbeing of the human population and how to facilitate change from conventional systems to regenerative systems. Penny works closely with Principle Landscape Planner Peter Hazell on coordinating and implementing on-ground works for the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative.