Who we are
RESILIENT LANDSCAPES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The Mulloon Institute works with communities around Australia to restore and rehydrate catchments at the landscape scale.
SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIA’S LANDSCAPES
The Mulloon Institute actively supports Australian farmers in developing local and larger scale catchment rehydration projects across the country, to create more resilient, productive and profitable farms where agriculture, farmers and the environment are working in unison.
WINners of THE 2020 NATIONAL Heritage TRUST (NSW) AWARD
In 2020, the Mulloon Institute won the 2020 National Heritage Trust (NSW) Awards, in the 'Landscape Conservation' category and the President’s Award, for our 'Mulloon Rehydration Initiative - Stage 1'.
Tony Coote - The Farmer
A new way of farming which began 11 years ago and boosted productivity by 60 per cent has been adopted by an entire catchment measuring 23,000 hectares near Canberra. Video from Soils for Life, an Outcomes Australia Project.
Australian Story - ‘Hope Springs’
Tony Coote and a group of like-minded landholders at Mulloon just outside Canberra have set out to prove that the Peter Andrews’ unorthodox approach to drought-proof the land by installing 'leaky weirs' method actually works. Now, during one of the worst droughts in living memory their results are cause for hope and have attracted the eye of Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Video thanks to ABC TV’s Australian Story program.
The Mulloon Institute - Canberra Region
As a conventional farmer with 6000 acres of farmland, Tony Coote knew first-hand how dehydrated Australia’s land had become. He and his wife Toni decided to convert to regenerative farming methods and their success has inspired countless other farmers and led the establishment of the Mulloon Institute. Video thanks to the Canberra Region Joint Organisation.
The Mulloon Institute: A Documentary
The Mulloon Institute is a research, education and advocacy not-for-profit organisation, working to rehydrate and regenerate 100 landscapes across Australia in 10 years. Film by Johannah McOwan http://www.johannahmcowan.com/
National Drought Agency visit to Mulloon
National Recovery and Resilience Agency Coordinator-General Shane Stone and his staff strongly support the Mulloon Institute and its vision of creating resilient, productive and profitable farms where agriculture and the environment are working in unison. Video thanks to the NRRA.
Help Rehydrate Australian Landscapes
By financially supporting the Mulloon Institute, you can help us to grow our resources and help us to achieve an even stronger outcome for the environment, for farming and our society.
Tony Coote AM Memorial Lectures
presented by the Hon Shane L Stone AC QC (2022)
Shane L Stone is the inaugural Coordinator-General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency, which helps communities recover from natural disasters and drought, while strengthening Australia against future disasters.
presented by Allan Savory (2020)
Allan Savory, one of the world’s leading experts in Regenerative Agriculture, presents the 2020 Tony Coote AM Memorial Lecture.
presented by Major general the Hon Michael Jeffery (2019)
Australia's National Soil Advocate, delivered the Mulloon Institute's Inaugural Tony Coote AM Memorial Lecture. One of the resonating principles from Michael's speech: “It’s all about the seven billion microbes in a double-handful of healthy soil being kept happy.” Video thanks to Soils for Life.
Events
Mulloon Institute Field Day
The Mulloon Creek Field Day is an important opportunity for showcasing our on-ground works first-hand, including the creek rehabilitation site and the step diffusion system on sloping country.
Mulloon Law Committee
On 4 March 2020, the Mulloon Law Committee held an information evening at NSW Parliament House that attracted 150 interested people. The evening showcased proposed legislation amendments to help facilitate the efficient construction of landscape rehydration works in NSW.
Regenerative Agriculture Conference 2019 - Perth, WA
Principal Landscaper Planner and coordinator of the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative Peter Hazell discusses the underlying principles of the water cycle and demonstrates the transformative effect of slowing down degraded water systems. Video thanks to RegenWA and Perth NRM.
Workshops
Sustainable Land Management on Central Australian Rangelands Field days - Aileron, NT
Landscape Planner Lance Mudgway presenting on ‘Landscape Rehydration Implementation’. Video thanks to Landcare NT and the Centralian Land Management Association.
Sustainable Land Management on Central Australian Rangelands Field days - Aileron, NT
Landscape Planner Lance Mudgway and Tim Wiley of Tierra Australia demonstrate a ‘leaky weir design’. Video thanks to Landcare NT and the Centralian Land Management Association.
Grazing Management
At this workshop, we brought together the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative landholders to learn how grazing management can help their landscape rehydration objectives and also benefit the overall project.
TMI Erosion Workshop Summary - Fitzroy Basin, QLD
Ten landholders from across the Fitzroy Basin gathered last week to learn how to restore their properties natural function and rehydrate their land and enterprise under the guidance of Mulloon Institute’s Project Coordinator - Peter Hazell. Video thanks to Fitzroy Basin Association.
Landscape regeneration
Why we are rehydrating Australia
The Mulloon Institute's vision is to support the rebuilding of a resilient Australian landscape which produces the water, soil and biodiversity required to produce food and water security for the Australian population in the short and long term.
Re-Hydrating the Landscape
Founder of the Mulloon Institute, Tony Coote, speaks about repairing and rehydrating his farm to bring it back to fertility and stability. Video thanks to Eco Films Australia.
The Soil Story with Tony Coote
Founder of the Mulloon Institute, Tony Coote AO narrates 'A Soil Story'. Video thanks to Kiss the Ground.
Mulloon Rehydration Initiative
How our original pilot project along 3kms of Mulloon Creek has grown into a catchment scale project covering 23,000ha, 50kms of creek and tributaries and 23 landholders.
How we regenerate AUstralian landscapes
Landscape function can be restored using leaky weirs made from natural materials such as rocks, logs, soil and vegetation which binds them together.
Building living stream-bed structures
How leaky weir structures become living things covered in vegetation that slow the water flow and become part of the landscape.
On-ground works
Mulloon Rehydration Initiative - Stage 1
By August 2020, we had installed 14 leaky weirs over the 3.5 km stretch of Mulloon Creek running from the Mulloon Road crossing to the Kings Highway. At this stage, construction of the leaky weirs helped raise the creek level by nearly a metre. The section was fenced off and thousands of native plants planted and transplanted. Natural regeneration of plants and habitat was astounding - and all during one of the driest periods since records began.
Mulloon Rehydration Initiative - Duralla, NSW
By August 2020, six leaky weirs were installed along a 2km section of Mulloon Creek at the 'Duralla' property. This footage was taken just after a major pulse of water flowed through the creek. With over 90mm of rain coursing through the catchment, what would have previously been a torrential, high energy, erosive flow, was now a sequence quiet ponds and babbling riffles due to the new structures in place.
After landscape rehydration works
Landscape rehydration works completed at Bellmount Forest north of Canberra, with a focus on repairing eroded gullies and reintroducing functionality into the watercourse. Rock ramps and dam spill ways were designed to slow high energy water flows and transform previously degrading rain and floods into beneficial ones that allow for more water infiltration into the soil and prevent further erosion.
Step diffusion system at Mulloon, NSW
The step diffusion system at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms which was installed in March 2018 during severe drought. This footage was shot before the drought had broken and the results at this point were rather astounding considering how little rain had fallen since it was installed. Video thanks to Australian National University Honours student Ming-Dao Chia.
Radio
Soil Carbon Sequestration
The Mulloon Institute says soil carbon sequestration and the Carbon Neutral 2050 roadmap is critical to reducing emissions and the impact of global warming. Featuring TMI’s Gary Nairn AO from 17:25 mins.
ABC Radio ‘PM’ program
Bushfire warnings are already in place in some parts of the country, and there's once again a tense debate about what land should be cleared in order to limit the risk. Featuring TMI's Chairman Gary Nairn AO from 3:05 mins.
NSW Country Hour radio
The National Farmer Federation’s target of 100 billion dollars of farm output by 2030 is not achievable under the current agricultural systems, according to Mulloon Institute’s Chairman Gary Nairn AO.
‘Biodiversity in Crisis’ - BBC World Service
Talking with Australian farmers in drought areas who use plants to retain moisture in the landscape and conserve their land. Featuring Mulloon Institute’s Gary Nairn AO from 20 minutes 09 seconds. Listen to listen to the program
Cairns RM89.1 Radio
Phil Ackman Current Affairs speaks with Gary Nairn AO from the Mulloon Institute on the Australian Government’s $5 billion Drought Relief Fund and whether there is another way to help Australian farmers.
Senator Jim Molan interviewed on the Chris Smith Show
Senator Jim Molan speaks about Mulloon Institute’s revolutionary ‘Mulloon Community Landscape Rehydration Project’ which is regenerating landscapes on a series of working farms.
The Big Dry: Canberra region research boosting drought mitigation
Tim Shaw speaks to the Mulloon Institute's Chairman Gary Nairn AO, about work being done to help farmers and landscapes better survive dry periods.
ABC Radio Canberra
The Mulloon Institute near Braidwood is implementing a radical environmental approach to farming for positive change in the agriculture and food industries. With Mulloon Institute’s Chairman Gary Nairn AO.
ABC Rural Radio
The Mulloon Institute's Chairman Gary Nairn AO speaks with ABC Radio about his recent presentation at the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ Summit in Sydney.
Podcasts & Webinars
Landscape Rehydration - Agricultural production & ecosystems
With Luke Peel, Phil Mulvey & Richard Campbell. Thanks to partners HydroTerra.
History of the Australian Landscape
Peter Hazell discusses the history of the Australian landscape, its loss of buffering capacity to climatic extremes and how farmers can take action by looking at the landscape differently.
The Water Cycle
Peter Hazell discussing how 65% of rain comes from the land itself, rather than from the ocean.
Rehydrating Australia
Mulloon Institute’s Research Coordinator, Luke Peel, presents the the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative’s successful landscape rehydration work and the Institute’s vision of rolling this work out across Australia.
IMPROVING AGRICULTURE WITH TECHNOLOGY
HydroTerra webinar outlining current collaborations on landscape rehydration modelling, between HydroTerra, NSW Department of Primary Industry Climate branch and TMI.
CULTIVATING YOUR CAREER IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
Landscape Planner Joe Skuse shares his career journey and inspirational story of working with the Mulloon Institute to NSW secondary school students. Hosted by NSW Department of Education - Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) program
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE WORKSHOP
Biolinks Alliance webinar showcasing exemplary properties and projects undertaking rehydration and restoration works in production settings, with a focus on how regenerative agriculture can be a meaningful part of the solution to Australia’s biodiversity crisis. Featuring Peter Hazell.
LANDSCAPE REHYDRATION IMPLEMENTATION
Landscape Planner Lance Mudgway presents on ‘Landscape Rehydration Implementation’ at the 2021 Sustainable Land Management Field Days at Aileron Station and Racecourse. The event was hosted by Landcare NT and the Centralian Land Management Association.
LEAKY WEIR DEMONSTRATION
Tim Wiley (Tierra Australia) and Lance Mudgway demonstrate leaky weir design at the 2021 Sustainable Land Management Field Days at Aileron Station and Racecourse. The event was hosted by Landcare NT and the Centralian Land Management Association.
LANDSCAPE REHYDRATION - PANEL DISCUSSION
Panel Discussions on Landscape Rehydration works in WA & NT, with Colin Stanton (Soil Conservation Specialist), Lance Mudgway and Tim Wiley (Senior Rangelands Specialist, Tierra Australia). At the 2021 Sustainable Land Management Field Days at Aileron Station and Racecourse. The event was hosted by Landcare NT and the Centralian Land Management Association.