What Professional Development Looks Like at Nature Advisory

The Zoo Camp explores Budj Bim National Park

The Zoo Camp learns about Tae Rak (Lake Condah) and its rich cultural heritage.

Project Officer Lotus Hackenberger with a house mouse captured during Elliott trapping training.

Zoologist Michael Sebastian with a black rat caught during Elliott Trapping Training.

Members of the Zoology Team participate in a harp trapping training session.

Senior Zoologist and Bird Field Team Line Manager Guille Mayor closely examines a Flat-headed Gudgeon caught during aquatic trapping training.

Zoologist Tara Cavallo (left) and Project Manager/Zoologist Jenna Barker (right) preparing burritos for the Zoology Team.

Senior Zoologist and Bird Field Team Line Manager Guille Mayor (left) and Assistant Project Manager & Zoologist Rebecca Spence (right) on their way to a pelagic bird survey.

At Nature Advisory, we know some of the best learning doesn't happen behind a desk. It happens in the field alongside experienced ecologists, sharing knowledge, building skills and getting out within the ecosystems we work to protect.

Recently, our Victorian Zoology team headed to Budj Bim Campground in Budj Bim National Park in Victoria’s west for a weekend Zoological Training Camp. Bringing together 29 team members from across the state, the camp was designed to build field skills, share expertise, and create opportunities for connection.

During the camp, participants took part in a range of practical training sessions covering specialist survey and monitoring techniques. This included Elliott trapping (a technique used to live-trap small to medium-sized mammals), aquatic trapping, harp trapping (a humane method for capturing bats in flight), bat detector deployment, threatened bird identification, Bird Utilisation Survey (BUS) methodology, and wetland ecology, including surveys for Brolga and Bittern species.

But training camps like this are about more than technical skills. They're also a chance to experience the variety, adventure and shared passion that make a career in ecology so rewarding. Evenings were spent spotlighting for Yellow-bellied Gliders, while day trips were spent exploring the cultural and ecological significance of Tae Rak (Lake Condah) with a fascinating tour focused on eel ecology and traditional harvesting practices. A lucky group of ten even headed offshore on a pelagic bird survey.

One of the most valuable aspects of the camp was the opportunity for people at different stages of their careers to learn from one another. Whether it was sharing field techniques, swapping stories from past projects or asking questions around the campfire, the camp created countless opportunities for mentoring, collaboration and professional growth.

At Nature Advisory, investing in our people means creating opportunities to keep learning, keep growing and keep exploring. Experiences like our Zoological Training Camp help our team build technical expertise, strengthen relationships, and enjoy the unique moments that come with a career spent connecting people, projects, and nature.