Wildseek Project: Community Wildlife Intelligence Hubs
MidCoast2Tops Landcare Connection is one of five community hubs working with Landcare Australia, WIRES and Queensland University of Technology to roll out the Wildseek program across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Evolving out of the 2019 Black Summer bushfires, Wildseek is a collaboration between WIRES, Landcare Australia and Queensland University of Technology to survey private property for koala presence with InfraRed drone technology, funded in large part via WIRES.
The Wildseek program will enable us to assess large areas of land that may otherwise be difficult, expensive or inefficient to survey for koala presence. Data will be collected in video format that will be analyzed with algorithms created by the National Conservation AI Analytics hub team at QUT to produce koala distribution maps.
One outcome from the Black Summer fires was that it highlighted how little we knew about population dynamics and distribution of threatened species, such as the Koala. Wildseek will generate accurate information about koala distribution in our area that may then be used to make informed decisions about how we go forward in protecting this, and other species. While the initial focus of Wildseek is on surveying for koalas, the technology and platforms being developed have the potential to expand the methodology to include other Threatened Species, such as Greater- and Yellow-Bellied Gliders.
As a Wildseek Community Hub, MidCoast2Tops Landcare Connection has been equipped with the technology and training to develop and fund a small, but dedicated team of Drone Pilots working under the steady hand of long-standing Landcare friend and expert drone operator, Dr Steve Lucas. Steve stepped into the role of Chief Pilot in early 2025 and has already completed over 300Ha of surveys with Shaun Tamplin, and our very own Private Land Conservation Officer, Isabelle Strachan. Our first surveys were undertaken in early July 2025 with guest pilot, Dimi Ratnayaka from Landcare Australia, demonstrating the effective use of the M300 in forested properties in Tarbuck Bay, Bungwahl, Topi Topi and Wootton. Our next target location is Bunyah. Our survey period is short, with effective monitoring best achieved in the winter months when the differential between ambient air temperature and the body temperature of our target species is greatest. So our Wildseek team is going to be very busy for the next few months!
As with all of our programs, MidCoast2Tops Landcare Connection depends on the enthusiasm and support of our local community to effectively deliver Wildseek. We have already had an excellent response to the program but we are keen to hear from you if you have a large property (>40Ha) containing good koala habitat. Suitable properties will be surveyed and the results provided to the landholder in the form of a distribution map when koalas are detected.
If you would like to be involved in the Wildseek program and have a suitable property, please register your interest via the registration button and stay tuned for more information and updates in the coming months.
