The Great Australian Wildlife Search

The Great Australian Wildlife Search, 2023

The Central Tablelands Regional Landcare Network has teamed up with the Odonata Foundation to participate in the Great Australian Wildlife Search.

The heart of this project is the cutting-edge technology of Environmental DNA (eDNA), from water samples from our creeks, streams and rivers (see map for details). For those unfamiliar, eDNA is DNA that organisms release into their surroundings, whether through skin shedding, excrement, or other means. This DNA, once shed, can be discovered and analysed in the laboratory.

Our Local Landcare Networks tested 18 waterways throughout the Central Tablelands. We found 29 native species in our search as well as DNA from farm animals and feral pest species such as foxes and rabbits.

We're especially grateful to the Murray–Darling Basin Authority for generously funding the sampling kits, enabling us to carry out this project.

Stay tuned for updates and discoveries as we embark on this exciting journey to deepen our connection with the land and celebrate the wonders of Australian wildlife.

  • When you click on a site (blue circle), the number to the right of each species is the sequence count. This is an indication of how many times a DNA sequence was counted. It is not an indication of how many individuals were detected, although sequence counts do give you a fair indication of what the most dominant things are in that area.

    The rule of thumb is that the data is mainly used to detect the presence or absence, rather than the number of individuals.

    Sometimes the map times out, a quick click of the refresh button often does the trick.

    Zoom in with your mouse or touch screen to locate your location on the map.

    The dropdown boxes allow you to filter via classification, threat status and species.

    Click on the blue circle to access the site number and results.

  • The elusive Platypus is always a favourite native animal to find. We recorded Platypus at four testing sites:

    • Fish River at Oberon

    • Macquarie River, Bathurst

    • Cudgegong River, Munna

    • Lawson Creek, Rylstone

    • Crinia signifera (Common eastern froglet)

    • Limnodynastes dumerilii (Eastern banjo frog)

    • Litoria ewingii (Southern brown tree frog)

    • Litoria lesueurii (Lesueur's frog)

    • Emydura macquarii (Macquarie River Turtle)

    • Chelodina longicollis (Eastern long-necked turtle)

    • Gadopsis marmoratus (River blackfish)

    • Galaxias olidus (Mountain galaxias complex)

    • Philypnodon grandiceps (Flat-headed gudgeon)

    • Retropinna semoni (Australian smelt)

    • Tandanus tandanus (Freshwater catfish)

    • Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum (Fly-specked hardyhead)

    • Maccullochella peelii (Murray cod)

    • Macquaria ambigua (Golden perch)

    • Melanotaenia fluviatilis (Murray-Darling rainbowfish)

    • Mogurnda adspersa (Southern purple-spotted gudgeon)

    • Lonchura castaneothorax (Chestnut-breasted munia)

    • Microcarbo melanoleucos (Little cormorant)

    • Phaps chalcoptera (Common bronzewing)

    • Chenonetta jubata (Australian wood duckmaned goose)

    • Platycercus eximius (Eastern rosella)

    • Gallinula tenebrosa (Common moorhen)

    • Cacatua galerita (Sulphur-crested cockatoo)

    • Trichosurus vulpecula (Common brushtail possum)

    • Wallabia bicolor (Swamp wallaby)

    • Pteropus poliocephalus (Grey-headed flying-fox)

    • Hydromys chrysogaster (Rakali)

    • Macropus giganteus (Eastern grey kangaroo)

    • Bos taurus (Cow)

    • Canis lupus (Dog/dingo)

    • Mus musculus (House mouse)

    • Ovis aries (Sheep)

    • Oryctolagus cuniculus (European rabbit)

    • Sus scrofa (Pig)

    • Vulpes vulpes (Red fox)

    • Carassius auratus (Goldfish)

    • Cyprinus carpio (European carp)

    • Gambusia holbrooki (Eastern mosquitofish)

    • Oncorhynchus mykiss (Rainbow trout)

    • Perca fluviatilis (Redfin perch)

    • Salmo trutta (Brown trout)

    • Columba livia (Rock pigeon)

Sample collection sites

This initiative is made possible by the NSW Landcare Enabling
Program. A collaboration of Local Land Services and Landcare
NSW, supported by the NSW Government.