Visitors to Hiltaba Nature Reserve will enjoy the comforts of a new ablutions block, thanks to the support of a generous donor.

Each year, Hiltaba welcomes many different visitors. These include staff, volunteers, researchers, students and teachers from the Kids on Country™ Junior Ranger Program, as well as Nature Foundation members who come to stay, explore the walking trails, and enjoy nature drives.

The old ablutions block near the Shearers’ Quarters has served visitors and campers for many years, but it was time for an upgrade.

Encouraging people to connect with and help protect South Australia's natural habitats is at the heart of Nature Foundation's purpose and goals. We understand how important it is to involve people in our nature reserves. By offering chances to visit, we help more people learn about conservation and see its impact for themselves. Protecting these landscapes and their native plants and animals is our top priority, especially for threatened species. Any visits or activities must respect the land and keep its wildlife safe.

To balance protecting biodiversity with involving people in conservation, the Board has decided to change how visits to Nature Foundation reserves are managed.

Late last year, Rob Ackland, a member of the Nature Foundation, donated a car fridge to our team. He also reached out to his contacts at REDARC, who provided a GoBLOCK portable dual battery system to go with it. Both items have already been a huge help in supporting our management work across the reserve network.

The recent bushfire in Deep Creek on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula has burned over 4,500 hectares, including critical wildlife habitat. Around 40% of Deep Creek National Park and nearly all of Talisker Conservation Park were affected.

Most Australian ecosystems have adapted to fire and can recover over time. But in areas with fragmented habitats, a single fire can put species at risk of local extinction, especially if other threats are not managed.

The Wildlife Recovery Fund – a Nature Foundation and state government initiative – has been opened to help fund projects that promote recovery and increase resilience of vital habitats damaged or destroyed by fire.

2023 Mike Bull Award winner, Dr Stephen Zozaya, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Australian National University (ANU) and joined webinar host, Dr Lucy Clive, to share his career researching reptiles.

Stephen's research has mainly focused on pheromones (chemical signals) and their influence on mate choice in Australian lizards. However, the Mike Bull Award funding has supported a new research direction, with a stronger conservation focus, including the discovery of several new species and populations of slider skinks (Lerista). Many of these species are threatened, but their conservation status cannot be updated until there is sufficient data to support listing as Endangered or Critically Endangered.