Australia – The Mulloon Institute – For Environment, Farming and Society - How to achieve sustainable food production for increased profit and well-being

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About

The Mulloon Institute (TMI) is a leading research, education and advocacy organisation committed to building resilient rural and regional communities by supporting the long-term, sustainable growth of Australian agriculture.

We acknowledge that changing climatic conditions are impacting Australia’s food and water security, habitat and biodiversity and, that we must support our farmers in adapting to new and changing environmental landscapes. This will, in turn, provide substantial social and community benefits.

Partnering with global leaders in agricultural research, regenerative land management practices and innovation, TMI’s research is focussed on creating a more resilient, productive and profitable landscape where agriculture and the environment are working in unison.

We know that healthy soil is the lifeblood of agriculture and is essential for healthy plant growth, more nutritious food which is required for human health and ecosystems that provide clean water and air. Working with farmers, we promote practices that rehydrate and restore landscapes and so build soil carbon, increase vegetation cover and ecosystem biodiversity.

The Mulloon Institute has been recognised internationally for its ground-breaking research, particularly in the area of landscape rehydration and restoration.

TMI’s scientists, hydrologists and researchers work with farmers and other stakeholders on leading edge local and catchment scale rehydration and restoration projects across the country. Uniquely, our scientists are continually refining their research on the Institutes own working properties.

The agriculture sector is one of the biggest emitters of CO2. Regenerative agriculture practices produce more carbon in the soil which, in turn, takes more CO2 out of the atmosphere.

Increasing the sequestration of soil carbon will turn the sector from a net emitter of CO2 to a net sequester.

The Mulloon Institute integrates its research results, education tools and programs into its consulting services to farmers across the country.

The Mulloon Institute is an independent not-for-profit registered environmental organisation with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.

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Founders

ANTONY COOTE AM, BSC. MBA

Tony Coote founded The Mulloon Institute in 2011 with his wife Toni, to demonstrate and share innovative approaches to regenerative land management in Australia. He began purchasing the lands making up Mulloon Creek Natural Farms in 1968 with his sister. Tony served for many years as Executive Chairman of Angus & Coote (Holdings) Ltd and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1988, for services to industry and the community.

TONI COOTE

With a strong business background in hospitality in the Canberra region, Toni Coote (nee Dale) established The Carrington Inn at Bungendore as a renowned conference, wedding and fine dining restaurant complex. Toni was instrumental in establishing The Mulloon Institute and provided support and advice to the Institute and to Mulloon Creek Natural Farms and served on several industry and community boards.

Tony and Toni sadly passed away in August 2018 and November 2018 respectively, leaving behind them a wonderful legacy.

Videos

Six leaky weirs have now been installed along a two kilometre stretch of Mulloon Creek at the ‘Duralla’ property of Mulloon Creek Natural Farms, as part of the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative.* This drone footage was taken on 27 July 2020, in the days following a major pulse of water that flowed through Mulloon Creek. An east coast low had just delivered over 90mm of rain to the upper catchment and our dedicated field crew had to race against the clock to complete four leaky weirs before the pulse of water arrived. With literally moments to spare the structures were secured before the full force of the water spilled forth. What would have previously been a torrential, high energy, erosive flow, now became a sequence quiet ponds and babbling riffles due to the new structures in place. NOTE – For each of these structures we applied for and received ‘Controlled Activity Approvals’ from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR). * previously the Mulloon Community Landscape Rehydration Project.

At the Mulloon Institute we restore landscape function using carefully planned and designed structures that fit neatly into the landscape. One of these is the leaky weir which are built from natural materials such as rocks, logs, soil and vegetation which binds them together. The structures are designed to raise the water level of the stream, and to slow and filter the flow, giving it a chance to infiltrate and recharge the groundwater.

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.

The Mulloon Institute held an information evening at NSW Parliament on 4 March 2020 to showcase proposed legislation amendments* by the Mulloon Law Committee, which aim to help facilitate the efficient construction of Landscape Rehydration Works throughout NSW. The event was hosted by the Honourable Rob Stokes MP, NSW Planning and Public Spaces Minister with 140 attendees including farmers and landholders, supporters, politicians and ministerial staff. In this video, we talk about how our original pilot project along 3kms of Mulloon Creek grew into the far larger, catchment scale project now known as the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative. * The proposed amendments are contained in the NSW Ministerial Briefing Paper https://bit.ly/2FCzgEc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTftMOuDbh4

2.03.2021 The Mulloon Institute works with farmers from around Australia to create resilient, productive and profitable farms where agriculture and the environment are working in unison.

Martin Royds from Jillamatong shares his journey from chemical farmer to regenerative farmer. https://www.jillamatong.com.au/

Articles

Molongolo Floodplain Rehydration Initiative
https://themullooninstitute.org/blog/2021/3/4/molongolo-floodplain-rehydration-initiative