Year 12 Environmental Science students travelled on an excursion to Mt Rothwell where they experienced biodiversity and conservation efforts, and witnessed how Mt Rothwell and the Odonata Foundation have really helped some of Victoria’s threatened species. They go on this excursion as part of their first area of study and use data they collect in their first assessment task.

At four hundred and seventy-three hectares, Mt Rothwell is Victoria's largest feral predator free ecosystem. Foxes and cats were eradicated from the property more than a decade ago so that native mammal species could be reintroduced. Mt Rothwell currently holds approximately eighty percent of the mainland eastern barred bandicoot population, which is currently recognised as the only stable self sustaining population, as well as a strong population of the brush-tail rock-wallaby, a species which we have learned about in depth.

Students were able to set traps to catch and release some brush-tail rock-wallabies. They tabulated their weight and sex, and identified whether they had any pouch young. On a guided spotlight tour, we were lucky enough to encounter over fifty animals including eagles, brushtail and ringtail possums, and rufous bettongs, to name a few. It is a powerful and profound experience to see conservation strategies in action, and to interacted with endangered species up close and personal.