Habitat Conservation & Management Course 2026
Description
For over 40 years, the Habitat Conservation and Management Course (HCMC) has been informing, inspiring and connecting Melbourne’s conservation and land management community. HCMC is for everyone, from new conservation volunteers, to experienced land management practitioners looking to refresh and extend their knowledge and networks.
Participants will learn in-person about key ecosystem features including plants, soil, fungi and fire then explore techniques for habitat improvement. 16 Wednesday evening classes from August 5 to November 25 and 9 Saturday field trips with some of Melbourne’s leading ecologists and land managers including Randall Robinson, Gidja Walker, Uncle Dave Wandin and George Paras.
If you are a conservation volunteer, you may like to check what opportunities there are for sponsorship through your local council.
Unit Number | Topic | Lecturer/s | Location | Date |
Unit 1 | Introduction | |||
Classroom | Introduction to Habitat Conservation and Management | Randall Robinson / Danny Reddan | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 5 August |
Field Trip 1 | Melbourne Bushlands | Robert Pergl | Dandenongs | Saturday 8 August |
Unit 2 | Bushland – The Ideal | |||
Classroom | Soils and Climate | Jason Horlock | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 12 August |
Classroom | Growing Wildlife Habitat | George Paras | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 19 August |
Classroom | Invertebrates | James Buxton | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 26 August |
Field Trip 2 | Restoring Urban Waterways | George Paras/Danny Reddan | Darebin Creek, Bundoora | Saturday 29 August |
Classroom | Plant Identification I – Grasses and Forbs | Michael Cincotta | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 2 September |
Classroom | Plant Identification II - Trees and Shrubs | Michael Cincotta | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 9 September |
Field Trip 3 | Nocturnal Wildlife | TBC | Mount Rothwell | Saturday 12 September |
Classroom | Fungi | Ema Corro | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday, 16 September |
Online presentation | Fire and Culture | Darren Wandin/Gidja Walker | Zoom | Wednesday September 30 |
Field Trip 4 | Caring for Country | Uncle Dave Wandin | Coranderrk | Saturday 3 October |
Unit 3 | Impacts on Bushland | |||
Classroom | Bush Ecology 1 | Randall Robinson | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 7 October |
Field Trip 5 | Lerderderg Gorge/Longforest | Randall Robinson | Lerderderg Gorge/Longforest | Saturday 10 October |
Classroom | Bush Ecology 2 | Randall Robinson | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 14 October |
Field Trip 7 | Coastal Woodlands | Gidja Walker | Cape Schanck | Saturday 17 October |
Unit 4 | Techniques for Managing Bushland | |||
Classroom | Introduction | Randall Robinson | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 21 October |
Field Trip 6 | Plant Identification | Michael Cincotta | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Saturday 24 October |
Video conference | Site Assessment & Planning | Gidja Walker | Home (zoom) | Wednesday 28 October |
Classroom | Techniques for Planned Intervention | Robert Pergl | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 4 November |
Field Trip 8 | Grasslands | Uncle Dave Wandin / TBC | Western plains | Saturday 7 November |
Classroom | Modelling and monitoring Change | Sacha Jellinek | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 11 November |
Classroom | Regeneration and Weed (Strategies & Options) | Graham Peterson | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 18 November |
Field Trip 9 | Coastal and marine | Gidja Walker | Fossil Beach/Mt Martha | Saturday 21 November |
Classroom | Summing Up | Randall / Gidja Walker | Gleeson Centre, Darebin Parklands | Wednesday 25 November |
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