A two-week Bush Blitz on Gamilaraay, Gamilaroi and Gomeroi Countries has revealed biodiversity riches across the Pilliga, the largest remnant semi-arid woodland in New South Wales. The survey, held from 22 September to 3 October 2025, united Murrunmala Dhawun Rangers, the Coonabarabran Local Aboriginal Land Council, and a cross-institution team from the Australian Museum, Botanic Gardens of Sydney, CSIRO, the University of NSW, the University of New England, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, NPWS and Forestry Corporation. Early results underscore why the Pilliga matters for conservation planning, species discovery and cultural knowledge. (National Parks Association of NSW)
The expedition builds on Bush Blitz’s national record of more than 2,000 putative species new to science found since 2010, a program powered by a partnership between the Australian Government, BHP and Earthwatch Australia. Teachers and BHP staff again joined scientists in the field through TeachLive, taking hands-on methods back to classrooms and workplaces to lift STEM engagement. The team is now cataloguing specimens and acoustic data across a 5,000 square kilometre study area, with verified records to flow into national databases and local decision making. (bushblitz.org.au)
Why the Pilliga Survey Matters Right Now
The Pilliga is not just big. It is a biodiversity hotspot and a living cultural landscape. More than 900 plant species occur here, with a suite of threatened flora and fauna adapted to semi-arid woodland. For policymakers and land managers, that means the area can anchor regional goals for threatened species recovery, fire management, and carbon-positive restoration. The latest Bush Blitz brought First Nations leadership to the front of survey design and interpretation, ensuring cultural knowledge and scientific data inform each other from the start rather than as an afterthought. (National Parks Association of NSW)
Partnerships are the program’s engine room. Bush Blitz is delivered by the Australian Government in partnership with BHP and Earthwatch Australia, and it routinely invites Traditional Owners, rangers, museums and universities to co-lead the work. That model has discovered 2,054 putative new species to date and continues to scale with renewed funding and a multi-year schedule of expeditions across the continent. In 2025, the Pilliga campaign adds semi-arid woodland evidence to a national dataset that already spans deserts, islands and alpine regions. (bushblitz.org.au)
- What sets Pilliga apart
- Scale and connectivity. The forest forms a continuous block of semi-arid woodland exceeding 5,000 square kilometres, which supports viable populations and movement for species sensitive to fragmentation. 2) Documented richness. The region holds around 900 native plant species and is recognised for reptile and bat diversity, including listed threatened species. 3) Cultural leadership. Gamilaraay, Gamilaroi and Gomeroi knowledge guides site selection, seasonal timing and ethical practice, strengthening outcomes for Country as well as science. 4) Policy relevance. Data feed into state and national systems used by planners, ecologists and rangers to set priorities and target investment. (Wikipedia)
The survey also advances public engagement. Through TeachLive, teachers and BHP staff worked as research assistants alongside scientists, learning field identification, data logging, and bioacoustic methods for bats. These skills translate into richer STEM lessons and corporate sustainability programs, creating a pipeline of community advocates who understand both the methods and the meaning of biodiversity data. (earthwatch.org.au)
What Was Surveyed and How Results Will Be Used
Teams sampled flora, reptiles, frogs and bats across habitats from sandplains to creek lines. Botanists recorded plant assemblages, ecologists deployed pitfall traps and leaf-litter funnels for invertebrates, and mammalogists set acoustic detectors to log bat calls at dusk and dawn. While identification takes time, the workflow is clear. Specimens and recordings are curated, verified by taxonomists, then published to national repositories to inform management and future research. Bush Blitz treats each expedition as a node in a larger, open dataset that grows in value as coverage improves. (bushblitz.org.au)
Data use is practical, not abstract. Local Aboriginal Land Councils, NPWS and Forestry Corporation can ground decisions in current occurrence records rather than older generalisations. Threatened species maps are refined. Fuel-load and fire-response knowledge improves with site-based plant data. Where the team flags likely new species, taxonomic follow-up can determine formal status and conservation need. Nationally, the dataset strengthens trend analysis for semi-arid woodlands in the face of changing climate and land-use pressure. (bushblitz.org.au)
By the Numbers: Pilliga and Bush Blitz at a Glance
Key metrics and sources
| Item | Figure or status | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilliga woodland extent | 5,000 plus square kilometres | Largest continuous semi-arid woodland remnant in NSW, critical for connectivity | (Wikipedia) |
| Documented plant richness | About 900 species in Pilliga | High floristic diversity helps buffer climate shocks and supports fauna | (National Parks Association of NSW) |
| Bush Blitz discoveries | 2,054 putative species new to science | Scale of discovery justifies sustained funding and taxonomic capacity | (bushblitz.org.au) |
| Delivery partners | Australian Government, BHP, Earthwatch Australia | Stable partnership underwrites multi-year expeditions and community engagement | (bushblitz.org.au) |
| TeachLive participation | Teachers and BHP staff join field teams | Builds STEM capacity and workplace sustainability literacy | (earthwatch.org.au) |
Respecting Country and Elevating First Nations Leadership
The Australian Museum and its collaborators emphasise First Nations voices and governance in research and exhibitions. In practice, that means involving Traditional Owners in planning, gaining consent for access, aligning with cultural protocols, and sharing results first with communities who speak for Country. This approach mirrors the Australian Museum’s broader commitment to First Nations leadership across programs and exhibitions, including Unsettled and other community-led work. (australian.museum)
For land managers and funders, the message is simple. Biodiversity surveys work best when cultural knowledge, ranger expertise and scientific methods move together. That alignment reduces conflict, improves site selection, and produces data that communities trust and use. The Pilliga survey shows how co-governance translates into better conservation outcomes and stronger social license for future fieldwork. (australian.museum)
What Happens Next
Specimens, images and call files from the Pilliga are being identified and validated by museum taxonomists and partner labs. Once confirmed, records will be lodged with national biodiversity platforms and shared with Traditional Owners, rangers and local agencies. As in previous Bush Blitz campaigns, any candidate new species will move through formal description processes, which can take months but deliver long-term clarity for conservation and law. The national Bush Blitz schedule continues, with multiple expeditions planned and a commitment to expand geographic and taxonomic coverage. (bushblitz.org.au)
For schools and businesses, the next step is to convert field experience into action. Teachers can embed real datasets into lessons on ecology, climate and statistics. Corporate teams can audit their land footprints and supply chains with new context for biodiversity risk. Community groups can use open data to plan citizen science and local habitat projects. The value of a survey grows when end users pick it up and apply it. (earthwatch.org.au)
How Policy Makers, Rangers and Investors Can Use These Findings
- Update regional conservation plans
Use the latest occurrence records to refine priority zones for threatened species management, adjust fire regimes, and guide restoration. Align targets with the semi-arid woodland realities that the Pilliga exemplifies. (National Parks Association of NSW) - Target funding where it counts
Back taxonomic work to process candidate new species and maintain collections. Support ranger programs that combine cultural burning, weed control and monitoring, recognising that local knowledge increases the efficiency of every dollar spent. (bushblitz.org.au) - Build long-term monitoring
Repeat surveys at fixed plots to track climate and fire responses in plants, reptiles, frogs and bats. Encourage schools and citizen scientists to adopt standard methods so community data are decision-grade. (bushblitz.org.au) - Strengthen cultural governance
Plan with Traditional Owners from the outset. Co-author research outputs. Ensure data sovereignty agreements are in place so communities control how sensitive knowledge is shared. (australian.museum)
Frequently Asked, Trending
What makes the Pilliga unique in NSW conservation?
Its size and continuity. The Pilliga forms a vast block of semi-arid woodland that supports high plant richness and diverse reptiles and bats. That scale is rare in a heavily altered landscape and is central to species movement and resilience. (Wikipedia)
How many new species has Bush Blitz uncovered so far?
Across Australia, Bush Blitz expeditions have recorded 2,054 putative species new to science. Each requires formal description, but the discovery pipeline is strong and growing. (bushblitz.org.au)
Who funds and delivers Bush Blitz?
It is delivered by the Australian Government in partnership with BHP and Earthwatch Australia, with museums, universities and ranger groups leading fieldwork. Renewed commitments have extended the program with more expeditions. (bushblitz.org.au)
How does TeachLive benefit classrooms and communities?
Teachers work as research assistants in the field, then translate methods and datasets into curriculum. Students engage with real Australian species and habitats, lifting STEM outcomes and local conservation action. (earthwatch.org.au)
When will Pilliga results be public?
After specimen verification and call analysis, records are released to national biodiversity databases and shared with Traditional Owners, land managers and the public. This staged process ensures accuracy and respect for cultural protocols. (bushblitz.org.au)
Where can I learn more about First Nations leadership at the Australian Museum?
Explore the Australian Museum’s First Nations programs and exhibitions, which outline governance, co-design approaches and resources for schools and communities. (australian.museum)
Bottom line
The Pilliga Bush Blitz shows how cultural leadership and science combine to reveal, protect and teach. It is a template for discovery that delivers data, shapes policy and returns knowledge to Country. The outcome is practical hope, anchored in evidence and respect. (bushblitz.org.au)
