FAMILIES across the Bellingen Shire and Nambucca Valley are being urged to grab a magnifying glass and get muddy this October, as OzGREEN prepares to run its eleventh Macro Muster – the largest citizen science macroinvertebrate monitoring event of its kind in Australia.
The free, all-ages event will be held at the Main Pavilion of Bellingen Showground on Friday 30 October, from 4.15pm to 7.30pm, bringing together families, volunteers, scientists and local environmental groups to sort, identify and count freshwater waterbugs collected from 12 sites across the Bellinger, Kalang and Nambucca catchments.
Since its first outing in 2021, the Muster has grown considerably – expanding from a handful of sites in the Bellinger and Kalang catchments to include the Nambucca River system, and building a reputation as a genuine research partnership.
OzGREEN Co-CEO Amy Denshire said the appeal lies in participants doing real science alongside professionals.
“Macro Muster is real citizen science, but it is also incredibly fun,” Ms Denshire said.
“Families sit side-by-side discovering these amazing little creatures while contributing to something that genuinely helps us understand and protect our rivers,” she said.
Because different waterbug species have different tolerances to pollution, the data collected feeds directly into understanding river health and supports the ongoing recovery of the critically endangered Bellinger River Snapping Turtle.
A panel of local scientists and government representatives, including Dr Brian Hawkins, Keegan Noble, Celeste Lymn and Dr Nakia Belmer, will speak on the day about the region’s waterways and current threats.
Ms Denshire also points to the event’s role in regional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) engagement, noting that jobs in the sector are predicted to grow at twice the rate of other fields while regional communities remain underrepresented.
“So this event is really important in helping to introduce science to our communities in a really fun and connective way,” she said.
The event is supported by the NSW Government’s Environmental Trust, Bellingen Shire Council, Nambucca Valley Council and Arborgreen.
Volunteers are still needed to collect waterbug samples ahead of the main event, with collector registrations closing 9 October and general registrations closing 25 October.
A free community dinner follows the count.
Head to OzGREEN’s website for more information and bookings.
By Jessica MILLER
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