8:00–9:00
Registration
Main Foyer
Official mobile program
Science. Culture. Conservation. Connection.
Adelaide · Monday 28 – Tuesday 29 September 2026
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Day 1
Monday 28 September8:00–9:30Registration and welcome
9:00–9:10
Conference opening
Sylvia Clarke
Main Auditorium
9:10–9:30
Welcome to Country — Kaurna
Robert Taylor
Main Auditorium
9:30–11:25 · Chair: Mike ThompsonSession 1 — Populations and early warning
9:30–9:45
Turtles and changing water regimes in the floodplains of Australia
Deborah Bower
University of New England
Main Auditorium
9:45–10:00
Seeing the Missing Generation: A National Early-Warning System for Freshwater Turtles
Ricky Spencer
Intelligent EcoTransformations
Main Auditorium
10:00–10:15
Ngarrindjeri Thukabi Monitoring: Culture, Conservation and Science of Freshwater Turtles on Country
Scotte Wedderburn
Adelaide University
Main Auditorium
10:15–10:40
Morning tea and networking
Main Auditorium
10:40–10:55Student
A Smelly Refuge: Freshwater Turtle Populations in a Wastewater Treatment Plant
Emma Kynaston*
La Trobe University
Main Auditorium
10:55–11:10
Effectiveness of conservation actions for the last self-sustaining wild western swamp turtle population
Gerald Kuchling
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
Main Auditorium
11:10–11:25Student
Effect of cold-water pollution on the growth of juvenile Emydura macquarii
Jacquie Bennett*
University of New England
Main Auditorium
11:30–12:05 · Chair: Ligia PizzattoSession 4 — Engineering recovery
11:30–11:45
Engineering solutions to turtle conservation: shifting away from constraints of the naturalistic fallacy
James U. Van Dyke
La Trobe University
Main Auditorium
11:45–12:00
Turtles on the Edge: Applied Research and Innovation for Threatened Freshwater Turtle Conservation
Ben Hoekstra and Keira McGrath
Burnett Mary Regional Group
Main Auditorium
12:00–12:05Speed talk
Quarrying and potential risks to the Manning River Turtle Catchment
Jennifer Granger
Manning River Turtle Conservation
Main Auditorium
12:05–12:55Keynote — What the river remembersTurtles, treaties and the politics of water
Emma Carmody
Commissioner for the River Murray — South Australia
Main Auditorium
After keynote: Symposium group photo.
12:55–2:25Lunch program, displays and postersDownstairs Library · photo voting and silent auction bids
TURTLE project — BioHaven and Basking Island installs and community events
Jennifer Munro
Northern and Yorke Landscape Board
The Unusual Pet Vets
Dr Amelia Cottle
Unusual Pet Vets
Australian Freshwater Turtle Art
Mikayla Durrant
WILD Conservation Pty Ltd
Turtle Tales from the West: Bibra Lake, Yellagonga, Albany
Joyce Gadalon, Ainsley Goldsack and Elly Nitschke
Walliabup Wildlife Warriors / Wetlands Conservation Society
Fox-proof fencing projects in the Lower Lakes
Jeff Whittaker
Strathalbyn Field Naturalists
Poster
Do Cane Toads pose a threat to the critically endangered Mary River turtle hatchlings?
Tina Ravenneau
Tiaro and District Landcare Group
Poster
Beyond Nesting: Evaluating BioHaven Islands for Turtle Habitat, Biodiversity Enhancement and Pollutant Removal
Meg Shooter
Western Sydney University
Poster
The Keystone Repair Index: Prioritising Ecological Leverage Points for Wetland Restoration
Aliesha McIntosh
Western Sydney University
Poster
Duduroa Dhargal Aboriginal Corporation
Valda Murray
Duduroa Dhargal Aboriginal Corporation
Workshop
Engaging Schools in Freshwater Turtle Conservation
Carla Eisemberg, Danielle White, Deborah Bower and Ricky Spencer
Board Room — walk-ins welcome; maximum 20 people
First Nations space
Reserved for First Nations only
Main Auditorium
2:25–3:15 · Chair: Bethany TreglownSession 3 — Finding and tracking
2:25–2:40Student
Tracking a Little-known Turtle: Post-release Movement of Captive-bred Myuchelys purvisi
Thong V. Pham*
Western Sydney University; Centre for Technology and Nature Conservation; VinUniversity College of Health Science
Main Auditorium
2:40–2:55
Five years on: evaluating assisted colonisation of a Critically Endangered freshwater turtle
Bethany Nordstrom
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
Main Auditorium
2:55–3:05Student
Finding Hidden Turtle Nests from Space
Andy M. Delvaux*
Flinders University
Main Auditorium
3:05–3:10Speed talk
Monitoring turtles in the Mount Lofty Ranges — data input for management
Sylvia Zukowski
Nature Glenelg Trust
Main Auditorium
3:15–3:35
Afternoon tea
Posters and displays downstairs in the Library
Main Auditorium
3:35–5:20 · Chair: Carla EisembergSession 2 — Turtle Tales from the North and perspectives
3:35–3:50
Turtle Tales from the North: Food, Culture and Conservation
Carla Eisemberg
Charles Darwin University
Main Auditorium
3:50–4:05Student
When Underground Isn't Safe: Buffalo impacts on Chelodina rugosa subsurface refugia
Helen Truscott*
Charles Darwin University
Main Auditorium
4:05–4:20
Turtles in the Territory
Kane Durrant
WILD Conservation Pty Ltd
Main Auditorium
4:25–4:40
A Private Keeper's Perspective — Part 1: The Keeping
Andrew Rogers and Gavin Brown
Private Keepers
Main Auditorium
4:40–4:55
A Private Keeper's Perspective — Part 2: Beyond the Backyard Pond
Gavin Brown and Andrew Rogers
Private Keepers
Main Auditorium
4:55–5:10
The Symbolic Meaning of the Turtle
Susan J. Pollard
International Association of Jungian Analysts
Main Auditorium
5:10–5:20
Closing remarks
Dinner and Day 2 information
Main Auditorium
6:00–9:00Turtles after DarkLimited pre-booked event
Dinner and networking
Comedian host: Kevin Kropinyeri
Harry's Bar
12–14 Grenfell Street, Adelaide SA 5000
Day 2
Tuesday 29 September8:30–8:40Day 2 opening
8:30–8:35
Symposium opening — Day 2
Sylvia Clarke
Main Auditorium
8:35–8:40Speed talk
Million turtles
Ricky Spencer
Intelligent EcoTransformations
Main Auditorium
8:45–9:30Plenary — The secret lives of freshwater turtles and barriers to their conservation
Eric Nordberg
University of New England
Main Auditorium
9:30–10:10 · Chair: Kane DurrantSession 5 — Turtles, people and practice
9:30–9:45
Mary River Turtle Conservation: Thirty years through Integrated Catchment Management
Oliver Scully and Nathaniel Larsen
Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee
Main Auditorium
9:45–9:55Student / speed
Turtle Histories from the Murray-Darling
Wesley Smith*
La Trobe University
Main Auditorium
9:55–10:00Speed talk
Increasing public awareness and education of threatened NSW Mid North Coast and Tablelands turtles
Stuart Johnson
Importance of community awareness raising — NSW
Main Auditorium
10:00–10:05Speed talk
Paiwalla Wetland
Annie O'Connell
Wetland Habitats (Paiwalla) Assoc. Inc.
Main Auditorium
10:05–10:10Speed talk
When did the turtle cross the road? Dynamic speed-limit signage for Chelodina oblonga
Atlanta Veld
Main Auditorium
10:15–10:40
Morning tea and networking
Main Auditorium
10:40–11:45 · Chair: James U. Van DykeSession 6 — Predators, nests and journeys
10:40–10:55
Once bitten, twice shy: teaching foxes not to eat turtle eggs
Ligia Pizzatto
La Trobe University
Main Auditorium
10:55–11:10Student
Quantifying predation risk hatchling freshwater turtles experience using 3D printed models
Christina Hunter*
La Trobe University
Main Auditorium
11:10–11:25
Turtle Islands — turtles, predators and bystanders
Graham Stockfeld
Turtles Australia Inc.
Main Auditorium
11:25–11:40
Turanggal at Lake Edward
Jazmin Bingham and Thomas Lovett
Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation and Nature Glenelg Trust
Main Auditorium
11:40–11:45Speed talk
Reducing the number of foxes in the Paiwalla Wetlands
Mike Nicholls
Flinders University
Main Auditorium
11:45–1:00 · Chair: MikeSession 7 — Panel and closing
11:45–12:20
Symposium closing panel discussion
Main Auditorium
12:20–12:45
Future conferences
Main Auditorium
12:45–1:00
Student awards and closing
Main Auditorium
1:30–3:30BioHaven launch field tripLimited places · pre-booking essential
Pinky Flat, Adelaide — Torrens River
Ricky Spencer
Open map ↗4:30–6:30Optional bar catch-up
Verandah Bar
Upstairs at the Strathmore Hotel
129 North Terrace, Adelaide
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