In this episode I sat down with botanist and ecologist Kate Bennetts to explore the floodplain forests and wetlands of the Riverina. With more than two decades of experience at the forefront of wetland restoration, Kate brings deep insight into how water — and the loss of it — shapes these great riverine landscapes. As Principal of Fire, Flood & Flora, she has dedicated her career to understanding how these ecosystems function, decline and recover.

We begin by exploring what makes floodplain forests and wetlands so ecologically rich and distinctive. From there, the conversation turns to the profound changes these landscapes have undergone — the displacement of First Peoples, widespread tree clearing and the alteration of natural flooding regimes.

Kate explains how environmental water allocations work in practice, and why carefully timed flows are critical to sustaining River Red Gum forests and the diverse wetland plant communities beneath them. We also delve into history, reflecting on observations from the 1850s Blandowski Expedition, and discuss recent research Kate has been involved in examining the allelopathic effects of Red Gum leaf litter on wetland vegetation.

The episode finishes with a discussion about Kate’s on-ground restoration — including collaborative work with Traditional Owners — and what it will take to ensure these floodplain ecosystems remain resilient in a drying and highly regulated river system.

If you have time before the 1st of May 2026, please make a submission for the updated Murray Darling Basin Plan, calling for more environmental water for our rivers wetlands: https://getinvolved.mdba.gov.au/2026basinplanreview

Links to the 1970's research on the allelopathic effect of Red Gum leaves can be found here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2424020

Links to the the recent research on the allelopathic effect of Red Gum leaves that we discussed can be found here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/emr.70031?af=R

Some of the books mentioned in the podcast:

Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Life by William Blandowski

The Victorian Bush: its Original and Natural Condition by Ron Hateley

For this episode I caught up with dear friend Trace Balla.

Trace is a multi-award-winning "story catcher" and community artist based on Djaara Country in central Victoria. She is renowned for her nature-inspired graphic novels, such as the CBCA-winning Rockhopping and Rivertime, which use detailed cartoon-style illustrations to explore themes of environmental stewardship, gratitude, and connection to Country.

We recently had a chat out in the bush in central Victoria were we talked about Trace’s daily walks in nature and how important this practice is for inspiring her work. We reflected on place-based names for Country, as opposed to colonial names that have been stamped across the Australian landscape, before hearing about Trace’s experiences running nature and art workshops for kids. We talked about learning about ecology through drawing, spontaneity, and how walking through Country without a plan can lead to you unexpected and magical experiences.

Trace was the designer of the Just Ecology artwork and we have worked on several art-ecology projects together.

This is a conversation about slowing down, listening deeply, and letting Country — rather than schedules or systems — lead the way.

You can find out more about Trace and her work at: https://traceballa.com/

For comments, feedback or requests for future content on Just Ecology, please email karljust3@gmail.com

It was a real honour to interview Emeritus Professor Stuart Hill. Stuart began studying ecology in the 1960s, and his PhD research conducted in a cave in Trinidad in the late1960s was among the first whole-ecosystem studies to examine community and energy relationships. His career spans decades of research, teaching and active engagement across multiple disciplines.

Over the years, Stuart has taken a particular interest in soil biology, entomology, social ecology and organic agriculture, and he brings a rare additional perspective through his formal training in psychology.

In our conversation we covered a wide range of topics, beginning with insights into his extraordinary understanding of life in soils, before exploring the role of human psychology in the ecological crisis. We also discussed several of Stuart’s ideas from his paper ‘10 Common “Mistakes” to Avoid, and “Needs” to Meet, When Seeking to Create a Better World’.

I’m deeply grateful that Stuart took the time to share his knowledge and reflections, and I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Stuart has an amazing collection of his resources on his website: https://www.stuartbhill.com/

For comments, feedback or requests for future content on Just Ecology, please email karljust3@gmail.com