The largest macroinvertebrate monitoring citizen science program of its kind in Australia.

Twice a year, community members and scientists come together to test for waterbugs at twelve sites along the Bellinger, Kalang and Nambucca catchments.

FREE EVENT

Macro Muster 11

Join in the biggest citizen science macroinvertebrate monitoring program in Australia and meet the amazing little creatures that call the rivers of the Bellinger catchment, Kalang catchment and Nambucca Valley home!

Fri 30th Oct

4.30pm-7.30pm

Bellingen Showground

Registrations for Macro Muster 11 are now open.

Register for Macro Muster 11 below:

Registration now open

We are growing the Macro Muster to increase its impact across our region. This event has the power to connect hundreds of young people with these incredible rivers and inspire the next generation of earth stewards!

We are currently calling for people to register as ‘Level 1,2 or 3 Bug Masters’ (depending on their level of experience) at our eleventh Macro Muster.

Step 1 : Read the Volunteer Agreement

Read Agreement
Register here

Macro Muster 11

Info Booklet for Participants

Event Partners

Learn more about the Macro Muster in our Macro Muster 5 video:

Speakers

  • Dr. Nakia Belmer

    Bellingen Riverwatch Volunteer

  • Dr. Brian Hawkins

    Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Saving our Species Division

  • Dean Kelly

    Yurruungga Aboriginal Corporation

  • Asheley Goodwill

    North Coast Local Land Services

  • Celeste Lymn

    River and Biodiversity Officer, Bellingen Shire Council

  • Keegan Noble

    Environmental Project Officer, Nambucca Valley Council

  • Sam Tate

    Bellingen Shire Council

  • Chris Ormond

    Scientist, DCCEW* and its

    Saving our Species Divison

Level 3 Bug Masters

  • Dr. Nakia Belmer

    Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Andrew Mclagan

    Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Dr Brian Hawkins

    Scientist, DCCEW - Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Saving our Species

  • Alyssa Philips

    Technician
    Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

  • Sam Daykin

    OzGREEN Director & Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Nic Denshire

    Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Charelle Harkins

    Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Helen Davies

    Macro Muster & Water Quality Volunteer

Level 2 Bug Masters

  • Celeste Lymn

    River and Biodiversity Officer, Bellingen Shire Council

  • Kathleen Hannah

    OzGREEN

  • Trish Reinten

    Bellingen Riverwatch Volunteer

  • Henare Degan

    Macro Muster & Water Quality Volunteer

  • Sam Tate

    Bellingen Shire Council

  • Marco McCue

    Macro Muster & Water Quality Volunteer

  • Patrick Brenton

    Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Tom White

    Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Oliver White (YP)

    Macro Muster Volunteer

  • Steve Doyle

    Macro Muster Volunteer

A big thank you to our regular Macro Muster volunteers!

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What are waterbugs?

Freshwater macroinvertebrates (or waterbugs) are small invertebrates that live in freshwater and can be seen with the naked eye or a hand magnifier. These include juvenile stages of many insects like dragonflies, damselflies, mayflies, caddisflies, water beetles, and more.

Each type of waterbug has a certain sensitivity to pollution or water quality changes in their waterway. So, the type and number of bugs found in a waterway, can tell you how healthy it is.

About the Level 2 role

  • A ‘Level 2 Bug Master’ is a community member who helps the ‘Tester’ volunteers sort, count and identify waterbugs at a Macro Muster.

  • The ‘Level 2 Bug Master’ role is suitable for people aged 8+ with a keen interest in science who have attended a Muster before and are happy to help others who are new to the Muster.

    Identifying, writing and counting and assisting others is involved. You do not have to be a scientist or have a background in science.

  • Register as a ‘Level 2 Bug Master’ at the link below.

Register here

  • "I love meeting like-minded people and discovering new forms of life."

    - Macro Tester Volunteer, Macro Muster Round 2, 2022

  • "It's a really fun way to do science."

    - Student, Orama Public School Macro Workshop, 2022

Our collecting volunteers hold an important role.

Our collecting volunteers sample 12 sites the day of and the day before the Muster and bring the samples to the event to be tested by the community.

Collecting Volunteers are assigned a site and head out to their site the day of The Count (Friday 30th October) or the day before (Thursday 29th October) with nets, waders and buckets to collect a waterbug sample.

Collectors hold an important role in the program. It is important that we obtain comparable and accurate samples.

As such, those new to the collecting role are paired up with experienced collecting volunteers who help them use the correct techniques.

Macro Muster Map

Image : Paul Fahy

This program was requested by the scientists supporting the recovery of the critically endangered Bellinger River Snapping Turtle.

“The ongoing recovery of the Bellinger River Snapping Turtle in the Bellinger Catchment is linked directly to the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of the catchment’s rivers. Not only are aquatic macroinvertebrates an important component of the Bellinger River Snapping Turtle diet, the macroinvertebrate communities are sensitive to changes in water quality and will, therefore, be an important indicator of river health into the future.”
— Shane Ruming, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and its Saving our Species Program.

Questions?

Contact Amy with any questions about this event or about the Macro Muster in general.

Contact Amy

Macro Muster Data

Award-winning program

Bellingen Riverwatch received two River Basin Management Awards in 2023.

Featured
Bellingen Riverwatch receives national award
Bellingen Riverwatch receives national award

Bellingen Riverwatch, one of the largest citizen science water quality monitoring programs in NSW, and the largest citizen science macroinvertebrate monitoring program in Australia, recently received two national awards at the River Basin Management Society Awards Gala.

Read more →

Bellingen Riverwatch Steering Committee

  • Dr Melissa Giese

    Senior Team Leader, Ecosystems and Threatened Species (North East), Biodiversity Conservation and Science, Department of Planning and Environment

  • Dr Nakia Belmer

    Scientist - Estuaries and Catchments, Science Division, Department of Planning and Environment

  • Dean Kelly

    Yurruungga Aboriginal Corporation

  • Adrian Dickson

    Senior Scientist River Assessment – Estuaries and Catchments Science, Science, Economics and Insights, Department of Planning and Environment

  • Daniel Cain

    Senior Project Officer - Threatened Species, Biodiversity and Conservation, Department of Planning and Environment

  • Asheley Goodwill

    Senior Land Services Officer, Natural Asset Protection, North Coast Local Land Services

  • Celeste Lymn

    River and Biodiversity Officer, Bellingen Shire Council

  • Shane Ruming

    Threatened Species Officer, Saving our Species, Department of Planning and Environment

  • Chris Ormond

    Threatened Species Officer, Saving our Species, Department of Planning and Environment

  • Sue Lennox

    Co-Founder, OzGREEN

  • John Schmidt

    Senior Coast and Estuary Officer, Biodiversity and Conservation Division

    Water, Floodplains & Coast (North East), Department of Planning and Environment

  • Ingrid Garland

    Apex Enviro Solutions, NSW Waterwatch

  • Charelle Harkins

    Bellingen Riverwatch Volunteer

Read More about the Bellingen Riverwatch Steering Committee

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