Conservation

The Middle Island Maremma Project began in 2006 when there was a sharp decline in the colony size of Little Penguins on Middle Island due to fox predation.

A Deakin University study of the 1999-2000 breeding season found 292 occupied burrows with 502 penguins coming ashore during a one-hour period in January 2000. At that time tourism was found to have a negative impact and the study raised concerns over the threat posed to the colony by foxes and dogs.

By 2005 there were fewer than 10 penguins on the island.

A local chicken farmer, Swampy Marsh, suggested Maremma guardian dogs could be used to protect the penguins. Swampy had successfully used Maremmas to help protect his free range chickens.

In a world-first, Maremma dogs were trained and placed on Middle Island to protect the penguins from foxes during the breeding season. The project has been a huge success, with no evidence of fox attacks since the beginning of the Project and a steady increase in penguin colony size to an estimated 180 penguins in 2013.

Middle Island has been closed to the public since 2006 to protect penguin burrows from human trampling which can harm penguins, penguin chicks and eggs. The closure of the Island has contributed to the increase in penguin colony size. Over summer each year, people who want to visit Middle Island can book a place on the “Meet the Maremma Tours” and experience the project firsthand.

Our two Maremma guardian dogs, sisters Eudy and Tula, spend five days per week on Middle Island during the breeding season and on their days off they live at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, interacting with visitors and helping to educate people about environmental conservation. For more information on education programs, the Maremma guardian dogs and tourism activities over summer, please visit the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village website.

The Project is widely recognised as an innovative world-first and has received a number of awards and attracted huge media attention.

In 2014 the filming of multi-million dollar movie production Oddball took place. The movie’s storyline is based on the Middle Island Conservation Project and stars Shane Jacobson (Oddball is due for release in 2015).

Italian company Erebus Productions produced a documentary on Middle Island that was viewed by 1.5 million people in Italy and the Maremmas and Little Penguins were also featured on ABC’s science program, Catalyst.

The project also received the 2010 Australian Government Coastcare Award.

The Project has been made possible thanks to support from many businesses, organisations and volunteers since it began in 2006. It is currently joint-funded by Warrnambool City Council, Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group and Deakin University.

Over 6000 volunteer hours have been contributed to the project in activities such as penguin monitoring, care and training of Maremma dogs, building of infrastructure on the Island and fox control.

Lady Bay

Lady Bay is a dynamic environment that has been dramatically altered by the construction of the Warrnambool Breakwater and Harbour complex. Islands that were once well off the mainland have become exposed to incursion by foxes and people due to coastal change. This map developed by third year Deakin University marine biology student Silvia San Laureano Quiñones in conjunction with Senior Lecturer in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences Dr Daniel Ierodiaconou uses maps from the Flagstaff Maritime Village archives overalyed with todays mapping to show the dramatic changes.

Merri Marine Sanctuary

Middle Island is part of the Merri Marine Sanctuary is a dedicated group of volunteers assists in managing and educating the features of this beautiful area.

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