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3 x Master’s by Research projects: Artificial Habitat Optimisation for Fauna – Curtin University, WA

Closing 30 November 2025

3 x Master’s by Research projects: Artificial Habitat Optimisation for Fauna

Australia’s legacy of numerous unclosed mines provides a huge opportunity for habitat rehabilitation and providing positive outcomes for fauna. Decades of research now show that restoring vegetation alone is not sufficient to ensure recolonisation by key fauna. If rehabilitation aims to establish healthy, resilient ecosystems, with reinstated ecological processes and functions, then mine closure requires consideration of both flora and fauna.

The Fauna Artificial Habitat Project is led by Dr Holly Bradley at Curtin University (under an ARC Early Career Industry Fellowship) and has been established to deliver national guidelines for the creation of artificial habitat for fauna in mine site restoration, to support both proponents and government regulators to align on best practice. To support the creation of the guidelines, a series of case study research on artificial habitat will be conducted. This will include:

  1. A postdoctoral research project on understanding the optimal artificial cave requirements for Pilbara ghost bats. This will be completed by Dr Holly Bradley, who will also be the primary supervisor for the four Masters’ students.
  2. A Master’s by Research project on the return of culturally significant fauna (targeting varanids) to restored areas (position filled).

We are seeking 3 Master’s by Research students to start in Semester 1, 2026 for the following projects:

  • Northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) artificial habitat optimisation.

This project will focus on refining the knowledge and characterisation of northern quoll habitat, in particular habitat critical to survival, within a wider landscape context.

Aim 1: Determine the relative activity of northern quolls at artificial habitat sites in response to: (i) age, (ii) distance to active mining, (iii) proximity to secondary impacts of mining and associated infrastructure, and (iv) proximity to intact vegetation of restored mine sites.

Aim 2: Determine how vegetation structure influences the relative activity of northern quolls at artificial habitat sites.

  • Northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) movement ecology and habitat optimisation

This project will focus on the knowledge gap surrounding the optimisation of artificial refuge design at a landscape scale context. Understanding of movement ecology and population dynamics is important in determining if members of natural populations of northern quolls can disperse to and use rock piles constructed during restoration activity, and if their movement through the landscape increases the likelihood of encountering an artificial habitat site.

Aim 1: Determine how northern quolls use drainage lines preferentially to open landscape to travel.

Aim 2: Determine the demographic characteristics of northern quolls which do encounter artificial habitat structures.

  • Vertebrate fauna usage of artificial habitat.

The inclusion of artificial habitat structures such as rock piles and coarse woody debris, while not standardised in ecological restoration, has been trialled at some mine restoration sites across Australia. While it is assumed that these structures will be beneficial to fauna, particularly smaller species, a clear understanding of what species use the structures and how this varies temporally and according to microhabitat structure, will help inform design and monitoring optimisation for the future. To better understand how vertebrate fauna utilise in situ habitat structures, this project will have the following aims:

Aim 1: Determine the types of fauna habitats that are available in areas of mine site restoration in the Pilbara.

Aim 2: Determine the influence of mine site rehabilitation characteristics: (i) age, (ii) vegetation structure, (iii) distance to active mining, (iv) proximity to secondary impacts of mining and associated infrastructure, (v) size of rehabilitated area, and (vi) proximity to intact vegetation, to the vertebrate species composition of artificial habitats.

Aim 3: Determine how artificial habitat characteristics influence vertebrate fauna species composition and presence.

Aim 4: Determine how artificial habitat characteristics influence the presence of invasive vertebrate predators.

Project structure
These projects will be undertaken in collaboration between multiple universities, mining industry partners, and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Supervision will be drawn from staff across these sectors, providing a great opportunity for skill-building and forming research networks.

The successful candidates will be supported by scholarships sponsored by the industry partners, plus a stipend top-up provided by the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer program at Curtin.

Eligibility criteria:

Preferred criteria:

  • Previous fauna handling experience preferred
  • Flexible to changes in project design priorities dependent upon external factors (e.g. extreme weather events, site access changes)
  • Demonstrated workplace experience in at least one of the following: biodiversity, ecology, ecological restoration
  • Ability to demonstrate strong time management, self-motivation, problem-solving skills, and potential to work independently and as part of a team

Open to domestic students (Australian citizens or permanent residents) and international students.

Note that the project descriptions are flexible to changes depending on further discussion with project partners and input by successful candidates.

Please send an expression of interest letter addressing the above criteria and a CV (including an academic result summary) to

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