Across Australia’s vast drylands (and those of other continents), springs and oases emerge as remarkable lifelines, tiny fragments of the landscape that have critical ecological and cultural significance. These natural discharge points of aquifers create biodiversity hotspots in otherwise inhospitable terrain, serving as critical refuges for unique flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth.
Beyond their ecological importance, desert springs have been essential to human survival, health and cultural heritage for millennia. They provide windows into the hidden dynamics of aquifer systems that sustain life across the world’s arid regions. Yet these precious ecosystems rank amongst the most threatened on the planet, facing pressures from aquifer drawdown, spring extinctions, invasive species, and direct human modification.
This webinar brings together leading experts to explore the multifaceted value of Australia’s desert springs and oases, examining both the challenges they face and innovative approaches to their conservation.
Speakers will discuss the ecological significance of these systems, their role in supporting biodiversity resilience, and practical management strategies being implemented across the continent.
From the groundbreaking work of capping bores in the Great Artesian Basin, which has restored pressure to springs and revitalised ecosystems, to the emerging challenges of balancing conservation with Australia’s growing infrastructure demands, TERN’s first webinar for 2026 will navigate the complex territory of protecting these little-known treasures whilst meeting the needs of a developing nation.
Speakers
- Dr Renee Rossini (University of Queensland)
- Professor Rod Fensham (University of Queensland)
- Dr Michelle Guzik (University of Adelaide)