Groundbreaking partnership to protect sacred Deen Maar
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Phillip Island Nature Parks have joined together to undertake a collaborative wildlife research program.
A NEW research partnership will protect Deen Maar, a sacred island and important wildlife site off the coast of Port Fairy.
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Phillip Island Nature Parks have joined together to undertake a collaborative wildlife research program.
The partnership grew from a respectful relationship as the Nature Parks supported the rights of Traditional Owners in caring for Sea Country.
The joint research teams have been visiting the island to count Australian fur seals and short-tailed shearwaters as well as to record cultural heritage.
Dr Rebecca McIntosh, senior scientist at Phillip Island Nature Parks, said the research team studied populations of seabirds and fur seals at Deen Maar between 1999 and 2018.
“We appreciate that Deen Maar is sacred and are excited to be working with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation and Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation to share knowledge and perform important surveys through the partnership,” Dr McIntosh said.
Deen Maar is home to large breeding colonies of Australian fur seals and short-tailed shearwaters.
Both species face threats from rising sea levels, pollution, fishing and the highly pathogenic avian influenza global outbreak which has not yet been detected in Australia.
Seal numbers at Deen Maar have dropped over the past 20 years. This may be due to alopecia, a condition linked to marine pollution that causes seals to lose their fur, limiting their ability to stay warm at sea and leading to weight loss.
Deen Maar was declared rabbit-free in September 2025 following an extensive program which removed a major pressure on the fragile island ecosystem.
The research partnership aims to track wildlife numbers after the rabbit removal and before the potential arrival of avian influenza.
The team also hopes to establish the source of pollutants attributed to the seal population decline by working with researchers from the Sydney School of Veterinary Science.
“It is amazing to see the seabirds respond positively to the rabbit eradication, but concerning that fur seal pups have declined,” Dr McIntosh said.
Significant cultural heritage has been found during the partnership, adding evidence of Gunditjmara presence on Deen Maar before colonisation.
