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Bennelongia Environmental Consultants – Perth, Western Australia

AUSRIVAS (Australian River Assessment System) is a rapid prediction system used to assess the biological health of Australian rivers. AUSRIVAS was developed under the National River Health Program (NRHP) by the Federal Government in 1994, in response to growing concern in Australia for maintaining ecological valuesEnvironmental Consultants Association - Bennelongia - stygofauna, troglofauna, subterranean fauna, short range endemics

Staff at Bennelongia have many years experience of fieldwork, invertebrate identification, taxonomy, DNA techniques, scientific research and environmental assessment. Senior staff conducted the stygofauna component of the Pilbara Biodiversity Survey for the Western Australian Government and developed new sampling protocol used for stygofauna in Western Australia as well as new techniques for troglofauna collection. The company now also applies these skills to improving the results of short range endemic (SRE) invertebrate surveys.

Bennelongia operates a large laboratory with state of the art microscopes and photographic systems for invertebrate identification and is linked with many invertebrate taxonomists locally and internationally. Company staff have organised or participated in all major subterranean fauna, wetland and waterbird surveys undertaken in Western Australia.

Bennelongia is committed to best practice in environmental management and writes succinct reports based on sound science and policy. The company has an excellent safety record.

The company name is derived from the ostracod genus Bennelongia. The genus was described in 1981 by Patrick de Deckker and Ken G.  McKenzie after Woollarawarre Bennelong, who is the first aboriginal to have a long association with the early European settlers of Australia. The Bennelongia genus is endemic to Australia and New Zealand. See journal articles 121 and 123 here for more information.