The fyke net emerged from the Mary River at dawn, water streaming through its mesh funnel, and for a moment we held our breath. Inside, barely visible through the netting, was a creature that predates the dinosaurs - an Australian lungfish, its ancient form unchanged for 100 million years. Working alongside the Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) team, we were witnessing frontline conservation science in action. This wasn't just about capturing footage; it was about documenting the delicate intersection between research, traditional knowledge, and the race to save species teetering on extinction's edge.

Science Meets Story

BMRG's approach to conservation represents a evolution in how we protect endangered species. Gone are the days of single-species focus - instead, their teams work holistically across the Burnett Mary region, understanding that saving its rivers means saving everything within it. During our weeks embedded with their field teams, we watched this philosophy in action. Each morning began with checking fyke nets - specialised funnel traps that allow creatures to enter but not exit, enabling researchers to safely capture, measure, and release animals with minimal stress.

The integration of environmental DNA (eDNA) technology transformed how the team approaches conservation. By collecting water samples and analysing the genetic material shed by organisms - scales, mucus, waste - scientists can map species distribution without ever seeing an animal. This invisible trail of DNA reveals where Mary River turtles still persist, where cod have disappeared, and crucially, where to focus limited conservation resources.

Traditional Knowledge, Modern Application

What set this project apart was witnessing the seamless integration of Indigenous knowledge with Western science. Traditional Owners from the Kabi Kabi peoples shared stories passed down through generations about the Mary River turtle - known to them long before Western science "discovered" it in 1994. Remarkably, while these turtles were being sold by the thousands as "penny turtles" in pet shops throughout the 1960s and 70s, it took scientists decades to trace them back to their source and formally identify them as a distinct species. The Traditional Owners had no such confusion - their understanding of seasonal movements, breeding behaviours, and the spiritual significance of these creatures added layers of meaning that pure data could never capture.

The Delicate Art of Fyke Netting

Fyke netting requires both scientific precision and intuitive understanding of river systems. The nets must be positioned where animals travel - along underwater highways carved by centuries of movement. Too shallow and you miss the lungfish cruising the depths; too deep and you risk drowning air-breathing turtles. The BMRG team checked nets every few hours, a careful balance between gathering data and ensuring animal welfare.

Our cameras captured these moments of revelation: researchers gently extracting a white-throated snapping turtle, its prehistoric head emerging first; the careful measurement of a Mary River cod, its mottled patterns as unique as fingerprints - no two individuals sharing the same golden-green markings; the careful handling of a lungfish, its slippery skin making every movement deliberate - whether from the river environment or the creature itself, the slime demanded respect and steady hands. Each animal was processed with scientific efficiency but also genuine wonder - these researchers never lost their awe at handling living prehistory.

Conservation at the Crossroads

What became clear through our collaboration was that organisations like BMRG represent a new model of conservation - one that values traditional knowledge equally with peer-reviewed science, that sees rivers as complete systems rather than collections of individual species, that understands the urgency without sacrificing thoroughness. Their holistic approach extends from the microscopic (eDNA sampling) to the landscape scale (catchment-wide habitat restoration).

The statistics they shared were sobering: Mary River turtles taking 25-30 years to reach breeding age, meaning today's hatchlings won't contribute to population recovery until 2050; Mary River cod populations estimated at just 600 individuals in the wild during the 1980s, now slowly recovering through conservation efforts; lungfish facing habitat loss from dams and water infrastructure that no amount of evolutionary resilience can overcome. Yet the team's determination never wavered. Each successfully captured animal represented hope - data that could inform protection, evidence of persistence, proof that it's not too late.

The Bigger Picture

Our time with BMRG revealed that saving these species requires more than good intentions. It demands the marriage of cutting-edge science with ancient wisdom, the patience to work on generational timescales, and the humility to listen to both the river and those who've known it longest.

The collaboration between Human Terrain and BMRG produced more than footage. It documented a model for 21st-century conservation, where respect for traditional knowledge amplifies scientific understanding, where holistic thinking replaces siloed approaches, and where the stories we tell about these remarkable creatures might just help save them. In the murky waters of the Mary River, we found clarity about what effective conservation looks like when science and culture flow together.