Meet the Team
Wetland Revival Trust is a culmination of thirty years’ experience restoring wetlands and other habitats, 10 years of which have been in WRT’s project area of Northern Victoria and the wider southern Murray Darling Basin. Over this period Elaine and Damien have developed a detailed understanding of wetland condition and ecological issues affecting the area, developed relationships with local farmers and Traditional Owners, and implemented restoration projects in a variety of habitats covering over 1000 hectares.
Staff
Damien Cook
Restoration Ecologist/Director
Damien Cook is the Director and Senior Restoration Ecologist at the Wetland Revival Trust. Damien has been a keen naturalist for 35 years and has developed a sound knowledge of flora and fauna ecology, identification, and habitat requirements. He is a recognised expert in wetland, riparian and terrestrial ecology, particularly in the factors affecting the establishment and management of aquatic and wetland plants, and the revegetation of terrestrial grassland and woodland ecosystems.
More about Damien
Recent reports and publications
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Elaine Bayes
Ecologist
MSc, BSc (Hons), DipVET
Elaine co-founded the Wetland Revival Trust and was co-Director from 2017 to 2025 before recently stepping down from this position. In addition to building the business, she is an environmental scientist and ecologist with her main focus on wetland ecology and management, frog and reptile surveys, fire effects in the Box Ironbark and Eltham Copper Butterfly surveys and protection.
More about Elaine
Recent reports and publications
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Taj Lane
First Nations Field Officer
Taj is Yorta Yorta/Barapa Barapa man who has been a keen
birdwatcher for 8 years. He has assisted WRT with wetland bird surveys in the Gunbower and Kerang Wetlands Ramsar Sites over the last 2 years on the floodplains of the Murray and Loddon Rivers. Taj is in training as a First Nations field project officer in ecological restoration and monitoring techniques. In previous roles he worked on Natural Resource Management with the indigenous-owned Barapa Land and Water, in farm machinery fabrication and as technician on a poultry farm.
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Chris Cook
General Manager
Chris is an experienced environmental leader now guiding business operations of WRT. He has worked in senior roles in large Victorian conservation organisations such as Trust for Nature and Parks Victoria. Chris has a long background in project and program management going back to his time as an Engineer, as well as pioneering services in newly formed environmental markets. He has helped build a sustainable model for not-for-profit The Good Op Shop in Castlemaine that funds a host of local conservation initiatives.
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Naomi Fountain
Business Administration and Personal Assistant
Naomi Fountain is a passionate professional with experience in agricultural research, public health, not-for-profit community organisations and business administration. Currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Sustainability at Deakin University, Naomi has a strong focus on environmental sustainability and rural communities. At Wetland Revival Trust she supports the business administration of our operations.
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Talia Madigan
Restoration Ecologist
Talia has recently graduated with a degree in marine biology. At WRT she works on a range of field projects from bird monitoring to revegetation.
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Voluntary Committee of Management
Our voluntary Committee of Management advises the Directors of the Wetland Revival Trust to ensure transparency and management of the
Wetland Revival Public Fund according to the purposes of the Trust, our aims and vision.
Di Bowles
Member
Kulja Coulston
Member
Ian Higgins
Deputy Chairperson
Aunty Marilyne Nicholls
Member
Nick Witherow
Treasurer