Dean Gilligan

Dean has a passion for wildlife. His career has focused on the study of Australia’s freshwater fish and the rivers, lakes and wetlands they occupy. He has worked throughout the Murray-Darling Basin and coastal rivers of NSW, and most recently the internationally important Great Artesian Basin spring wetlands on Edgbaston Special Wildlife Reserve in central-west Queensland. These springs were recently rated amongst the top three global hotspots for desert springs biodiversity in the world.

Dean has a PhD in conservation genetics from Macquarie University. With 25 years experience as a professional wildlife biologist, Dean has developed national standing as an expert in freshwater ecology. His research spans long-term environmental health monitoring, threatened species recovery and invasive pest control. In his current role as Freshwater & Wetlands Ecologist within the charitable organisation Bush Heritage Australia, Dean applies his skills and experience to the protection and recovery of the endangered ecological community of the Great Artesian Basin springs, and the many endangered plants, invertebrates and fish unique to Edgbaston.

He has been a member of numerous government committees and working groups, including as ministerially appointed member of the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee, the National Carp Control Plan Scientific Advisory Group and research program leader for freshwater pests within the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre. He currently chairs the national Red-finned Blue-eye recovery team. 

Dean has a publication record including 55 peer-reviewed scientific articles in scientific journals, 9 book chapters, 41 conference presentations and numerous technical reports. He has co-supervised 4 PhD students, 3 Masters students and 6 Honours student research projects.