Miranda Braakhuis

Miranda grew up in Melbourne and went on family holidays to the Otways, so has many fond memories exploring waterfalls, boogie-boarding and snorkelling in the region. She studied a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Wildlife & Conservation Biology) at Deakin University and completed an honours degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Her honours project was comparing the accuracy and cost of different methodologies to survey for koala density, including the traditional method of line-transect distance sampling with more emerging techniques including thermal-imaging drones and acoustic recorders. During her time on the Sunshine Coast she also worked as a conservation detection dog handler with the Detection Dogs for Conservation team, partnering with rescue dogs to help find koalas, quolls and their scat in the landscape.

Miranda is passionate about optimising survey methods for threatened species conservation and loves all things fieldwork. Whilst interning at the CEC, Miranda is looking forward to gaining knowledge and experience in fire and feral animal management, deepening her flora and fauna ID skills and contributing to effective on-ground conservation in the Otways.