The find was made during CVA's spring Naturewise Mammal Monitoring program in the Grampians National Park.

Naturewise in the Grampians is a flagship 'voluntourism' project between Parks Victoria and CVA, and is in its fifth year in the Grampians, giving volunteers an opportunity to participate in ongoing wildlife conservation projects.

As Rod Collier, CVA Team Leader explains, Naturewise is a holiday experience like no other with participants journeying deep into the Grampians National Park and working alongside Parks Victoria rangers and wildlife researchers.

“People feel a world away from their daily routine and there is a real sense of achievement with contributing directly to Australian wildlife conservation,” he said.

“We had a fantastic experience this year. We trapped 70 different animals and the highlights were definitely the female bandicoot with young, as well as the antechinus (marsupial mouse) carrying six young on board!”

Naturewise provides award winning ecotourism experiences that combine visits to pristine areas with conservation activities, and has contributed to the rediscovery of Long Nosed Potoroo and finding new populations of threatened species such as Heath Mouse and Southern Brown Bandicoot.

Leader of the Grampians research and monitoring program for Parks Victoria, Mike Stevens, adds that it is essential to monitor the response of many of Australia's most threatened native fauna to impacts such as wildfire and fox predation and volunteer help has been crucial.

“The ambitious research program that we have developed in the Grampians would not have been possible without the dedication and contribution of the Naturewise volunteers and their efforts are directly contributing to the greater understanding and assisting us in better management of the Grampians landscape”.

“This isn’t any back seat tour either, the volunteers are hands on involved in everything from rolling baits to setting traps and collecting data from the animals,” said Mr Stevens.

The Advanced Eco certified Naturewise program and winner of Ecotourism Australia's 'Ecotourism Award 2009' attracts both international and interstate visitors.

Successful Naturewise programs are running in locations including Parks Victoria's Grampians National Park, Montague Island in NSW, Tasmania's wilderness, Cape York and Coburg Peninsula.

More information is also provided on the website: http://www.conservationvolunteers.com.au/volunteer/grampians.htm.