The 2009 AWSRG Workshop which was held between 6-11th September at Gundabooka National Park, near Bourke, NSW, was an event that will doubtless be fondly remembered for years to come by participants.

The months of hard work put in by the organising team - Andrew Skeoch, Gayle Johnson, Howard Plowright, and Bob Tomkins - in selecting and securing the venue, discovering local caterer Samantha Mooring and husband Garry who provided tasty "bush style" meals and refreshments for the duration, and not least putting together a fantastic program of presentations was rewarded with a five days of workshops, recording, socialising and relaxing that ran without a hitch.

Gundabooka National Park was in peak condition after heavy rainfall earlier in the year. The result was that there was widespread flowering of eremophila and wildflowers throughout the region. This in had turn attracted numerous nomadic bird species to enjoy the bountiful resources - Black, Pied, Painted and Striped honeyeater, Cockatiel, Budgerigar, Red winged Parrots and Major MItchell Cockatoo were all seen in good numbers around the Belah shearers quarters providing ample opportunity for birdwatching and photography for the non-recordists in attendance.

In all 22 AWSRG members, partners and friends attended the Workshop, including four United Kingdom based members. One new AWSRG member made a long trek from Western Australia by plane, train, bus and automobile to reach the workshop venue, whilst many others drove from NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

The following short audio clip from a recording made by Paul Jacobson gives a taste of one early morning soundscape at Gundabooka. Prominent are Grey Strike Thrush, Black Eared Cuckoo, Horsfields Bronze Cuckoo, Crested Bellbird and Rufous Songlark.