Curl Eco

Show me a sign...

If you’re in or around Wagga, there’s a special screening coming up of Malleefowl: The most unlikely of birds. It’s a chance to learn more about this remarkable species and the conservation work happening across our region.

📅 Friday 4 September
⏰ 6:30pm – 8:30pm
📍 Riverina Playhouse
🎟️ All proceeds support Malleefowl conservation
🎤 Documentary screening followed by a Q&A with experts

A good night out for anyone who's interested in these intriguing creatures - if you're coming along, I'd love to say G'day!!
If you follow our work on Mallee’s Map, this screening sits right at the heart of the landscapes and species we’re exploring.

National Malleefowl Recovery Group | Protecting Australia's Malleefowl Join the National Malleefowl Recovery Group to support conservation efforts, monitor populations, and protect the endangered Malleefowl across Australia.

On the right track...

Out in West Wyalong this weekend gathering reference material for Mallee’s Map — walking the mallee country, listening to the scrub, and keeping an eye out for signs that tell quiet stories. This footprint is one of them.

West Wyalong sits right on the eastern edge of NSW mallee, a transition zone where country shifts from woodland into the sandy, shrubby habitat Malleefowl depend on.

Even here, their presence is subtle:
- Malleefowl build mounds up to a metre high, using leaf litter and sand as a natural incubator.
- Their three‑toed tracks often appear on firm ground after rain, especially near old mounds or feeding scrapes.

Looking forward to bringing a few more of these details into the Mallee’s Map world in the coming months.

Dropped in to see Matt & the team at Wagga Workwear last week — they’ve recently come on board to supply us with some new Curl Eco work shirts, and we’re stoked to have their support. These shirts will be getting a workout across Mallee’s Map R&D fieldwork, filming Curl's Corner content, and everything in between.

Edition 3 of Curl Eco News has just landed, with a full winter update from the studio if you’d like to catch up on what we’ve been working on.
You can check it out here: https://curleco.com.au/news/

We’re super stoked to share that Curl Eco has received a Writer’s Grant from Eastern Riverina Arts (ERA) for our Mallee’s Map project!

Yesterday’s announcement brought together an incredible group of regional creatives — and we’re proud to be standing alongside them in these photos as part of this year’s ERA grant recipients.

Thanks to ERA’s support, we’re now able to upgrade and overhaul our entire digital asset management system — giving us a secure, future‑proof storage setup that lives right here in the studio. This new system will act as a central creative hub, accessible across all the devices used to write, illustrate, and build the world of Mallee’s Map.

This is a pivotal moment for the series. It removes the biggest technical bottleneck that’s been holding Mallee back from commencing his journey — and now, he’s finally getting ready to take his first steps.

If you’d like to explore the project and follow along as it grows, you can learn more about Mallee’s Map at https://www.malleesmap.com.au

A few of nature’s finest turned up after the rain this week.

(Neobatrachus sudelli), (Litoria peronii), and the (Litoria caerulea) were all calling, adding to our regional evening chorus.

Their voices carry long after the rain stops — a good reminder of how responsive and resilient this patch of country can be.

Curl Eco News — Edition 1 is now live

G’day folks, we've just sent out the very first edition of the Curl Eco News. It’s a little look inside the studio as Mallee’s Map starts to take shape, plus a few behind‑the‑scenes moments from life here in Coolamon.

If you’d like to read it — or follow along with future editions — you can find it here:
https://curleco.com.au/news/

Thanks for being part of this small, growing regional studio. It means a lot to have you along for the ride.

— Curly

curleco.com.au

Meet Mallee — a Malleefowl on a Mission

We’re developing Mallee’s Map — a series of curriculum‑aligned picture books (for ages 3–6) and animated episodes (for ages 5–9) that follow Mallee on a journey across Australia, helping kids connect with our diverse and unique threatened species.

Here are four stages of Mallee’s evolution — from early concept to the current prototype, gearing up to guide us through misty ranges, arid outback, wetlands, woodlands, and alpine peaks.

Each story features one threatened species, spotlighting its landscape, its challenges, and the conservation efforts under way to protect it. Through Mallee’s eyes, children explore the beauty and fragility of these ecosystems — building eco‑literacy, emotional connection to Country, and inspiration for conservation.

If this project sparks your interest, we’d love to know about it — and what you hope we can achieve with this work. Your encouragement helps show publishers, broadcasters, and grant bodies that Mallee’s Map is a story worth sharing.

How you can show your support (free, no obligation):
- 📝 Share a few words of support using our quick form at CurlEco.com.au/get-involved/
- 👍 Like, follow & share the Curl Eco page () with mates who may be interested
- 🌐 To find out more about Mallee’s Map, head to CurlEco.com.au/projects/Mallees-Map

Together, we can give Mallee a voice, celebrate Australia’s unique species, and inspire the next generation to care for the places they call home.

🌐Curl Eco is live — explore the stories, characters, and conservation pathways...

We’ve just launched the Curl Eco website — a regional creative studio dedicated to conservation storytelling that blends Ecology, Culture, Threatened Species Awareness, and Playful Animation.

It’s home to Mallee’s Map, our flagship (currently in production) series for kids aged 3–9, featuring curious characters, threatened species, and modular resources for educators, supporters, and families.

Whether you’re here to explore, collaborate, or sponsor a story worth telling — we’d love to have you on the journey.

👉 Visit the site: https://curleco.com.au

Have a threatened species in mind for us to feature?
Let us know — we’re listening, mapping, and ready to grow this story together.

Curl Eco - Inspiring Conservation Through Everyday Eco Learning Discover Mallee’s Map, a creative conservation project - blending Ecology, Culture, and Education.

Welcome to Curl Eco

We’re just getting started—and we’re so glad you’re here.

Curl Eco is a small creative studio based in regional NSW, crafting stories that connect kids, educators, and communities to the land beneath their feet.

Our flagship project, Mallee’s Map, is a modular, animated world where ecology, culture, and curiosity come alive.

Mallee’s Map follows a curious young Malleefowl as she journeys across Australia, introducing kids to threatened species and the habitats they call home.
It’s inspired by the goals of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022–2032, and designed to spark awareness, empathy, and action from the earliest years.

We believe in joyful learning, respectful storytelling, and the power of place.
Every character, cloud, and tree stump in Mallee’s Map is designed to spark wonder and deepen care—for bushland, biodiversity, conservation, and the stories that shape us.

We’re building with heart and precision:
• Modular cartoon assets for picture books, animation, licensing, and outreach
• Curriculum-aligned resources for early learning
• Respectful integration of cultural values and ecological knowledge.

Whether you’re driven by curiosity, education, creativity, or conservation—follow along. Big things are blooming.