Simon Hinkley
Collection Manager, Terrestrial Invertebrates
About me
- Contact me
- Contact me through our enquiries team
I started working at the museum in 1994 in the Invertebrate Survey section. This was a great opportunity to see a lot of the state, survey threatened species and establish baseline information on the invertebrate fauna of Victoria’s Box-Ironbark ecosystem.
From 2000-2004 I worked on website projects, enhancing image capture and providing access to thousands of natural science records gathered over the last century. I also worked on the Pest and Disease Image Library (PaDIL) website which aimed to assist frontline customs/quarantine staff to identify possible incursions of pest invertebrate species into Australia.
I became a collection manager in 2004 (with my specialty being Australian ants) and work as part of a team to ensure the long-term preservation of the museum’s terrestrial invertebrate collection. This involves the augmentation of the collection via donation or collection and the continued registration of the collection, allowing important data to be available worldwide on resources such as GBIF and the Atlas of Living Australia.
I process loans of scientific material for other Australian and overseas institutions and coordinate access to the collection. I also make use of the museum’s stacking software to take high resolution images to aid researchers in their publications.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Biological of Science with Honours, La Trobe University 1989-1993.
Key publications
Little Desert National Park Bush Blitz report 2019 (Co-author- Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Marshmead Bush Blitz report, 2016 (Author-Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Alps Bioscan report, 2013 (Author – Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Wilsons Promontory National Park Bioscan report, 2011 (Author – Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Shattuck, S.O. & Hinkley, S.D. 2002.
Second species in the Australian ant genus Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer (Hymenoptera:Formicidae)
Australian Journal of Entomology 41, 104-105.
Links
Projects and events
Working with David Attenborough on his ‘Life in the Undergrowth’ series when he came to Victoria to feature the Giant Gippsland Earthworm.
Travelling to Central Australia in 1994 for the 100th anniversary recreation of the 1894 Horn Expedition.
Surveys of threatened species in Victoria, such as the Giant Gippsland Earthworm and species of freshwater burrowing crayfish; especially if there are good country bakeries located nearby.
Field Work:
2019: ‘Bush Blitz’ – Little Desert National Park, Vic.
2018: ‘Otways Bioscan’ Great Otway National Park, Vic.
2016: ‘Bush Blitz’ – Marshmead, Croajingolong National Park, Vic.
2013: ‘Alps Bioscan’ – Alpine National Park, Vic.
2012: ‘Grampians Bioscan’ – Grampians National Park, Vic.
2011: Wilson’s Promontory Bioscan - Wilsons Promontory National Park, Vic.
2011: ‘Bush Blitz’ – Ned’s Corner Station, Vic.
2011: ‘Bush Blitz’ – Lake Condah, Vic.
Late 1990’s to early 2000’s, field trips working on the Eltham Copper Butterfly, Giant Gippsland Earthworm and threatened species of freshwater burrowing crayfish in Victoria.
1995-1998: Box Ironbark Invertebrate Survey.
1994: ‘Horn Centennial Expedition’, West Macdonnell & Finke River Gorge National Parks, NT
1994: Remnant Victorian Woodlands Survey.
Public engagement and programs
I also work at the museum in the Public Information Department and have a keen interest in the dissemination of knowledge on the museum’s research and collections (and science in general) to a range of audiences.
I have a regular radio spot on 774 Melbourne and Triple RRR. I present regularly at Science on Show for National Science Week and Nocturnal and Bite-sized Science at Melbourne Museum. I have filmed videos for the museum’s website such as unboxing, backyard bioblitz and on moth fauna and have recorded Kinderling Radio - The Fact Detectives (podcast episodes). I have written a number of articles for our website looking at spider myths and Bogong Moths. I have presented on invertebrates at ecology courses looking at grassland and Box-Ironbark systems and on the use of invertebrates as environmental indicators.
I have collected and prepared material and assisted in installing exhibitions at Melbourne Museum such as Southern Diversity and Bugs Alive!
Publications
Little Desert National Park Bush Blitz report 2019 (Co-author- Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Marshmead Bush Blitz report, 2016 (Author-Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Alps Bioscan report, 2013 (Author – Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Wilsons Promontory National Park Bioscan report, 2011 (Author – Terrestrial Invertebrates).
Macnally, R., Bennett, A.F., Brown, G.W., Lumsden, L.F., Yen, A.L., Hinkley, S., Lillywhite, P. and Ward, D. 2002.
How well do Ecosystem-based planning units represent different components of biodiversity?
Ecological Applications, 12(3), 900-912.
Shattuck, S.O. & Hinkley, S.D. 2002.
Second species in the Australian ant genus Peronomyrmex Viehmeyer (Hymenoptera:Formicidae)
Australian Journal of Entomology 41, 104-105.
Yen, A.L., Hinkley, S.D., Lillywhite, P., Wainer, J. and Walker, K. 2002.
A Preliminary Survey of the Arboreal Invertebrate Fauna of Two River Red Gum Trees Eucalyptus camaldulensis near the Murray River.
The Victorian Naturalist 119 (4), 180-185.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 2001.
Survey of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Megascolides australis around the bottom of Loch Hill in an area potentially affected by a realignment of the South Gippsland Highway.
Unpublished Report for Vic Roads.
Hinkley, S.D. & Yen, A.L. 2000.
Eastern Freeway Extension between Springvale Road and Ringwood- Flora and Fauna Assessment.
Ongoing monitoring of the carabid beetles within the Eastern Freeway Extension- Year 2000 Assessment. Supplement No. 16 Unpublished Report.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 2000.
Eastern Freeway Extension between Springvale Road and Ringwood- Flora and Fauna Assessment.
Ongoing monitoring of the butterflies within the Eastern Freeway Extension- Year 2000 Assessment. Supplement No. 15 Unpublished Report.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 2000.
Further Surveys on the Distribution of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Megascolides australis within Mt. Worth State Park.
Unpublished Report prepared for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 2000a.
Survey of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Megascolides australis in areas to be affected by a realignment of the South Gippsland Highway-East of Loch.
Unpublished Report prepared for VicRoads.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 2000b.
Survey of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Megascolides australis in areas to be affected by a realignment of the South Gippsland Highway- Loch to Bena Stage One.
Unpublished Report prepared for VicRoads.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 2000c.
Survey of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Megascolides australis in areas to be affected by a realignment of the South Gippsland Highway- Loch to Bena Stage Two.
Unpublished Report prepared for VicRoads.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 1999.
Distribution of four species of burrowing crayfish, the Warragul Burrowing Crayfish, Engaeus sternalis Clark; the Narracan Burrowing Crayfish, E. phyllocercus Smith & Schuster; the Strzelecki Burrowing Crayfish, E. rostrogaleatus Horwitz; and the Lilly Pilly Burrowing Crayfish, E. australis Riek; in the Gippsland Regional Forest Agreement Area. Unpublished Report prepared for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 1999.
Distribution of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Megascolides australis within the Gippsland Regional Forest Agreement Area.
Unpublished Report prepared for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Van Praagh, B.D. & Hinkley, S.D. 1999.
Assessment of the impact of the Loch-Poowong Telstra Cable Route on the Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Megascolides australis.
Report prepared for Telstra, Network Design and Construction Division.
Hinkley, S.D., & New, T.R.
Pitfall trapping for surveying ant assemblages: lessons from a study at Mt Piper, Victoria.
Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria 56(2): 369-376 (1997)
Silveira, C.E., Yen, A.L., Bennett, A.F., Brown, G.W., Hinkley, S.D., Loyn, R.H., Lumsden, L.F. & Smith, W. (1997) Fauna of the Box-Ironbark Study Area. A report prepared for the Land Conservation Council. (This area includes the Box-Ironbark and Northern Plains areas).
New, T.R., Britton, D.R., Hinkley, S.D., & Miller, L.J. 1996.
The ant fauna of Mt. Piper and its relevance to environmental assessment and the conservation of a threatened invertebrate community, Arthur Rylah Institute-Flora and Fauna Technical Report 143
Hinkley, S.D., Lillywhite, P. & Yen, A.L. 1996.
The forgotten fauna of Box-Ironbark ecosystems. Out of the Box No. 3:3.
Yen, A.L., Hinkley, S.D., Horne, P.A., Milledge, G.A., & New, T.R. 1996.
Development of invertebrate indicators of remnant grassy-woodland ecosystems. Report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency Save the Bush Program.