Accreditation and training courses
Training courses in the River Styles Framework are dynamic and skills-focused, aimed at providing river management practitioners and scientists with the skills, experience and knowledge to apply and use the River Styles Framework in river management.
Courses are facilitated by Kirstie Fryirs and Gary Brierley, who are co-developers of the River Styles Framework and each have over 20 years of experience training river management professionals and scientists in the River Styles Framework. There are a range of courses on offer, from 1-day introductory workshops through to the 5-day River Styles Short Course, which is a requirement for accreditation in the River Styles Framework.
The 5-Day Professional River Styles Short Course is typically hosted in Goulburn, NSW by Macquarie University or may be hosted by the participants’ organisation in another location by prior arrangement. All other courses are offered via a flexible ‘participant-hosted’ model, allowing trainers to come to a location convenient to participants in a team or organisational unit. These courses are also available for delivery outside of Australia – see documents below for details.
When will the next River Styles course in Australia be?
At this stage we have not planned any 2024 courses in Australia as we focus on overseas offerings.
Registrations for the next 5-day River Styles Short Course in Goulburn, NSW.
Registrations for the next 5-day River Styles Short Course in Goulburn NSW are now closed.
We need a minimum of 20 people for the course to run and are only taking a maximum of 25.
To secure your place you need to pay by credit card via the link below. We are not issuing purchase orders for this course.
WAITING LIST FOR NEXT COURSE
If you wish to be placed on the waiting list, please email [email protected] with your name, email address, organisation and the course you are interested in. You will be the first to know when the next course runs.
Accreditation framework and requirements
An accreditation framework for River Styles has been developed to ensure quality control. The following guidelines have been established for individuals applying principles from the River Styles Framework. By doing the 5-day Professional River Styles Short Course (see below) and passing the assessment, participants will be awarded provisional River Styler status. To become fully accredited, a River Styler also completes a reviewed River Styles report. A River Styles report has certain requirements that are also outlined in the downloadable pdf files below:
Other non-River Styles training courses and Professional Certifications
Macquarie University Microcredential – Geomorphic Analysis of Rivers
Find out more
Macquarie University Microcredential – Use of Geomorphology in River Management
Find out more
Certified Environmental Practitioner (Geomorphology)
Find out more
5-day Professional River Styles Short Course (Stage 1) – domestic offering
This five-day intensive Short Course was specifically developed for river management professionals, in order to provide accreditation in the River Styles Framework. The course provides detailed and hands-on instruction in Stage 1 of the River Styles Framework (baseline survey of river character and behaviour) with insights into Stages 2 to 4 (assessment of river condition, assessment of recovery potential and the biophysical basis for prioritisation of management programs).
An accreditation framework for River Styles has been developed to ensure quality control. By completing the River Styles Short Course and passing the assessment, participants will be awarded provisional River Styler status.
Domestic offering
Duration: 5 days
Location: Goulburn, NSW; or at another location with suitable field sites (please contact to discuss requirements and see full domestic prospectus below for more information)
Presenters: Prof. Gary Brierley & Prof. Kirstie Fryirs
Cost: $3000 per participant (inc. GST).
- Outline background principles of fluvial geomorphology
- Demonstrate the use of geomorphology as a physical template for river management
- Develop a working knowledge of the River Styles Framework
- Demonstrate how to identify and interpret the character and behaviour of River Styles
- Identify River Styles and undertaken practical exercises in a local catchment
- Discuss controls on downstream patterns of River Styles
- Provide insight into he geomorphic condition and recovery potential of River Styles
- Demonstrate linkages between River Styles and habitat associations along river courses
- Discuss the implications of the procedure to river rehabilitation and waterways management
Day 1:
- Introduction to fluvial geomorphology, presented by Gary Brierley and Kirstie Fryirs
Day 2:
- Short introduction to the River Styles Framework
- Field assessment of a range of River Styles between Goulburn and Nowra
Day 3:
- Hands-on interpretation of remote sensing data to identify River Styles and their boundaries
Day 4:
- Field-based investigation of sites interpreted using aerial imagery on previous day
- Interpretation of downstream patterns of River Styles
Day 5:
- Geomorphic assessment of river evolution and condition
- Use and application of the River Styles Framework in river management practice
The River Styles Framework provides a catchment-framed geomorphic summary of river character and behaviour, condition and recovery potential. The explanatory and predictive bases of this procedure provide a rigorous physical basis for river management decision making.
This five-day Short Course was specifically developed as a training course for river professionals. It has been run successfully for over 15 years in Goulburn, NSW. Over 300 individuals have participated in the courses to date. Participants in previous courses have included Scientific, Policy and Planning staff from National, State and Local Governments, river consultants, Landcare/Rivercare officers, ecologists, postgraduate students and more.
The course provides detailed analysis of Stage 1 of the River Styles framework (Baseline Survey of River Character and Behaviour), with insights into Stages 2-4 (Assessment of River Condition, Assessment of Recovery Potential and the Biophysical Basis for Prioritisation of Management Programs). Through lecture presentations, look-see field visits to a range of different River Styles, and practical air photograph interpretation and field analyses, linkages between river forms and processes are explained for various geomorphic units. Procedures used to amalgamate these geomorphic units into River Styles are demonstrated.
The intent of the River Styles short course is not to provide fundamental training in fluvial geomorphology. Rather, through demonstration and practical application of the River Styles Framework, participants will develop an understanding of the underpinnings of this approach to river characterisation within a catchment. From this, participants will be able to interpret and use the results from the River Styles Framework as a physical template for better-informed decision-making about river rehabilitation and various other aspect of water resources (and aquatic ecosystem) management (e.g. environmental flow allocation, aquatic habitat assessment, prioritisation etc.).
5-day Professional River Styles Short Course (Stage 1) – international offering
This five-day intensive Short Course was specifically developed for river management professionals, in order to provide accreditation in the River Styles Framework. The course provides detailed and hands-on instruction in Stage 1 of the River Styles Framework (baseline survey of river character and behaviour) with insights into Stages 2 to 4 (assessment of river condition, assessment of recovery potential and the biophysical basis for prioritisation of management programs).
An accreditation framework for River Styles has been developed to ensure quality control. By completing the River Styles Short Course and passing the assessment, participants will be awarded provisional River Styler status.
International offering
Duration: 5 days
Location: Venue with access to suitable field sites (please contact to discuss requirements)
Presenters: Prof. Gary Brierley & Prof. Kirstie Fryirs
Cost: Upon application (host responsible for organisation of course venue, participant registrations and presenters’ costs)
Download full international prospectus
Please note that a minimum of 20 and maximum of 22 attendees will be accepted and places are offered on a ‘first-come-first-served’ basis. Those on waiting lists will be given first preference. Please note conditions of cancellation and refund on registration forms.
- Outline background principles of fluvial geomorphology
- Demonstrate the use of geomorphology as a physical template for river management
- Develop a working knowledge of the River Styles Framework
- Demonstrate how to identify and interpret the character and behaviour of River Styles
- Identify River Styles and undertaken practical exercises in a local catchment
- Discuss controls on downstream patterns of River Styles
- Provide insight into he geomorphic condition and recovery potential of River Styles
- Demonstrate linkages between River Styles and habitat associations along river courses
- Discuss the implications of the procedure to river rehabilitation and waterways management
Day 1:
- Introduction to fluvial geomorphology, presented by Gary Brierley and Kirstie Fryirs
Day 2:
- Short introduction to the River Styles Framework
- Field assessment of a range of River Styles between Goulburn and Nowra
Day 3:
- Hands-on interpretation of remote sensing data to identify River Styles and their boundaries
Day 4:
- Field-based investigation of sites interpreted using aerial imagery on previous day
- Interpretation of downstream patterns of River Styles
Day 5:
- Geomorphic assessment of river evolution and condition
- Use and application of the River Styles Framework in river management practice
The River Styles Framework provides a catchment-framed geomorphic summary of river character and behaviour, condition and recovery potential. The explanatory and predictive bases of this procedure provide a rigorous physical basis for river management decision making.
This five-day Short Course was specifically developed as a training course for river professionals. It has been run successfully for over 15 years in Goulburn, NSW. Over 300 individuals have participated in the courses to date. Participants in previous courses have included Scientific, Policy and Planning staff from National, State and Local Governments, river consultants, Landcare/Rivercare officers, ecologists, postgraduate students and more.
The course provides detailed analysis of Stage 1 of the River Styles framework (Baseline Survey of River Character and Behaviour), with insights into Stages 2-4 (Assessment of River Condition, Assessment of Recovery Potential and the Biophysical Basis for Prioritisation of Management Programs). Through lecture presentations, look-see field visits to a range of different River Styles, and practical air photograph interpretation and field analyses, linkages between river forms and processes are explained for various geomorphic units. Procedures used to amalgamate these geomorphic units into River Styles are demonstrated.
The intent of the River Styles short course is not to provide fundamental training in fluvial geomorphology. Rather, through demonstration and practical application of the River Styles Framework, participants will develop an understanding of the underpinnings of this approach to river characterisation within a catchment. From this, participants will be able to interpret and use the results from the River Styles Framework as a physical template for better-informed decision-making about river rehabilitation and various other aspect of water resources (and aquatic ecosystem) management (e.g. environmental flow allocation, aquatic habitat assessment, prioritisation etc.).
1-day Introduction to Fluvial Geomorphology Workshop
This course is intended for anyone who is interested in fluvial geomorphology or who uses geomorphology in the workplace. This course can be organised by request (e.g. for a multi-skilled team or group of practitioners).
Duration: 1 day
Presenters: Prof. Gary Brierley & Prof. Kirstie Fryirs
Cost: Upon request (host is responsible for organisation of workshop venue, participant registrations and presenters’ costs)
Location: Office- or hall-based in any location
Prerequisite: None
Download full domestic prospectus Download full international prospectus
Please note that a minimum of 20 and maximum of 50 participants is required for the course to run.
- Develop a working knowledge of several key principles in fluvial geomorphology
- Provide insight into the character and behaviour of rivers in Australia
- Demonstrate how fluvial geomorphology can be used in river management practice
The intent of this workshop is not to provide basic training in fluvial geomorphology. Rather, through lecture presentations, discussions and practical exercises we cover a range of introductory principles and analyses of river systems. We focus on geomorphology (physical structure and behaviour of rivers), not hydrology or ecology.
Session 1:
- Introduction: What is fluvial geomorphology?; Geomorphology as a physical template; An approach to ‘Reading the Landscape’
- Presentation: Catchment-scale perspectives in fluvial geomorphology
- Practical exercise: Catchment-scale morphometrics and their effects on hydrology and geomorphology
Break
Session 2:
- Presentation: Channel geometry (bed and bank processes) and instream geomorphic units
- Presentation: Floodplain forms and processes (including comment on floodplain reworking; flood risk)
- Presentation: The diversity of rivers in Australia and overseas
- Practical exercise: The character and behaviour of different river types
Lunch
Session 3:
- Presentation: River evolution (change): patterns, connectivity and geomorphic responses to human disturbance
- Discussion: River evolution and human disturbance – predicting likely future adjustments in your local catchments
- Presentation: Sediment flux relationships in river systems
Break
Session 4:
- Presentation: River management and prioritisation: River Futures
- Discussion: River management in your local catchments
- Closing remarks
1-day Introduction to the River Styles Framework Workshop
This course is intended for anyone who is interested in familiarising themselves with the River Styles framework and how it is used in river management both in Australia and overseas.
Duration: 1 day
Presenters: Prof. Gary Brierley & Prof. Kirstie Fryirs
Cost: Upon request (host is responsible for organisation of workshop venue, participant registrations and presenters’ costs)
Location: Office- or hall-based in any location
Prerequisite: None, but ‘Introduction to Fluvial Geomorphology’ course would be of significant benefit
Download full domestic prospectus Download full international prospectus
Please note that a minimum of 20 and maximum of 40 participants is required for the course to run.
Session 1:
- Introduction: Underlying principles of the River Styles Framework
- Presentation: Stage 1 of the River Styles framework: River character, patterns and controls
- Practical exercise: River Styles Quiz
- Presentation: Stage 1 of the River Styles framework: Interpreting river behaviour
Break
Session 2:
- Practical exercise: Mapping River Styles of local rivers using Google Earth and interpreting river behaviour
Lunch
Session 3:
- Presentation: Stage 2 of the River Styles framework: Catchment-framed assessment of geomorphic condition
- Practical exercise: Selecting appropriate geo-indicators of river condition for different River Styles
- Presentation: Stage 3 of the River Styles Framework: Assessing the evolutionary trajectory and geomorphic recovery potential of rivers
Break
Session 4:
- Presentation: Stage 4 of the River Styles Framework: Implications for river management (setting geomorphic visions, identifying target conditions for river management, prioritisation based on geomorphic river condition and recovery potential, monitoring and auditing improvements in condition)
- Practical exercise: Identifying target conditions for river rehabilitation and level of intervention required
- Discussion: River Futures and applications of the River Styles Framework
- Closing remarks
Session 1:
- Introduction: What is fluvial geomorphology?; Geomorphology as a physical template; An approach to ‘Reading the Landscape’
- Presentation: Catchment-scale perspectives in fluvial geomorphology
- Practical exercise: Catchment-scale morphometrics and their effects on hydrology and geomorphology
Break
Session 2:
- Presentation: Channel geometry (bed and bank processes) and instream geomorphic units
- Presentation: Floodplain forms and processes (including comment on floodplain reworking; flood risk)
- Presentation: The diversity of rivers in Australia and overseas
- Practical exercise: The character and behaviour of different river types
Lunch
Session 3:
- Presentation: River evolution (change): patterns, connectivity and geomorphic responses to human disturbance
- Discussion: River evolution and human disturbance – predicting likely future adjustments in your local catchments
- Presentation: Sediment flux relationships in river systems
Break
Session 4:
- Presentation: River management and prioritisation: River Futures
- Discussion: River management in your local catchments
- Closing remarks
3-day River Condition and Recovery Potential Short Course (Stages 2 and 3) – currently unavailable
This course is intended for anyone who wants to undertake assessments of geomorphic river condition and recovery potential, or who uses this information in the workplace for prioritising management. The course focuses on Stages 2 and 3 of the River Styles Framework.
Duration: 3 days
Presenters: Prof. Gary Brierley & Prof. Kirstie Fryirs
Cost: Upon request (host is responsible for organisation of workshop venue, participant registrations and presenters’ costs)
Location: Office- or hall-based, including field visits in the Hunter Valley
Prerequisite: Completion of the 5-Day River Styles Short Course and ‘Provisional’ River Styler status
Download full domestic prospectus Download full international prospectus
Please note that a minimum of 16 and maximum of 25 participants is required for the course to run.
In-depth demonstration and application of Stages 2 and 3 of the River Styles Framework.
Day 1:
- Introduction and refresher of Stage 1 of the River Styles Framework
- Procedures for assessing geomorphic river condition and recovery potential
- Field visits in Wollombi (4 sites) to a range of rivers at different stages of geomorphic condition; learning how to undertake river condition assessment using the River Styles Framework
- Discussion/overview session at venue
Day 2:
- Developing desirability criteria for assessment of geomorphic river condition
- Testing and undertaking geomorphic river condition assessment in the Williams River catchment (4 field sites)
- Discussion/overview session at venue and completion of condition assessment for marking and feedback
Day 3:
- Using geomorphic condition and recovery assessments to prioritise and develop river management strategies
- Undertaking analysis of river evolution
- Workshop: Analysis of river recovery potential and construction of river recovery diagrams for the Williams River
- Group presentations on results of analysis
- Discussion: Comparison and priorities for Wollombi and Williams Rivers and uses of this information in river management practice
