 Since 2008 the Australasian Seabird Group has been carrying out re-surveys on offshore islands in New South Wales. ASG members that have the relevant experience are given first preference on any trip, however surveys are open to all Birds Australia members. Experience in biodiversity surveys, in-hand seabird identification and a good fitness level are preferred.
Islands already surveyed include:
- Brush Island (Oct-Dec 2008)
- Broughton Island (Oct-Dec 2009)
- Offshore islands of Lord Howe Island: Roach Island, Tenth of June, South Island, Sugarloaf Island, Soldiers Cap Islet, Muttonbird Island and Blackburn Island (Dec 2009, Feb and May 2010)
- Outer Broughton Islands of Little Broughton, North Rock and Inner Rock (Oct-Dec 2010)
 Surveys for 2011 include outer islands of the Broughton group (Looking Glass Island and an unnamed island). Potential survey islands for 2012 may include Phillip Island off Norfolk in the South Pacific (funding pending). It is hoped that future surveys will include those in other States and Territories.
Surveys off Port Stephens NSW
The Broughton Island Group surveys commenced in October 2009 and were prompted by the August 2009 eradication of rats and rabbits from the two largest islands. 11 ASG members joined DECCW (NPWS) staff in repeat visits in October and December of each year to the five main islands, offshore and just north of Port Stephens on the NSW mid-north coast. The islands range in size from 132 ha to just 1 ha, and most had seldom been visited by ornithologists.
Spring surveys were used to determine the presence and population size of Little Penguins, with two of the islands established as new breeding sites for this species. These early trips also assisted in establishing the location of shearwater colonies on the larger islands. The December surveys mapped these colonies and determined densities of the two main species, Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters. Previous documentation of Sooty Shearwaters breeding here could not be confirmed. White-faced Storm-petrels were also surveyed on the smaller islands and it is hoped they will recolonise the larger islands following confirmation of the absence of rats. The most significant results however, were in the discovery of several breeding sites on the two largest islands for the vulnerable Gould’s Petrel, previous only known from two islands at the entrance to Port Stephens. Crested Terns and Silver Gulls were the only surface-nesting birds found within this group, both on the largest island. It was also confirmed that an eradication of rodents from Broughton and Little Broughton Islands by DECCW in 2009 had been successful. Two small islands associated with this group remain to be surveyed for seabirds. It is hoped that this will be completed in 2011.
Surveys off Lord Howe Island, South Pacific
An experienced ASG survey team was assembled for the surveys of the offshore islands around Lord Howe Island. Many of these islands have never been formally surveyed for seabirds, vegetation and/or the presence of pest species. Overnight stays, on at least three islands, and  unpredictable sea conditions provided particular challenges for the survey team. Of the three weeks of survey time available, a total of only one week was actually spent on the offshore islands. These surveys were intense and difficult, with access to some of these islands requiring tricky boat landings and scrambles up exposed rocky slopes. The results were rewarding with increased seabird species lists for some islands, confirmation that rodents have not yet breached the security that open ocean provides, and new information on some of the threatened birds that breed here.
Time spent on the main island (1500 ha) was not in vain as a thorough survey was made of the breeding areas of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, necessitating the coverage of some 50% of the  island's coastline. Combining this with the surveys of all of the offshore islands will allow the first comprehensive view of the status of species here. The island group's population of Masked Boobies will be similarly treated. The final survey also discovered a new breeding location of Providence Petrel on the main island outside the southern mountains. Additionally, the breeding success of White-bellied Storm-Petrels and the provisioning success of Wedge-tailed Shearwater chicks will form outcomes of the 2009/10 surveys.
This research and monitoring work is sponsored by the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Recovery implementation program and supported by TFEU and the Lord Howe Island Board.
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