The Australian Brush-turkey is one of three megapodes in Australia. This family name refers to the robust feet of all species. The nest is a large incubator mound that generates heat through the decay of moist organic material. A typical mound is a metre tall and 4-5 metres diameter and is maintained for up to nine months by the male each nesting season. In prime rainforest habitat, there is about one mound per hectare.
Sites tend to be traditional but new mounds are constructed each season.
The mound temperature is about 33 degrees, held constant by changes to its structure, such as opening or raking it to release excess heat. Individual Mating is entirely promiscuous, so each female also lays in more than one mound. This chick claws its way to the surface, which takes about one day. It immediately begins to search for food, unaided by the parents. It seems that females choose their mates according to how well they build and look after their mounds, inspecting all males in the area and observing their behaviour before making their choice.