Bird Watching

Check out the bird hide at Bald Hills Wetland Reserve. The area also has a short walking track affording views of the majestic wind farm in the distance. Keep your eye out for cygnets with protective parents, Australian shell ducks, honeyeaters, wren, spoonbills, ibis, cormorants and raptors soaring overhead.

Stop by any time of year, in the wetter months soak up the ambience of the flooded paperbark wetlands, whilst in summer breathe in the spicy aroma of the dried leaves.

Heading east, find Toora Bird Hide nestled at the crown of Corner Inlet. The site is one of the 66 wetlands of international importance in Australia (Ramsar Sites). The area encompasses a 10 minute return track over a boardwalk.

Remember your binoculars as the waders in this area are usually hungrily fishing far out from the shore. Sport royal spoonbills, herons, egrets, seagulls, black swans and ibis. The hide is situated at the end of Toora Jetty and is a beautiful spot to catch sunrise or sunset.

This area of Gippsland is just over 200km from Melbourne and boasts a variety of wetlands including Heyfield Wetlands. Also check out the thick forests that provide a safe sanctuary to some of our favourite featured creatures, a quiet little spot is the Jack Smith Lake State Game Reserve.

As the weather warms up, the lakes and surrounds including Rotomah Island Bird Observatory, hold large numbers of waders including avocets, stilts, blue-winged parrots and striated fieldwren.

Wear your walking shoes as most bird hides, wetlands and national parks are explored by established walking tracks.

East Gippsland has hundreds of kilometres of rugged and remote coastal wilderness. With that comes the ideal habitat for birdlife including some endangered species.

From the car itself, get a glimpse of the birds soaring above. Roads around Mitchell River National Park have some great points of interest including Den of Nargun. Many species live here making it well worth visiting. Find tracks of the superb lyrebird or sight the satin bowerbird, owls, honeyeaters, pilotbirds, brown gerygones, spotted quail-thrushes, black-faced monarchs and rose robins to mention a few.

Take your bird watching experience to the next level, by hiring a canoe or a boat. Launching from any of the coastal towns or national parks in this region is sure to satisfy the avid twitcher. Try your luck from Gipsy Point Jetty to find top-knot pigeons, striated heron and black bittern.

Other species in the area include egret, hooded plover, little tern, owls, white-throated nightjar, white-throated needletail, glossy black-cockatoo, eastern ground parrot, lyrebird, emu-wren, honeyeaters, eastern bristlebird, black-faced monarch and beautiful firetail.

Fishers Wetlands sits near the entry of Churchill Island on Samuel Amess Drive. This location has something in store for twitchers, brisk walkers and wildlife photographers.

Birdwatchers must head to this section of Phillip Island to spot some of the 120 species of winged creatures including the regular favourites like geese, pelicans, black swans, ducks and purple hens.

If you are focused on increasing your step count, embark on a picturesque stroll along the boardwalk through the wetlands and over the bridge to Churchill Island. The walk ends at the information centre and interests visitors along the way with information boards about the featured inhabitants and the environment.

Those with a hobby of capturing the wild and wonderful, the boardwalk has raised sections for the perfect shot. Do not forget your long distance lenses for the congregation of birds at the centre of the wetland.