The National Parks and Wildlife Service is pleased to announce the reopening of the ‘Waterbird Lagoon’ at the Gwydir Wetlands State Conservation Area, near Moree.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Area Manager Martin Linehan said the lagoon will be open to the public from Monday 9 March to Sunday 31 May and can be accessed via the Watercourse Road, about 60 kilometres west of Moree.
‘While the wetlands were directly impacted by fire in September last year, they have benefitted greatly from recent rainfall'” he said.
‘Our monitoring has found that birdlife, in particular, has rebounded spectacularly.
‘The Bunnor Bird Hide, situated next to the Waterbird Lagoon, provides a great vantage point to spot waterbirds such as egrets, spoonbills, ibis, stilts, and ducks, including pink-eared ducks and, if you’re lucky, you may even spot the threatened freckled duck.
‘You can either stay dry in the bird hide, bring a kayak, or come prepared to wade in the lagoon.’
Since records began in the 1920s, at least 75 waterbird species have been recorded in the Gwydir wetlands, including colonies of straw-necked ibis, intermediate egrets, glossy ibis and nankeen night-herons.
Access is available from dawn to dusk during dry weather. No overnight camping is permitted in the state conservation area; however, there are facilities close by that can be booked at a local property called Boyanga South.
People wanting to visit these, or any other national parks, should check the NPWS website for the latest updates.
The Moree Tourism office also provides information on road conditions, local birdlife and the Gwydir wetlands. Visit the office or their website.
