Great Otway National Park BioBlitz
Take your camera or smartphone and head outdoors to capture the diversity of plants and animals living in our parks.
You don’t need to be an expert, just have a sense of curiosity! By capturing what you see, you’ll help Australian researchers keep an eye on where species live and when they’re on the move according to the seasons. How to participate
Parks Victoria is using iNaturalist to collect and share BioBlitz observations. If you’re already in the park and don’t have the application loaded, don’t worry! You can start by taking photos on your camera or phone and Check the weather and make sure you have upload your observations when you get home. the right clothes and sturdy, covered footwear with you. 1. Sign up to iNaturalist to record your sightings Check for any park closures or changed Download the iNaturalist application on your conditions by visiting www.parks.vic.gov.au smart device, or create an account online and search for the park you’re heading to. www.inaturalist.org.
2. Join the Parks Victoria BioBlitz project Respect animals’ homes by leaving logs, leaf Once you have logged in you can search for litter, twigs and rocks as you find them. and join the 'Parks Victoria BioBlitz' project, where you'll be able to record sightings and see what others have found.
3. Get into your local park and start observing! Stick to the track and please don’t take any
plants or animals home. The best souvenirs of If it’s living in the park, we want to see it! your adventure are your photographs and Take a photograph using the ‘Observe’ memories. feature in iNaturalist, or take a photograph with a camera to upload at home. Don’t forget to add your sighting to the Parks Victoria BioBlitz project when you submit your observation. If you’re not sure what you’ve found, select ‘Help me ID this’.
Top 5 to spot in Great Otway National Park
Koala As a result of recent relocations, fire and competition for food, the koalas in the Otways are on the move. By looking out for koalas in the Otways and recording your sightings, you’re helping rangers determine the extent of the koalas spread in the Otways.
Otway Black The Otway Black Snail is a rare carnivorous (meat Snail eating) snail that can only be found in the Otways. It prefers cool temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest. It eats other snails, worms and insect larvae.
Swamp The Swamp wallaby is a common species seen in the Wallaby denser forests of the Great Otway National Park. These wallabies crouch down low and use their front feet to help them manoeuver swiftly though the undergrowth.
Hooded It is the start of the breeding season for rare bird. It Plover can be found nesting on open ocean beaches of the Great Otway National Park. Threats to the survival of the plover are plentiful and include: dogs, people, foxes, predatory birds and cats just to name a few.
King Parrot The King Parrot is commonly found in the wetter forests in the Otways. It is usually seen flying below the tree level in these forests
Where to look
The Great Otway National Park is a big park, so there are plenty of spots to look! Here are some tips to help narrow your search.
Koala: Koalas prefer manna gums as their food of choice. Try around Cape Otway Lighthouse Road, Blanket Bay Road, Grey River Road, Great Ocean Road (around Grey River), Sabine/Benwerrin Road
Hooded Plover: Open Ocean beaches including Point Addis, Anglesea to Aireys Inlet, Point Franklin Beach through to Melanaesia Beach
Otway Black Snail: Try the side of the tracks where there is plenty of undergrowth at Triplet Falls, Melba Gully and Maits Rest
Please do not wander off the track in forested areas to look for the animals. Most can be spotted from the existing track and road network.