The Best Places to see birds Within 40km of Ballarat This publication was prepared by Ian Ashton with assistance from John Gregurke and Graham Dent on behalf of BirdLife Ballarat.

It is suggested that the VicRoads Country Directory is used in conjunction with this list to enable you to find the suggested places. Each site has the VicRoads page and location squares marked, where there is a more detailed page available it is also listed. A full Ballarat bird list is available from the BirdLife Ballarat web pages along with our syllabus and bird lists for Lake Wendouree, Lake Learmonth, Lake Burrumbeet and Winter Swamp. Lake Wendouree VicRoads 76 F2; 565 S4, 5, 6, 7 This is a good place to start with ducks, crakes and rails, terns and raptors, herons and ibis. You just never know what will turn up. A walk along the west side of the Lake, from Fairyland to the end of rowing course, should yield 40+ species. The North Gardens Wetlands, across Wendouree Parade from the north west corner of the Lake VicRoads 565 S4, can be good for a number of species including Buff-banded Rail, Spotted Crake and Latham’s Snipe in season. The wetlands usually have a few bush birds and it is a reasonably reliable place for Yellow Thornbill. Winter Swamp VicRoads 76 E2 (behind the Windmill Caravan Park). If conditions are right this swamp is fantastic. Much the same birds as Lake Wendouree but a bit more attractive to herons and spoonbills plus you will probably have the place to yourself! Ditchfield Lane VicRoads 76 G2 567 N5 This is a good birding place close to town. Spring is the best time for a visit with Satin Flycatcher, cuckoos and Brush Bronzewing among its many delights. A good walking track follows the Yarrowee Creek back towards the freeway. Mt Warrenheip VicRoads 76 H3 Mt Buninyong Vicroads 76 G4 These two places are good to take visitors to Ballarat, especially Buninyong. As well as some common birds there is a good chance of Koala. Raptors and White-throated Needletail can sometimes be seen around the Buninyong fire tower in summer. BirdLife Clarkesdale VicRoads 76 B5 This is a great place for a day’s birding. Spring is especially good but birds can be found year round. Approximately 150 species have been recorded since Clarkesdale was formed. Powerful Owl and the white form of Grey Goshawk are often present. Blue-winged Parrots can be seen throughout spring and summer and very lucky visitors might find Painted Honeyeaters. The dams usually hold a few ducks, grebes and ibis. A Scarlet Honeyeater was seen in October 2013. A Spotless Crake in 2013 and White- bellied Sea-Eagle in 2012 are among the more unusual recent records. Camping is also available at Clarkesdale, visit the BirdLife website for more information. Close by Mt Erip and Happy Valley Crossing are also worth visiting. The Wombat State Forest VicRoads 77 D1, 2 This is our best wet forest and is home to several species you are unlikely to see elsewhere in the district. Red-browed Treecreeper, Rose Robin, Olive Whistler, Spotted Quail-thrush and more recently Cicadabird has been recorded. You are unlikely to see more than 30 species in a single visit and it can get busy with 4WDs on the weekend so try a week day.

Wombat State Forest continued The best areas to start your search are the creek crossings along McGee’s and Cairns Rd. The gardens and picnic grounds at the Moorabool Reservoir (77 C2) can hold Scarlet Robin, Crescent Honeyeater and large numbers of Great-crested Grebes on the water. A small population of King Parrots are in the township of Blackwood just outside the Ballarat district. Lake Learmonth VicRoads 58 D8 This Lake can hold large numbers of ducks with Pink-eared Ducks and Grey Teal numbering in their thousands at times. Similar numbers of coots can also be seen. Birds of prey including Kestrel, Hobby, Brown, Black and Peregrine Falcons, Spotted Harrier, Whistling Kite and White-breasted Sea-Eagles may be seen. Little Corella can sometimes be seen in flocks of Long-billed Corella. Lake Learmonth may be dry for long periods. Lake Burrumbeet VicRoads 76 C1, 2 The Lake is big and as such a bit daunting but good birding can be found at several places. Access can be gained through the caravan park on Remembrance Drive and to the south shore via Cuthberts Road Many interesting species can be seen including Pied Cormorant, Gull-billed and Caspian Terns and White-bellied Sea-Eagle. Large numbers of Pelicans have also been counted. In summer the lake attracts migratory waders especially along the western shoreline and north-east bay. Lake Goldsmith VicRoads 75 G2 Right on the edge of our recording area. 10,000 Coots were recorded in December 2012, it held none in December 2013 as it was dry. Waders recorded in recent times include Sharp-tailed, Curlew and Pectoral Sandpipers, Red-necked and Long-toed Stint, Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Avocet, stilts, and terns. Raptors can include Wedge-tailed Eagle, Whistling Kite, Swamp Harrier, Brown, Black and Peregrine Falcon. If this ephemeral swamp is holding water it can be covered in birds. Brolga have nested. Mt Beckworth VicRoads 58 D6, 7 An excellent place in spring but holds birds all year. It is a fairly large area but the main entrance track leading to the dam (Mountain Creek Rd) and the north east corner (Pickfords Rd) are probably the best places. Speckled Warbler, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Hooded Robin, cuckoos and woodswallows are some of the species you might find. Clunes Area VicRoads 58 D5 Dunach Nature Conservation Reserve has been a fantastic place over the years and can be rich in bird life, but in recent times it has suffered like elsewhere through lack of rain. It has been slowly recovering and in 2013 we recorded Budgerigar, Diamond Firetail, Red-capped Robin, White-fronted Honeyeater, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and of course the areas signature bird Painted Honeyeater. These birds are all uncommon in our area. In the township of Clunes VicRoads 58 E6 Blue-faced Honeyeaters can be found, they can also be highly elusive! Merin Merin and Middle Swamps VicRoads 58 E5 Clunes swamps can be exciting places to visit when they hold water. Gumboots are recommended for protection against underwater snags and the occasional Tiger Snake. Ibis, herons, spoonbills, ducks and waders can be seen. Waders have included Pectoral, Sharp-tailed, Marsh and Wood Sandpipers, Greenshank and Red-necked Stint. Both swamps are worth the effort needed for a visit. Painted Snipe and Little Curlew have been recorded in the past. There is always a chance of Cockatiel or White-breasted Woodswallow. When the water levels are right Merin Merin, with its many old Red Gums, is especially spectacular. Talbot VicRoads 58 D4 Another place to look for Blue-faced Honeyeaters is around the Talbot Township. Sorenson’s Rd (58 C5) especially the Nuggetty Gully Rd end near a small dam, is a great place to start. Square-tailed Kite, Painted Button-quail, Crested Bellbird, Hooded Robin, Peaceful Dove, Noisy Friarbird, Black Honeyeater, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Pink Robin and White-throated Nightjar have been recorded in the past few years. Many more common species can be seen.

Creswick Area VicRoads 58 G8 Creswick Forest VicRoads 58 G9 A wide range of species can be found around the first creek crossing on Petticoat Rd and Slaty Creek picnic ground and its walking tracks. Bassian Thrush, Satin Flycatchers, Sacred Kingfisher. There is also the chance of Grey Goshawk and Painted Button-Quail. In recent years Blue-winged Parrots have been observed along the creek in summer Calembeen Park VicRoads 583 R7, 8 Although this is a very busy place on hot summer days, it is a pleasant place for a stroll mid-week or on cooler days. Latham’s Snipe, Australian Spotted Crake, Little Grassbird, Darter and herons. Creswick has a small population of Rainbow Lorikeets and this is a good place to see them. Landcare Walk VicRoads 583 U8 Honeyeaters, raptors and Bassian Thrush can be found along the Landcare Trail at the end of Sawpit Road (park near the Parks Victoria Depot). Crescent Honeyeater and Brush Bronzewing can sometimes be present. The nearby La Gerche Trail holds fewer birds but is still worth the effort. St Georges Lake VicRoads 583 U11 Some water birds and bush birds in suitable areas. Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos like the pines and Bassian Thrush prefer the muddy areas near the boardwalk. This is a good place for Rufous Fantail, Sacred Kingfisher and cuckoos in the summer months. Best avoided on hot summer weekends and evenings. Cosgrove Reservoir VicRoads 58 H9 A walk along the edge of the Reservoir can reveal Herons, cormorants, raptors including Square-tailed and Whistling Kite and several species of duck. Bush birds include White-eared Honeyeater, Varied Sittella, Sacred Kingfisher, cuckoos and Crested Shrike tit. You can walk between St Georges Lake and Cosgrove Reservoir along a very pleasant bushland track (6.8km return) Newlyn Reservoir VicRoads 58 J8 Newlyn reservoir can hold water when other places are dry. Pelican, grebes, ducks and Yellow-billed Spoonbill. Waders such as stilts and Black-fronted Dotterels can sometimes be found. Open Farmland to the north VicRoads 58 F5, 6, 7. G5, 6, 7 Many species inhabit or frequent open farm land. Gorse, an introduced weed growing along many back roads, is habitat for Striated Fieldwrens. Horsfield's Bushlark is another little observed species in our area. Farmland north of Creswick and around the Clunes swamps can be good. Other species include Eastern Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Brown Songlark and raptors. Spotted Harriers can sometimes be seen between Ballarat and Clunes. Autumn is the time that farmers burn their stubble fields and these fires can attract interesting raptors including Black Falcon and Black Kite. The Enfield Forest VicRoads 76 F6 This attractive forest is under watched by local birdwatchers because it has not held species that can’t be found elsewhere. Numbers and diversity of both species and individuals have failed to attract regular birding. Spotted Quail-thrush can be found along with some more common species. This area would make a good “local patch” for someone, no doubt there are treasures to be found, maybe Heathwren? Lal Lal Falls and surrounds VicRoads 76 J4 This historic area is probably best in spring, a good range of species can be found around the falls and the old industrial areas. Again this area is under watched by local birdwatchers.