Nowa Nowa BIRDING GUIDE
Bruthen & Nowa Nowa
On the web at www.birdlife.org.au/locations/ birdlife-east-gippsland
Postal Address Box 825 Bairnsdale, Victoria, 3875
Email [email protected]
Brown Thornbill. Ken Russell
Other Brochures available: Birding Guides are available for Bairnsdale, Bruthen & Nowa
Nowa, Buchan, Lake Tyers, Lakes Entrance, Lindenow & Mitchell River Na onal Park, Mallacoota, Marlo, Metung, Nicholson, Omeo and Paynesville.
Bird Check Lists are available for Buchan Caves, Cann River, Den of Nargun, Fairy Dell, Gippsland Lakes, Lake Tyers & Fishermans Landing, Macleod Morass, Nyerimilang, Omeo, Oneonta, and Raymond Island. Marlo and Mallacoota have 2 brochures each, (1. Waterbirds and 2. Bush birds). Updated Sept 2018 Birdwatching around Bruthen 3. Fairy Dell Nowa Nowa & Nowa Nowa West of Bruthen is Fairy Dell Flora Reserve, 48 hectares of The name Nowa Nowa is two Aboriginal words meaning rainforest that was set aside in 1967. The turn off for Fairy “the place of mingling waters”. On the Princes Highway Bruthen was settled in the 1800’s because of the rich approximately 24 kms from Lakes Entrance, the Mingling farm land in the area and is still a lively community Dell is at Wiseleigh. Turn north off the Great Alpine Road today. The lower Tambo River used to be navigable and on Deep Creek Road to Fairy Dell (about 5.5 km of gravel Waters Caravan Park is on the le and a General Store and in the 1860’s steamers began carrying produce from road). At Fairy Dell there is a carpark, bush toilet, fire a public toilet, which is always available, are on the right. Sale, Bairnsdale and Bruthen to Melbourne. Bruthen places and picnic tables. There is a walking track that takes Nowa Nowa is where Boggy Creek flows into Lake Tyers itself has picnic and toilet facilities in the main street. a circular route. The bridge over the creek is a great place and there is a walking track from the gorge to the The town has an excellent bakery, food and coffee to sit and wait for birds. wetlands of the lake which can be walked in either shops. It is beautifully cool and relaxing at any time of the year. direc on. The Rose Robin is sometimes found here, as well as Lewin’s and Crescent Honeyeaters, Australian King Parrot, 1. Bruthen Walking Trails 1. Boat Ramp Turn south down Launching Road beside Olive-backed Oriole, Golden and Rufous Whistlers and a There are several walking trails north of Bruthen. Take Mingling Waters where there is easy parking at the variety of Thornbills. Scarlet Honeyeater, Black-faced the Alpine Hwy from Bruthen and travel 1.8 km to western end of Launching Road. A walking track that Monarch and Topknot Pigeons are common summer Mcleans Rd on your left. Here you can take several follows the bank of the lake can be found to the west of migrants Also, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Black-faced walking trails of various lengths that loop through the the parking area. Habitat for birds on this path is coastal Cuckoo-shrike and White-throated Treecreeper may be bush. Birds that can be seen here include White-bellied forest without open areas. seen in the bush around Fairy Dell. Cuckoo-shrike, Restless Flycatcher, Eastern Yellow Robin and Yellow-tufted Honeyeater. 2. Picnic Area There is parking further East along Launching Road near Bruthen the Recrea on Reserve which is used at weekends by the 2. Rail Trail Pony Club. Here you can look for birds amongst remnant Suitable parking is available at the site of the old railway forest trees, wetlands, and the upper reaches of Lake station (now gone). From this point you can walk along Tyers, as well as grass fields which provide habitat for the trail in both directions. Towards Wiseleigh takes you many bird species. past natural wetlands (seasonal) and a variety of birds can be seen including Black-shouldered Kite, Spoonbill 3. Nowa Nowa Gorge and Egret, as well as Red-browed Finch, Eastern Spinebill The walking track can be accessed at the Nowa Nowa and a number of duck species. Gorge car park, which is a few kms north of the General Store, on the Bruthen Nowa Nowa Road. The trail also heads towards Bruthen township with There is a short walk from the parking area through similar birds to be found. The trail leaves Bruthen and remnant eucalypt forest to the gorge to an observa on crosses the Tambo River. It passes through grazing land pla orm overlooking the forma on which is some 400 on the north side of Kilmorie Swamp and crosses the million years old. Bruthen Nowa Nowa Road before entering the Colquhoun State Forest. Walking upstream or downstream from here will provide good birdwatching opportuni es.