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Home , Australasian figbird, Black butcherbird, Collared kingfisher, Forest kingfisher, Laughing kookaburra, Pacific emerald dove

1. Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens 4. Blacks Beach Spit,

Birdwatching Key : R

Blacks Beach O

Comb-crested Jacana, Nankeen Night-Heron, Cotton Pygmy-goose, S

Key Species: E Pale-vented Bush-hen, Olive-backed Sunbird, Olive-backed Oriole. - Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Rose-crowned C R Directions: Fruit-Dove, White-eared Monarch, Beach Stone- O Mackay and W Located on the left-hand side of Nebo Road, coming into Mackay from curlew, Olive-backed Oriole, Olive-backed Sunbird N ED VE the south. Main entry (and carpark) is off Lagoon Street. and waders. FRUIT DO Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens is established around part of Lagoons Directions: Pioneer Valley Creek and focuses on flora from the Central Coast but also From Blacks Beach Road at Blacks Beach, continue east for showcases other Australian natives and exotics. The gardens provide 1.8km and then turn right into Pacific Drive. After 0.75km turn left into an ideal habitat for bush and a number of water species make Anglers Parade and continue to the car park at its eastern end. use of the permanent water in the lagoons. Birdlife Mackay undertake A 2.2km sandy walking track (4.4km return) through coastal and a monthly survey of the Botanic Gardens (last Friday of each month at foredunes leads to McCreadys Creek inlet. The coastal frontage provides 6.30am from the café deck), which is open to the public. an important turtle nesting site as well as intertidal roosts for shorebirds.

2. Sandfly Creek, East Mackay 5. Bucasia Esplanade, Bucasia Key Species: Key Species: Eastern Curlew, Honeyeater, Mangrove Barking Owl, Striated Pardalote, Rainbow Bee-eater, Radjah Shelduck, Gerygone, Brown Quail, Black ,

N Sacred , Mangrove Honeyeater, Mangrove Gerygone, Eastern

E Red-backed Fairy-wren, Golden-headed Cisticola.

R Reef Egret, Eastern Osprey, Brahminy Kite and waders including Eastern

W Directions: - Curlew, Whimbrel, Grey-tailed Tattler, Terek Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit. Y R Accessed from either the eastern end of River I Directions: A Street or the eastern end of East Gordon Street. F From Mackay-Bucasia Road, turn right into Downie Avenue just before E D RED-BACK This site includes a 2km (4km return) concrete path, the Bucasia Shopping Centre and then right again after 1km onto which runs from the boat ramp on River Street at the Bucasia Esplanade. eastern side of the City Centre through to East Gordon Street. Bucasia Boat Ramp at the eastern end of Bucasia Esplanade Search for the Mangrove Honeyeater and Mangrove Gerygone in the can be a great place to see Striated Pardalote as they nest in the bank adjacent to the path, waders including to the left of the ramp. Other species common here include Rainbow Grey-tailed Tattler, Eastern Curlew, Australian Pied and Sooty Bee-eater, Gull-billed, Crested, and in season, Little Tern and a variety of Oystercatcher along the river bank, seabirds over the river and bush birds waders. including Golden-headed Cisticola, White-breasted Woodswallow and Double-barred Finch along the path. Brown Quail feed early mornings Seaview Park is located on the western side of Bucasia Beachfront along path edges closer to the East Gordon Street end. Caravan Resort and is good for Rajah Shelduck, Plumed Whistling- Rainbow Bee-eater dig nests close to the path in late spring. Duck, Sulphur-crested , Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Dollarbird (summer), Bush Stone-curlew and often Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo. 3. Shellgrit Creek, Barking Owl sometimes roost in beach almond in this park. South Mackay 6. Cape Hillsborough Key Species:

Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Pacific Golden Plover, Key Species: Double-banded Plover (winter), Bar-tailed Godwit, Pacific Emerald Dove, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Great Knot. Bush Stone-curlew, . Directions: Directions: E A W Drive north from Mackay on the Pacific Coast Way (Bruce Highway) From Bridge Road, turn right into Beverley Street, ST LE ERN CUR left into Petrie Street, and right into Illawong Drive. and travel 21km to The Leap and then turn right onto Yakapari-Seaforth Continue about 1km to the reserve entry sign. Road. Turn right after about 19km onto Cape Hillsborough Road and continue 9.3km to Cape Hillsborough National Park. A pathway leads through dune grasslands to an observation point at the beach. This area provides an important high tide migratory and resident Cape Hillsborough includes , coastal forest, beaches, rocky shorebird roost for over 20 wader species and various terns. There is headlands and mangroves. A carpark on the right after entering the Eungella Honeyeater on National Park provides access to the Cape Hillsborough National Park Climbing Pandanus by Steve Dew also generally good birding for forest and wetland birds on the path to the beach and along Illawong Drive. Diversity Boardwalk loop track. Search here for Mangrove Honeyeater,

White-throated Honeyeater, and Rufous Fantail on the Directions: 13. Chelmans Road boardwalk and Little Shrike-thrush and Noisy Pitta in the adjoining Head west along Mackay-Eungella Road through Marian and turn left The best place to find Eungella Honeyeater is to head out of Eungella rainforest. Continue to the coast to search for Great Bowerbird, about 4.7km from the Marian Sugar Mill onto Brand Road. township on Dalrymple Road for approximately 15km where Chelmans Blue-winged , Tawny Frogmouth in the adjacent forest Continue to a gate at the DeMoleyns Lagoon Reserve where parking Road is on the left. Continue down Chelmans Road until it ends at the and waders along the beach. A track (Hidden Valley Road) behind the is available adjacent to the waste transfer station. A track from the National Park entrance. Climbing Pandanus flowers, seen from the Cape Hillsborough Tourist Park leads to further rainforest gate leads down to the lagoon. Please note: No toilet facilities. clearing in Spring, is the Eungella Honeyeater’s favourite food. Walking and coastline birding areas. DeMoleyns is a seasonally inundated wetland/lagoon along the track in the National Park will provide other rainforest species surrounded mostly by cane farms. It is a hotspot for many wetland including Regent Bowerbird, Superb and Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Monarchs birds with Egrets, Darters, Cormorants and the Bar-breasted and Rufous Fantail. 7. Finlayson Point, Seaforth Honeyeater breeding in the . Access around the lagoon 14. Broken River Key Species: can be difficult in the wet season after rain and areas around the There is a National Park campground and commercial accommodation at Blue-winged Kookaburra, Mangrove Gerygone, B lagoon may be overgrown after wet periods. E Broken River 6.6km from Eungella township along Eungella Dam Road. Brahminy Kite, Beach A C Search around the café and picnic grounds to see Scarlet Honeyeater, Stone-curlew, Shining Flycatcher and waders. H S Noisy Pitta, Russet-tailed Thrush, Eastern Yellow Robin and other T 10. Finch Hatton Gorge, Finch Hatton Directions: ON rainforest species. There are also a number of National Park walks from E CURLEW Key Species: Proceed to Seaforth and turn left onto Palm Broken River and platypus viewing decks here. Avenue. Continue along for about 2.4km and turn Wompoo, Rose-crowned and Superb Fruit-Dove, Pacific Emerald Dove, Torresian Imperial- right into an unnamed single vehicle track (first on right 15. Old Crediton Hall Pigeon, Azure Kingfisher, White-browed after Hibiscus Street) and follow to a basic car parking area at the Continue on Eungella Dam Road from Broken River for about 3kms and Scrubwren, Australian King- and other end. then veer left onto Crediton Loop Road. After another 7kms there is a rainforest species. Little Kingfisher, Buff- Search the shoreline for waders and raptors or follow a track through campground at the Old Hall with drop toilets. Walk the roads around breasted Paradise-Kingfisher (Nov-March), forest and mangrove fringes off to the west (left) for bush and R the Old Hall and campground for Monarchs, Red-browed Finch, Regent White-eared Monarch and Barred - E mangrove species. H Bowerbird, Wompoo and Superb Fruit-Dove, Golden Whistler, shrike are also possibilities I S F White-browed and Large-billed Scrubwren, Grey Goshawk and both A NG Directions: ZURE KI Sulphur-crested and Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos. 8. Sandringham Reserve, Turn off Mackay-Eungella Road, 60km west of Mackay (1km east of Finch Hatton) and continue 11km to the picnic Dunrock area. Access to the gorge is along dirt roads with multiple creek Other birding sites worth visiting: Key Species: crossings. (Beware vehicle access may be restricted after high rainfall • The Gooseponds - Malcomson Street, North Mackay White-browed Robin, White-eared due to fast flowing streams). The gorge consists of open woodland • Rosewood Drive Reserve (Plantation Palms Wetland Trail) - Monarch, Shining Flycatcher, Sacred merging to sub-tropical rainforest. There are birds along the road in, W Rosewood Drive, Rural View H Kingfisher, Mangrove and Yellow as well as the tracks in the National Park. IT • Kommo Toera Trail - Keeleys Road, Slade Point E Honeyeater, Eastern Osprey, Black-necked -B RO IN Stork, Rufous Fantail, Striated Heron, • Slade Point Reserve - Teal Street, Slade Point WED ROB 11 - 15. Eungella area Mangrove Robin and waders. • Kinchant Dam - Kinchant Dam Road, North Eton Key Species: Directions: (42km west of Mackay)

Eungella Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, R

Turn left at Chelona (10.2km south of Mackay) onto Dunrock Road

E • Rocky Dam Creek - Landings Rd, Koumala (67km S of Mackay)

T Noisy Pitta, Regent Bowerbird, Brolga, and continue east for a further 4.2km. A

E Red-backed Button-quail, Grey Goshawk. The reserve carpark is on the right. Please note: No toilet facilities. • St Lawrence Wetlands - St Lawrence Rd (160km S of Mackay) Y E Directions: The area is part of a nationally important wetland and contains a wide N O Located at the head of the Pioneer Valley range of habitat including mangroves, coastal forest, salt flats and H A (Mackay-Eungella Road), 85km west of Mackay. Situated roughly 950km north of Melaleuca swamps. LL GE The best places for birding are: and 150km south of the Whitsundays, A 2km loop walking track (with a short unsigned offshoot track to EUN Mackay is a major regional city in Central Sandy Creek) leaves from the carpark (Remember repellent). CAIRNS 11. Eungella Township Queensland. Mackay services sugar, Also search the tidal bay shoreline around the adjacent town of Button-quail are regularly seen under the street lights at night and in Dunrock and the boat ramp. Eastern Grass Owl is a possibility in the cattle and coal mining industries. a small park opposite the kindergarten in North Street. Also search MACKAY grassland and cane land to the west of the reserve. for Scarlet Honeyeater and other rainforest species in the North From coastal beaches to mangrove- Street Park and around the forest fringes in the town. lined creeks to eucalypt woodlands and 9. DeMoleyns Lagoon, Marian BRISBANE subtropical rainforest, the Mackay area is 12. Diggings Road home to over 240 species of birds. Key Species: Bar-breasted Honeyeater, Nankeen Night-Heron, Turn off Eungella Dam Road onto Diggings Road (gravel), 1.5km from Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Golden-headed Cisticola, Leaden Eungella township. Search the Climbing Pandanus in the rainforest Flycatcher, Brush Cuckoo, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Dollarbird along Diggings Road for Eungella Honeyeater and other rainforest For more info visit: (summer) and Red-backed Fairy-wren. species. There is a campground at The Diggings, 5km further on. birdlife.org.au/locations/birdlife-mackay 7 Stay safe

Spare a thought 6

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out there! T

for the birds! O Remember to look after yourself L A while birding. Take plenty of D Take nothing but photos, R water, wear sturdy shoes, A leave nothing but footprints. P a hat and sunscreen. E D AT Insect repellent is a MUST. Birdlife Mackay recommends STRI Be mindful of and practices Ethical Birding. and other . Visit birdlife.org.au/documents/ POL-Ethical-Birding-Guidelines. pdf for details. 5 13 4 10

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Visit birdlife.org.au/images/uploads/education_sheets/INFO-birding-tips.pdf

Birds To Look Out For KEY: Frequency refers to a bird locally in its preferred habitat. C - common M - moderately common U - uncommon This is NOT a complete list of birds in the Mackay District. You may find common and S - seasonal * - introduced more widespread birds, for example the or Magpie-lark are not on this list. Sites most likely to find these species

Ground-Dwellers Grassland Birds Honeyeaters Orange-footed Scrubfowl C 4, 5, 6 Red-backed Fairy-wren C 1, 2, 9 Olive-backed Sunbird C 1, 4 Brown Quail C 2 Golden-headed Cisticola C 2, 9 Eastern Spinebill C 10, 11, 15 Red-backed Button-quail U 5, 11 Tawny Grassbird M 1 Lewin’s Honeyeater C 10, 12, 14 Noisy Pitta C 6, 14 Little Grassbird M 1 Eungella Honeyeater M 12, 13 Bush Stone-curlew C 6, 7 Australian Reed-Warbler C 1 Mangrove Honeyeater C 2, 5, 8 Australian Bustard M 9 Red-browed Finch C 10, 15 Yellow Honeyeater C 1, 2, 8 2 Double-barred Finch C Bar-breasted Honeyeater M 9 Chestnut-breasted Mannikin C 2, 9 Waterbirds Dusky Honeyeater C 1, 4 11-13 Scarlet Honeyeater C 10, 11, 14 Brolga M Raptors Black-necked Stork / Jabiru M 8 Brown Honeyeater C 1, 2, 4 Eastern Osprey C 3, 5, 8 1, 9 White-throated Honeyeater C 5, 8, 14 Wandering Whistling-Duck M S Pacific Baza C 9 Hornbill Friarbird C 1, 2, 4 Radjah Shelduck C 5, 6 White-bellied Sea-Eagle C 2, 5, 7 Little Friarbird C 1, 2, 4 Cotton Pygmy-goose M 1, 9 Brahminy Kite C 2, 5, 7 Australasian Grebe C 1, 9 C 1 Nankeen Night-Heron C 1, 8, 9 Grey Goshawk M 11, 15 Bush Birds Glossy Ibis M 1, 9 Wedge-tailed Eagle C 9, 11, 15 Great Bowerbird C 6, 7 Buff-banded Rail M 9, 11 Australian Hobby M 8, 9 Regent Bowerbird M 11, 13, 15 White-browed Crake U 1 Peregrine Falcon M 6, 7 White-browed Scrubwren C 10, 14 Pale-vented Bush-hen U 1 Large-billed Scrubwren C 10, 14 Pied Stilt C 1, 9 Cockatoos, Lorikeets and Mangrove Gerygone C 2, 5, 8 Black-fronted Dotterel C 1, 9 Red-tailed Black Cockatoo C 2, 4, 6 Fairy Gerygone C 6, 8 Red-kneed Dotterel M 8, 9 Rainbow Lorikeet C 1, 2, 5 Striated Pardalote C 5, 14 Comb-crested Jacana C 1 Scaly-breasted Lorikeet M 1, 4, 5 Varied Sitella M 15 Australian King-Parrot C 10, 11, 14 White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike M 10, 14 Shorebirds Crimson Rosella C 11, 14 Barred Cuckoo-shrike U 10, 12, 14 Pale-headed Rosella C 9, 15 Beach Stone-curlew U 4, 7 Cicadabird M 6, 14 Striated Heron M 2, 8 White-winged Triller M 8, 9 Eastern Reef Egret M 2, 5, 8 Varied Triller C 4, 8 2, 7, 9 Australian Pied Oystercatcher C 2, 3 Pheasant Coucal C Red-whiskered Bulbul* M 1 Eastern Koel C S 1, 2, 4 Sooty Oystercatcher M 2, 7 Golden Whistler C 4, 15 Channel-billed Cuckoo C S 11 Pacific Golden Plover M S 3 Little Shrike-thrush C 14 Little Bronze-Cuckoo C 2, 9 Red-capped Plover C 3, 4 Olive-backed Oriole M 1, 4, 5 Pallid Cuckoo U 9 Double-banded Plover M S 3 Australasian C 1, 4, 5 Brush Cuckoo M 9, 14, 15 Bar-tailed Godwit C S 3, 5 Black Butcherbird M 2, 6, 10 Whimbrel C S 3, 5 White-breasted Woodswallow C S 2, 5 Doves and Pigeons Eastern Curlew C S 2, 3, 5 Torresian Crow C 2, 4, 5 Pacific Emerald-Dove M 6, 10, 14 Terek Sandpiper M S 3, 5 Rufous Fantail C 4, 8, 15 Bar-shouldered Dove C 4, 5, 7 Leaden Flycatcher C 1, 4, 8 Grey-tailed Tattler M S 3, 5 Wompoo Fruit-Dove M 6, 10, 14 Shining Flycatcher M 7, 8 Great Knot C S 3 Superb Fruit-Dove M 10, 12, 15 White-eared Monarch M S 4, 8, 10 Red-necked Stint C S 3 Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove M 4, 10, 15 Black-faced Monarch C 11, 14, 15 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper M S 9 Torresian Imperial-Pigeon C S 1, 4, 10 Little Tern C S 3, 5 Topknot Pigeon C S 11, 13, 14 Spectacled Monarch C 14, 15 Gull-billed Tern C 3, 5 C 1, 2, 4 10, 14 Caspian Tern C 3, 5 and Allies Eastern Yellow Robin C Mangrove Robin U 7, 8 Azure Kingfisher C 10, 11, 14 8 Nocturnal Birds Little Kingfisher U 10 White-browed Robin C Silvereye C 1, 2, 4 Barking Owl M 5 Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher U S 10 Russet-tailed Thrush U 14 Southern Boobook U 1, 9 Blue-winged Kookaburra C 4, 7, 9 Metallic Starling M S 6 Eastern Barn Owl U 8, 9 Forest Kingfisher C 6, 9 Mistletoebird C 1, 2, 4 Eastern Grass Owl U 8, 9 C S 5, 8, 9

Large-tailed Nightjar M 7, 8 U 8 Rainbow Bee-eater C S 2, 3, 5 This brochure was produced by Birdlife Mackay Dollarbird M S 5, 6, 9 and funded by Mackay Regional Council’s Natural Environment Levy.