Wetlands & Wildlife: A Birdwatcher's Loop
From mallee parrots at Gluepot to floodplain lagoons along the river
The plan
Water and old-growth mallee make the Riverland one of the richest birding regions in inland Australia. This loop pairs reliable floodplain wetlands with the remote, world-class mallee of Gluepot. Bring binoculars, sun protection and your own supplies - some of this country is unserviced.
Day one: river wetlands
Start early at Hart Lagoon near Waikerie, an easy restored wetland with a hide and walking loop - egrets, spoonbills, crakes and ducks. Move on to the Loch Luna and Chowilla floodplain systems for backwater birding under towering red gums. Finish the day on a riverfront at Waikerie or Holder Bend, where regent parrots nest in the river red gums.
Day two: the mallee at Gluepot
Devote the second day to Gluepot Reserve north of Waikerie - one of the largest intact tracts of old-growth mallee in the country and a stronghold for malleefowl, black-eared miners and scarlet-chested parrots. Self-register, carry everything you need, and give the marked tracks and hides the slow, patient time mallee birding demands.
Day 1
4 stops-
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2
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3
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4
Day 2
1 stop-
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Image credits
- View of wetlands in Murray Valley National Park, NSW.jpg by AndreB94 , CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons