Rutherglen

Surrounded by reserves, forests, wetlands, lakes, rivers and open wooded country in every direction, Rutherglen, Wahgunyah and surrounds is a twitcher’s paradise. There is great bird watching to be had all year round, though autumn and spring are particularly exciting with migratory birds on the move.

LAKE MOODEMERE
Just a five-minute drive to the west of town, Lake Moodemere is a lovely natural billabong fed by the adjoining Murray River. As one might expect, an impressive array of waterbirds are waiting to be found, including ducks, cormorants, shags, pelicans, herons and more. Majestic birds of prey such as the white-bellied sea eagle are often seen soaring high over the lake, and woodland highlights include dollar birds, butcherbirds and spotted pardalotes. The azure kingfisher is also a common sighting.

CHILTERN MOUNT PILOT NATIONAL PARK
Less than ten minutes from the heart of Rutherglen, this Box Ironbark forest sprawls over more than 4000 hectares and offers some exceptional bird watching. More than 220 species have been recorded within the forest, with highlights including threatened woodland species such as the Regent Honeyeater, Swift Parrot, Turquoise Parrot, Wedge Tailed Eagles and Square-tailed Kite.

THE BLACK SWAMP
The districts of Boohraman and Brimin are located approximately 15 kilometres west of Rutherglen and offer the largest stand of cypress pine woodlands in Victoria. The Black Swamp is a large seasonal wetland accessed from Boohraman Road and offers Grey Crowned Babblers, Bush Stone Curlews, Apostlebirds and Black Falcons.

For further assistance, please contact the Rutherglen Visitor Information Centre on 1800 622 871 or email [email protected]

Happy twitching!