Royal Spoonbill, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Royal Spoonbill, Lake Hattah, Victoria
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
During our holiday in Victoria last year we visited the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park in the north west part of the state.
Over recent years this system of lakes has not had much – if any – water due to the drought. This has resulted in poor flows in the nearby River Murray, the only source of water for the lakes. This is disappointing, because when filled with water – or even partially full, the lakes are a haven for water birds in their thousands.
Last year a special partial filling of the lakes was authorised and so it was with a high level of anticipation we spent several hours in the park on our way to Mildura.
One species I have only occasionally recorded in these lakes is the Royal Spoonbill, shown in the above photo. This is always a pleasing species to encounter. In my experience the Yellow-billed Spoonbill is far more common. This one was feeding in the shallows near where we had morning tea.
Hattah-Kulkyne National Park – Noisy Miner
Noisy Miner, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
While we were having lunch on the banks of Lake Hattah during our holiday in Victoria last year we were visited by a group of honeyeaters, the Noisy Miner. These fearless birds are common in the camping and picnic grounds of the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park in north west Victoria.
They are quite unafraid of humans having a picnic lunch or camping near the lakes. They hang around under picnic tables – and even on the tables. They have learned that people will drop crumbs and tidbits from their food. This species will eat out of your hand and are not afraid to actually steal food from your plate when you are not attentive.
Hattah-Kulkyne National Park birds
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
One of the main reasons for visiting the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park last year was to do a few hours of birding in one of my favourite places. With large tracts of mallee scrub, the national park is an excellent place to see a large number of honeyeaters, especially when the trees are in flower.
Along the Murray River and around the various lakes the large stands of River Red Gums also attract a good range of honeyeaters. While we were having lunch on the bank of Lake Hattah I was pleased to get some good photos of the Blue-faced Honeyeater.
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Mallee scrub, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Mallee scrub, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
There are two main features of the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park in north west Victoria. The lakes ecosystem complete with magnificent River Red Gum eucalyptus trees is the part that attracts most visitors to the park. This is only one of the attractions of this national park.
By far the greater part of the park is mallee scrub, an environment unique to Australia. I grew up in the Murray Mallee district of South Australia, so it is like home to me. This environment has a unique range of plants, insects and other fauna. When the mallee is in flower, the scrub can come alive with thousands of honeyeaters and other birds.
The mallee tree is of the eucalypt family of trees. There are many species of mallee, most typically have multiple trunks all growing from a stump, or lignotuber.
Mallee scrub, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, Victoria
Lake Hattah, NW Victoria
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
After leaving Swan Hill we travelled on towards Mildura in far north-west Victoria. We briefly visited one of our favourite places, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park. We have spent many very enjoyable camping holidays in this park. The park consists of a series of shallow lakes filled during high water levels in the nearby Murray River.
Recent visits to the park have been disappointing due to the low water levels in the lakes. During the drought of the last few years there has been little or no water in the lakes system in the park. When there is water present the bird life is prolific, including many species of waterbirds. My family has also spent many wonderful days exploring the lakes in our canoe. (Power boats are not permitted here.)
Lake Hattah, NW Victoria
The photo above was taken in September 2007 with an abnormally low level of water in the lake. Normally the water would be several metres deeper and where I took this photo I would be standing in waist deep water.