While I am sure we all agree with Peter’s
thoughts on the Kelly’s Swamp/Jerrabombera Wetlands area, there is one
small (perhaps that should read LARGE) problem with doing anything down there –
it is called Canberra International (what a joke) Airport. The powers that be
have a thing about pelicans, swans and ducks etc, and jet engines on aeroplane
full of people. I don’t think we will see the airport moved anywhere in
the next few hundred years so we are stuck with the wetlands as they are. I can
vouch for just how good a lot of the area is as when I was a teenager many,
many moons ago along with people like Barry Baker and Robin Brown, we walked,
waded and swam across many of the channels you can see from up near the Defence
buildings and flushed many interesting species along the waters edge, reed beds
or flooded grasslands eg various crake species, Australian Painted Snipe,
waders………
Interestingly I have never been to Fivebough Swamp, despite working on
waterfowl in the Riverina with people like Wayne Braithwaite in my career at
CSIRO. It is something I hope toi rectify in the near future.
Cheers,
Mark
