Hi Peter,
That's a good question and not entirely sure I understand it
completely :-) Maybe someone more familiar with the Kurnell (Sydney,
Birthplace of the Nation) area could answer part one of my answer!
Part 1. I believe Metromix was the name of the local sand mining
operation there many years ago? May still be for all I know? It's
just an area that has always been known (well to me at least) as "The
Metromix Swamp" particularly before it was "re-developed" as bird
habitat!
Part 2. The area mentioned: "The Metromix Swamp" or roosting area
is located in between Cronulla and Kurnell. If you travel along
Captain Cook Drive there is a roundabout where it meets Elouera Road
alongside Wooloware Golf Course. If you continue towards Kurnell from
this roundabout "the Metromix" site, roost, swamp, etc., is about 500
metres from the roundabout on the left (careful you don't drive past
it). There is a very small parking area and gate. From here you walk
in (west about 25 metres) to view the area. It is a site that has
been redeveloped as a roost for migratory waders by various
"concerned bodies and local bird groups". There are never very many
migratory waders there although occasionally on very high tides there
may be! Often there are Chestnut Teal, Royal Spoonbill, Aust White
Ibis, Pied Oystercatchers, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Masked Lapwing,
Striated and other herons, etc.
In between the roundabout and the Metromix parking area was an area
where we used to go for crakes and rails which used to be
colloquially known as Lake Francis after Jim Francis a well known
Sydney birding identity. There is still an entrance to this area
about 30 metres past the roundabout and it is marked as a Public
Reserve. I haven't been in here for a long time but it used to be
popular for crakes, rails, bitterns, etc. but often produced wet feet
as does most serious bittern finding! If you have Thomas & Thomas it
is in there as "Cronulla Swamp" along with a small dated map. The
Metromix area would border along the top of this map and used to be
accessible as a long walk around,hence the wet feet and bitterns!
Another viewing area along this road now is the Quibray Bay Viewing
Platform which as about another 2- 3 km along towards Kurnell (past
the Towra Point entrance) although again on the left with very little
roadside parking available. This platform though does look out over
Quibray Bay to Towra Point and oyster beds and affords some good
viewing on a rising tide. Yesterday it had 20 odd Bar-tailed Godwit,
1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Far Eastern Curlew, 10 Grey-
tailed Tattler, etc.
A search on www.whereis.com.au for Wooloware Golf Club will show the
area in question, north and west of the roundabout towards Kurnell.
Hope this helps.
Kind regards
Alan
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On 14/03/2007, at 15:14 , peter crow wrote:
Alan,
Where is metromix?
Peter
On Tuesday, March 13, 2007, at 02:52 PM, Alan McBride wrote:
HI all,
I visited the 'Metromix" roost area this morning to check this out.
No Oystercatcher's at 11.00 and one Australian version at 12.15
Very little else there for the 3.30 or so High tide. Royal
Spoonbill 1, Striated Heron 1 Juv and usual ibis, C Teal etc.,
Maybe if the person (Stephen Ransom) who reported it to Eremea
Birds could post some comments it may be helpful?
Cheers
Alan
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