Hi all,
Rather late, but here is the promised summary to this thread -- for
the archives, if nothing else:
Having said that we want to go to Mungo and Broken Hill (now off the
list), various members responded with:
Encouragement:
Depending on how the winter goes it should be stupendous
(if we get average or better rain) or just glorious (if less than
average). The whole SW of NSW has been the best for 30+ years so
anywhere will be good. The one disadvantage is that many roads and
national parks in NSW are closed because access is difficult but
by spring many may be back on line. (Peter Ewin)
Great praise for:
Hattah:
Hattah has to be my favourite Victorian mallee park (at
least 2wd accessible anyway), have been going there on and off for
years. One of my favourite things is camping at Hattah in the
evening as the flocks of Regent Parrots fly in, then have a fire
while boobooks and barn owls call around the place. The whole area
is good for all the mallee parrots and most of the other mallee
birds. The Nowingii Track is probably the best and most accessible
place left to see Mallee Emu-wren... there would be heaps of
info in the archives on how to find these. No good for fishing...
there is blue-green algae in the lakes at the moment. If
your younger son is into orienteering then mallee is a real good
challenge... a whole lot of looking the same and no landmarks.
(Tim Bawden)
Wyperfield:
probably the other very good Western Vic mallee park
that you dont need a 4wd to get to the good bits (Tim Bawden)
Mungo:
Geology and birds (Peter Ewin, Tim Bawden)
If you are going to Mungo NP, you will have a good chance to see several dry
country bird species, but especially - along the road between Mungo and
Mildura - Major Mitchell Cockatoos. They have been relatively common along
that road. (Bob Cook)
Alps:
I would recommend stopping somewhere in the box ironbark
on the way... maybe Kamarooka near Bendigo or at Chiltern (Tim
Bawden)
Misc:
Broken Hill - Silverton and Living Desert well worth an
explore
Depending on where you want to drive other possible spots -
Willandra NP (near Hillston) and Yanga NP (Balranald). (Peter
Ewin)
Along the south side of the Murray River west of Mildura has some great
birding, fishing and camping spots. Try the information centre in Mildura. (Bob Cook)
Mootwingee, Menindee Lakes, Wyperfield, Grampians, Little Desert
(Mallee Fowl at Wimpeys near Nhill). Any of the Mallee areas and
the Grampians should have wildflowers. (Brian Fleming)
And caution:
just check road conditions before you head off. (Peter
Ewin)
In the Mallee I strongly recommend a GPS properly used, as one
patch of scrub looks exactly like .........
(Brian Fleming)
And help:
Westprint Maps at Nhill cover much of the areas you are
interested in.
(Brian Fleming)
somebody has hopefully mentioned "Where to Find Birds in Victoria"
to you already. Produced by BA-Vic Group. (John Harris)
And I followed that up to find:
The best place to buy this book is through CSIRO
publishing
http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/18/pid/6131.htm
Also if you're a Birds Australia member, you will get 15% off.
(Fiona Blandford,
Reception, Birds Australia)
Thanks to all for input.
What a great list!
Gordon Cain
A casual birder who didn't see much on my Saturday walk today, but
was still refreshed
Schofields, NW Sydney
|
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
|
