Hi Tom,
The Eastern Treatment Plant has a much stricter entry regime than Western
Treatment Plant. There are no birdwatching permits and pretty much the only
way a birder can gain access to the plant is to join the monthly BirdLife
Australia surveys, usually led by Mike Carter.
The Eastern Treatment Plant is located in the heart of the old Carrum Carrum
Swamp which once stretched roughly in a triangular shape from the suburbs of
Frankston to Dandenong and Mordialloc. There are still some excellent
fragments of the original swamp, particularly Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands.
Seaford Swamp has open public access though it is harder going to access.
Edithvale South is a wildlife sanctuary that is fenced but there are vantage
points into it from a public viewing platform on Edithvale Road and a the
Melbourne Water Discovery Centre.
There is an excellent bird hide that is currently closed due to saftey
issues. Encouragingly, the Friends of Edithvale-Seaford group are working on
getting the building up to scratch and re-opened in the next year or so.
This would be great as it is one of the few hides I have ever been in that
actually usually has loads of birds right out the front in full view.
Crakes, rails, and memorably a Painted Snipe in 2008.
I was at the Discovery Centre today which was open for school holiday
acitvities. Currently it is usually only open on Sundays. It is not as close
to the birds as the Bird Hide or viewing platform but I still managed to see
(in between kids' drawing activities) about 300 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers
potentially nesting Swamp Harriers and a swag of waterfowl including a
Magpie Goose which may not be of much note for a Queensland birder like you
Tom, but pretty good for down here.
There is also some decent wetlands at nearby Braeside Park and even the
wetlands in the industrial estate nexct door.
Cheers, Sean
-----Original Message-----
From: Birding-Aus On Behalf Of
Tom Tarrant
Sent: Tuesday, 7 January 2014 8:26 PM
To:
Subject: Eastern Treatment Plant access
Hi All,
Was wondering if there was any public access to the Eastern Treatment Plant
near Dandenong (Vic) or any nearby areas worth checking out?
Tom
--
********************************
Tom Tarrant
Kobble Creek, Qld
http://www.aviceda.org
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