A Birder's Guide to Australia: St Lawrence Wetlands

Check my birding map for specific location.

Halfway between Mackay and Rockhampton, just off the main highway is St Lawrence. The wetlands are fed by the creek flowing in from the ocean. This gives the area a terrific level of biodiversity. Luckily for me, the township provides a free campground right on the edge of the wetlands and a short walk away is a lookout over the water. It was quite breath-taking.

Male Red-winged Parrot

Female Red-winged Parrot

I parked the van under a tree for shade and was immediately treated to a gaggle of Red-winged Parrots chatting away above me. I love these birds and it was lovely to watch them, especially in such bright plumage.

Channel-billed Cuckoo

You could drive through the wetlands on a causeway, which was alarming at times as it was covered in water. Across the other side were trees lining the road and I spotted a pair of Channel-billed Cuckoo sitting quietly. I love this enormous cuckoo, the hornbills of Australia.

Wetlands causeway

Wallabies and kangaroo were present all through this area, usually gathered in families centred around the female with very young and older juveniles hanging around. The big males were often alone and no wonder. They are so big that they are quite scary!

Male Eastern Grey Kangaroo

At the wetlands themselves, there were plenty of small birds flitting about and I sat for a while trying to keep track of them and possibly get some shots off. It is always lovely when I am travelling as visiting new areas brings new species of birds and this was no exception. The plaintive call of the Little Grassbird was a suitable background for the lovely lilt of the Singing Bushlark.

Little Grassbird

Juvenile Male Red-backed Fairywren

Singing Bushlark

Back at the campsite at dusk, hundreds of Rainbow Lorikeet came in to roost and the doves and pigeons scoured the ground for a last meal. I was really pleased to see the southern species of the Squatter Pigeon that has much less colouring on the face to the more common northern species we have in Far North Queensland.