Dear Birdwatchers,

Orange-bellied Parrot Mainland Release

This autumn the Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) Mainland Release Team are again preparing to release captive-bred OBPs at the Western Treatment Plant (WTP). They will also be released at a second site this year, the nearby Parks Victoria managed Spit Nature Conservation Reserve.

Please report all OBP sightings in and around the WTP and The Spit promptly to [email protected]. Your observations supplement the monitoring data to give a more complete picture of the birds’ use of this area.

Once the birds are released Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) will be providing fortnightly updates on social media. You can follow the project on https://www.facebook.com/DELWPBarwonSouthWest/.

Please read the DELWP letter in the document library below for more information on the OBP Mainland Release Trial.

Reintroduction of sheep in 145W lagoons area

Melbourne Water has recently installed additional fencing along drains in the 145W lagoons area (in the ‘Birdwatcher Special Area’ east of Little River) so that sheep can be reintroduced to control the grass surrounding the ponds. Please ensure that you close gates after entry and be mindful of the sheep i.e. not cornering them into tight areas.