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Lake McLarty
Shorebird Project is Well Under Way
This page dedicated to Josephine te Puni who passed away November 2005
Tributes on the page: Who and
Where We Are*
Photos by Coral Richards
 Swans taking off Banksia littoralis |
 View over lake after heavy rains Judy addresses the meeting |
Sorry you will have to go back
through the Main Page
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W A's Lake McLarty added to national shorebird
project by
Josephine Te Puni It's on! Lake Mclarty has been accepted
into the Shorebird Project, contracts have been signed, and Bill Rutherford
has agreed to take on the role of Project Officer and has started the
rounds. Unfortunately, the lake has already dried out and the birds have
departed, but the Birds Australia count this year exceeded 29,500 - how's
that for coverage of a body of water approximately only 2.1km (N-S) and
1,25km (E-W) 29,500 birds! After being advised in December that Lake McLarty had been accepted
into the shorebird conservation project, the PPG went into overdrive to get
the official paperwork underway and to look into employing a researcher
part-time for this important national project. About six months ago, the PPG submitted Lake McLarty and Nairns,
Goegrup and Black Lakes as areas worthy of inclusion into the project to
protect shorebirds. PPG members Griselda Hitchcock, Marion Timms and I met with James
Duggie, the WA project officer, Damian Postma, from the Peel Catchment
Council, Kim Wilson, Landcare Development Officer and Murray Love and Tanya
jackson from CALM, in early January for an on-site visit. It was decided that Lake McLarty was indeed important and in need of
protection from existing and planned development especially once the Peel
Deviation goes through. This was the first stage in action to alert authorities, both national
and regional, of the need to protect the migratory and local birds that visit
every year. A month later, I returned at 6 am to experience, in almost silent
surroundings, the gentle murmur of the birds, which to me was electrifying: a
most magical place. The birds' survival is paramount. I also took Bianca Priest, the National Coordinator fro the Shorebird
Project, out to Lake McLarty for a whirlwind visit when she flew in to Perth
for a few days in February. The lake's special attributes for the bird world were not wasted on her
because Bianca was very impressed. Work now starts in earnest to publicise and inform all and sundry of
the importance and beauty of Lake McLarty and the protection the lake and
birds need. The Shorebird Conservation Project, funded by the National Heritage
Trust and managed by the World Wildlife Fund, aims to increase awareness,
understanding and involvement by communities in conservation of shorebird
habitat. Where possible, it will also enable communities to conserve and wisely
manage important shorebird sites. _________________________________________________________________________________________----
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Early photo of Lake McLarty (extension
of Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar site)Photo by G. Pearson
