Australian Good Birding Guide: Northern Queensland. Ted Wnorowski
Bluewater Trail runs through the reserve from the east end of River St to East Gordon St. Facilities such as toilets and picnic tables are provided at both ends of Bluewater Trail.
There are two entrances to the reserve:
At the east end of River St. To get there, from Bruce Hwy (A1) take Gordon St and drive through the CBD until you get to Lawson St. Turn left, at the T-junction with River St turn right. Drive to a large carpark at end of the road.
In the Illuka Park at the east end of East Gordon St. To get there follow Gordon St onto East Gordon St until you reach Illuka Park.
Over 150 bird species have been recorded here. Key species are Beach Stone-curlew, Sooty Oystercatcher, Black Bittern, Mangrove Robin and Mangrove Gerygone. Other notable birds include waders, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Torresian Imperial-Pigeon, Helmeted Friarbird and Little Bronze-cuckoo. Rarities include Common Sandpiper, Broad-billed Flycatcher, Black-necked Stork, Painted Button-quail, Plum-headed Finch and Zebra Finch.
Mangrove Gerygone
Mangroves and beaches of the reserve are a stronghold of Beach Stone-curlews. During wader surveys in the area, 3-4 birds are counted regularly.
Best birding usually happens around the bridge over Sandfly Creek. Check the mangroves; the sound of singing Mangrove Gerygones is unmistakable. Small flocks of Mangrove Honeyeaters move through the mangroves. Collared Kingfishers hunt along the creek at low tide. There is also a chance of seeing Mangrove Robin here or even getting a glimpse of Black Bittern.
Check the waders on the river while walking along the high levee – usually a scope is needed as they tend to hang out on the other side of the river. Expect to find Lesser Sand Plover, Red-capped Plover, Grey-tailed Tattler, Great Knot, Far Eastern Curlew, Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Greenshank. Solitary Common Sandpipers are found nearly each year roosting at the floodgates in the creek mouth.
Expect to see plenty of finches in the grassland. Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, Nutmeg Mannikins and Double-barred Finches are everywhere and in good numbers. Look also for Tawny Grassbird, Australasian Pipit and large flocks of Magpie Larks congregating here in late summer and autumn. Black-shouldered Kite and Nankeen Kestrel can often be seen hovering over the grassy areas.
In 2016, three Little Curlews spent a few months here, feeding in grassy areas.
In the coastal scrub behind the dunes, look for Black-faced Monarch, Rufous Fantail, Olive-backed Sunbird, Leaden Flycatcher, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Dusky Honeyeater, Brown Gerygone, Fairy Gerygone and Little Bronze-cuckoo.
Rainbow Bee-eaters have established several breeding colonies here. We observed about 40 birds excavating tunnels in the dunes. Some were pushed out of the slopes and were making holes in the flat-laying sand.
Town Beach
This popular beach is located just south of the Sandfly Creek Environmental Reserve between Illuka Park and Quota Park. To get there, from Bruce Hwy(A1) take Bridge Rd to the coast. The closest facilities are located in Illuka Park and Quota Park.
A variety of waders feed on the sandflats and occasionally roost on the beach near the creek. Regular findings include Red-capped Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Red-necked Stint, Great Knot, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel and Far Eastern Curlew. Occasionally, you may see here Sanderling, Grey Plover, Beach Stone-curlew and Little Curlew.
Red-necked Stint
In a small wetland near the beach, you have a chance to come across Curlew Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Common Greenshank. Little Terns are often found near the creek mouth.
In the parkland, look for flocks of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos. Also, Helmeted Friarbirds, Rainbow Bee-eaters and sometimes Torresian Imperial-Pigeons can be found here.
Shellgrit Creek Wetland
The site is located just south of Town Beach, behind the airport in South Mackay. The tidal lagoon and mouth of Shellgrit Creek are the excellent, easily accessible wader sites.
To get there, from Bruce Hwy (A1) take Bridge Rd to the east. Near the coast turn right into Beverley St, then left at the T-junction with Petrie St, followed by right into Illawong Dr. Drive to the end of the road. Walk along the track running on the western spit. Waders rest on the sandy spit across the water to the east.
Bush Stone-curlews are frequently found here. Common waders include Far Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Red-capped Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Stint, Great Knot, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Pacific Golden Plover and Ruddy Turnstone. Occasionally, Terek Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling and Double-banded Plover are recorded.
Other birds in the area include Australian Gull-billed Tern, Little Egret and Brahminy Kite. Great-billed Heron has been occasionally reported from this site.
Keeleys Road Wetland
This beautiful swamp is located on the south side of Keeleys Rd in north Mackay. It is called Floodway Conservation Area and is mostly inaccessible except for the corner of Keeleys Rd and Slade Point Rd where you’ll find an entrance to the 1km-long Kommo Toera Trail. The trail leads to two bird hides located near the water. It runs mostly through the towering, majestic paperbarks and on dry land through the forest of rusty fig trees, casuarinas and Moreton Bay black ash. Keep an eye on the treetops – a cyclone aftermath from twenty years ago is still embedded in the tree crowns. It is surreal to see half of a garden shed, car doors and a large roof section hanging high in the trees. Along Keeleys Rd you’ll see a drainage ditch and on the other side of the road wet paddocks overgrown with bushes.
Kommo Toera Trail habitat
To get there, from Mackay CBD take Harbour Rd and turn left into Slade Point Rd. Stop in a small carpark at the corner of Keeleys Rd and explore the trail. Site coordinates are 21o05’41’’S and 149o12’37’’E.
Over 120 bird species have been recorded at the Keeleys Road Wetland. Key species are Brolga, Black Bittern, Baillon’s Crake, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Torresian Imperial-Pigeon and White-eared Monarch. Other birds of interest include Magpie Goose, Buff-banded Rail, Spectacled Monarch, Little Bronze-cuckoo, Olive-backed Sunbird, Common Cicadabird and Fairy Gerygone.
Brolgas can be often found along with Bush Stone-curlews on the wet paddocks in Keeleys Rd. We came across a Brolga pair with one chick. For Baillon’s Crake and Buff-banded Rail inspect the ditch along the street. They feed in the sparse cumbungi.
Orange-footed Scrubfowl built a mound on dry land near the track. This mound looked as if it was used by them and by Australian Brush-turkeys. Both sand and leaf litter were used in construction and we observed males of both species paying attention to the same mound.
In the lagoon in front of the bird hide, look for Magpie Goose, Plumed Whistling-Duck, Great Egret, Dusky Moorhen and White-necked Heron. Nankeen Night-Herons may be roosting in trees near the hide.
Fruiting rusty figs are visited by Torresian Imperial-Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo-Doves, Wompoo Fruit-Doves and occasionally Superb Fruit-Doves and Brown-capped Emerald-Doves. They are often joined by Channel-billed Cuckoos, Eastern Koels, Lewin’s Honeyeaters, Australasian Figbirds and Olive-backed Orioles.
When paperbarks and Moreton Bay ashes are flowering, they are teaming with Dusky Honeyeaters, Brown Honeyeaters, Yellow Honeyeaters, Helmeted Friarbirds and Scaly-breasted