Galada Tamboore is a peaceful and beautiful little heard of area located behind industrial and housing estates in Campbelfield. Galada Tamboore is the Wurundjeri for 'creek waterhole'. The area was originally reserved by Melbourne Water as a retarding basing but it now forms part of the new Merri Creek Parklands. Situated on a 93 hectare floodplain, the Merri Creek meanders through it, past sedimentary and basalt escarpments and gullies containing remnant river red gums. At the top of the escarpments are indigenous shrublands and grasslands. The area is regionally significant for its reptiles (particularly snakes), geology and aboriginal archeological sites.

Currently the area can be accessed from the end of Somerset Drive or Hatty Court. A bike path is being developed which connects with the existing Merri Creek bike path, it will also connect the Whittlesea Gardens on the other side of the Hume Freeway.

One of the best areas to look for birds is 'Yellow Box Gully' to get there enter through Hatty Crt. turn right onto the bike path and walk for a couple of hundred metres, the gully can be seen on the left. The best view into the gully is from the northern edge. Over the last few years surveying this area we have seen, Satin Flycatcher, Rufous Whistler, Golden Whistler, Brown-Headed Honeyeater and Brown Goshawk. Red-browed Finch, Superb Fairywren, Silvereye, Spotted Pardalote and Grey Fantail are usually found here.

In the grasslands along the top of the escarpment Australasian and Skylark are common, also occasionally seen or heard are Brown Quail. In spring, when the grass is overgrown, Golden Headed Cisticola call from the top of the long grass, Horsfields Bronze-cuckoos can also be heard in spring, in winter there are Flame Robins. Australian Reedwarbler call from the reed beds during spring and summer and the the occasional, duck, moorhen, cormorant or heron is seen along the creek. There is the possibility of snipe at the Barry Road wetlands.

Further north, a pathway leads down to the creek which can be crossed, by rock hopping, when the water levels are low.

Survey route for Galada Tamboore

View of the Maribyrnong River

Brimbank Park is accessed via Brimbank Road off Keilor Park Drive, Keilor East.

Driving down Brimbank Road, the first sight of the park is of dry plains where the grass has all but disappeared due to the large rabbit population in the area. On our visit Dusky Woodswallow, Crested Pigeon and Welcome Swallow where perched here on the powerlines and low trees.

The road heads down into the River Valley 55 metres below the plains. The river is lined with huge old river red gums with read beads in some sections. Although the water level is low there was still plenty of water running down the river on the day we visited. Although there was little grass in the areas around the car park many Superb Fairywrens were foraging on the open ground.

In the Silver Wattles near the ford in the Kulin Wetland were Brown Thornbill, Yellow Thornbill and Grey Fantail. Spotted Pardalote were heard calling from the gums along the river. A Sacred Kingfisher was fishing and White-browed Scrubwrens were foraging around the river banks. Dusky Moorhen and Pacific Black Duck in the river. A Little Eagle was flying over the treetops.

As we were walking along the river banks we spied a Swamp Wallaby in the undergrowth and Long-necked Tortoises were swimming near the surface of the river.

After finishing a walk in the park its worth driving up to the lookout off Keilor Park Drive for a spectacular view over the river valley.

Brimbank Park Bird List

Casuarinas near the southern fence

Woodlands Historic Park is 22 kms north of Melbourne just near the Melbourne Airport. This is a large park so it's a good idea to start from an entrance near to the area you would like to explore, there are a number of ways to access the park but my preferred entry points are either by the entrance to the Back Paddock near the Koori Cemetery, off Providence Road or by the Somerton Road picnic area. The bush is thicker here and the birdlife more prolific. Some of the areas outside of the Back Paddock are sparsely vegetated and can be hot and dry during summer. The area called the Back Paddock has been enclosed in a fox proof fence to protect the Eastern Barred Bandicoot which is being reintroduced here.

Kangaroo in the Back Paddock

If you walk along the paths near to the northern fence of the Back Paddock during winter Scarlet, Red-capped and Flame Robins can be spotted hopping around low in the trees and on the many fallen logs. Other interesting birds that can be seen in this area are Spotted and Striated Pardalote, Varied Sitella, Brown-headed Honeyeaters, Crested Shrike-tit, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Striated and Brown Thornbills, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush and Weebill. In Summer you can find Shining-bronze Cuckoo, Rufous Whistler and White-winger Triller. A pair of Whistling Kites can often be seen near to the South East fence of the Back Paddock. The area just east of the Greenvale Creek is fairly open and can be a good place to spot a raptor such as a Wedge-tailed Eagle or a Brown Goshawk. If you follow the northern fence of the Back paddock you will pass the old Greenvale Hospital, I find it quite eerie to see the abandoned hospital surrounded by the bush here.

Kangaroo coming to drink

At the Somerton Road Picnic ground you will find a pathway which follows the Moonee Ponds creek. Last time we visited there was still water in the creek here and many bush birds were seen nearby such as Grey Fantail, Superb Fairywren and Red-browed Finch. Over 119 species of birds have been seen in the park and you may be lucky enough to see such gems as Western Gerygone, Masked Woodswallow or a Purple crowed Lorikeet and there are always plenty of Eastern Grey Kangaroos present.

If you are coming from the airport it is possible to enter the park on foot via Marker Road, however there is no gate to the back paddock here. To enter the Back Paddock, once you have entered the park, follow the south fence of the Back Paddock for about 1 kilometer until you reach the gate. It may be possible to see many small birds on the way to the gate such as Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated and Spotted Pardalote or Red-browed Finch. A Wedge-tailed Eagle and Brown Goshawk have also been seen here.

If you are hungry after a long walk around the park you might feel like a delicious wood fired pizza and a glass of wine which you can get at the nearby rustic outdoor restaurant of Wildwood Vineyard , in winter its heated by the wood fired oven and outdoor heaters so its good all year round.

Map of Woodlands Historic Park

Not really the quietest place to record. The surrounding roads are a favorite for motorcyclists out on a Sunday ride. This lyrebird was recorded on a short nature walk from the picnic area. There is a fair amount of background noise from people talking, light aircraft and motor cycles but the calls are still quite audible.

Female Lyrebird digging up the garden bed in the carpark!!