Western Port – Shorebirds haven

As our summer comes to an end, shorebirds are getting ready for their migration north.

Western Port is one the largest and most significant wetlands in southern Australia, providing vital feeding, breeding and resting habitats for resident and migratory shorebirds.

In summer, numbers boom to hundreds of thousands, as birds arrive to rest and feed on invertebrates in the mudflats, saltmarshes and mangroves.

Cruising in the bay along Rhyll, Churchill Island and San Remo you will see a large variety of waders, including Oystercatchers, Red-necked Stints, Eastern Curlews, Plovers, and Bar-tailed Godwits.

Western Port plays a critical role in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, supporting migratory birds like the endangered Eastern Curlew on their impressive annual migratory journeys across the globe.

Amazing fact: a female Bar-tailed Godwit (as pictured above) was recorded to fly nearly 12,000km non-stop, without rest or food!

At Wildlife Coast Cruises we value the conservation of our local ecosystem and the wildlife it supports. We actively support local mangrove planting initiatives, and our customers can choose to contribute to the planting of a mangrove as part of the habitat restoration efforts in our local Western Port.