Boort Wetlands Tour Saturday 17 October
Published on 24 September 2015
THE intriguing secrets of Boort’s diverse wetlands will be unlocked during a guided tour planned for later this month.
Part of the 2015 “Naturally Loddon” Spring Festival, the day trip will be hosted by the Boort Tourism and Business Council and led by Boort resident and environmentalist Paul Haw.
Scheduled for Saturday 17 October, from 10am to 4pm, the tour will visit four of the district’s ecologically significant waterways.
“The wetlands tour was one of the first entries in the Naturally Loddon festival program,” Mr Haw said.
“That proved very popular and we’ve been doing it ever since.
“We may get 30 to 40 people coming along, but each year is different and each wetlands area is different. It’s just so important we learn about them.
“One of the highlights we’ll see this time is the benefits of environmental flows – I believe the North Central Catchment Management Authority has the Loddon system in just the right wet-dry balance at the moment.
“The tour will start at Lake Boort, where we’ll show people how we’ve looked after that waterway’s environmental issues, before heading for Woolshed Swamp.
“The 2011 floods brought about massive regeneration there, with trees coming up naturally over an area as big as 200ha.
“It’s splendid to see.
“Next stop will be Yando Swamp, whose rich Aboriginal history includes trees which were scarred before Captain Cook set foot in Australia.
“After that, we’ll go to Leaghur State Park, the largest natural black box forest in Victoria – and the healthiest.
“There are black box trees up to 1,000 years old and the park has up to 400 indigenous plants – one of the highest counts in the state.
“Last stop will be the Loddon River, which has benefited immensely from controlled environmental flows over the past two years.
“The tour is also a great opportunity for bird watchers – we see a lot of different birds during the day.”
With rivers, swamps and lakes surrounding the town, Boort is proving a popular destination for day visitors and holiday makers.
The 400ha Lake Boort is a semi-permanent freshwater wetland which features the greatest number of scar trees in Australia, made when Aborigines removed bark from trees with stone tools for shelter, cooking uses or drying possum skins.
Lake Leaghur’s southern side is a rich source of indigenous history, containing ring trees, scar trees and large cooking mounds, while Lake Lyndger hosts a high number of reptiles and kangaroos and is a popular place to walk and cycle.
Little Lake Boort is a 72ha recreational lake with a caravan park, swimming pool, parklands and tennis courts, while Woolshed Swamp and Yando Swamp are both noteworthy for their wildlife and bird watching opportunities.
Anyone interested in joining the tour is asked to bring walking shoes, sunscreen, cameras, a hat and a packed lunch for a picnic at Nolens Park.
Costs are $15 for adults, $10 for children and $35 for a family. Bookings will be taken until 15 October on 0417 333 171, or email pchaw@activ8.net.au
More details: http://www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Lists/Events/Naturally-Loddon-BoortWetlands Guided-Tour