Between a rock and a wet place.

From avocets to swans and sharp-tailed sandpipers from Siberia and Alaska - more than one hundred and twenty species of birds have been identified in this wetland where fresh and saltwater meet. Before the Barker Inlet Wetlands were constructed a concrete drain used to take stormwater from Gepps Cross and dump it straight into the Port River mangroves.

“What we're trying to do here now is actually keeping the water here longer. So now it meanders around the base of the hill, down passed the islands there where you can see the pelicans sitting. Then it snakes its way around the base of the hill on the other side, down around passed the Weather Station and back to the road, out through the culvert and out the other side.” (Wetlands Ranger, Andrew Cowley )

Water is trapped for ten days in a wetland where the reeds, paperbarks, sheoaks and gums have all been specially planted. Pollutants fall to the bottom and soon sunlight can penetrate the gloom killing off pathogens and any other nasties. All of which makes for a frog friendly environment.


So if you are lucky you might even see a log from Freddo and the pollywogs.