Dick Dent bird sanctuary
The entire sanctuary covers an area of 10 hectares (25 acres). This isolated bird sanctuary is a natural wetland situated close to the estuary of the Lourens River, which was once the site of a waste water treatment works but is now protected within the Lourens River Protected Natural Environment. It is managed and maintained by the nearby Helderberg Nature Reserve with help from the Somerset West Bird Club, and is now a habitat for a great many water birds.
There is no entry fee to the sanctuary and it can be entered at any time, but we do not advise doing night caching in this area. Due to its isolated location, the Dick Dent Bird Sanctuary is sometimes vandalised, and so visitors are advised to travel in groups.
Please enjoy, but also respect, the ample bird life that this sanctuary has to offer and also take some time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and views of the Helderberg Mountains. At some points in the sanctuary you can see parts of the Strand Golf Course as well as Beach Road buildings in the distance.
You might need some wellies in winter as parts of the sanctuary are quite water logged.