Boondall Wetlands, Brisbane QLD

We often drop into Boondall Wetlands for a short rest stop when we are travelling through Brisbane. In June we stopped for a few minutes and noticed a Royal Spoonbill feeding with a group of Australian White Ibis. We decided that it had been too long since we had taken the time to walk and cycle through the wetlands tracks so we returned in July for a longer look.

Royal Spoonbill

Boondall Wetlands are managed by the Brisbane City Council. The area is part of the East-Asian Australasian Shorebird Network and large numbers of migratory shorebirds can be seen here between September and March each year. However, there are plenty of woodland birds to be seen all year round.

Olive-backed Oriole

Scarlet Honeyeater

We took our time walking the Billai Dhagun Circuit, an easy 2 km walking track. There are contemporary Aboriginal art totems placed along the track.

Art Totem at Boondall Wetlands

We were delighted to notice three Tawny Frogmouths roosting in a tree. One was quite low to the ground, one was half way up and the third one was up high. Tawny Frogmouths perch out in the open in the daytime but it is easy to walk right past them because they use a combination of their mottled plumage and a frozen posture to camouflage their presence.

Three Frogmouths are perched in this tree.

The Lowest Frogmouth

The Middle Frogmouth

The Highest Frogmouth

There is a bird hide on the track near the junction of Cabbage Tree Creek and Nundah Creek. The only bird we saw from the bird hide was a Striated Heron but as we made our way along the boardwalk we were lucky to see a Striped Honeyeater. Unfortunately, the only photo we have does not show its face but I have included it here because it was the first time we have seen one.

Striped Honeyeater

Boardwalk to the Bird Hide at Boondall Wetlands

Salt marsh comprised of pigface, samphire and marine couch can be viewed from the boardwalk.

Boondall Wetlands

We returned to the picnic area where Crested Pigeons were wandering around.

Crested Pigeon

As usual, we had taken a long time to do the walk but after a picnic lunch we took the foldable bikes out of the car and did a quick ride on the Boondall Wetlands Cycleway to the Anne Beasley Lookout and back, before going home.

Anne Beasley Lookout

White-faced Heron beside the Boondall Cycleway