Bird Watching in Thuringowa

Bird Watching at Ross River

Along the upstream length of the river towards Ross River Dam are a number of excellent bird watching spots. The first of these spots is Riverway at Thuringowa Central. Heading out along Riverway Drive towards Ross River Dam is Loam Island (3.5km) and Apex Park (5km). The Booroona Trail is a forested walkway along the banks of the river that joins these two parks and is the ideal environment for a large number of birds.

The river itself holds a good population of birds. Together with a healthy and well vegetated riparian zone along its banks, the river provides an ideal location for the birdwatcher. Crimson Finches are often seen in the grassed areas between the river bank and Riverway Drive. The observant bird watcher can sometimes spot Tawny Frogmouths, Southern Boobook or Barking Owls amidst the dense foliage.

The river maintains a fairly static level throughout the year as it is held back by Black Weir. It is utilised year round for power-boating, water skiing, rowing and other water sports.

Birds likely to be seen include: Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Intermediate Egret, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Comb-crested Jacana, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Pale-headed Rosella, Pheasant Coucal, Southern Boobook, Tawny Frogmouth, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Forest Kingfisher, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Yellow Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Leaden Flycatcher, Spangled Drongo, Figbird, Great Bowerbird, Double-barred Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Yellow-bellied Sunbird.

Bird watching at Ross River Dam

Access to the dam, the car park, spillway and borrow pits is about 14 km from Thuringowa Central, along Riverway Drive. Owned by the local joint water board, NQ Water, Ross River Dam stores over 200,000 mega litres of water and supplies up to 80% of the region’s drinking water. The dam wall stretches 8.3km across the Ross River floodplain providing additional flood mitigation benefit to downstream communities.

The dam’s extensive shallow margins and fringing woodlands provide habitat for over 200 species of birds. At times, the number of Australian Pelicans, Black Swans, Eurasian Coots and Hardhead Ducks can run into the thousands, a magic sight to behold. The dam is also the breeding area for the White-bellied Sea-Eagle and the Osprey. The park around the dam and the base of the spillway is an ideal habitat for bush birds. The borrow pits across the road from the dam also support a wide variety of water birds for some time after the wet season.

Birds likely to be seen include: Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, White-faced Heron, Little Egret, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Australian White Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Black Kite, Whitebellied Sea-Eagle, Australian Bustard, Rainbow Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Bluewinged Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Helmeted Friarbird, Yellow Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Spangled Drongo, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Butcherbird, Great Bowerbird, Nutmeg Mannikin, Yellow-bellied Sunbird.

Click here (201KB) to download your free Bird Checklist for Lake Ross and surrounds, courtesy of the Townsville Region Bird Observers Club and Thuringowa City Council.