CUMBERLAND BIRD OBSERVERS CLUB
Birdwatching in Sydney since 1979
Affiliated with BirdLife Australia
8.30am | Sunday 9 July 2023
BUSHELLS LAGOON and SWALLOWS REACH
Meeting place
Meet at the junction of Blacktown Road and Brewers Lane, Freemans Reach
Leader
Adrian Dick | 0451 825 403
Habitat
Wetlands and forest
Grade
Bushells Lagoon: Grade 2. Approx 2 km on wide bush track with gentle hill down to the lagoon.
Swallows Reach: Grade 2. Approx 2 km walking on a mainly flat bush track.
Facilities
Plenty of street parking near Bushells Lagoon. No toilets or picnic tables. Plenty of parking at Swallows Reach with toilets and some picnic tables.
Location link
Location link
8.30am | Saturday 22 July 2023
SECOND PONDS CREEK RESERVE, ROUSE HILL
Meeting place
Meet at Withers Rd at Second Ponds Creek, adjacent to the Rouse Hill Rural Fire brigade
Leader
Edwin Vella | 0402 067 619
Habitat
Wetland and forest
Grade
Grade 3. Approx 6kms of walking on a gentle slope.
Facilities
Plenty of roadside parking. Closest toilets are at the nearby Bunnings or Mitre 10. No picnic tables.
8.30am | Sunday 30 July 2023
ROYAL NP – WATTAMOLLA CLIFFS and BONNIE VALE (near Bundeena)
Meeting place
Meet at the P2 car park at Wattamolla. The turnoff to Wattamolla is on the left, 10kms from Audley when coming from the north. The car park is about 5km further on, accessed from a right hand turn as you go down the hill, before you get to the bottom carpark. Entry fee of $12 applies unless you have a NP pass. Note that there is no mobile reception at Wattamolla.
Second location is at Bonnie Vale picnic area, off Sea Breeze Lane, Bundeena.
Leader
Greg McLaclan | 0405 578 967
Habitat
Heath, forest
Grade
Wattamolla Cliffs: Grade 2. Mainly flat with a few steps and a gentle hill. Approx 2 kms.
Bonnie Vale: Grade 2. Level walking on easy bush tracks. Approx 3kms.
Location link
Location link
8.30am | Wednesday 2 August 2023
FRED CATERSON RESERVE, CASTLE HILL
Meeting place
Enter Fred Caterson Reserve via Gilbert Rd, Castle Hill. Continue along Caterson Drive until you reach a car park at Fields 2 and 3. Do not turn left at any time.
Leader
Heather Cavanagh and David Cree | 0419 432 720
Habitat
Bushland
Grade
Grade 3. Approx 3kms on bush paths, tracks and road with some uneven ground and gentle hills.
Facilities
Plenty of parking with toilets nearby. No picnic tables but some seating near the oval.
9am | Saturday 19 August 2023
BEGINNERS and NEW MEMBERS, CROSSLANDS RESERVE, HORNSBY HEIGHTS
Meeting place
Crosslands Picnic Area, 441 Somerville Road, Hornsby Heights
Leader
Trevor Waller | 0467 977 508
Habitat
Parkland and bushland
Grade
Grade 1. Approx. 2km. Mostly flat on paved paths.
Facilities
Plenty of parking with toilets a few minutes walk away. Some picnic tables.
Location link
Location link
8.30am | Sunday 27 August 2023
TBC - update all details and image
Meeting place
Meet at Emu Green Reserve, corner of Palomino Road and Russell Street, Emu Plains. Decide where else to go on the day based on the status of the floods and nearby tracks.
Leader
Robyn Pedersen | 0438 989 422
Habitat
A mix of parkland, riverside and bush reserves
Grade
Grade 2. Generally flat on gravel paths or bush tracks with up to 4km walking at Emu Green.
8.30am | Wednesday 6 September 2023
BLUE GUM CREEK RESERVE, ANNANGROVE
Meeting place
End of O'Keefe Road, Annangrove
Leader
Paul Johnstone | 0434 350 409
Habitat
Forest
Grade
Grade 2. Approx 2km on flat bush trail.
Facilities
Plenty of parking. No toilets or picnic tables at the reserve, but morning tea wil be 15 mins away at Maralya Park where there are toilets and picnic tables.
Location link
Location link
​
Friday 8 to Sunday 10 September 2023
WEEKEND AWAY - CANBERRA AREA
Meeting place
We will use the Alivio Tourist Park in O'Connor in Canberra as our base for the weekend. Details to be provided closer to the event. Bookings can be made by emailing Heather on outings@cboc.org.au. Accommodation bookings can be made at any time.
Leader
Jeff Byron | 0408 869 228
Habitat
Bushland, wetlands
Grade
Grade 2 and 3
Facilities
TBC
8.30am | Saturday 23 September 2023
ANNUAL RAPTOR COUNT, HAWKESBURY AREA
Meeting place
Maraylya Park, corner of Dunns And Boundary Roads
Leader
Trevor Waller | 0467 977 508
Habitat
Open
Grade
Grade 1. No walking. Birding from around cars.
Facilities
Plenty of parking with toilets nearby. Only a couple of picnic tables.
Location link
Location link
8.30am | Wednesday 4 October 2023
WATTLE FOREST & LADY CARRINGTON DRIVE, ROYAL NP
Meeting place
Meet at Wattle Forest picnic area at Audley. Enter park at Audley end. After crossing Audley Weir, turn right onto Lady Carrington Drive. Turn right to cross the white wooden bridge, then turn left and continue to the end of this road to Wattle Forest.
National Park entry fee of $12 applies unless you have a NP pass.
Leader
Robyn Pedersen | 0438 989 422
Habitat
Rainforest and woodland
Grade
Wattle Forest: Grade 2. Approx 2 kms walk with some uneven ground.
Lady Carrington Drive: Grade 2. Approx 5 kms walk on a gravel track with some gentle inclines.
Facilities
Plenty of parking. There is a set of toilets as you go across the bridge and also at Wattle Forest. Plenty of under-shelter picnic tables.
Lady Carrington Drive has plenty of parking and toilets are a short walk away and plenty of under-shelter picnic tables.
8.30am | Sunday 8 October 2023
DHARAWAL NP and AUSTRALIAN BOTANICAL GARDENS, MT ANNAN
Meeting place
For Dharawal NP, meet at the carpark at the end of Victoria Rd, Wedderburn.
For Mt Annan, meet near the Visitors Centre. Parking is in the P3 carpark on Cunningham Drive, Mt Annan.
Leader
Gabrielle Rees | 0414 947 138
Habitat
Bushland, waterways and formal gardens
Grade
Dharawal NP: Grade 2. Approx 5km on fairly flat firetrails.
Mt Annan: Short walks from cars on mainly formed pathways.
Facilities
Dharawal: Plenty of parking. Toilets nearby. No picnic tables.
Mt Annan: Plenty of parking. Toilets nearby and a café. Bring chairs.
10am-2pm | Sunday 15 October 2023
BBQ - SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK
Details
Come along and join us for a BBQ lunch. Sausages, bread rolls, eggs, tea, coffee, biscuits and juice will be provided. Each person should bring their own cup, plate, thermos of hot water for their own tea/coffee. When booking, please include any details of dietary requirements. There will also be a short bird walk in the area.
Meeting place
Meet at the large shelter shed at Wentworth Common, Sydney Olympic Park on Marjorie Jackson Parkway. Parking is on either side of the road. After parking, walk north along the path with the pond on your left, pass the toilets, and you’ll see the shelter shed up ahead.
Leader
Pat Thorn | 0414 248 941
Habitat
Parkland and bushland
Grade
Grade 1. A short walk to the picnic area.
Facilities
Plenty of parking on Marjorie Jackson Parkway. Toilets nearby. There are picnic tables, but bring a chair in case there is not enough seating for everyone.
8.30am | Saturday 21 October 2023
AIR SERVICES SITE, SHANES PARK
Meeting place
Meet beside the canal in Resolution Ave, Willmot (about 100m from Captain Cook Drive).
Leader
Edwin Vella | 0402 067 619
Habitat
Open forest/woodland with clearings
Grade
Grade 2. Approx 5km on level bush tracks.
Facilities
Plenty of roadside parking. No toilets nearby. No picnic tables.
Location link
Location link
8.30am | Sunday 29 October 2023
RICHMOND LOWLANDS AND SURROUNDS
Meeting place
Meet at Pughs Lagoon, Smith Park, corner of Old Kurrajong Road and Francis Street, Richmond
Leader
Adrian Dick | 0451 825 403
Habitat
Pastureland
Grade
Grade 1. Approx 3 kms, mainly flat on paths or roadsides.
Facilities
Plenty of parking at Pugh's lagoon with toilets and picnic tables nearby. Depending on route taken after leaving the lagoon, toilets and facilities might not be nearby.
8.30am | Wednesday 1 November 2023
IRRAWONG RESERVE AND WARRIEWOOD WETLANDS
Meeting place
Meet near the end of Irrawong Rd, Warriewood.
Leader
Corinne Tomkinson | 0488 001 802
Habitat
Wetlands and forest
Grade
Grade 2. Max 4km. Mostly flat on gravel paths and boardwalks. Some steps on Irrawong Reserve section.
Facilities
Warriewood Wetlands has parking, which can sometimes be busy. Toilets at nearby Warriewood Square. No picnic tables.
Location link
Location link
8.30am | Saturday 25 November 2023
CUMBERLAND STATE FOREST
Meeting place
Meet in the car park near the Cumberland State Forest information centre, off Castle Hill Road, West Pennant Hills.
Leader
Peter Abraham | 0451 292 512
Habitat
Forest
Grade
Grade 3. Approx 5km on tracks that are hilly in places and can be a bit slippery at times.
8.30am | Sunday 3 December 2023
BOAT HARBOUR AND BOTANY BAY, KURNELL (Migratory waders)
Meeting place
Car park at Potter Point. Approaching Kurnell, turn right off Captain Cook Drive into Sir Joseph Banks Drive (Desalination Plant). Enter Botany Bay National Park at the end of Sir Joseph Banks Drive. Follow the road to the car park at the very end.
** Bring a scope if you have one that you can carry**
Leader
Greg McLachlan | 0405 578 967
Habitat
Seashore, sand dunes
Grade
Grade 3. Approx 3kms including some uneven and possibly slippery rocky surfaces. It includes walking on sand dunes, and a climb to the beach.
Facilities
Plenty of parking. No toilets or picnic tables. Nearest toilets are a 10 minute drive away at Kamay NP near the visitors centre.
Location link
Location link
8.30am | Wednesday 6 December 2023
TBC - update all details and image
Meeting place
Meet at the second picnic table in Mitchell Park. National Park entry fee of $8 applies unless you have a NP pass.
Leader
Corinne Tomkinson | 0488 001 802
Habitat
Bushland, woodland
Grade
Grade 2. Approx 3.2km on bush tracks and fire trails with occasional gentle slopes.
8.30am | Sunday 10 December 2023
TBC - update all details and image
Meeting place
Meet at Emu Green Reserve, corner of Palomino Road and Russell Street, Emu Plains. Decide where else to go on the day based on the status of the floods and nearby tracks.
Leader
Robyn Pedersen | 0438 989 422
Habitat
A mix of parkland, riverside and bush reserves
Grade
Grade 2. Generally flat on gravel paths or bush tracks with up to 4km walking at Emu Green.