The wonderful mallee of Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, and Lake Tyrrell
Tim Dolby
One of Australia’s largest and most-pristine mallee reserves, amongst Australian birdwatchers, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park is best known as probably the best place in Australia to see Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren. Malleefowl is also regularly seen here. Inhabiting the spinifex Triodia mallee woodlands in the park, these three birds are among Australia’s most elusive bird species.
With an estimated population of around 2000 individuals, the Mallee Emu-wren is globally threatened. Bushfires in 2014 caused the local extinction of the last remnant populations of the Mallee Emu-wren in South Australia. The species has also disappeared from large parts of its former range in Victoria, reducing its wild population to three national parks in north-west Victoria: Hattah-Kulkyne, Murray Sunset, and Wyperfeld. A major fire in any of these reserves will move the Mallee Emu-wren closer to extinction.
| The globally threatened Mallee Emu-wren, Nowingi Track. |
Hattah is also a good place to see sought-after species such as Malleefowl, Chestnut-crowned Babbler, Apostlebird, Crested Bellbird, Splendid Fairy-wren, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, and Australia’s wonderful inland parrots, such as Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Regent Parrot, Bluebonnet, and Mulga Parrot.
Many of the birds at Hattah depend upon the specialized habitat in which they live, such as Malleefowl, Striated Grasswren, Mallee Emu-wren, Shy Heathwren, and Southern Scrub-robin, while others are more adaptable and can live almost anywhere, including farming and urban environments.
| Looking up into stars with the Dark Emu behind me. |
How to get there and where to stay
About 48,000 hectares in size, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park is located on Calder Hwy, 35 km north of Ouyen; the main entrance is on the Hattah-Robinvale Rd, 4 km from the township of Hattah. Over the years, I have visited Hattah-Kulkyne National Park more times than I can remember.
When visiting, I have mainly stayed at the excellent Hattah Lakes campground and occasionally at the Lake Mournpall campground, which is just as appealing. There are also basic camping areas dotted along the Murray River. Although the park’s main access road (to Lake Hattah) and the Mournpall Track are accessible with a standard 2WD, most of the other roads in the park are 4WD.
The habitat of Hattah-Kulkye National Park
Almost half the park consists of mallee woodland, often with a ground layer of spinifex, while the rest of the park is open woodland dominated by River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and Black Box (E. largiflorens).
Hattah-Kulkyne also has an extremely significant system of shallow freshwater lakes and ephemeral swamps. 12 of the lakes are listed as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention. Hattah’s freshwater lakes are seasonally filled from creeks connected to the Murray River. These provide food and shelter for a range of waterbirds and fish. Although the lakes can be full for up to ten years without flooding, Parks generally floods them every two years.
| A unique habitat, Mallee woodlands |
Mallee Eucalypts woodlands
The best area of mallee in the park is bordered by the Old Calder Highway, Nowingi Track, Konardin Track, and Mournpall Track (-34.692227, 142.275474).
This area is characterized by an overstory of low Mallee Eucalypts that have several slender trunks arising from a single large underground tuber called a ‘mallee root’. The main Mallee trees are Yellow Mallee (Eucalyptus incrassata) and White Mallee (E. dumosa), and there are also Slender Cypress-pine (Callitris gracilis), Desert Banksia (Banksia ornata), and Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea australis).
These woodland/shrubland habitats have lots of open space between the trees and shrubs, with an understory of shrubs, grasses, and herbs. The most prominent grass is Spinifex (Triodia scariosa), which grows to about 1 meter high. Importantly, it is in the area of Spinifex that you search for Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren.
While other plants in the park include Slender Hopbush (Dodonaea angustissima), Hooked Needlewood (Hakea tephrosperma), Moonah (Melaleuca lanceolata), and Ruby Saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa), on the shores of the lakes grow stands of Eumong (Acacia stenophylla), the rare Garland Lilies (Calostemma purpureum), and clumps of purple Noonflower (Disphyma clavellatum), a staple food source for Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa); when I was a kid, this species of lizard was commonly called a Stumpytail.
It is also worth noting that fires are a dominant part of the Mallee landscape and are a major factor in determining the nature and distribution of vegetation. However, fire regimes have changed since European settlement, with alterations to fire frequency, intensity, timing, and extent. As with other Mallee wildlife, birds response to fire often depends on changes to vegetation structure (which provides them with food, shelter, and breeding grounds). Leaf litter, Spinifex cover, and tree bark are all affected by fire and recover in differing timeframes. This variability is important for providing a variety of bird habitat types and, thus, diversity.
| The wonderful Nowingi Track, Hattah-Kulkyne. |
Riparian Forests, Woodlands, and Shrublands
The riparian forests, woodlands, and shrublands occurring around the Hattah lakes and along the parks wetland, floodplains, and waterways are dominated by either River Red Gum (forests), Black Box (woodlands), or Tangled Lignum (shrublands). Floodwater is needed to stimulate the regeneration of these forests, woodlands, and shrublands. Culturally, the Hattah Lakes were of extreme significance to the local Aboriginal people. While birding, keep an eye open for the shell middens, fire hearths, and scarred trees that are scattered around the lakes.
| Mallee Dragon |
Non-eucalypt woodlands
In the rolling sand plains, you’ll also find some nice pockets of Buloke (Allocasuarina luehmannii). These semi-arid, non-eucalypt woodlands are dominated by Slender Cypress-pine, White Cypress-pine, Buloke, Belah, or Sugarwood. Tall shrubs such as Slender Hop-bush, Umbrella Wattle, Sweet Quandong, and Cattle Bush grow between the trees, while native herbs and spear grasses cover the ground layer. Within these types of woodlands, Buloke woodlands are particularly important as they are listed as ‘endangered’ under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. Once widespread, Buloke woodlands are now fragmented and
highly degrade.
| Striated Grasswren enjoying a tasty spider. |
Where to see the birds at Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
The Nowingi Track!
If you are trying to twitch birds at Hattah, the main targets are Mallee Emu-wren, Striated Grasswren, and Malleefowl. I’ve seen all three at the beginning of the southern end of Nowingi Track, checking in the Mallee on either side. On one occasion, I got Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren within 5 minutes, walking ~50 meters in, eass of where the Nowingi Track turns due north (-34.691151,142.273933). The main thing is to keep quiet and listen for the high-pitched calls of each species. The Striated Grasswren call is a series of scratchy squeaks and trills, sometimes described as tsee tsee cheap cheap, while the Mallee Emu-wren is a weaker insect like ‘see see’.
From my experience, there are two major techniques for seeing these elusive species:
- One: walk slowly and methodically, listening very carefully for their high-pitched call.
- Two: alternatively, walk reasonably quickly, covering more territory, stopping whenever you think you hear something—noting that this technique is probably best for Grasswren generally as they tend to move away when approaching.
| Nothing is more stunning than a Red-capped Robin |
Many of the other mallee species can be found along the Nowingi Track, including Malleefowl (sometimes seen crossing the tracks in the park in this area, particularly early in the morning), Crested Bellbird, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Shy Heathwren, Gilbert’s Whistler, Inland and Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, White-browed, Masked, and Dusky Woodswallow, Red-capped Robin, and honeyeaters such as White-eared, Yellow-plumed, Brown-headed, Spiny-cheeked, and occasionally White-fronted and Striped, and Yellow-throated Miner. This area is also good for Spotted Nightjar.
In terms of reptiles, this area is also particularly good for Mallee Dragon (Ctenophorus fordi), Sand Monitor (Varanus gouldii), Western Blue-tongued Lizard (Tiliqua occipitalis), Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa), Desert Skink (Liopholis inornata), Variable (Eastern Tree) Dtella (Gehyra variegata), and, on several occasions, Burton’s Snake Lizard (Lialis burtonis).
| The colours of the Chestnut Quail-thrush blend it perfectly in with the colours of the Mallee. |
Konardin Track
Another spot to look for Mallee Emu-wren is on the Konardin Track, with the main access via the Mournpall Track. I’ve found the best spot to be around 500 m after you pass through the Kangaroo Fence (-34.690833, 142.329767). Look also for Splendid Fairy-wren, which occur in the open sandy scrub directly adjacent to the fence line.
| Always a personal favourite, Purple-backed Fairy-wren |
Warepil Lookout Walk
If you don’t find Mallee Emu-wren along the Nowingi Track or the Konardin Track, they also occur along the Warepil Lookout Walk; enter just north of the Lake Mournpall campground. In most cases, when I’ve seen Mallee Emu-wren, they’ve been in association with the larger tussocks of Spinifex.
Fire Trail parallel to Hattah-Robinvale Rd.
Another site for Striated Grasswren is the mallee woodlands along a fire trail that runs parallel to Hattah-Robinvale Rd. (-34.761715, 142.320735). I usually park my car at the entrance to the national park and then walk across to the fire trial. At this site, I’ve also seen Chestnut Quail-thrush, Shy Heathwren, and Crested Bellbird.
| One of the things I most enjoy about the Mallee is the colours of its woodlands. Simply gorgeous! |
The Hattah and Mournpall Campgrounds
Hattah is also great for Mallee parrots, such as Regent, Mulga, Blue-winged and Red-rumped Parrot, Australian (Mallee ssp barnardi) Ringneck, Blue Bonnet, Cockatoo, Little Corella, Cockatiel, Major Mitchell and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, and Crimson (Yellow ssp flaveolus) Rosella.
Perhaps the best places for Regent Parrot, Yellow Rosella, and Major Mitchell Cockatoo are around Lake Hattah itself, i.e., look for Regent Parrot and Yellow Rosella near the day picnic area and toilet block, just before you enter Hattah Lakes campground. In spring, listen to the high-pitched call of Blue-winged Parrot as they fly high in the sky over the campground (usually in the morning). In 2012, there was a possible sighting of a Night Parrot, one of the world’s rarest species, flying through the Lake Mournpall Campground.
| Buloke grassy woodlands along the Mournpall Track, perfect habitat for Chestnut-crowned Babbler. |
The Hattah and Lake Mournpall Campgrounds are both great for seeing Apostlebird. They muscle their way around the campsites each morning and evening. I have even had one enter my 2 man tent while I was in it! Other birds around the campgrounds include the Noisy Miner, Grey Butcherbird, White-winged Chough, Blue-faced Honeyeater, and, at night, Southern Boobook, Australian Owlet-nightjar, and, occasionally, Spotted Nightjar.
In general, the lakes and ephemeral wetlands around Hattah, when they contain water, provide habitat for a wide range of waterbirds, such as Australasian Darter, Black Swan, Australian Pelican, Great Egret, Grebes such as Australasian, Hoary-headed and Great Crested, Pink-eared, Musk and Blue-billed Duck, Grey and Chestnut Teal, Eurasian Coot, Black-tailed Native-hen, and rarer species such as Freckled Duck, Australian Painted Snipe, and Australasian Bittern.
Importantly, look around the lakes for birds of prey. I’ve recorded species such as Black, Peregrine, and Brown Falcon, Australian Hobby, Nankeen Kestrel, Brown Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, Black-shouldered, Black, and Whistling Kite, and Wedge-tailed and White-bellied Sea Eagle.
A drive along the self-guided Hattah Lakes Nature Discovery Trail is also worthwhile, particularly for open woodland species.
| Despite their size, Malleefowl are elusive and extremely difficult to find. |
Mournpall Track
During the day, in the areas of semi-arid woodland along the Mournpall Track (between Lake Mournpall and the Raak Track), particularly where there are Slender Cypress-Pine and Buloke, you can usually find families of Chestnut-crowned Babbler. I generally look for them in the larger sections of Slender Cypress- Pine, while the vegetated sand dunes along here hold both Splendid and Variegated Fairy-wren. In the grassland along the Mournpall Track, there are usually grazing Emu and both Red and Western Grey Kangaroo.
The Mournpall Track is a good place to spotlight for Spotted Nightjar, which have a tendency to roost along the rocky surface of the road; look out for them in your car’s headlights. On one particular night, we spotlighted along the Mournpall Track (between the Lake Mournpall campground and the Bitterrang Track turn-off), and we got onto a total of seven Spotted Nightjar, as well as Tawny Frogmouth and Eastern Barn Owl.
| A Regent Parrot feeding in a River Red Gum, |
Lake Kramen
Lake Kramen is a bit of an unknown gem at Hattah-Kulkyne National Park. Located on the Hattah-Robinvale Road, it is around 17 km from the township of Hattah. The main Hattah Lakes system is managed in such a way that the lakes undergo a drawdown and drying event. Drying of the main lakes, such as Hattah and Mournpall, is important as it provides the opportunity for the herb gardens in the lake beds to develop, providing an opportunity for seed events for these plants. During these dry years, Lake Kramen is filled with water to provide refuge for the park’s waterbirds and other wildlife; it can receive around 145 megalitres per day from the Hattah Lakes pump station.
So, when Lake Kramen does have water, the lake can be a haven for waterbirds, the surrounding woodlands can be full of Regent Parrots, and it is also a good place to see Emu. Once I was there, there were an estimated 300 Regent Parrots, and that’s probably an underestimate. I have found the best spot to see the Regents and access the lake generally is along the Shorts Pipeline Track at the east end of the wetland. There was also an abundance of waterbirds. There was large numbers of Australian Pelican and Black Swan, Great Egret, White-necked Heron, Great-crested, Hoary-headed, and Australalsian Grebe, Australasian Darter, a large raft (around a thousand) of Great Cormorant, Black-fronted Dotterel, a small flock of Glossy Ibis, and scattered large groups of Black-tailed Native-hen, colloquially as ‘Turbo Chooks’ or, as I call them, ‘Super Chooks’, because of the way they run around crazily and scatter. Ducks included Pacific Black, Australian Wood, Blue-billed, Musk, and Pink-eared Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Australian Shelduck, and Grey and Chestnut Teal. That’s nine species of duck on one lake! All that was missing was a Freckled Duck and a few Plumed Whistling-Duck. At one point, a nice White-bellied Sea Eagle appeared, circled the lake, flushing most of the water birds, and then roosted in a large River Red Gum at the far end of the lake.
| Looking very much like a wetland in Kakadu, an abundance of waterbirds at Lake Kramen. |
Nowingi State Forest
This is a relatively new site for me and a good place to see Mallee Emu-wren. Leading west from the Calder Highway, the entrance track to Nowingi State Forest is several hundred metres north of where the Nowingi Track meets the Calder Highway. Drive west along this, crossing the railway line. After about 200 metres, stay on the northmost track. Drive another 100 metres and park (here: -34.6761529419884, 142.24678651394348). The mallee woodland here is excellent, with some areas of large spinifex Triodia. The first time I visited here, I got out of the car, looked at the largest clumps of grass I could see, and then immediately found Mallee Emu-wren. There were some other nice birds here, including Mulga Parrot, Splendid Fairy-wren, Crested Bellbird, Spotted Pardalote (yellow rumped Mallee ssp.), Varied Sitella, Pied Butcherbird, and Striped Honeyeater.
| Spinifex Triodia woodlands, the habitat for Malleefowl, Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren |
Some notes on safety in the Mallee
As with all of the Mallee areas, I strongly recommend you be careful when wondering around the bush. Due to the structural nature of Mallee, it’s very easy to lose your sense of direction, so a compass or GPS can be a very handy tool to maintain your location, and the use of Google Maps can be very useful. However, note that in some places, you will have no reception on your phone.
Although I think I have a good sense of direction, on one particular occasion, I remember becoming completely disoriented. In an area I had not previously visited, my reaction was to immediately stop walking, wait, and listen. I reasoned that I was close enough to the Calder Highway and, as long as I stayed exactly where I was, I could hear any passing trucks. After 5 minutes, I heard a truck in the distance (to my west), so I knew that I needed to travel north to get back to my car.
Another technique I use to maintain direction in the mallee (and any outback bush setting generally) is to look at the direction of my shadow. Using your shadow, you can determine the direction in which you are walking. For instance, you might walk with your shadow falling to your right. After several hundred metres, turn around 180°, so it falls on your left, and walk back the way you’ve come. You can also turn 90°, so it falls in the direction behind you, continue for several hundred meters, and then turn 90° again and return to the track that you have come from, thus effectively walking a quadrant. Note that the direction of your shadow will change over time as the sun rises and falls, so you may need to make adjustments as you go. As a rule, when using this technique, I tend to do it reasonably quickly.
| Pink Cockatoo, Hattah Lakes |
Lake Tyrrell
On your way up to Hattah-KulKyne National Park (i.e., if traveling from Melbourne), stop and visit Lake Tyrrell. It is Victoria’s largest salt lake, at 20,860 ha. Very shallow, Lake Tyrrell is a salt-crusted lake. Fortunately, three-quarters of the lake is protected as a wildlife reserve.
The habitat around the lake is chenopod shrublands and plain grassland. These are vegetation communities that are mostly devoid of trees. Instead, the environment is dominated by shrubs such as Bladder Saltbush (Atriplex vesicaria), Grey Bluebush (Maireana appressa), Blackseed Glasswort (Halosarcia pergranulata), Slender Glasswort (Sclerostegia tenuis), Babbagia (Osteocarpum acropterum), and Leafy Sea-heath (Frankenia foliosa). One of the dominant ground covers is the Rounded Noonflower (Disphyma crassifolium), also known as Pigface. The habitat of the lake and the habitat along Tyrrell Creek both act as an important wildlife corridor for many species of birds and animals.
There are a number of rare floral species at Lake Tyrrell. These include Lobed Blue-bush (Maireana lobiflora), Wiry Glasswort (Halosarcia lylei), and the wonderfully named Yakka Grass (Sporobolus caroli). Fortunately, some of the copi islands in the lake are inaccessible to stock and therefore retain vegetation with high natural habitat values. The small islands are also used as breeding grounds for species such as Silver Gull and Banded Lapwing.
| The footprint of an Emu. |
During wet and warm periods in Victoria, Lake Tyrrell turns pink from the red pigment secreted by the pink mirco-algae called Dunaliella salina. Now extinct, two species of flamingos (Phoeniconotius eyrensis and Phoenicopterus novaehollandiae) once occurred in Australia during the Miocene. You can imagine in times past these two majestic birds feeding on the pink mirco-algae at Lake Tyrrell. It would have made a stunning sight!
Lake Tyrrell is the terminal lake of Tyrrell Creek, flowing every 5 years or so after heavy rains. Lake Tyrrell is also a discharge area for groundwater. These are referred to as ‘Boinka’, a local First Nations word. Along the eastern edge of Lake Tyrrell runs a large crescent-shaped dune known as a lunette. Surveys along the lunette have revealed evidence of First Nation occupation, recording over 130 cultural sites, including hearths, stone scatters, and burial sites. One such archaeological site is Box Gully. Consisting of the remains of a small hunting camp, it has been radiocarbon dated to around 32,000 years BP.
Interestingly, the name ‘Tyrrell’ is derived from the local Wergaia people’s word for ‘sky’. Various clan groups of the Wergaia, such as the Boorong people, have a strong interest in starlore, connecting the constellations of the night sky with astronomical stories. Anyone who has visited Lake Tyrrell at night will appreciate why. Due to a complete lake of light pollution and the completely flat horizon line due to the salt lake, the night stars can be absolutely amazing! As a result, in recent times, the lake has become a popular tourist destination, providing an excellent location for photographers to take snaps of the lake’s mirror-like surface. Recently, excellent-viewing plantforms were built at the end of Bailey’s Road (mentioned below).
Where to See the Birds at Lake Tyrrell
Baileys Road Access
So, where are the good spots to see the birds at Lake Tyrrell? In my opinion, there are two good spots for birding. The first is at the end of Baileys Road. Accessed from the township of Sea Lake, drive north up the Calder Highway until you reach Baileys Road (6.5 km). Then drive down Baileys Road, past the lookout, until you reach Lake Tyrrell Road (about 1.5 km), where there are a series of platforms. From there, you can also drive further out to another viewing platform located within the salt lake.
The habitat at the end of Baileys Road provides access to some of the more interesting species of birds found at Lake Tyrrell. In the warmer months (between September to March), Orange Chat occurs in the shrublands beside the lake or right along Lake Tyrrell Road as it leads east from the lookout. White-winged Fairy-wren occur in the vegetation nearer the lake edge—but anywhere you might see Orange Chat. While Rufous Fieldwren occur in areas of planted Bluebush, with a good area to look ~100 meters base of the first lookout. Around the lake you can also see Black-faced Woodswallow, White-backed Swallow, Brown Songlark (scan in the bordering paddocks, particularly on fence posts), Eastern Bluebonnet, with Lake Tyrrell being a particularly good place to see them, such along Baileys Road. The common honeyeater is Singing Honeyeater, but you might also see White-plumed Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Miner, and White-fronted Chat. In spring Blue-winged Parrot can be see at Lake Tyrrell. For example, I have seen a flock of around 50 Blue-winged Parrots feeding on the ground in the Blue-bush plantation where the Rufous Fieldwren occur. The warmer month is also a good time to see Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo.
Lake Tyrrell Road access from Robinvale-Sea Lake Road
The second access point to Lake Tyrrell is from the Robinvale-Sea Lake Road. From Sea Lake, drive north along Calder Highway, and then, after 3 km, turn left onto Robinvale-Sea Lake Road. After another 3.7 km, you come to the entrance point on Lake Tyrrell Rd. Turn left, and after 100 meters, stop and bird in the shrublands and woodland bordering Tyrrell Creek.
Here there are usually large numbers of Eastern Bluebonnet and occasionally Budgerigar and Emu, and you should see a nice selection of open woodland birds such as Hooded and Red-capped Robins, Pied Butcherbird, and, in spring, Rufous Songlark. The common raptors are Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Brown Falcon, and Australia Hobby, while there is also a good chance of seeing Spotted Harrier, particularly in the nearby fields, so keep your eyes open.
If Lake Tyrrell Road is dry, from here, you can drive west along Lake Tyrrell Road until you reach Baileys Road (mentioned above), looking out for Orange Chat and White-winged Fairy-wren along the way. (Note: you can of course do this drive in reverse i.e., drive from Baileys Road east along Lake Tyrrell Road.)
Finally are also some interesting reptiles at Lake Tyrrell. It’s one of only a handful of spots where you might find the critically endangered Lined Earless Dragon and endangered Samphire Skink, which occur in the samphire shrublands. Shinglebacks are also quite common.
Hope you enjoy your next trip to Hattah-Kulkye and Lake Tyrrell. Might see you there!
Tim Dolby
